4 Tips To Make Mileage Awards Work For You

Fri Dec 12, 2008, 12:03 am | Leave Comment

If you noticed lately, the airlines have put more and more restrictions on frequent flyer programs. Travelers must be savvy about earning and using mileage awards. You can find ways to make the mileage awards work for you. Here are 4 tips you can use:

1. Be flexible
   If you plan on going on vacation, “think of where everybody else wants to go and do the opposite,” suggests Tim Winship, editor-at-large for Smart Travel. Many websites such as Peter Greenberg and Best Fares, also offer travel deals and current news about airlines.
2. Avoid losing miles to airline bankruptcies
   This is what some people call earn and burn. The rules can change on you before you use the awards. So, use them at the first chance you get. That includes hotels and car rental agencies. If you use your credit card, you might be able to earn more awards.
3. Always read the fine print
   Review your travel patterns frequently. Learn which fees you might incur, such as for checking baggage. Also, know blackouts and mileage expiration dates.
4. Compare airlines deals
   When you compare airlines, always compare the extra fees that you might incur. Also, include the mileage you have earned when comparing deals.

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