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Negotiating The Air Miles Minefield
If you were to add up the combined value of all the unclaimed air miles in all the world, dating back to the beginning of air travel, it would amount to a larger amount of money than exists in the world today. Now that would be quite a tab to pick up, so in order to prevent the airline industry imploding on a daily basis, air miles were fitted with expiry dates. So if you're travelling with a load of different airlines and picking up small amounts of air miles each time, you may not be able to cash any of them in before they expire. The trick is to consolidate your miles by sticking with the one airline, or pick a programme that includes your most frequently used airlines.
If you are a frequent air traveller, and you aren't already signed up to a frequent flyer programme, you are missing out on an important perk that millions of other passengers are already taking advantage of. But with so many frequent flyer programmes out there to choose from, you might be so bewildered that you avoid the issue altogether. However, if you allow this state of affairs to continue, you are literally throwing your hard earned cash away. But never fear, because your old friend the world wide web is here to clear up the fog of your air mile-related confusion.
One of the most important things to consider when choosing a frequent flyer programme is the routes that you anticipate making the most frequent journeys along. For instance, you'd be stupid to sign up for a scheme attached to airlines which make relatively few flights to and from your local airport. Many airlines have sharing agreements with other airlines when it comes to their loyalty programmes, so it could be well worth your while doing a little research.
Mile for mile is by far the most common arrangement, and the most flexible and transferable. However, they are often the poorest value, with five or more trips being required for each freebie, as opposed to the four or even three that are required by more rigid loyalty schemes.
If you are making the same journeys again and again, schemes that operate on a per trip basis can often represent the best value.
The most recent entrant to the frequent flyer arena has been the per dollar/pound reward scheme. With these, you can earn points proportionate to your total outlay with operators participating in the scheme. These schemes are thought by many to represent the future of the airline loyalty scheme scene, as they are not subject to the time and usage restrictions of competing models.
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