How Do You Get Frequent Flyer Miles Airline Tickets?

[tennisWalt Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close tennisWalt]

How do you get Frequent Flyer Miles Airline Tickets with the increase in oil prices?

I was looking for Airline Tickets over the week end for Hawaii, Paris, California and Florida. As far as I can tell it is next to impossible to get any Airline tickets anywhere and anytime with Northwest Airlines Worldperk.

Midwest Airlines seem to be better but they have no tickets outside the US 48 states.. ..No Hawaii tickets.

Captial One Miles have increase the points needed to get tickets. 10,000 points for every $100 of tickets cost.

Is there any up to date information about how do use your Frequent Flyer Miles and which programs are the best?

Walt

[blr666 Member Find all posts View Profile Close blr666]

Hi tennisWalt,

I love my Citibank Premier Elite Card. I haven't had a problem so far booking tickets even when less than 6 months out. I have gotten tickets to Hawaii and Mexico and on the flights I want. Check them out. Good luck.

[Carol C Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Carol C]

Your subject header is misleading. I was about to post that it's easy to get the miles; getting a freebie seat is the hard part! I've heard Northwest is especially difficult to deal with. So, my only suggestion is to try to book your freebie tix vacations during off-season. Think: Alaska and western Canada in winter, Florida and the Carib in summer. Good luck to ya!

[tennisWalt Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close tennisWalt]

You Are Right!

Your subject header is misleading. I was about to post that it's easy to get the miles; getting a freebie seat is the hard part! I've heard Northwest is especially difficult to deal with. So, my only suggestion is to try to book your freebie tix vacations during off-season. Think: Alaska and western Canada in winter, Florida and the Carib in summer. Good luck to ya!

Thanks Carol.

You are right! I changed the header.

Walt

[JudyS Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close JudyS]

The folks over at www.flyertalk.com are the experts on using FF miles. However, I find flyertalk very hard to follow -- too much jargon, and no patience with newbies.

I have a pile of Northwest miles, and haven't used any in ages. Northwest has recently started letting people search for FF seats one month at a time, instead of just one day at a time, which helps. But I still worry that Northwest will go under before I get to use my miles! (Yeah, I know that's not all that likely.)

[vinolover Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close vinolover]

I never have a problem redeeming my American Airlines miles for flights. But we only need tickets for two of us, only fly coach, and only redeem them during off season (which is when we prefer to travel so that's not a problem for us).

I usually only use my miles for free tickets to Hawaii or Europe since I feel like I get more bang for my miles. Sometimes I can't get the exact travel dates I want (but I usually can) so I alter my trip by one or two days.

[Glitter Brunello Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Glitter Brunello]

Hi tennisWalt,

I love my Citibank Premier Elite Card. I haven't had a problem so far booking tickets even when less than 6 months out. I have gotten tickets to Hawaii and Mexico and on the flights I want. Check them out. Good luck.

I recently looked into this. With all I know about t/s, I haven't a clue about getting good deals on flights. It seems that the right card will allow access to multiple airlines, without the limitations of having to find 'FF seats...' The good cards do come with a pricetag, I think the card mentioned above costs $75/year.

[Barbara Member Find all posts View Profile Close Barbara]

Hi tennisWalt,

I love my Citibank Premier Elite Card. I haven't had a problem so far booking tickets even when less than 6 months out. I have gotten tickets to Hawaii and Mexico and on the flights I want. Check them out. Good luck.

We have a fairly new Citibank World MasterCard, what is the difference with the Premier Elite Card? Did we get the wrong one and should we switch?
Thanks.
Barbara

[blr666 Member Find all posts View Profile Close blr666]

I think the fee is $75. However, I believe it is worth it because I use my card for everything. For my 1st year's fee, I was able to get 4 roundtrip tickets to Mexico, and 1 roundtrip ticket to Hawaii. Also, for Mexico, they charge 30,000 miles instead of the 35,000 with United. So, that's a little savings.

The best thing with this card is that they will give you miles for airline tickets charged to your account. For example, if you paid $400 for a ticket to Hawaii. You get 5000 miles (airmiles) and the 400 miles (ticket price) for a total of 5400 miles. It really adds up. Also you still get the miles with the airlines too. I planned a Mexico trip for my whole family, including my inlaws, and I got two free tickets to Mexico. I heard the Amex Starwood Card is good too.

[4ARedOctober Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close 4ARedOctober]

I know what you mean.....my NWA miles have piled up and have just sat there for years and years...they are very hard to use.

At least United sends an email about ideas and routes that FF tickets are available.

The folks over at www.flyertalk.com are the experts on using FF miles. However, I find flyertalk very hard to follow -- too much jargon, and no patience with newbies.

I have a pile of Northwest miles, and haven't used any in ages. Northwest has recently started letting people search for FF seats one month at a time, instead of just one day at a time, which helps. But I still worry that Northwest will go under before I get to use my miles! (Yeah, I know that's not all that likely.)

[Carolinian Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Carolinian]

The trick to using miles is to plan 11 months out. I have not had any difficulty with DL or NW miles for Europe doing that, or US or AA miles for the Caribbean.

For earning miles, check www.freefrequentflyermiles.com

[JudyS Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close JudyS]

..... I changed the header....

Interestingly, the title is still listed with the old title, "How to Get Frequent Flyer Miles?" on some parts of the board. It's not an issue with the upgrade, because I noticed this problem yesterday. Maybe it's a limitation with VBulletin's software -- perhaps the change to the title only gets made in one area of some database, and the original title is left in the other areas? It's no biggie (and I'm sure Ken is much too busy to look into it right now), it's just kind of interesting.

As for NWA frequent flyer miles, I have an idea about using them for Hawaii. Anyone who is interested, feel free to PM me.

[JudyS Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close JudyS]

The trick to using miles is to plan 11 months out. I have not had any difficulty with DL or NW miles for Europe doing that, or US or AA miles for the Caribbean....

Ah, Steve! We poor RCI Points people can't book that far ahead. I know, I know -- serves us right for buying Points.

Actually, I couldn't book that far out even if I wasn't in Points. Dh & I generally can't find out our work schedules that far in advance. In fact, we often don't know who we will be working for (or even if we will be working) that far in advance. Oh, the joys of being part of the contigent labor force!

Anyway, I wouldn't want to spend the next 11 months wondering if Northwest will still be in business when it's time for my trip.

[Sydney Contributor - Bronze Find all posts View Profile Close Sydney]

Interestingly, the title is still listed with the old title, "How to Get Frequent Flyer Miles?" on some parts of the board.

I gave it a go. Should be fine now.

[Pat H Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Pat H]

Remember you can use your NWA miles on Continental and Delta.