Educational Posts on Loyalty Programs

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Looking for Your First Rewards Card? Start Here

A Pile ofRewards Credit Cards

Congratulations! You’ve decided to take the plunge into miles credit card land. It’s a nice plunge. I promise. There are gourmet meals on airplanes, luxury hotel rooms with private Jacuzzis, and lounges with sleeping cabanas and massages in your future.

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Twofer: Diving in Fiji and New Zealand for the Price of One

Twofer: Diving in Fiji and New Zealand for the Price of One

Want to do some serious diving on Fiji and see New Zealand? It’s possible in one trip because you can use fewer miles flying to Fiji via New Zealand than just flying straight there.

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British Airways Avios Are Great for Short Trips

British Airways Plane

British Airways Avios is one of my favorite frequent flyer programs. The bargains that you can get with Avios are incredible if you use them to fly short hops as directly as possible.

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Plane Spotting: Who’s Flying the Boeing 787 Dreamliner?

Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner was one of the most anticipated new planes when it was being developed in the early 2000s. The company was looking to replace its 767 aircraft with a more fuel-efficient midsize, long-range wide-body jet with twin engines.

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Sign Up for Amex Offers and Save Big

Sign Up for Amex Offers and Save Big

American Express is one of the leading companies offering reward credit and charge cards. Some cards are branded and offer loyalty currency from airlines such as Delta and JetBlue or hotel chains like Starwood or Hilton.

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Plane Spotting: Who’s Flying the A380?

Do you ever make it a point to do a bit of plane spotting when you’re at the airport? Most frequent flyers have a healthy respect for the aviation industry and are intrigued by the newest and most technologically advanced aircraft.

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Juggling a Lot of Cards? How to Keep Them Straight

Rewards Cards

When you are trying to juggle a bunch of new credit cards to take advantage of lucrative sign-up bonus offers, there are some risks if you are balancing a few accounts.

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How to Book American Airlines Awards

For three years straight, American Airlines has won two of the top honors among frequent flyer programs: the Freddie Awards for Program of the Year and Best Elite Program.

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Are Rewards Cards That Earn Miles the Best Way to Fly Free Today?

Are Rewards Cards That Earn Miles the Best Way to Fly Free Today?

One of the big disappointments with airline programs these days is that it seems almost impossible to be loyal enough to earn a reward ticket by flying without the benefit of some serious business travel. But it doesn’t mean you should write off traveling using points and miles.

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Why Are Miles Cards Better Than Cash Back Cards?

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.

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How to Find Award Seats on United

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.

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Membership Rewards vs. Ultimate Rewards

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.

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Cash + Points: When Are They the Best Redemption?

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.

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The Full Monty on Fuel Surcharges

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?

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How to Get Elite Status Without Flying Thousands of Miles

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.

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Be a Prepared Frequent Flyer to Take Advantage of Deals

Be a Prepared Frequent Flyer to Take Advantage of Deals

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.

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Best Airport Lounges in Europe

Best Airport Lounges in Europe

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.

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Rewards Cards Can Cut Down on Airline Fees

Rewards Cards

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.

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What to Do When Weather Affects Your Award Flight

What to Do When When Weather Affects Your Award Flight

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?

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Triple Dipping to Maximize Miles Earned

Airplane and airport

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.

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