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Many years ago, rewards credit cards weren’t standard, and most people wound up accruing rewards with airlines simply through using those airlines frequently. Nearly everyone has gained access to many points cards in the past several decades, and you can now earn miles by filling up your gas tank and paying your electricity bill.
Even though most people have access to these points and know how to gain them, far fewer know the best ways to use them. More specifically, know the pitfalls to avoid that can waste your hard-earned points. Here we highlight eight simple (and not-so-simple) ways to make the most of your miles.
The 8 Major Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
A few categories of mistakes afflict eager travelers: where they get their information, how they book their travel, overpaying for services, and wasting the miles.
Gathering Information
Don’t Rely Exclusively on the Website. Nearly every airline has a website that is usually convenient and effective for booking flights. Each airline builds in the possibility of redeeming points for their flights and even allows you to scan through partner airline flights. However, these sites don’t always remain completely up-to-date, especially when it comes to partner flights.
Don’t Assume That a Booking Agent Knows Everything. Generally, it’s a good idea to call a booking agent at the airline, as they have access to information that’s just not present on the customer side of the airline’s website. As always, there’s room for human error — the agent might not know where to look or may make an error in their search — but between visiting the website and calling an agent, you should have enough information to find the best flight for your miles.
Booking the Flights
Explore Variations on Your Itinerary, Including Additional Stops. Many assume that the available rewards flights are set in stone, and if they don’t find the perfect flight, they’re out of luck. That’s not true at all! There are opportunities to expand your travel itinerary by including an additional stop. Even though you’re increasing the number of flights, you may spend no more points than you had initially anticipated for the round trip.
Secure Your Tickets Weeks or Months in Advance. Furthermore, you should anticipate your travel and take the time to secure it in advance. While flights may change and new routes may become eligible for rewards redemption, it’s best not to try your luck by waiting too long. Airlines provide general point costs for flights to and from various destinations, but the individual flights may cost much more than you had expected if you’re not careful. Last-minute flights can also be more demanding on your points, which is another reason to book in advance if possible.
Wasting Money on Points
Don’t Top Off Your Miles. Earning points is supposed to be a way to save significant amounts of money without losing out on travel. Given the large redemption targets for international flights, purchasing a few extra thousand miles at checkout can be tempting. The exchange rate is so esoteric that most people don’t realize they’re getting a bad deal on the points. In virtually every circumstance, it would be better to buy the ticket outright and save the points rather than purchase points specifically to earn travel rewards.
Watch Out for Fees and Surcharges. It seems that the more common rewards points became, the more airlines started including fees for baggage and booking. Stay alert when selecting your flights because your airline may casually add on a few hundred dollars in fees if you choose the wrong one.
Losing Your Miles
Only Exchange Miles for Flights. The airlines that give you miles points will often entice you with gift cards and other offers you can exchange miles for. Nevertheless, these offers are almost always far less valuable than the flights regarding your points. It’s often tough to tell how much a point is worth in dollars, so some exchanges and gift cards may look like excellent deals, but don’t be fooled! Just buy the things you’d like with your card to earn more miles and redeem them for far more valuable flights worldwide.
Don’t Lose Track of Your Itinerary. Flight data will sometimes change due to circumstances outside the airline’s control. Just like booking your flight early is a good idea, it’s also good to check in on your booking’s status. Take the time to ensure that it is still at the expected times so that connecting flights, car rentals, and hotel bookings make sense. If something has changed with your booking, don’t hesitate to call an agent and see your options. Airlines generally don’t allow for voluntary flight changes on reward travel, but if something has happened on their end, they tend to be far more flexible.
If you follow this advice and avoid the common pitfalls that cost you extra money or even ruin your vacation, you and your loved ones can enjoy traveling the world without breaking the bank. Take the time to research and set things up in advance, and you’ll find yourself having stress-free and low-cost airfare for years to come.