miles & points

It may be time to revisit your loyalty program to see if it fits your current needs.

Frequent flier programs are being tweaked and revamped, as airlines respond to economic factors. And your own needs may have changed recently, too. It makes sense to review your strategies and tactics to take advantage of the more limited (and complicated) offers for free travel.

Problem: You have a nagging feeling that you aren’t maximizing your miles.
Strategy: Prioritize your goals.

When is the last time you thought about what you want from your frequent flier program? With certain awards becoming overpriced for infrequent fliers, it may be time to switch programs. Look at the price of the awards you want, then compare programs. For example, airlines such as American and Continental have changed some of the rules for upgrades, so you may be faced with a copayment that runs several hundred dollars. Before your membership can pay you large dividends, you must first define your priorities.


Problem: You save and save for a particular award, then find that the rules have changed when you’re ready to redeem.
Strategy: Reward yourself frequently.

Consider rewarding yourself often and keeping just enough miles to use as upgrades on your next paid vacation flight. With proper planning, it’s a better idea to purchase that ticket to Europe this summer and use the resulting miles for weekend getaways. Bottom line: Never put off redeeming tomorrow what you can redeem today.


Problem: You never build up enough miles in your programs for the awards you want.
Strategy: Find a program that fits your travel style.


Having miles in too many programs can become a problem. The primary rule for any frequent traveler is to concentrate on a single program (but always be prepared to switch allegiances temporarily for the right promotion). This doesn’t mean you won’t belong to other programs, but with many airlines setting time limits for their miles, you may find that your scattered efforts have quietly expired—remember, no activity on a given account still means that your miles will probably expire. Getting the most from your frequent traveler programs works best if you go out of your way to fly on a particular airline, stay at a particular hotel or rent from a partner car rental company.


Problem: Everybody and his brother is competing for the awards you want.
Strategy: Turn award redemption into a plan.


Since everybody you know now belongs to frequent flier programs, you must have a strategy when you’re considering using an award to fly to a popular destination. The best plan is to know which days offer the best award travel opportunities:

Within the U.S.

Best Days: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday
Worst Days: Sunday, Friday

To Florida

Best Days: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday
Worst Days: Sunday, Friday

To Hawaii

Best Days: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
Worst Days: Sunday, Monday, Friday

To Asia

Best Days: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
Worst Days: Sunday, Friday, Saturday

To the Caribbean

Best Days: Tuesday, Wednesday
Worst Days: Sunday, Monday, Saturday

To Europe

Best Days: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
Worst Days: Sunday, Friday, Saturday

To Mexico

Best Days: Tuesday, Wednesday
Worst Days: Sunday, Friday, Saturday

To South America

Best Days: Tuesday, Wednesday
Worst Days: Sunday, Friday, Saturday


One final tip: Keep in mind that the best frequent flier programs aren’t always with the largest airlines. Look around, and you might find that some of the most interesting programs are being offered by low-cost carriers.
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RANDY PETERSEN is the publisher of Inside Flyer magazine and president of Frequent Flyer Services. Email Randy at editor@executivetravelmag.com.Miles&Points