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I normally don’t recommend using credit cards, but if you have the discipline to use them only to buy the essentials and pay them off each month, then they are a great way to get free airline tickets. But maximizing airline mileage is critically important. These 6 points give you the basics on how to maximize your earnings.
I carry the Delta Airlines American Express card and Delta Frequent Flyer membership. I also carry the American Airlines Citibank Visa card for the instances where merchants don't accept AMEX. Over the last 4 years, I have cashed in over 300,000 Frequent Flyer miles that paid for four Trans Atlantic round trips tickets. Those tickets would have cost me more than $5,000 and I got them for free. Here are a few easy steps to get free tickets and maximize your mileage earned.
First look at the airline with the most frequent flights and destinations from your hometown. Earning tickets on an airline with few flights from your home is an exercise in futility. Live in Chicago, choose United or American. Dallas: choose American. Houston: Continental is your pick. Atlanta: Delta. New York: Lucky you, almost every airline has a ton of flights, especially for international flights. Factor in airline alliances in your decision. Have family in Eastern Europe? Match up that region's airlines with your domestic airline partners.
Second, shop around for a special credit card offer from a major bank offering 20-30,000 miles just for signing up with a waiver of first year’s annual fee then sign up for the airlines frequent flyer plan.
Third, look for special mile programs that will double or triple your miles for flying routes that you are likely to go on. Many of these specials require registration so visit your airline's web page often.
Fourth, get airline miles every time you check in to hotel rooms. Find out all the partner hotel chains for your frequent flyer program and note how you earn miles. Many have 500 or 1,000 miles per stay. Pay with your frequent flyer credit card and you'll double up by getting a dollar per dollar spent and the per stay mileage. Check for double or triple mile deals that may get you up to 1,500 miles per stay. Really want to earn miles? Check in and out of your hotel each day. It might be too much of an inconvenience for many, but hardcore mileage earners use this technique often. Do the same thing for your work rental cars.
Fifth, rack up bonus miles by getting elite status and flying First/Business class for work. Most cheapsters sit in coach for personal travel but sometimes fly up front for business. Get a 25% to 100% bonus when you fly First/Business. Focus on flying on one airline to earn elite status and get additional bonuses. Look at special offers that give you free extra miles for getting over 25,000 or 50,000 miles in a single year.
Sixth, put your reimbursable work expenses on your credit card to earn massive miles. Most of us don't put more than $1,500 a month on our credit cards. At that rate, it will take 18 months to nab a free ticket with just your card miles. Charge another $1,000 a month for work and you'll get there in 10 months. Just make sure you are getting paid on time so that you are able to pay every month. One time, a guy in IT started charging company laptops to his credit cards. He got over 120,000 miles in a single year and he never flew a single flight!
Earning miles is pretty straightforward but what you spend them on makes a huge difference in their value. Airlines assign very few seats for Frequent Flyer miles unless you fly Southwest which has no restrictions. For major holidays plan your trip 6-9 months in advance to find the date you want. Be flexible in travel dates requested, and be prepared to travel mid week.
Try to use your miles on expensive flights. There’s always a way to buy a cheap ticket to New York or Los Angeles. But tickets to destinations like Raleigh or Montreal tend to cost quite a bit more. So save your miles for exotic destinations like Omaha. Domestic tickets usually aren't a very good value. Heading to the Caribbean? Itt normally will cost you two or three times the price of a domestic ticket but will cost you only 5,000 more miles. Travelling internationally? Look for off-season tickets that are at reduced mileage rates.
Pass on offers to buy electronics or other products from the airlines. These offers were created to reduce the huge frequent flyer liability that airlines have. With the right frequent flyer ticket, you may be getting $0.03 or more per mile exchanged. Most product offers value your miles at $0.01. Unless you are about to lose those miles, these offers rarely make sense.
And remember, no amount of mileage will make up for carrying a balance at 19% interest. If you can't pay off your credit cards each month, you're not ready for the mileage game. But if you do, earn well and travel for free.
Bon Voyage!!
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