Looked through a lot of this thread expecting for this to be discussed ad nauseum, can;t seem to find it, so I ask forgiveness for those that are bothered by the topic coming up again.
I would prefer the answer with just facts not personal views, and if you'd rather pm that would be great as well...
What are the legalities of selling points? Is it in the T&C of the contract I agreed to with each individual reward program and airline program? Are the banks/airlines makpid about not selling the miles? Are you allowed to book flights/hotels for other people without getting paid? Do you own your points/miles?
What are the mainstream heterim going around for selling points, if any?
Thank you so much in advance!
Ethics are usually different from one person to the next, which is why it's hard to ask for facts in the Ethics thread. The next thing you asked is the legality of selling points. Again, discussions in this thread stay away from legal and halachic issues. But I'll answer that anyway - it is not illegal to sell points. A quick Google search on the matter will find you many articles on the topic.
I'm under the impression that every program's T&C says you cannot sell your miles, but if CM said "almost" all, perhaps not all actually say that. The banks/airlines are definitely makpid on selling miles, which is why you often hear of people getting shut down and their miles forfeited. Some programs check up on this more often/in depth than others, but they all don't "like" it.
I believe the answer to booking for someone else without getting paid is - yes, you can. However, even if you can prove you didn't get paid, I'm sure it would not be a fun experience getting caught. Finally, from my research, you do
not own your miles.
Don't know the heterim; my Rabbi said, "No."
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