Excessive no-shows may harm your frequent flyer account

Q. I am traveling from Elmira, NY to Charlotte and wanted to purchase a one-way ticket, but it is less expensive if you purchase a round-trip ticket. So, I decided to purchase a round-trip ticket through Expedia then cancel the return trip, but after purchasing the ticket I found out that the fee to cancel would be a $100. Would I still be charged if I just didn't show up for the flight or would it be better to cancel?

A. No need to cancel the return. Just don't show up. You won't be charged, although airlines are now specifically stating in their contracts of carriage that frequent flyer miles will be forfeited because this is a violation of most airlines' policies. If you abuse this strategy, they may wipe out your entire frequent flyer account.