Similar to spending money, cashing in on airline miles is ridiculously easy. Gone are the days where you could only earn airline miles by flying, or could only use your hard-earned reward points on flights. But like there are ways to maximize how far your money goes, there are also brilliant ways to use your reward points and make them count.
Here is a quick list of the more brilliant ways to spend your airline miles, and some quick travel hacks to take advantage of.
Fly
Using your airline miles on flying may be the obvious way to spend your reward points, but the key is how you use them.
Throughout the years, travel hacks have been popping up in an attempt to help those looking to travel the world and to do so while stretching their airline miles as far as they can.
While you may be tempted to book a cheap and quick flight, if you have an international trip planned in the future, it may be best to hold onto your points for that long haul flight instead. In most cases, you can book your flights just under a year in advance. Booking your flight far in advance has been shown to be cheaper and requires you to use less airline miles.
Travel Hack – Although you may want to book your flight online, airline companies do not post all of their inventory online. By giving them a quick call, you may find the exact flight you’re looking for.
Add a Stop Over
This may be one of the best and most effective ways to maximize your airline miles. Traveling from New York to Rome, with a stop over in London? You can spend a few days in London, before jet setting to your final destination. If you’re planning a vacation and have a stop over on your flight, you may as well spend a few days at your stop over destination if your airline program allows it.
United Airlines allows a free stop over on international round trips, which means you get more out of the airline miles you redeem. The stop over will not cost you any additional airline miles.
Bid on a Once in a Life Time Experience
Many of us mere mortals can only dream of standing shoulder to shoulder with famous celebrities at a high end gala event. While this is an experience that your money can’t buy you, what about your airline miles?
It’s no surprise that corporations have connections world wide. When you’re a part of a frequent flyer program affiliated with a big corporation, you too have access to these connections. You can use your reward points to bid on once in a lifetime experiences, but also on concerts, sports events, or movie premieres.
While some may think that there are better ways to spend your miles, it depends on what you value most. Catching a New York Ranger’s game in a private box may be a priceless experience, and well worth your airline miles.
Go Shopping
There is some debate on whether or not spending your rewards points on merchandise through the airlines website is worth it.
It’s true that the value of your points is significantly less on merchandise in comparison to flights, but if your points are about to expire, or you’re strapped for cash and need to buy someone special a present, it may be worth it for you.
Travel Hack– It’s worth mentioning that around the holidays you can find better deals on merchandise or gift cards.
Donate your miles
Many people may not know that you can donate your miles. United has a long list of charities and causes that you can choose from, and so does American Airlines.
Unfortunately, the miles you donate are not tax deductible as the airline miles you earn are classified as a gift.
Wrap up
The key thing to remember is that there is no right or wrong way to spend your miles. While it’s true that there are ways you can maximize your airline miles, it’s important to spend your miles on what matters most to you!
