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What exactly are airline miles, anyway?

Airline miles. You've certainly heard of them. Maybe you rabidly chase them. Or maybe you view them akin to snake oil, in that they entice you but don't ultimately turn out to be as valuable or useful as you might have hoped.

Or, if your job doesn't require you to travel regularly, and you make most of your purchases with a debit card or non-travel credit card, you might not be familiar with the massive world of airline points and miles.

But no matter which of those buckets applies to you, know that airline miles are a big business.

It has been over 40 years since the modern airline loyalty programs were launched — and plenty has changed in those decades.

Commercial air travel went mainstream, and airline miles underwent a major transformation of their own. Long gone are the days when you earned them just for flying. These days, you can earn them when buying your mom flowers or buying yourself a toaster. With airline-cobranded credit cards , you can earn miles for anything you can charge on a credit card.

Let's cover the basic playbook you need to know to take advantage of airline miles no matter your situation.

New to points and miles? Learn the ropes with the free TPG App !

why were airline miles created?

In the beginning, a mile flown was a mile earned.

The miles were earned mostly by business travelers making the weekly slog from Atlanta to Topeka, Kansas, or a hundred other cities. It didn't take long for that to change.

Today, airline miles come in many shapes, sizes and values and can be earned (and redeemed) without you ever needing to step foot on a plane.

It's been over 40 years since the first airline mileage programs started , first at American Airlines and shortly thereafter at United Airlines. At that time, and for several decades thereafter, any time you boarded a flight you'd earn miles based on how far you flew. Fly a few round-trip flights and you could redeem your miles for a free airline ticket.

Over the years that equation got a lot more complicated (though one surprising benefit of the pandemic was relaxed rules surrounding the use of airline miles ).

In the decades before the creation of frequent flyer programs, U.S. airlines had been regulated by the government, which restricted their ability to compete.

In the new era of deregulation, airlines were eager to keep their customers coming back and to acquire new ones. Airline miles were a way to keep road warriors from having a wandering eye. For a period of time, some airlines were so worried about a customer cashing out their miles and moving to another carrier they would actually deposit some fresh miles in accounts when a customer redeemed their entire balance.

Needless to say, things are a little different these days.

Related: Why loyalty programs are a lifeline for airlines and hotels during COVID-19

What is an airline mile now?

It's been quite some time since a mile was awarded for each mile flown across most programs.

In some cases, airlines aren't even calling them miles anymore. You'll find Southwest Airlines' Rapid Rewards program issuing "points," just like JetBlue's TrueBlue loyalty program . It might be easier to think of miles (or points) as a form of currency. Just like saving up for a new TV, most people save their points and miles while planning a dream vacation somewhere.

But these points and miles can also come in handy for a quick trip to see grandma, family emergencies or a weekend away.

It used to be much easier to understand how to redeem airline miles, with only two published "prices" for most flights: standard and some sort of less expensive, "saver" pricing.

Back in the early days, 25,000 miles was a "magic" number, because that was the price for a saver award ticket anywhere in the domestic U.S. Going way back, those awards also used to come with a certificate for a hotel and rental car that you could potentially redeem for an entire vacation.

Generally speaking, flights were less full in the early days, which meant you had a reasonable shot of finding that 25,000-mile award for your whole family, whether you wanted to head to Disney World or Hawaii.

When you did need to fly during busier times, the most expensive seat you'd find would require 50,000 miles round-trip for a domestic flight. For the most part, this was "last-seat availability," meaning if there was an empty economy-class seat to Hawaii, 50,000 miles would get you there. These days, the busiest flights can cost you double that 50,000 miles one-way.

Current award flight pricing is much more dynamic, as airlines set the number of points needed much closer to the cash value of each flight. Airline miles are also awarded in many different ways and only rarely based on how far you fly.

Most airlines award miles based on how much you spend, and even that can depend on complicated formulas. Generally, you won't earn miles for any portion of your ticket that's a government tax or fee. Buy the cheapest ticket, and you'll earn significantly fewer miles than if you bought that snazzy first-class seat at the last minute.

These days, travelers earn more airline miles from activities other than hopping on an airplane.

Credit cards are a huge part of earning miles. You can earn miles for shopping through online portals that include hundreds of retailers you already patronize. You can also earn miles for renting cars, staying in hotels, paying your energy bill, filling your car up with gas, and applying for insurance.

For example, instead of just shopping online at Macy's and earning credit card points, if you click through a shopping portal first , you can also earn a multiple of 2 to 4 American Airlines AAdvantage miles per dollar for those purchases. United offers hundreds of bonus miles if you book a rental car through its website (though you want to be careful to check the price versus booking your rental car directly).

