With Asia Club miles about to expire, Michael Taylor has to act fast – use them or lose them. But cashing them in isn’t a piece of cake.
In the end, he succeeds, resulting in a round trip ticket to Bali. This is the first in a four part series.
My hard earned miles are about to expire – more than 23,000 of them. Following a couple of hours on both the Marco Polo Club and Asia Miles websites, I determine that I can use 20,000 of them to fly to Bangkok, Singapore, or Saigon. But that will leave more than 3,000 of them unused. Or I can cash in 30,000 of them to fly to Bali, Seoul, or Tokyo.
I decide on Bali. I want to use up as few miles as possible without losing any. And I’ve been wanting to make a return trip to Bali for months.
Expiration Date
What I am not able to determine on line is whether I have to depart before the expiration date, complete my trip before the expiration date, or book my ticket before the expiration date. Eventually I give up on the Asia Miles and Marco Polo Club websites and pick up the phone.
I quickly determine that I’ve simply got to book the flights before the expiration date. I’ve then got one year before I must complete my journey, and I can change my plans as many times as I wish – without having to pay a penalty.
“Oh, good!” I think. “It looks like I’ll be able to winter in Bali this year.”
To Be Continued
Copyright: Michael Taylor