There are many ways to accumulate Airline Miles:
- Flying-if you don’t have any status with the airlines then you get 1 mile per mile flown. Unless you fly for work this is a very slow and laborious process for most people.
- Buying Miles-This is pretty expensive as they require you to purchase certain amounts and charge you a per mile charge on top of a transaction fee to purchase them. Sometimes they run specials that make it more affordable, but it isn’t always the best way to get more miles.
- Credit Cards- This is the least expensive way to accumulate airline miles. Most credit card companies are willing to pay thousands to get people to sign up for their credit cards. They just happen to purchase miles from the airlines, then set minimum spending requirements for you to obtain those miles. I know that many people are skeptical about it. Just think of how much money companies on advertising. Instead of spending it on advertising, they just give you a better deal.
Here are some links to gather the information as to how far your miles will take you. We’ve also included links to route maps that show where each major airline flies.
Airline Mile Programs
Delta Airlines (SkyMiles) Best Value: Alaska and Hawaii (varies)
American Airlines (AAdvantage) Best Value: Northern South America (30k RT)
United (Mileage Plus) Best Value: Southeast Asia and the Pacific (60-65k RT)
- United Interactive Award Chart
- United Where We Fly
- United Partner Airlines
- Get United Mileage Plus Miles
US Airways (Dividend Miles) Best Value: Domestic Flights (20k RT)
- US Airways Award Chart
- US Airways Where We Fly
- US Airways Partner Airlines
- Get US Airways Dividend Miles
Southwest Airlines (Rapid Rewards) Best Value: 3-leg flights in the US (varies)
Frontier Airlines (Early Returns) Best Value: Central America (30k RT)
Also, check out our page on Using Hotel Points.
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Do guys know of anywhere that one can compare on the same page the relevant mileage costs from one destination to another? I.e. somewhere that one can input two regions or an airport codes and get a side-by-side list of all the major carriers and how much they would charge? I feel like this MUST be a thing somewhere, but haven’t found it yet.
@Stephen- Try milez.biz. They do this and tell you how many miles it will require. I don’t know about taxes at airports though.
Woah. I cannot believe I’ve never seen this before, but that is precisely what I had in mind. Thanks!
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Love the posts. I am trying to get about eight people over to Munich to visit my sister. I think we have travel arranged once we get there. What’s the best airline to use for europe and when should we go? Jarom
American Airlines. It takes 40k miles as long as you’re willing to go from October 15th-May 15th.