Chicago Tribune | Frequent-flier miles can help those in need

Chicago Tribune | Frequent-flier miles can help those in need: "Frequent-flier miles can help those in need

By Alfred Borcover
Special to the Tribune
Published December 12, 2004

During this gift-giving time of year, travelers have a lot of ways to bring comfort and happiness to others: They can donate frequent-flier miles and hotel points for charitable use, and they can contribute to organizations that help people in lands where they've traveled. Or, as you'll learn, they can give a helping hand to people in the Chicago area.

'The easiest way to donate miles is directly through a frequent-flier program,' said Randy Petersen, editor of InsideFlyer magazine and a frequent-flier guru. 'You can donate individual miles--1,000 miles, 2,500 miles, 5,000 miles, as many as you wish. You don't have to give a whole award,' which would amount to 25,000 miles for a round-trip domestic ticket."