Pledge to Donate Frequent Flyer Mileage Award Tickets

Thank you for your pledge to donate mileage award tickets to Room to Read. Please note that airline policy requires you to book the award ticket for our designated traveler. We are so grateful for your generous donation and we will help make this process as seamless as possible. As soon as we have identified our designated traveler, a Room to Read staff person will contact you. We encourage you to take a moment to read over the Frequently Asked Questions for more information.

Frequently Asked Questions

Donating Frequent Flier Mileage Award Tickets

 

1)    What is the minimum amount of frequent flier miles that Room to Read will accept for a single ticket (domestic, international)?

Please check with your airline for the required number of miles needed to secure a round trip domestic or international award ticket. The typical minimum airline miles required for a round trip award ticket are: 25,000 for Domestic, 50,000 for Europe, 75,000 for Asia and 80,000 for Africa.

 

2)    Can I claim a tax deduction for my gift of frequent flier miles?

Yes, Room to Read can provide you with an in-kind gift tax receipt for your donation. Once you have completed the Pledge to Donate Frequent Flyer Mileage Award Ticket Online Form and we have identified our designated traveler, a Room to Read staff member will contact you to determine what the value of your airline ticket is for the in-kind gift tax receipt. Please note that we can only issue a tax receipt after the miles have been used to purchase a ticket.

 

3)    How will Room to Read use the miles?

Your generously donated miles will be used for Room to Read official business needs and will help us keep our overhead low. In this way we are able to continue directing much-needed funds to our programs. For more information about what we are doing to provide educational resources to communities throughout the developing world, we invite you to visit the programs portion of our website.

 

4)    Am I responsible for the tax and surcharge costs charged by the airline when using miles to purchase a ticket?

The tax and surcharge fees associated with donating your frequent flier miles to Room to Read are dependent upon the ticket cost. We would be thrilled to accept payment of these fees as part of your donation to Room to Read; however, we are also happy to reimburse you for this extra cost. After booking the ticket with your airline miles, please let us know the amount of the tax and surcharge fees and we will send you a check in the mail reimbursing you for the total.

 

5)    Why isn’t Room to Read in partnership with a designated airline, allowing them to participate in a “charity program”?

We understand that Room to Read’s supporters accrue frequent flier miles with many different airlines and we would like to give all of our supporters the opportunity to donate their award miles to Room to Read.

 

6)    What happens after I submit the form expressing interest in donating award miles?

A Room to Read staff member will get back to you as soon as we need to purchase an airline ticket with your frequent flier miles. Given that arrangements are often made very close to the date of travel.

 

7)    Why do I need to be contacted by a Room to Read staff person if I’ve already submitted a form online?

Room to Read will need your help to book the travel arrangements with your airline as soon as we have identified the desired itinerary for our traveling staff member. We wish that it were possible to manage the booking ourselves, but due to airline security policies, we are very grateful for your support to help us book the award ticket. Our Room to Read staff member will provide you with all of the information that you will need to make this process as seamless as possible.