Educational Posts on Loyalty Programs

Enough is enough. It’s time to set the record straight.

The credit card industry, especially during the recession, has done too good of a job selling consumers on the value of cash back credit cards.

As far as award bookings with domestic carriers go, United is one of the most straightforward. You have all the options you’d expect one ways, multicity tickets, unlimited less-than-24-hour stopovers and you’re able to make almost all bookings online without any inexplicable system glitches keeping you from seeing the seats you’re entitled to cough, cough, Delta.

Airline and hotel programs are designed to get you to fly on their planes and to stay in their hotels. But we all know its not an exclusive relationship for many. While these programs are great for collecting miles and points for your low-cost travel, they are not the only programs you should be considering if you trade in your rewards for travel.

While Delta’s recent announcements of their sweeping award program changes have caused an uproar among frequent flyers, one of the areas most likely to trip up leisure travelers are the airline’s new cash plus points awards.

Ever looked for an award ticket, thought you had found a great deal, and then were shocked when the taxes and fees cost hundreds of dollars?

Imagine checking your bag for free at a premium check-in desk with no wait and waltzing past the masses to go through security. Then settling into the lounge for a free meal before skipping the line to board your flight, where you get automatically upgraded to business class. All thanks to your elite status.

I’ll admit it. Ive missed out on some pretty terrific deals in the frequent flyer world for one reason and one reason only: I wasn’t prepared to take advantage of them. Sometimes a fare war makes a trip to a specific destination incredibly affordable. Or an airline may be offering reduced mileage rewards to certain destinations.

Now that we’ve looked at the best airport lounges in the United States and Asia, we’re heading to Europe with pit stops in Germany, the United Kingdom, France and Turkey. They all have excellent places to spend a few hours between flights. Here are our favorite spots.

It’s no secret. Airline fees are up. There are more surcharges today than just a few years ago. And sometimes they cost more than the flight itself. According to a study from USA Today, airline fees have hit a record high. Delta is now charging $400 to change an international flight–a $150 jump from three years ago.

In frequent flyer forums, I keep seeing the same question: If my flight is cancelled because of weather, do I have to wait for an award seat at the same redemption rate to open up on another flight?

No, it’s not the latest chip dip. A dance move. Or a football play. The triple dip is one of the most rewarding travel hacking tactics. While it’s great to earn miles by making purchases with a co-branded credit card, one purchase can often earn miles or points in multiple ways. That’s what triple dipping is all about.

Among award travelers, Delta is somewhat notorious. You can’t book one-way awards. Inventory at the lowest redemption rate is known to be limited to the point of non-existence.

Want to jump the security line at the airport? You can start your trip in style, feel like a rock star, and waltz by the masses shuttling along through glacial queues. As far as perks go, it’s an oldie but goodie. Front-of-line privileges have never been more important than now.

Credit card companies have introduced some exciting offers in the past month or two. Citi made some waves with its offer for the Citi^® / AAdvantage^® Executive World Elite^™ Mastercard^®. Approved applicants were enticed with 100,000 American AAdvantage bonus miles after spending $10,000 in three months.

I love traveling off season. It’s less crowded and more affordable. American Airlines AAdvantage redemption rate for off-peak travel to Europe between October 15 and May 15 is only 40,000 miles.

If you’re new to making airline arrangements or booking award tickets, you may not be familiar with all of the words and terms the airlines use. Here’s a quick reference guide to some of the lingo you should understand.

There are a few things that make air travel manageable. Airport lounge access is one of them. It’s nice to have a comfortable place with free Wi-Fi while you’re waiting to board or when you have a layover. There are usually complimentary drinks and snacks. Some even have restaurants.

In frequent flyer circles, airline elite status seems to be the Holy Grail. Everybody wants status because it comes with perks such as access to priority check-in and security lanes, the possibility of an upgrade, free or discounted baggage fees, lounge access, mileage multipliers and more.

Valentine’s Day is tomorrow, but it’s not too late to get something shipped overnight. Chocolate and flowers are a safe bet for your special someone, but this year give a gift that your frequent flyer will really love. It’s okay to throw in some candy and flowers too!

There are two traits needed  if you want to excel at booking free airline award tickets and hotel rooms on points. The first is the knack for planning in advance sometimes up to an entire year. The second trait is the opposite: the flexibility to take advantage of spur-of-the-moment opportunities like booking a trip at the last minute within weeks or even days of departure.