Frequent Flyer Mileage And Rewards

What is a "frequent flyer program"?

A "frequent flyer program" is a service used by the airlines to reward customer loyalty. So what you do is: you enrol for free and then you start accruing "frequent flyer" miles based on how far you're travelling, how many tickets you buy and what grade of class (business class, first class), what kind of travel you're doing. As you accrue the points on the frequent flyer program then you just rack them up and then start redeeming them.

Will it cost me money to join a frequent flyer program?

Frequent flyer programs are free to join up to, but you do want to be careful because once you start redeeming your points, that's when they can get you. You might be charged taxes or some kind of additional fee once you're given your free ticket by a frequent flyer program.

What are "airline alliances and partnerships"?

Airline alliances and partnerships are business relationships, usually between US domestic airline providers and international ones. The purpose of these alliances and partnerships is to extend the travel possibilities and opportunities for the customer, as well as making the airlines more money. An airline partnership, using the example of frequent flyer program, is a company that the airline has teamed up with or partnered to redeem their miles for retail products.

Can my frequent flyer miles expire or transfer to other carriers?

Your frequent flyer miles can expire. Check with the airline based on the restrictions in their policies, because some programs can expire after a certain or fixed amount of time while others will expire if your account has been inactive. Your frequent flier miles can sometimes transfer from one airline to another. This isn't usually done because they want to promote customer loyalty within their own airline and take maximum profit, but in certain circumstances they've made an alliance with another airline and in that case you can share your miles with one airline to another airline.

What should I consider when choosing a frequent flyer program?

When you are choosing a freqent flyer program you want to make sure you are reading the restrictions really closely. You want to figure out how many miles it takes to get those free tickets or redeemthem through prizes and incentives but, the main thing to look for is who is giving away the most points; which is the loosest plan. If you look out for that you are going to get rewarded big time.

What is "elite status" and what are the benefits?

Elite status in a frequent flier program is when you hit that 25,000-mile marker. From there on up it's just perks, perks, perks. So, the more miles you accrue, the more benefits you're going to receive, such as upgrades on domestic and international flights, sitting in nice red-carpet lounges, and then at the highest levels, free companion tickets and no blackout dates.

What considerations should I make before redeeming my miles?

Before you redeem your miles, consider your options. You might not want to spend those hard earned points on something like a cheap domestic ticket that's under $200. Instead, think about what you can do by saving them towards an international ticket or even an upgrade to first class. If you're not going to use your miles for a ticket, you might want to consider using them for retail goods and spending them like cash. A lot of the airline providers have teamed up or partnered with retail stores so that you can spend your redeemed miles like cash. You can also even use them as a charitable donation.