Ways to Earn Miles on Airline Credit Cards
Saturday, February 9th, 2008Many people get airline credit cards thinking that it’s going to be easy to rack up miles and earn free flights. Unfortunately, if you don’t use your airline credit cards properly, you might find that those free flights never come around. And even choosing the right cards can make a big difference in whether or not airline credit cards benefit you. Luckily, by following some key tips when choosing and using these types of cards, it truly is possible to earn free flights without having to fly around the world several times first.
The first thing that you want to do is make sure that you select airline cards that make sense for you. The main thing to look for is whether the card works on all airlines or just on one. The benefit to cards that work on only one airline is that they tend to add miles more quickly. This is great if you always fly on the same planes but doesn’t suit those people who use multiple airlines for their various travels. Choose a card that gives you miles on the airlines that you are likely to use.
However, you shouldn’t just choose the first card that offers the right airlines. You should also look at the different mileage rewards that are available with the card. Many airline credit cards give you a bunch of miles just for getting the card to begin with. Some let you add points from non-flight purchases to allow you to rack up miles even when you aren’t traveling. And others make it so that your miles can accumulate without ever expiring. All of these are perks that can rapidly increase your mileage on an airline credit card.
Of course, you have to use the credit card in order to get these benefits. The main thing here is to make sure that you’re using the card. Ideally, you will have an airline credit card that lets you earn miles for purchases. In such a case, you should be using that card for every single thing that you buy and then paying it off at the end of the month. Instead of debit cards or gas cards, use the airline credit card to get those miles. If you don’t have a purchase-based miles card, you need to make sure that you use your card every time that you travel so that the points can add up.
But it’s not just your own travels and purchases that count on this card. One really great way to add up the miles on your airline credit card is to use it to purchase airline tickets and other items for friends. You use the card, they give you cash and then you get credit towards your miles. Make sure to read the terms and agreements on your airline credit card before making purchases that aren’t for yourself.
