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| Tips for Using Frequent Flyer Miles |
We’re sure you’re quite familiar with frequent flyer programs and frequent flyer miles. Whether you’re a road warrior or a once-a-year traveler, frequent flier programs are synonymous with air travel. If you love to travel, you probably have an assortment of frequent flyer cards in your wallet.
Through these tips, we will try and explore the world of Frequent Flyer Programs and how you can use it to your advantage.
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| Tips for Using Frequent Flyer Miles |
Published
On: July 16, 2009 |
- Overview: The frequent flyer program is an incentive program operated by an airline to reward customers for their continued loyalty. The primary concept behind the program is that the airlines want their passengers to become lifetime customers. As a traveler, you earn free miles for the miles that you fly on a particular airline. With an increase in popularity, the benefits for members are continuously evolving, and today are not just limited to free air travel.
- History: The inception of frequent flyer miles dates back to 1981 when American Airlines introduced AAdvantage, the first Frequent Flier Program. The idea was to reward the most frequent customers for their loyalty.
- Choosing the right Program for you:
There are a number of options available when it comes to choosing the right program. We hope the carefully selected tips below would provide you with some insight on what to keep in mind before opting into a frequent flyer program.
- The Airlines: While choosing the right program, the airline you choose plays an important role. Choose an airline you fly frequently or that has a hub in your area. The chosen airline should be convenient for you and should fly to places that you frequently travel to. The logic behind this is the ability to rapidly accrue points, or miles.
- For infrequent Flyers: In case you are an infrequent flyer, the best way to choose the right program is to compare frequent flier programs and choose the one that allows you the greatest flexibility and opportunities to earn miles or points for all your non-flight activities, like purchasing hotel rooms, renting cars and general shopping.
- Things to know About Frequent Flier Programs
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The airline restrictions like blackout dates and, or limited seat availability might overrule your frequent flier rewards. The airlines state that at any given time, you cannot always count on any award being available.
- Airlines only count miles from origin to destination. If your plane stops along the way to your final destination, these are not always recorded.
- If your flight is cancelled, you won't be credited with the original flight's miles. We advise you to check with airlines regarding their re-booking policy.
- The enrollment for most programs is generally free. However, there might be an assortment of fees applicable, but that’s dependent upon the program.
You don't want to get hooked on one program by accumulating a high mileage balance, only to learn that another program offers superior benefits for your particular situation, consider signing up for a few programs.
- How to Utilize A Frequent Flyer Program Now that you know the basics of the frequent flier program, it’s time to look at how you can save that hard earned dollar of yours, using the program.
- Booking early: Booking early is the key to saving money in almost all forms of travel. The best way to maximize your miles is to book your reward ticket at least several months before you want to fly. That's because the number of reward seats available at the lowest redemption level on airlines are limited.
- Watch for promotions and deals: Airlines generally offer frequent flier members the ability to get extra miles, points or credits if they rent a car with a partner company, fly to certain locations or buy certain memberships. Look for deals on airline websites and sign up with the airlines for e-mail alerts about promotions.
- Watch for expiration dates: “Nothing lasts forever” stands true for frequent flier programs as well. Frequent flier miles, points or credits, do not last forever on some carriers. With some airline programs, miles or credits can expire after a year or two.
- Do not miss an opportunity: Some hotel reward programs allow you to earn some of your rewards as airline miles with partner carriers, or to transfer existing reward points to a partner airline’s reward program.
- Pricing Tickets: It’s important to figure out where to use your frequent flier rewards. Consider how much the ticket is going to cost before you use your miles. Here’s an example: If you can fly roundtrip from Destination A to B, for $150, it might be worth it to buy the ticket and save the miles for a transcontinental flight that might cost you twice as much to buy, or use it for an upgrade on an international flight.
Frequent flyer programs allow you to earn certain travel benefits based on the number of miles you fly on a particular airline. So, get yourself signed up for a program that best suits your needs and enjoy dozen of freebies and offers.
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*The 15 USD off offer is on our transaction service fees only, the discount varies based on the transaction service fees charged for that ticket, and the value of discount will be up to the amount of the service fees charged for that transaction or USD 15 per transaction which ever is less. You must use the coupon code upon check out to avail this offer. This offer may be revised or dis-continued without notice.
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