Ed note: If you are intrigued by the idea of frequent flier programs and “points,” then these tips from expert travel-hacker Jason Steele are exactly what you need to get started.
Have you ever heard of the people who earn enough frequent flier miles to travel the world in business class? Sometimes these people are frequent travelers who earn miles during the course of their job, but many are just regular people who earn miles through reward programs. While the possible discounts may seem too good to be true, companies encourage consumers to take advantage of awards programs and become travel aficionados – so what are you waiting for?
How to get started earning rewards
The first step that you need to take to succeed in the world of travel rewards is to get all of your loyalty program accounts organized. There are free services available, such as Award Wallet, that allow you to enter all of your account numbers, logins and passwords for each loyalty program you belong to including airlines, hotels, credit cards, rental car agencies and others. Once entered, you can track your balances and automatically sign into each program with a single click. You can assist family members by including their program information as well.
Next, you will want to uncover new ways to earn as many points and miles as possible. Credit card sign up bonuses are often the quickest and easiest path to travel rewards, as the credit card market is so fiercely competitive. Most major card issuers are willing to offer tens of thousands of points or miles, just for a chance to earn your business. Unfortunately, those who have credit card debt will need to forgo reward credit cards and focus on paying off their debt, not earning rewards for spending.
Thankfully, there are many other ways to earn travel rewards. By exploring the websites of your favorite loyalty programs, you will discover dozens of ways to earn points and miles. Common offers include shopping portals, restaurant rewards and bonuses for purchases from specific partners. Of course, the key is to earn additional points and miles from the purchases you would have made anyways, not to make unnecessary expenditures in the pursuit of rewards.
Learning how to spend your rewards most wisely
Travel rewards participants quickly learn that how their points and miles are spent is at least as important as how they are earned. In most cases, the best values are for premium class international flights, luxury hotels and flights purchased without much advance notice. Merchandise, gift cards and even cash-back rewards tend to offer comparatively little value.
Always look for airline awards at the lowest levels, the so-called “saver awards,” rather than the standard awards. In fact, there are tricks to finding and booking the best awards, and travel enthusiasts share what they have learned on their blogs and in forums such as Flyertalk and MilePoint.
Once you start down the path to earning travel rewards, you will quickly learn how powerful the lure of free travel can be.
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