Are you feeling frustrated that your airline miles stash is nowhere near to getting you a reward flight? Worry not, check out these advanced tips to boost your miles quickly and get closer to your dream free flight.
You excitedly sign up for an airline frequent flyer program. You dream of the places you’ll go for free and in first-class – Bali, Australia, or even Iceland! Then, comes the frustration – you realise that accumulating miles is more challenging than you assumed it to be!
Does this scenario feel familiar? There are tons of information and misinformation on airline reward programs that it may all feel overwhelming for beginners.
Take a deep breath and calm down. Here, in this post, we reveal the closely guarded secrets of airline reward programs. These are advanced tips and tricks that help you boost your miles quickly. Let’s get started without any further delays.
#1: Analyse your Travel Profile and Goals
Before you get into the game of airline miles, you need to have a solid game plan. For this, you need to start by analysing the kind of traveller you are and identifying your goals. Do you want to use your airline miles to take your family on an overseas holiday? Or do you wish to enjoy elite perks like free upgrades to business class, priority check-in, lounge access, and more?
This is the starting point. Once you have identified your goals, you can use your airline program the right way to help you reach your travel goal.
#2: Know your Airline’s Partners
This is a crucial factor. Your airline miles can be used to purchase award flights on partner airlines as well. For instance, just because Jet Airways has suspended operations, it doesn’t mean JPMiles, the reward currencyofJetPrivilege cannot be used. Your JPMiles are useful as ever. You can redeem them for free flights across airlines worldwide and to any destination of your choice as well as use it to book hotel stays, rental cars, etc. alternatively, you can continue to earn Intermiles with partners, and redeem it for online shopping, etc.
So, make sure to know your airline’s partners and consider all the ways you can earn miles, even when you are not flying on the metal of your preferred airline.
#3: Don’t miss out on Sign-up Bonuses
Most airline co-branded credit cards offer a huge sign-up bonus. These are extra miles – usually in tens of thousands that are added to your frequent flyer account when you sign-up for a co-branded credit card. You don’t even have to use the card. You can earn miles just by signing up for that card. So, make sure to use this method to boost your airline miles stash.
#4: Keep Tabs on Online Shopping Portals
Online shopping is a great way to increase your airline miles collection without flying. Almost all airlines have online shopping portal tie-ups that allow you to earn bonus miles. All you have to do is go to the online shopping website from your frequent flyer program’s website (instead of going straight to the homepage of the shopping website). Based on the amount you spend, you earn corresponding miles in your airline program.
So, before purchasing anything online, make sure to check your airline’s reward portal to see if the store you are about to purchase is on it.
#5: Keep using your Co-branded Credit Card and Stay Organized
Want to keep on earning airline miles? Use your co-branded credit card for all your purchases. Irrespective of whether it’s a large purchase or a small one, reach out for your co-branded credit card. Dine at your airline’s partner restaurants and use your co-branded credit card to pay the bills, to get double the miles.
A word of caution, though – make sure to stay organized and track your credit card bills and pay them regularly, so that you don’t end up getting debts.
It Takes Time and Dedication, but it’s so worth it
Accumulating enough miles to redeem for award flights may seem challenging. The trick here is to stay dedicated and keep on going. Before you can realize, you would have accumulated enough miles to go on your dream trips. Collect airline miles and travel more!