Related FAQ's & Guides
How many more miles could your weekly Tesco trip be earning?
Just how much further could you be flying on your Tesco Clubcard points than with BA Miles or AirMiles™?
Q. Which airlines operate frequent flyer mile programs?
A. Frequent flyer mile programs are operated by most - if not all - of the major airlines across the world. In the UK the biggest flyer mile programs are run by British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, bmi and of course AirMiles.
Q. How much are air miles really worth?
A. The actual value of an air mile - or a frequent flyer mile - depends largely upon the reward scheme and rewards the mile can be spent with - for example how many miles would you need for a flight to Barcelona?
Q. How many air miles will I earn?
A. The actual amount of air miles you're likely to earn on an air miles credit card is determined first by the air mile credit card you choose and secondly by your own spending made with the credit card.
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Initially air mile schemes used to be fairly restrictive in the ways you could earn air miles and just as restrictive in the ways you could spend them. Effectively, if you weren't a seriously frequent flyer the likelihood of you gaining flyer-mile membership – let alone earning a useful amount of miles – was pretty slim.
However, air mile schemes are now extremely popular and accessible to even the most occasional holiday seeker.
Air mile credit cards
The best and easiest way to earn air miles – second only to regular flights abroad – is getting an air mile credit card.
Air mile credit cards firstly give you automatic membership to a frequent flyer mile program. Secondly, they allow you to earn air miles on everything you buy – be it a packet of Rolos or a Plasma TV.
Air mile credit cards will offer a number of miles for each £1 spent on the card in purchases. So if you use the credit card as your preferred method of payment for everything from your weekly groceries and petrol to your January sales spending spree – you’ll soon tot up enough miles for a free flight – and even second level membership! (Which can include such luxuries as priority check-ins, extra baggage allowance – even VIP airport lounge access).
When you first take out an air mile credit card you’ll often be able to benefit from a bonus mile hand-out. The conditions usually require you to spend on the card within an initial window-period – but do this and you could get enough bonus miles for your first free flight!
Partner retailers and companies
The majority of air mile programs have a handful of retailers and companies they've partnered up with to allow you to earn extra air miles when you part with your cash at their shops.
One of the main retailers to offer air miles is Tesco. Simply collect Tesco Clubcard points on your shopping each week and then redeem them for miles for the AirMiles™ or British Airways air miles schemes.
You can also earn AirMiles on Shell fuel as well as a number of other retailers.
Other air mile schemes tend to be partnered with more travel related companies, such as hotels and car hire firms.
Check out your chosen air mile scheme to find out who they’ve partnered up with to see where you can collect additional miles.
Partner Airlines
Airlines tend to be pretty big companies, and as big companies they’ll often be partnered with a number of other airlines.
These partnerships offer benefits between the companies as well as for flyers. In particular, you’ll often be able to earn – and spend – air miles with all partner airlines as well as the main airline the frequent flyer mile program is running with.
Remember to know who the partner airlines are so you can cash in your flight tickets for extra miles.
Compare air miles credit cards
 air miles credit card questions & answers
Credit card questions & answers
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