If you’re a frequent flyer, you’ve probably encountered the term “airline miles” before. Maybe you’ve seen it once in a credit card advertisement or heard it from one of your friends. Nevertheless, knowing how to take advantage of this feature is essential.
Whether you’re the type whose profession requires frequent trips or someone who simply loves to travel overseas, collecting miles will surely grant you tons of benefits. Luckily, there are many different airline credit cards in the US.
Here, we have prepared a brief introduction on credit card miles and how you can exchange them for airline tickets. Eager to know how? Read on to learn more.
What Are Miles?
To simply explain, airline miles, also known as frequent flyer points, are a form of reward points. Generally, they are provided to individuals as part of loyalty programs offered by airlines and credit cards.
As the name suggests, when you have gathered enough miles, you can trade them in exchange for a free flight.
Generally, users get to earn points in several ways. When availing loyalty programs from airlines, for instance, you can get the chance to earn by booking flights.
Meanwhile, if you’re a credit cardholder, the most common way to earn is by making certain amounts of purchases.
While it may seem easy at first glance, collecting miles can’t be done overnight. In fact, it usually requires some time before you can rack up enough points to get a free flight.
Primarily, this is because the “miles” you’ll be earning often doesn't equate to the actual number of miles you’ve flown or purchases you’ve made.
Exchanging Miles For Tickets – Steps To Remember
Now that you have a better grasp of how it works, it’s now time to maximize this feature and use it for your personal travels. To do so, here are the steps you need to follow.
Step 1
Sign up for an airline loyalty program or apply for a travel credit card that will let you earn miles.
Some of the best ones you could turn to include the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card, or the American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp℠ Card.
Step 2
Know the ways you can earn miles under your chosen program. Typically, this could include spending a few dollars on some eligible purchases or booking flights with the airline or its various partners.
Step 3
Collect as many miles as you can. Maximize available deals in your program. For faster accumulation, try to sign up for a credit card that gives you bonus travel points upon registration.
Step 4
Redeem your miles to get free flights. Generally, this could be done in various ways. Specifically, if you’ve availed a loyalty program from an airline, you can simply go to their site, login your frequent flyer account, and look for flights that accept miles for payment.
Meanwhile, if you’re under a credit card program, you can transfer your accumulated travel points to the bank’s airline partners or book your dream flight through that card’s redemption portal.
The Bottom Line
Ready to take on your dream travel without spending a dime? With enough airline miles, you can now do so. Maximize your purchases and turn them into free flights. Look for the best travel cards and start collecting travel rewards today!
