How Do Air Mile Credit Cards Work?
Air Mile Credit Card Best Buys
Air Mile Credit Card FAQ's
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Air mile credit cards allow frequent flyers to earn air miles on all their credit card spending as well as air miles earned for flying.
However, you don't need to already be a member of a frequent flyer mile program to avail of such an offer: once you have compared air mile credit cards and chosen a card to take out - if you do not yet have a membership with the frequent flyer program you'll either get automatic membership with the card, or be able to register for membership.
What exactly are air miles?
Air miles used to refer to a loyalty scheme initiated by airline companies, where regular customers would be awarded ‘miles' for the distance they flew. Miles could then be redeemed in the form of cheaper flights, free flights, or other services.
Nowadays, air miles are not just limited to regular long-haul flyers. While they are still largely a travel reward scheme, air miles are now much more accessible and the ways they can be earned as well as spent has opened them up to everyone from annual holiday makers to multi-country business people.
Air miles can now be earned on any purchases made with an air mile credit card - as well as on distances flown and also in slightly more unexpected ways from your weekly grocery shopping and re-fueling your car to hotel stays and car hire.
As for the rewards available to air mile earners, frequent flyer program partners have increased the rewards to brochure holidays, hotel stays, car hire, cruises, airport parking and days out as well as airline flights.
So what does an air mile credit card offer?
Whether you currently earn 1,000 miles a month on flights or your mile balance has yet to move into double figures – or even single figures, air mile credit cards enable you to earn air mile points on pretty much anything you buy with the card.
If you fly regularly you'll be able to earn even more miles by paying for the flight on the air miles credit card, and if you don't - you won't need to go and visit any far-flung relatives just to get off the starting board.
Whilst the actual 'value' of a mile does vary between frequently flyer schemes, each air mile you earn will have a 'value' - so the more air miles you collect the bigger the reward you will be able to claim.
How do I earn air miles?
- Spending on an air miles credit card
Typically, you will earn a certain number of air miles for each £1 you spend on the air miles credit card.
As with other credit card reward schemes, you will only earn points for money spent on goods and services from retailers and companies.
Cash withdrawals, balance transfers, charges and payment of interest fees will not earn you any air miles.
Often an incentive will be offered by the lending company, where you will be awarded a certain number of air miles immediately upon your first purchase. If you pick the right program, these incentive offers can be very good - often good enough to earn yourself your first free reward!
- Flying with the airline in question and it's partners
As a member of a frequent flyer program you will also earn points every time you fly with that airline, and partner airlines in the program. These partner airlines will be specified somewhere in the contract details, and it goes without saying that you should find out if there are any.
And don't forget to use your air miles credit card to pay for the purchase - this way you will earn miles on both the flight and on the cost of the flight.
- Other ways to earn air miles
Depending on the frequent flyer program you join there are usually many other ways to clock up on extra air miles.
If you have a Tesco loyalty ClubCard (or even the Tesco ClubCard credit card), for instance - your Tesco points can be transferred for frequent flyer miles with a range of different air miles schemes, including British Airways and Air Miles™.
Also be on the lookout for partners like car-hire companies, hotel chains and others who may be part of your air miles scheme - the number of ways to earn frequent flyer miles is always growing.
Remember, to maximize your air mile earnings, pay for any 'air mile partner' spend (e.g. at Tesco’s, a partner hotel or travel company) on your air mile credit card and earn air miles on your credit card in addition to the air miles earned for spending with a partner company.
What can I spend air miles on?
The actual rewards available will depend upon the air mile credit card you choose and subsequently the frequent flyer mile program you join.
Most air mile schemes will offer travel rewards including airline flights with the main airline and also with partner airlines, hotel stays, brochure holidays, city breaks, and other travel services including car rental and airport parking.
You may also find such rewards as days out, experiences and even wine!
More often than not, whichever air mile credit card you choose there will usually be something for everyone!
How do I spend air miles?
Typically you can spend air miles in any amount of ways.
Free or discounted flights are one way, but you can also spend them on hotels, holiday packages, or on other travel services.
Air mile programs will usually have a web portal where you can log in and view how many miles you have, view offers, and book travel products.
You may also be able to redeem your miles towards a flight over the phone to flyer mile programs customer services / booking line.
Most programs will allow you to pay part cash, part miles, so if you have not quite reached the amount of miles you need for that flight you wanted, you can spend what miles you have on it, and pay the remaining balance with cash.
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