My wife and I also earn Alaskan miles shopping at Safeway. Groceries are a huge part of most peoples expenses, and if you shop at Safeway, they will contribute in addition to your regular earnings.
With my family scattered all across the globe, my mom especially racks up the frequent flyer miles, and puts them to good use.
CalebDecember 15, 2009 at 8:17 am
These card offers are full of perks and can be greatly beneficial, but they’re also deals to make money off of you. I would suggest that you don’t just jump into the offer because you want to get a free ticket… you have to spend A LOT of money before you ever get something for free. I’m glad that The Digerati Life listed the terms and fees for the cards presented, and this info will prove to be very important in making a decision as to the cost benefit analysis of utilizing one of the above deals. Great list.
Broke by ChoiceDecember 21, 2009 at 10:23 pm
I once worked for an airline with a loyalty program. If you are going to use airline miles to be frugal then you have to be diligent with it. I have seen the stats on the % of earned miles that go unused. Most people will never use their miles.
It would be very unwise to carry and use a rewards credit card for airline miles if you aren’t planning to travel much or use your miles in the first place. That would be be very foolish, in fact. Why not choose a rewards card that paid you well? If airline miles are not your thing, then there are cash back credit cards and other types of cards you can apply for.
I had 10,000(ish) BA points revoked because I hadn’t used them within 2 years of gaining them. I may not have flown with them for that period of time as well so that too may have contributed.
R5W3February 16, 2010 at 1:55 pm
On the whole I think airline mileage credit cards are a good deal and do cut your travel costs, especially if you travel longer distances. I’m disappointed in United’s Mileage Plus credit card, though. I fell for a promotion offering me 45,000 bonus miles for signing up for their card in 2008, but have only ever gotten the initial 20,000 miles promised despite several phone calls.
Also with United, you have to book very far in advance to get decent free flights; I end up using most of the miles for upgrades to first class (not so frugal). I’ve had a better experience with my British Airways credit card and am using miles for free flights to London this summer. As long as you keep using the credit card, your miles don’t expire. The BA card is no good for domestic travel though; very limited reward flight availability on partner airlines.
Emily CohenJuly 23, 2010 at 11:14 am
Learn more about our frequent flyer program “Matmid” at our blog about El Al at skywordswithelal.com and learn about special offers for our Matmid members. El Al is Israel’s national airline. I hope you enjoy our blog!
KDDecember 20, 2010 at 7:47 pm
Tracking all your frequent flyer miles can be time-consuming. I’ve been using awardwallet.com to track my progress towards free tickets for 14 separate FF accounts. Works great!
One Young LadDecember 4, 2011 at 7:24 pm
I used up all of my frequent flier points on one trip to Europe. Being in school and studying for a grad school exam over the last five years, I haven’t had time to fly and accumulate more points. So I am starting over. I am flying twice in the next month, so I will get my balances started again.
DarrelJanuary 11, 2012 at 2:57 pm
I prefer regular rewards cards because they are more flexible. These cards can be very specific about what you can get for a bonus.
@KD,
Thanks for the tip on how you’re tracking frequent flyer points. I’ll check it out.
@Darrel,
These cards are specifically for avid frequent flyers — many, if not most are business travelers who really want to rack up the miles/points. These cards are great for earning frequent flyer miles that you accumulate in your account. If you’re particular about using a specific airline or group of airlines, then you can get a lot out of using a card that targets rewards for those flights. It’s pretty much like getting a retail rewards card for a specific store if you shop there very often.
You can also expect frequent flyer cards to promote free miles bonus offers as an introductory perk for new customers. For example, on your first card purchase, you may immediately accrue between 10,000 to 30,000 miles (or 50,000 points in some cases), which can, for instance, be redeemed for a free roundtrip ticket. So your miles can go a long way but only if you’re a jet setter.
You can use a general rewards card for general expenses but use an airline miles card for specific travel expenditures.
JonathanJanuary 22, 2012 at 8:48 am
One of my favorite budget travel tips: maximize your mileage points!
I actually liken myself to the main protagonist in the movie “Up In The Air” where George Clooney plays a man who, in addition to flying around the country firing people, has an obsession to earn ten million frequent flier points and to become a member of an elite, small group that has done so.
Getting into that elite group may not be that easy, but I can identify with the desire to collect points. In any year, I only fly four or five times, but over the course of 15 years I’ve earned enough points to fly overseas four times (three trips to Spain and one to The Czech Republic) in addition to getting a free rental car on one of the trips. Got to love those miles!
For frequent travelers out there, check out this resource: frequentflier.com discusses all aspects of frequent flying and how to get points.
Frequentflier.com has a newsletter that can tell you about the latest promotions that are available, and they also have a forum, where like-minded frequent fliers can talk to each other.
Will @ CardExpertsMarch 13, 2012 at 3:34 pm
You may think that by being loyal to a specific frequent flyer program, that you’ll get better deals. The truth is, that lack of flexibility can actually cost you in terms of higher fares and inconvenient flights (with forced connections). I would suggest using a combination of cards to get the most out of miles. You CAN get as close as possible to traveling for free. Also, know that there is a learning curve here. Learn the system for building miles with cards and you can drive down your travel costs. My tips:
– Be flexible about the cards and programs you use. Combine rewards where you can.
– Stay with programs that help you accumulate miles that don’t expire.
– Go for the big sign up bonuses but don’t maintain a balance on your cards.
– Be flexible about your flight route and schedule as well.
– Book early to minimize any redemption fees.
– Remember that if you don’t use the miles, then it’s not worth earning them. You must redeem!
– Watch out for any fees charged by frequent flyer programs. Be aware that your miles or points may not be applied towards taxes and surcharges you do incur.
