How to get started with travel points and airline miles

11.08.2023 - 13:57 / lonelyplanet.com

When I got into the points and miles world a decade ago, it was a niche “hobby,” and there were few resources to help newbies get started. I had to dig through countless blogs, forums and read loyalty program terms and conditions obsessively to learn all the tips and tricks. Nowadays, social media is swarming with travel hackers leveraging points and miles for exotic vacations that would otherwise cost tens of thousands of dollars.

Miles and points can be an excellent way to save money on travel, regardless of your objectives. By signing up for airline loyalty programs and credit cards, you can save up for discounted flights, free hotel stays, car rentals and more. Not only does travel become more accessible with points and miles, but you can upgrade your travel experience significantly by flying in first class and staying in luxury hotels. 

If you’ve been curious about points and miles but unsure how to get started, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s everything you need to know to get started:

Setting a travel goal before earning points and miles is an essential first step. By setting a goal, you can determine which loyalty program best suits your needs and maximize its earning potential. If you’re a budget traveler, you’ll need to earn different points than if your goal was a luxury vacation. Figuring out what you’ll use your points for can also help you determine whether credit card annual fees are worth paying to achieve that goal. 

You don’t want to earn points without purpose and realize (too late) that you can’t travel to your dream destination with those rewards. Or that the airline you’ve saved up miles for your family vacation only releases 1-2 seats in the cabin you hoped to fly. Planning ahead and setting goals is the crucial first step in mapping out your rewards strategy.

When looking for the best loyalty program to fit your needs, consider what type of rewards you’re looking for. There are three primary types of loyalty points you should familiarize yourself with. Ideally, you should diversify by having at least two types of points readily available: Airline miles, hotel points and transferable rewards. 

You may decide that hotel points don’t fit your travel goals because you prefer boutique hotels or cheap bookings through travel agencies. You can certainly go without earning hotel points. You may even decide you don’t want to fly in the near future, and airline miles aren’t useful for your goals. However, transferable rewards are one type of currency you don’t want to skip out on. They’re a good fit for virtually any traveler and provide the ultimate redemption flexibility. 

Most airline miles can be used for virtually any travel expense, but the best redemption is for flights. You’ll