Flying by the Miles: A Mini-Guide to Using Those Travel Points
How does everyone else do it?
You fly everywhere, and the expense is getting to be just too much. Sure, you get comped from your company, but still. Well, here’s the secret: frequent flyer miles.
Most business people who fly get special rewards and incentives to fly. And, once they’re accumulated enough “points,” they’re able to cash them in for free flights. Here’s how you can do the same thing.
What Are They?
If you’ve not familiar with them already, airline miles are sometimes referred to as “frequent flier miles,” because they’re given to individuals by airlines whenever an individual buys an airline ticket, books a flight, and completes their trip. They’re a form of loyalty program. Basically, the points translate into money you can use towards buying another ticket with the airline.
Most airlines converts points into useable dollars at a rate that is less than 1:1, meaning it takes many points to equal $1 that can be used towards the purchase of an airline ticket. Usually, you accumulate a set number of points based on the miles you travel. This is key to making the whole thing work. The more miles you travel, the more points you accumulate.
Some airlines also let you accumulate points and miles based on how much you spend on your credit card.
Airlines sometimes introduce added complexity into the system, however, like blackout dates when you can’t use your miles for tickets or travel. Sometimes, actual miles traveled don’t equate to the number of miles you fly or to the number of miles you can fly for free.
Other Ways You Can Get Miles
Flying and credit card spending aren’t the only ways you can accumulate frequent flier miles. Sometimes, you can get these miles by shopping or eating out. For example, you can sometimes get points by going through specific dining programs or if you use the airline’s website or portal to buy from other retailers like Best Buy, Walmart, or Target.
Many banks also offer a myriad of ways to get frequent flier miles. You could get some for opening up a new bank account, or get paid points by filling out surveys on sites like eRewards.
A lot of credit cards that offer frequent flier miles also come with stipulations on how you accumulate these miles and how and when you can use them. If you happen to fly a lot, you should also consider getting a card that gives you points with bonus miles. Then, use the card to purchase your airline tickets direct from the airline. That way, you get the miles from the airline, the credit card company, and for purchases you make while on your trip. You’ll rack up miles more quickly and save yourself more money than if you just relied on miles from the airline.
Check out cards like Chase Ink if you want a card with a decent rewards system.
Make sure you understand all the terms and conditions before signing up for anything, however, including blackout dates and any other restrictions.
If there’s an airline you tend to use a lot, then try to orient your credit cards and airline ticket purchases so that you maximize points with the airline that you think you’ll use the most. For example, if you think you’ll fly Southwest Airlines the most, make sure you always purchase through their website and keep track of your points.
How To Maximize Your Rewards And Points
There’s no secret or trick to this. Just make sure you keep tabs on how you pay for things. Assuming you’ve applied for, and gotten, a credit card that offers a decent rewards system, make sure you’re using it for all of your purchases, even ordinary bills and expenses.
Pay off the balance each month and repeat the process.
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Jordan Long travels between the U.S, Europe and Asia regularly for business, with trips to other countries each year taken for pleasure. Frequent flyer miles are nothing new to him, and he enjoys sharing his tips and tricks for gaining and using them.
