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The worst of the weather from Hurricane Harvey has passed, but that doesn’t mean the aftermath is over for residents of the Texas cities that were hit by the storm. In fact, Texas Governor Greg Abbott called the storm “one of the largest disasters America has ever faced,” and he told The New York Times the region would not recover anytime soon.
That’s precisely why people in the area need any help we can give—and now, two airlines are adding an incentive for anyone who donates. American Airlines and United Airlines are offering flight miles to members of their loyalty programs who donate to the disaster relief.
Here are the stipulations for each airline.
American Airlines:
American Airlines will reward AAdvantage mileage members who donate by Sept. 24. They’re giving 10 miles for every dollar donated. The minimum donation is $25, and again—this is only valid for AAdvantage members. You can visit the American Airlines American Red Cross page to make a donation.
United Airlines:
United Mileage Plus members can get points by donating to American Red Cross, Airlink Operation USA and Americares. The amount you donate determines how many points you’ll receive. Here’s the breakdown:
• Donate $50-$99: Earn 250 bonus miles
• Donate $100-$249: Earn 500 bonus miles
• Donate $250 or more: Earn 1,000 bonus miles
Donations made by United Mileage Plus members by Sept. 15 are eligible. Bonus: United Airlines will match the first $100,000 raised from this campaign.
Many airlines also offered rebooking deals upon news of the storm’s landfall. Airbnb offered accommodations for evacuees, and this seems to be the airlines’ way of helping not only those who were just traveling to the Texas area, but those who live in the state as well.
Celebrities such as Kevin Hart and Beyonce are raising and/or donating money to relief efforts also, and with an estimated $40 billion in damages, the area certainly needs all of the help it can get. We should all pitch in simply because it’s the right thing to do, but it’s nice to get some extra airline miles in return for our kindness.