Thought you were short on miles and points for your next trip? Think again. Many airlines and hotels offer discounted redemptions at different times of the year or even shave down the cost for members that hold certain types of credit cards. Could you be one of the lucky ones? Read more to find out!

Many things in the airline industry are not always clear. Surely, you have overheard someone in an airport or on a plane lamenting that they have a layover of two hours in the airport. Or perhaps, you caught part of a conversation of someone having a stopover for a couple of hours. Technically they are not the same thing, and one can actually be a good thing as it can give you the chance to stop somewhere en route before going on to your final destination.

Many airline loyalty programs today have one of two approaches toward keeping miles valid for redemption. Some say that miles have a fixed expiration date, no matter what you do. Others say the miles will remain active indefinitely as long as you have an “active” account.

Qantas, Australia’s flag carrier, is a great airline for flights between the U.S. and Australia. It has excellent service, a fantastic first class cabin and direct flights to Australia from Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York and Dallas.

Emirates is perhaps best known for its flashy and luxurious first class cabin. It’s one of only two airlines in the world that offers in-flight showers. And if first class passengers don’t find what they want in their personal in-seat minibar, they can head to the lounge which has a full bar, including a bartender.

Alaska Airlines has one of the best frequent flyer programs among all U.S. legacy carriers. For one, it still doesn’t have a revenue component in earning or redeeming miles. It doesn’t add a fuel surcharge to award flights redeemed on most of its international partners (other than British Airways and Iceland Air).

Once American Airlines devalues their award chart on March 22 you’ll find that the cost of many tickets becomes less than affordable. First class awards, for example, are increasing between 20% and 63% on flights originating in the United States. Is this going to be your last chance to experience some of the best premium cabin products in the sky on American? Not necessarily.

Capital One Venture is a program that’s easy to use, allowing you to redeem miles earned with credit card purchases for travel. You can purchase award travel through their shopping portal or erase travel purchases from your statement.

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.