Vacation trips can be the best use of your spare time. Want to enjoy a relaxing time? Looking to get fresh and relieve stress? Want an escape from your busy and mundane life? Then planning a trip is your go-to option.
Don’t worry, you don’t have to have millions in your bank account to go on one. Go for a trip that suits your budget. Whether it’s a domestic or foreign vacation trip, you can save money with smart planning. Also, you can redeem frequent flyer points to stay within your budget.
What Are Frequent Flyer Points and How to Earn Them?
Frequent flyer points are what you earn as a reward for loyalty. The longer you stay with an airline and the more you travel with them, the more points you can earn. But the value of points may vary depending on flight length, travel destination, time of the year, and more factors.
With time, these points accumulate and you can enjoy special perks. But remember, frequent flyer miles expire after a specific period. So, make sure you redeem them while they are still valid.
But before we discuss how to redeem frequent flyer points, it’s important to learn how you can earn and accumulate them.
Which airlines do you travel with most often? Find out if they have a loyalty program. And most likely they would. So, sign up for their frequent flyer program and get started with the journey.
Here are some ways to earn frequent flyer miles or points.
- Traveling with the airline
- Traveling with another partner airline that has an alliance with their reward program
- Use the travel credit card for purchases
- Buy points in cash (terms and conditions apply)
- Use a partner shopping network for online shopping
- Use a linked credit card to pay for meals at selected restaurants
The Best Ways to Redeem Frequent Flyer Points
Now, it’s time to find out how you can redeem the earned points. There are multiple ways to use your accumulated miles/points. But we will share the ones that can get you the most value.
So, let’s check these out!
Seat Upgrades
It can be a good idea to use your points to upgrade seats. When booking economy class, you can get better or more comfortable seats to make your air travel comfy and enjoyable.
Upgrading tickets from economy to business class or first class used to be the best option. But as per many frequent travelers, this isn’t the best option these days. With more and more people using this option, airlines have implemented rules to limit the upgrading of seats through points. Nonetheless, you can still avail this option to cut down on costs.
Another better option is to use your points to book a seat for free. But you’d need to accumulate high enough points. Then go for an economy seat or book business class if you have enough points.
Enjoy Discounts
You don’t need to travel by air to earn points. Online shopping and using the card at partner stores or restaurants can also help you earn points.
With these points, you can get on-flight discounts. Or if you don’t want to spend points on airplane seat upgrades, then use them to get discounts during online shopping. Or when going on a vacation trip, you can enjoy discounts on accommodation or car rentals.
Just like airplane seats, there are two ways to use your frequent flyer points at a hotel. You can spend points to book a free room. But this may need you to spend almost all of your earned points. So, how about paying for accommodation with Cash + points? This way, you can reserve a bigger and more comfortable room for a handsome discount.
Give Points Away as a Gift
A close friend is getting married and you’re looking for gift ideas? Or your parents are planning a dream vacation? Then flyer points can work as an awesome gift that everyone likes.
Make their day by transferring points to friends or family members as a gift. They can make the most of this gift in whichever way they want.
Timing Your Trip to Best Utilize Points
Remember that the value of points varies. During peak travel season, it’s likely you will get a lower value for accumulated points. So, if your vacation plans are flexible, then try to use your points during the off-peak season.
November to March is usually considered the off-peak travel season. So, try to book your air seats during this timeframe if it suits you. Booking seats at least 2 months in advance is also a recommended option. You can get better deals and book tickets at a lower cost.
If you want to use your points, then do so during the off-peak season. This will help you upgrade your seat or book a free seat for fewer points as compared to peak travel season. Then you can save your points for even better opportunities.
Stack Them Up
Do you travel with different airlines? Then you should consider becoming a member of multiple reward programs.
Further, check if you can transfer points across programs that you are registered with. Many airlines partner with certain credit card companies, brands, or retail stores. Thus, points are transferrable and can add up to a good score if you frequently make purchases.
Also, it’s possible your partner may have a separate frequent flyer points account. Discuss it with them and merge or combine your points for leverage.
Pay Attention to Airline Alliances
Have you heard of airline alliances? This is when airlines partner to facilitate passengers, especially for long-haul flights. You can book the entire trip with a single platform. So, you don’t need to book tickets separately for connecting flights or worry about layovers.
There are three major airline alliances: Star Alliance, SkyTeam, and Oneworld. Make the most of these airline alliances.
Let’s say you prefer United Airlines for booking a trip. If you want to redeem frequent flyer points, then booking a free seat through their website may need you to spend a huge number of these points. But with alliances, you can save points and get maximum value.
For example, United Airlines has an alliance with Singapore Airlines; they are a part of Star Alliance. Book a United flight via their partner airline.
For this purpose, visit the United Airlines website. But make sure you aren’t logged in when carrying out a search. Otherwise, the portal may display some routes that aren’t available with partner airlines.
Now, search for a suitable flight that suits your travel plans. It’s better to look for economy seats with Saver Award. Next, go to the Singapore Airline website and log in. Now search for the same route and choose to redeem frequent flyer miles.
The portal will display seats available with Singapore Airlines by default. What you need to do is to browse available seats on alliance airlines. You will notice it costs fewer points to book a ticket this way.
Don’t worry if you don’t have points on the KrisFlyer program by Singapore Airlines. Just sign up for their reward program. Then it’ll let you transfer points earned on Chase, American Express, or CapitalOne cards.
So, ready for your next vacation trip? Then our tips and tricks will help you stay within your budget!