Travelling can be an expensive deal, unless you know how to be smart and make the most of all points and miles you’ve earned over months. And if you’re not sure how to get them, we’re here to help you! By Anushka Goel
What are miles?
Miles, or frequent flyer miles, are points/miles you earn on participating airlines or other partners. When you’ve accumulated enough such points, you can redeem them to book flights or get an upgrade. There are several ways to earn and redeem these miles to be able to book free flights, which will not only help you travel more but also allow you to save money while doing so.
How to earn more miles?
There are several easy ways you can earn more miles. Whether it be credit card payments or hotel bookings or even flight tickets, several different payments and methods can help you earn some mileage, to be later used for travel tickets and a lot more.
Through flights
One of the easiest ways to get airline mileage is to book flight tickets. Log on to the airlines’ portals and create an account – especially if you have a favourite airline. Then, as you book your tickets, you can earn your miles and once you have enough, use them to book your travel tickets!
By purchasing or transferring accumulated miles
Just in case you do not have enough miles to travel to your preferred destination, a lot of the loyalty programmes allow you to purchase additional ones or get some transferred from other accounts so that your balance can be complete. This makes for an easier, fuss-free option when planning your travels.
Through credit card payments and offers
Several credit cards in India allow you to earn points, which can then be redeemed on flights. Credit card bill payments, as well as payments made via these cards, can help you earn points, which can be used to avail offers or discounts when booking your next trip. However, several cards partner with specific airlines, so take all these details into account before you apply for a credit card!
While booking hotels
Some loyalty programmes partner with hotels, so that payments made during bookings and additional purchases help you avail airline miles. These can then be redeemed on flight bookings to allow you to travel to your favourite destinations.
Earn mileage through dining and shopping bills at partner places
Yes, not just hotel bills, but often, eating out or shopping can also get you some points. These can be in the form of credit card payments or through shopping and eating out at partner places of your loyalty programme.
Get a miles credit card
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Among the best ways to earn some mileage is to opt for a travel credit card, such as those by State Bank of India (Air India cards) or those affiliated with other airlines such as Vistara. Apart from the usual miles, you also get additional points on the said flights, upgrades, lounge access and a lot more.
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Related: Trust These Travel Apps To Help You Save Money On Your Next Trip
Written By
Anushka Goel
Anushka has previously worked with publications such as the Times of India and Being Indian. A graduate from Xavier Institute of Communications, she specialises in entertainment, food and travel. She also likes to write about sustainability and beauty. When not working, you can catch her reading a book, tending to her plants, cooking or playing an instrument.
