Frequent flyer miles can be used for more than just free flights, including upgrades, codeshare tickets, and even donating to charity. It’s important to understand airline policies and consider profitability before using miles for travel.
There are a number of ways to use frequent flyer miles, ranging from redeeming them for free flights to donating them to charity. Travelers enrolled in frequent flyer programs may want to think ahead about the various ways they can use their miles, as it doesn’t always make sense to just use them for free air travel. Each airline also has slightly different policies on how and when miles can be used and when they expire, and it’s a good idea to read airline policies carefully when signing up for a frequent flyer program.
Airlines started frequent flyer programs to build customer loyalty. Originally, the idea behind such programs was very basic: as customers accumulated miles by flying back and forth, the airline would track them and customers could choose to redeem the miles for free flights. For people who flew a lot, these programs made flying more affordable and increased customer loyalty to airlines because they were generally non-transferable. It’s still possible to use frequent flyer miles to purchase airline tickets, but there are a few other options.
For customers who want to use frequent flyer miles to purchase an airline ticket, the customer must call the airline’s reservation number and explain that they want to book a flight with frequent flyer miles. Airline staff will look up the customer’s number to determine how many miles are available, take the reservation, and deduct miles from the customer’s account to pay for it. Customers should be aware that airlines do not offer a mile-for-mile option; In other words, if a customer flies from New York to San Francisco, he or she can’t turn around and use the miles from that trip to pay for the flight home. Many airlines also have travel blackouts and restrictions for people who book with miles, and such customers may even be kicked off flights to accommodate people who paid full fare.
If an airline doesn’t offer travel to a place someone wants to reach, they may use frequent flyer miles to purchase a codeshare ticket. Many airlines have partner agreements or codeshares to extend their services. Domestic airline A, for example, may partner with international airline B to offer flights.
Before using frequent flyer miles to book a trip, passengers should think about profitability. It may be cheaper to buy a ticket with cash and use the miles for something else. It can help to keep track of how much each airline ticket costs so that the value of frequent flyer miles can be understood in terms of cash spent.
Some airlines allow people to purchase upgrades with their frequent flyer miles, which can be a very efficient way to use them. On a long flight, for example, someone might pay cash for a regular bus ticket and then upgrade to business or first class with miles. Customers who accumulate a lot of miles may also be entitled to things like access to an airport lounge and other benefits like priority booking and check-in. Airline customers can also use frequent flyer miles to pay for a variety of goods and services. Many airlines partner with hotels, car rental companies, and retailers to allow their customers to spend their miles on these products.
Another option for frequent flyer miles is donating to charity. Donated miles can be used to provide rides for members of the military trying to get home on leave, or for people who need to travel for medical care. If the miles are about to expire, a charitable donation is worth considering.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
