Sometimes the best part about your vacation isn’t the beach or the beer, but the bargain! Imagine flying overseas without paying a dime for your ticket. That’s what mileage geeks who know how to maximize their airline miles do. Frequent flyer programs have plenty to offer, especially once you learn how to make the most of them. It’s important to know that there are several ways to accumulate airline miles, even without setting foot on an airplane. Maximizing airline miles is an art that’s completely worth mastering. So here are some quick and effective mileage accrual and usage techniques that you should become familiar with if you want to reap those benefits.
10 Fast & Simple Ways to Maximize Your Air Miles
- Get an Air Miles card. The first step is to get an Air Miles Loyalty Debit/Credit card. This card can be used at retail stores that give you reward points in the form of miles. Usually, the rewards on debit cards are lower. Some retailers give 1 mile per $20 spent. However, with an Air Miles Credit Card, you can accumulate many more air miles. For instance, the BMO Air Miles World Elite MasterCard allows you to earn 1 mile per every $10 spent anywhere. Besides this, it also provides a 15% discount on Air Miles flights at the time of booking.
- Sign Up for a Frequent Flyer Mile Account. The trick is to sign up with the airline you fly the most. You can also choose popular airlines such as Delta, American Airlines, and United and simply add the frequent flyer number of the airline to every reservation. If you wish to travel with family, make sure each member of the family, including children, has their own account.
- Earn Miles for Grocery Shopping. Several credit cards such as American Express Everyday Preferred Card and Barclays Rewards Mastercard (2x) reward users with one mile per dollar spent in most places, including grocery stores. Since every family spends a substantial amount on groceries each month, this presents a great opportunity to earn hundreds of flyer miles that you can redeem whenever you like.
- Get Miles for Dining. Most airlines offer dining programs that you can register all cards for. This allows you to earn air miles whenever you dine at a participating restaurant and pay with a card linked to the account.
- Accrue Mileage for Shopping. If you’re an avid online shopper, you should make the most of airline mileage shopping malls that offer extra points for buying online through their website. You can use your airline rewards credit card for these purchases and enjoy the double benefit.
- Earn Miles through Social Media. Several airlines offer free miles for merely watching their promotional videos on social media. So simply by following the airline on social media and watching their videos, you can accrue air mileage.
- Collect Points for Work Travel. Airlines, hotels, and rental cars can all fetch you air miles. So even when you travel foron work, make sure you collect the reward points that come with your travel. Regardless of who pays for the flight, you can get the mileage credit.
- Capitalize on Multiplier Days. Multiplier days may not be so regular. But on days when retail partners run these promotions, you can earn anywhere between two and twenty times the reward miles on the items that you purchase.
- Avoid Booking During Peak Season. Holidays and peak seasons are always synonymous with huge costs. Also, many airlines will blackout these travel dates or not have as many rewards seats available. By moving your travel dates back a few weeks, you may be able to save as much as 75% on your travel. In addition to being eligible for better deals, you also have the chance to redeem more miles for fewer points.
- Be a Smart Redeemer. Redeeming your air miles is an art. At the time of redemption, it’s important to make sure you get the best value for your points. One way to ensure this is to compare your redemption rate with the Air Miles Benchmark calculated by ratehub.ca. This can ensure that you’re getting the maximum value for your air miles.
The skills to maximize your frequent flyer miles can’t be acquired overnight. It’s only after years of learning, practice, and experience that you become familiar with the various opportunities presented. But once you’ve mastered the art, the benefits are unmatched. So start right away and try out these easy tips to make the most of your air miles.