Selling miles: broker, classifieds or marketplace?
If you want to turn miles into money, there are three routes: a buyback broker, a classified ad or a marketplace with protected payment. Each has pros and cons. We compare them openly, including where MilesMarket is not the best choice. First the key point: many programs, including Miles & More, prohibit resale in their terms. The account holder carries that risk whichever route they choose.
First: what the programs allow
Each program sets its own rules on passing miles on. Miles & More, for example, prohibits trading miles and only allows awards for other people within narrow limits. Other programs explicitly allow gifting or family pooling. Read your program's terms before selling. No provider can take this risk off you, MilesMarket included.
Route 1: buyback brokers
Brokers buy your miles at a fixed price and resell them. The upside is speed: you get an offer, accept, done. The downside is price, since the broker earns on the margin. Depending on the provider, some also ask for access to your program account. Never hand over login details: you lose control of your account, and most programs treat it as a breach.
Route 2: classifieds and forums
On classified sites or in forums you set the price yourself and reach many interested buyers. In exchange there is no protection: if the buyer does not pay or reverses the payment after you deliver, legal action is usually your only option. Buyers, too, lose money to scammers who demand payment upfront. Specialist blogs regularly warn about such cases, which often start with a request to move the deal off the platform.
Route 3: marketplace with protected payment
A marketplace like MilesMarket sits between both sides. The buyer pays upfront and the money is held until they confirm delivery; if they do not respond, it is released automatically 24 hours after delivery. Both sides verify their ID once, and disputes go through a process with evidence. Delivery uses the program's own mechanisms, such as an award booking in the buyer's name; login details are never shared. The catch: it takes longer than a broker, since you need to find a buyer and deliver. For your first three sales, the payout also waits 7 days after delivery.
What it costs
With a broker, the fee is built into the lower buyback price. Classifieds usually cost nothing, but you carry the full risk. On MilesMarket sellers pay no platform fee; only the card fee (about 2.5% + €0.25) and Stripe's payout fee are deducted. The buyer pays the 10% marketplace fee. What others currently ask for your program is shown in the monthly miles price report.
Which route suits you?
If you need the money now and accept a lower price, a reputable broker that does not ask for login details is the fastest route. If you want to set the price yourself and know the buyer personally, a classified ad may be enough. If you want a fair market price and protection for both sides without knowing the buyer, a marketplace with protected payment is the safer choice. Either way: check the program rules first.
Sources & terms
The MilesMarket editorial team covers mile values, award bookings and safe trading. We check prices and program rules against the programs' terms and our market data before publishing. Programs change, so details can go out of date; the program's current terms always prevail.
Editorial team & methodologyResponsible: Milesmarket Ltd · Legal notice
FAQ
- Is selling miles allowed?
- Each program sets this in its terms. Many, including Miles & More, prohibit resale; the account holder carries the risk. This article is not legal advice.
- Should I give my login details to a buyer or broker?
- No. You lose control of your account and breach most programs' terms.
- How fast do I get paid on MilesMarket?
- Once the buyer confirms, at the latest 24 hours after delivery. For your first three sales there is a 7-day wait after delivery.