How to Make the Most of Frequent Travel Programs

Frequent traveler programs are a nice perk for those who have to travel a lot for business. Sometimes, however, it seems that the rewards are all but impossible to use. Here are some tips for making the most of your frequent traveler rewards.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Plan ahead. With a staggering amount of unredeemed mileage points and miles at large, and a limited amount of seats for frequent traveler awards, planning ahead is essential. Airline inventory becomes available 11 months prior to departure. Consider that your deadline for making frequent traveler award reservations.
2. Be flexible. It pays to be flexible with your travel dates and times when using your frequent traveler awards for air travel. Since a very limited number of seats are allocated for these awards, you may have to move your trip up a week or back a week in order to use your reward.
3. Travel during the off-season. Off-season travel, such as January in Europe or October in the Caribbean, generally uses fewer miles or points than peak-season travel. Plus, you have a greater chance of these seats being available.
4. Remember the partner rewards. In addition to airline travel, many airline frequent traveler programs offer discounts on hotels and car rentals to accompany the air travel reward. Incorporate these discounts into your travel plans for greater savings.
5. Consider lesser rewards. Instead of saving all of your points or miles for two free tickets to Hawaii, consider redeeming your cache for several lesser rewards, such as upgrades or a 25 percent discount off of a ticket. These rewards have fewer restrictions than free tickets to paradise.

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