Educational Posts on Loyalty Programs

Who Is Citi ThankYou Rewards Good For?

As far as credit points programs go, Citibank is actually an old player in the game, more akin to American Express Membership Rewards than Chase Ultimate Rewards or the Capital One Venture program.

Earning miles can be challenging so letting them expire really shouldn’t be an option. There are plenty of ways to keep your reward accounts open by earning, redeeming, or buying miles. Here are some ways this can be achieved without breaking the bank.

Who Is JAL Mileage Bank Good For?

Asian award programs are largely underutilized by North American travelers, in no small part because of the difficulty of finding English-language (or even easily translatable) information on the program, and JAL is no exception. But with the changes in other oneworld partners, JAL has quickly become the best and in some cases the only place to turn for certain awards.

When the average consumer is shopping around for a credit card, their biggest consideration may be how much it will cost them. What’s the APR? Should I choose a no annual fee card? What are the other fees?

Who Is Air Canada Aeroplan Good For?

Aeroplan is actually run separately from Air Canada, so it is more focused on profits than some other airline loyalty programs. However, as many of the major U.S. airlines are changing their tune, Air Canada’s practices such as crediting miles on the basis of how much you paid for your ticket are less foreign today than they used to be.

Travel can be a stressful experience if you’re not an elite member with an airline or hotel program. There are long lines, cramped seats and hotel rooms, and a la carte pricing that is leading to some pretty inflated costs for even the most basic travel arrangements.

Who Is Iberia Good For?

Iberia Plus is a reward program that many casual awards travelers don’t consider, but should. Iberia and British Airways are actually one and the same. But like the Air France/KLM/Delta relationship, Iberia/British Airways operate their flights and their frequent flyer programs somewhat independently.

When you first start applying for reward credit cards, it is a simultaneously exciting and scary process. Free flights: Yay! Credit card denials: Not so cool.

Who Is Lufthansa Miles & More Good For?

For many North American frequent flyers, Lufthansa is best known for its uber-luxurious first class, but in Europe, it is actually the largest airline, and it has the largest frequent flyer program on the continent. The program has more than 25 million members.

Last week was one of those weeks when I thanked my lucky stars that I keep so many points and miles on hand in different programs.

Who Is JetBlue TrueBlue Good For?

One of the newer players in American aviation, JetBlue started right at the end of the last millennium as part of a new wave of domestic low-cost carriers, but has blossomed into a serious player in the last 15 years.

You landed here at RewardExpert because you are curious about points and miles. But if you’re not using them yet, or you’re just wading in the kiddie pool collecting miles on a bunch of different airlines when you fly, maybe using the same airline reward credit card you’ve had for a decade I have to ask, what’s holding you back?

Who Is Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Good For?

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan has an intriguing fan base. People who live in the Northwest, near the airlines hubs, love its availability, perks and pricing. But many people who don’t live near or regularly fly Alaska Airlines routes are also devoted Mileage Plan members.

One of the main things that keeps people from taking advantage of the myriad generous reward credit card bonus offers out there is the fear that applying for credit cards will have a negative impact on their credit score.

Capital One Venture Rewards are ideal for people who are NOT loyal to a particular airline or hotel and don’t want to spend time sifting through award inventory or waiting for award seats to open up.

Reward credit cards have become commonplace as banks and credit card companies use these perks to draw in customers, so it’s easy to forget exactly what they exist to reward in the first place.

Who Is American Express Membership Rewards Good For?

Like Chase Ultimate Rewards, American Express Membership Rewards is a transfer program. It’s not intrinsically tied to any one hotel or airline, so accruing points with it allows you to redeem for a wide variety of travel options.

I’ve seen it time and time again.
Your friends do it.
You see them doing it and enjoying it!
And you get curious.

Who Is American Airlines AAdvantage Good For?

Long a favorite among frequent flyers, American Airlines AAdvantage has garnered the Freddie Awards (the top honor for frequent flyer programs) for the Program of the Year and the Best Elite Program for three years straight. But it’s in a really interesting position these days for two reasons: its merger with US Airways and the huge changes going on with the United and Delta programs.

When it comes to earning miles for fabulous and nearly free vacations, don’t limit yourself in the ways in which you earn those precious miles. Sure, flying nets plenty of miles, as do credit-card sign-ups, but there are tons of everyday ways to build up your cache of miles or points. Something as simple as grocery shopping for your family can help you achieve your goal to fly somewhere for free or get a few free nights at a hotel.