Tip of the week: How to get mileage out of frequent-flier miles
Favorite tip: Streamline; Least favorite: Be an early bird
Know your allies. “Look into partner airlines and alliances.” If you have miles with American Airlines, for instance, you can usually put them toward flights on British Airways, Iberia, or another sister airline. Check Airlinetechnology.net to research airline partnerships.
Be an early bird. “Frequent-flier tickets can go on sale 11 months in advance,” so book early. Make reservations over the phone with an agent; online searches “won’t pull up award flights on a partner airline.”
Streamline. “You’ll earn award travel faster if you do most of your flying with one airline or within one alliance group.” Don’t open accounts with multiple airlines in the same alliance.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
When all else fails, upgrade. If you can’t book a flight with miles, “don’t sit back and let them expire.” Upgrading that coach ticket you bought to a first-class one is “one of the easiest ways to use miles.”
Source: Real Simple
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
TV to watch in March, including 'The Studio' and 'Paul American'
the week recommends A true crime story adaptation, a reality show about the ultra-American Paul brothers and a new late night series from John Mulaney
By Anya Jaremko-Greenwold, The Week US Published
-
Is America heading toward competitive authoritarianism?
Today's Big Question Some experts argue that the country's current democratic system is fading
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
'Detention centers have, for decades, been an abuse of administrative power'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published