Jaunted

Now this is a trick that you can use any time you find a loophole that allows you to convert credit into something that's functionally cash. We've heard rumors—mere rumors—that another intrepid Flyertalk member figured out how to put money directly into his bank account by masking the transactions as purchases rather than cash advances. Apparently there are certain banks with certain plans that let you "buy" money over the Internet. Since you can get miles for purchases but not for cash advances, this functionally allows customers to earn unlimited airline miles. It would probably void a whole host of your member agreements. Interesting loophole though.

Now for a brief moment of moralizing. Obviously this is Wrong. The purpose of the currency sales is to get dollar coins into circulation, because coins last longer than paper money and takes some pressure off the Mint. Why they would want to go in that direction after decades of evidence that Americans refuse to carry around heavy dollar coins is beyond us, but that's their purpose and this contributes nothing to it while getting them to pay the shipping costs. As for the dodging credit card firewalls between purchases and cash advances—you don't need to be told why that's wrong.

On the other hand, airline fees are only going to increase while oil prices cause economic stagnation and the economy stumbles along. If you're going to take a metaphorical ride on this Titanic we call a civilization, you might as well do it with literal rewards miles.

[Photo: Jake Wasdin / Wiki Commons]

Related Stories:
· Miles for Nothing: How the Government Helped Frequent Fliers Make a Mint [WSJ]
· Flyertalk Coverage [Jaunted]
· Frequent Flier Miles [Jaunted]