Frequent flyer programs have come a long way since American Airlines introduced AAdvantage in 1981. The vast majority of world airlines have frequent flyer programs, and while they differ widely, each of their redemption schemes is based on one of the three underlying principles: region-based, distance-based or revenue-based.
Quebec’s cultural center, Montreal, and the nearby capital, Quebec City, are some of the chilliest urban areas you can find in North America during this time of year. But that’s part of the reason why it’s a great time to visit.
Named the best regional airline in Europe in 2014 by industry watchdog SkyTrax, Greece’s Aegean Airlines is one of those airlines that you may not have heard of and rarely have occasion to fly but might seriously consider squirreling points away in.
Most co-branded airline cards offer two (or more, for more expensive cards) miles per dollar spent on their own airline, but they pretty much universally offer just one mile per dollar on all other purchases.
Though an extra quarter of a point doesn’t sound like much, over the course of the year, a 25 percent bonus on earning can go a long way. Combine this with the high value of Avios, and you’ve got a potent card that’s valuable for any traveler, whether you primarily fly domestic or international.
Many frequent flyer gurus will tell you to never use your hard-earned miles to book a domestic award ticket. While it’s true that there may be more value when booking a first class ticket to somewhere exotic like Bali, there is definitely a time and place to spend miles to get to destinations closer to home.
All Nippon Airways, or ANA, is a Japanese airline in the powerful Star Alliance, which includes North American carriers United and Air Canada. Don’t confuse ANA’s versatile award program, Mileage Club, with the similarly named Mileage Bank offered by the other major Japanese airline, JAL.
Cathay Pacific is the main carrier for China’s Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, so it might not seem to be the best fit for flyers based in North America. But if you need to do a lot of travel to Asia from the U.S., it’s a very safe bet: It won the 2014 Skytrax Award for Worlds Best Airline.
Avianca, the combination of the national airline of Columbia and a conglomerate of five Central American airlines, is not a carrier you expect your everyday Joe to have a frequent flyer account with, but it is actually set up perfectly for just that type of traveler.
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.
If you take a lot of flights around America (North, Central or South), Avios may be the best program for you. Because of its close partnership with American Airlines, you can use Avios to book pretty much any American flight for a fraction of the miles, since the Executive Club uses distance-based awards rather than zone-based awards.
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.
The Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island in the Bahamas is not a budget trip by any stretch of the imagination. The least expensive room will set you back at least $200 a night. These rooms are very basic. But you’re not going there to stay in your room. You are there to play in the water park or swim the private beaches and lagoons filled with tropical fish.
Disney World is not one of those exotic destinations we usually write about, where you can reap huge savings on airfare by using frequent flyer miles to get there. The tickets to Orlando don’t cost an arm and a leg, and most airlines serve the destination so it’s not difficult to get to.