– Be aware of diminishing returns with miles. Because they can cost you more than they are worth!
{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
You’re not kidding. Airline credit cards are full of perks, like free tickets.
John DeFlumeri Jr
My wife and I also earn Alaskan miles shopping at Safeway. Groceries are a huge part of most peoples expenses, and if you shop at Safeway, they will contribute in addition to your regular earnings.
Check this link about this.
I appreciate these options — I’m looking to travel to Peru soon, so I need to take advantage of programs and cards like the ones above!
With my family scattered all across the globe, my mom especially racks up the frequent flyer miles, and puts them to good use.
These card offers are full of perks and can be greatly beneficial, but they’re also deals to make money off of you. I would suggest that you don’t just jump into the offer because you want to get a free ticket… you have to spend A LOT of money before you ever get something for free. I’m glad that The Digerati Life listed the terms and fees for the cards presented, and this info will prove to be very important in making a decision as to the cost benefit analysis of utilizing one of the above deals. Great list.
I once worked for an airline with a loyalty program. If you are going to use airline miles to be frugal then you have to be diligent with it. I have seen the stats on the % of earned miles that go unused. Most people will never use their miles.
It would be very unwise to carry and use a rewards credit card for airline miles if you aren’t planning to travel much or use your miles in the first place. That would be be very foolish, in fact. Why not choose a rewards card that paid you well? If airline miles are not your thing, then there are cash back credit cards and other types of cards you can apply for.
I had 10,000(ish) BA points revoked because I hadn’t used them within 2 years of gaining them. I may not have flown with them for that period of time as well so that too may have contributed.
On the whole I think airline mileage credit cards are a good deal and do cut your travel costs, especially if you travel longer distances. I’m disappointed in United’s Mileage Plus credit card, though. I fell for a promotion offering me 45,000 bonus miles for signing up for their card in 2008, but have only ever gotten the initial 20,000 miles promised despite several phone calls.
Also with United, you have to book very far in advance to get decent free flights; I end up using most of the miles for upgrades to first class (not so frugal). I’ve had a better experience with my British Airways credit card and am using miles for free flights to London this summer. As long as you keep using the credit card, your miles don’t expire. The BA card is no good for domestic travel though; very limited reward flight availability on partner airlines.
Learn more about our frequent flyer program “Matmid” at our blog about El Al at skywordswithelal.com and learn about special offers for our Matmid members. El Al is Israel’s national airline. I hope you enjoy our blog!
Tracking all your frequent flyer miles can be time-consuming. I’ve been using awardwallet.com to track my progress towards free tickets for 14 separate FF accounts. Works great!
I used up all of my frequent flier points on one trip to Europe. Being in school and studying for a grad school exam over the last five years, I haven’t had time to fly and accumulate more points. So I am starting over. I am flying twice in the next month, so I will get my balances started again.
I prefer regular rewards cards because they are more flexible. These cards can be very specific about what you can get for a bonus.
@Everyone,
Thanks for all your tips and comments!
@KD,
Thanks for the tip on how you’re tracking frequent flyer points. I’ll check it out.
@Darrel,
These cards are specifically for avid frequent flyers — many, if not most are business travelers who really want to rack up the miles/points. These cards are great for earning frequent flyer miles that you accumulate in your account. If you’re particular about using a specific airline or group of airlines, then you can get a lot out of using a card that targets rewards for those flights. It’s pretty much like getting a retail rewards card for a specific store if you shop there very often.
You can also expect frequent flyer cards to promote free miles bonus offers as an introductory perk for new customers. For example, on your first card purchase, you may immediately accrue between 10,000 to 30,000 miles (or 50,000 points in some cases), which can, for instance, be redeemed for a free roundtrip ticket. So your miles can go a long way but only if you’re a jet setter.
You can use a general rewards card for general expenses but use an airline miles card for specific travel expenditures.
One of my favorite budget travel tips: maximize your mileage points!
I actually liken myself to the main protagonist in the movie “Up In The Air” where George Clooney plays a man who, in addition to flying around the country firing people, has an obsession to earn ten million frequent flier points and to become a member of an elite, small group that has done so.
Getting into that elite group may not be that easy, but I can identify with the desire to collect points. In any year, I only fly four or five times, but over the course of 15 years I’ve earned enough points to fly overseas four times (three trips to Spain and one to The Czech Republic) in addition to getting a free rental car on one of the trips. Got to love those miles!
For frequent travelers out there, check out this resource: frequentflier.com discusses all aspects of frequent flying and how to get points.
Frequentflier.com has a newsletter that can tell you about the latest promotions that are available, and they also have a forum, where like-minded frequent fliers can talk to each other.
You may think that by being loyal to a specific frequent flyer program, that you’ll get better deals. The truth is, that lack of flexibility can actually cost you in terms of higher fares and inconvenient flights (with forced connections). I would suggest using a combination of cards to get the most out of miles. You CAN get as close as possible to traveling for free. Also, know that there is a learning curve here. Learn the system for building miles with cards and you can drive down your travel costs. My tips:
– Be flexible about the cards and programs you use. Combine rewards where you can.
– Stay with programs that help you accumulate miles that don’t expire.
– Go for the big sign up bonuses but don’t maintain a balance on your cards.
– Be flexible about your flight route and schedule as well.
– Book early to minimize any redemption fees.
– Remember that if you don’t use the miles, then it’s not worth earning them. You must redeem!
– Watch out for any fees charged by frequent flyer programs. Be aware that your miles or points may not be applied towards taxes and surcharges you do incur.
– Be aware of diminishing returns with miles. Because they can cost you more than they are worth!