A Beginner’s Guide to Utilizing Loyalty Points on Flights
The world of tracking, gaining, and using loyalty flight points is filled with possibilities — but to many, it can feel too overwhelming to even begin. As travel rebounds and we all begin to fly more frequently, now is the ideal time to start tracking! Read on for App in the Air’s top five tips for unlocking your full loyalty point potential.
Understand your Travel Goals
Do you mainly travel for business or pleasure? Domestic or international? Answering these questions will help you gain a better understanding of your overall goals and allow you to save time in the loyalty plan search process.
Understand the Different Types of Loyalty Plans
There are a variety of ways to save money with points, (also sometimes referred to as miles). The two most popular are airline loyalty and credit card plans. For starting out, we recommend joining free frequent flier programs with the airlines you fly most often.
Earn your Points
Every time you fly, be sure to enter your frequent flier account number to earn points. The best way to stack up points is by committing to one or two airlines and choosing to fly those consistently whenever you can. Choosing your preferred airlines should be based on your destination travel route needs, cost limitations and other preferences.
Southwest Airlines has the Rapid Rewards Program that allows you to earn points based on the amount of money you spend. While purchasing flights, it will even tell you how many points you will earn for each flight chosen. You can also earn points for Southwest through their shopping portal which rewards points for money spent at certain stores such as Apple and Nike. Delta Airlines also recently launched a partnership with Instacart, allowing fliers to earn one point for every dollar spent on their food deliveries.
Utilize your Points
Overtime, you can begin using your points to purchase flights. Some airlines even allow rewards to go towards hotels and car bookings. First, check if your desired flight accepts points. The more flexible you are with your travel plans, the greater likelihood of being able to use a reward. Then, based on your current spending needs, decide whether to save your points and use cash, or use your points to purchase. If you are interested in diving deeper, you can also see what the current mile to cent comparison is to determine what will give you the best deal.
Keep track of your Points
Booking flights through App in the Air is one of the easiest ways to track your points on different airlines with all your travel information conveniently saved in one spot. Download the app today and join in on the points and miles game.