You can redeem those miles to buy a blender or steak knives or magazines – but please don't unless that's really what you want. The price, in miles, is generally pretty horrible for merchandise relative to what you could get from travel redemptions.

Related: The complete history of credit cards, from antiquity to today

What are airline miles worth?

Just to make things more complicated, not all airline miles (or points, as the case may be) are created equally.

The least valuable miles or points are generally those where the airline has given them a defined value. Southwest and JetBlue are two airlines that have essentially fixed the price of award tickets to the cost of buying a ticket outright.

Meanwhile, some airlines, such as Delta, moved away from fixed award charts years ago. While there are still plenty of ways to get great value from Delta SkyMiles , they aren't usually worth as much as American Airlines AAdvantage miles.

A few programs that have chosen to maintain some form of published award charts, such as Alaska Airlines' Mileage Plan and Air Canada's Aeroplan , have miles that are worth even more.

Part of the reason for the higher valuations from those airlines who maintain award charts is that there's generally a maximum number of miles you need to redeem for an award, whether that's a "saver" award or a more expensive standard award.

Need an example? If a round-trip flight from New York to Los Angeles will set you back 25,000 miles, it's a much better value when the cash price of that same ticket is $800 versus $300. For programs that have a fixed value for their miles, or even dynamic pricing where there's generally no cap on how many miles a ticket costs, it's just hard to get as much value since a dynamically priced program will charge far more points when the cash price is $800 than when it's $300.

All of these factors drive the methodology behind TPG's valuations of various miles and points .

Related: How (and why) to calculate award redemption values

How can I use airline miles?

How much time do we have?

The list of ways to use your airline miles is virtually endless. On top of being able to redeem miles for travel to virtually any airport with commercial service in the world, you can use them to upgrade paid airline tickets to a better class of service .

There are the most basic options to redeem miles, such as for a family trip to Disney World . In a world of dynamic pricing for award flights, an off-peak trip to Orlando can be one of the most affordable you'll find due to the sheer volume of flights.

Hawaii has plenty of flights as well but can be incredibly popular during the holidays. For those who live on the East Coast and would prefer not to fly 10-plus hours in economy class, you may need to put in a bit of elbow grease searching for flights .

International travel presents many more options.

For starters, the major U.S. airlines – American , Delta and United – all offer premium economy as an extra class of service on many international flights. Premium economy can, in some cases, be a much better experience than economy without the steep price of a business-class or first-class cabin. The seats resemble a domestic first-class seat, with more legroom and sometimes footrests. Additionally, you'll usually enjoy better food, increased baggage allowances and comfort items like a pillow and blanket.

Where international travel gets incredibly interesting is when you begin to leverage airline alliances. All three major U.S. carriers belong to one of the three biggest worldwide alliances . American Airlines is part of Oneworld , Delta is part of SkyTeam and United is part of the Star Alliance . Each airline in these alliances has its own award charts (or just pricing if it has eliminated charts) and the prices can vary widely.

These alliances can help you in two primary ways. First, they can serve as additional award inventory for a flight from the U.S. to a major international gateway. For example, United Airlines operates flights from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Tokyo's Narita International Airport (NRT) and Haneda International Airport (HND). In addition, its Star Alliance partner ANA operates flights from SFO to both Tokyo airports as well, giving you more award options.

ANA flies to dozens of destinations from Tokyo's airports that can be booked as connecting itineraries along with a United or ANA flight from the U.S. to get you to secondary or tertiary cities all on the same award ticket. So while United doesn't fly to Bangkok, you can still fly there with your United miles by connecting through Tokyo on an ANA flight.

Related: Book this, not that: SkyTeam award tickets

How can I earn airline miles?

You'd think that earning airline miles would be something that you primarily accomplish while flying. Thirty years ago you would have been correct. Today, there's a broad menu of options to earn airline miles. Spoiler alert: Many folks earn very few miles from actually flying.

Pretty much every airline will award you some sort of miles or points when you pay for one of its flights.

That means road warriors can still earn plenty of miles traveling, but only if they're big spenders. Virtually all of the major programs have changed their earning structure to award miles based on how much you spend, not how many times you travel or how far you fly. Alaska Airlines is the lone exception in the U.S., but that could change in the coming months .

For everyone else, you pay to play (or earn miles).

With the larger legacy carriers such as American, Delta and United you can also earn bonus miles for flying in a higher class of service or holding elite status with the airline. Southwest awards points based on which of its four fare classes you purchase and how much your ticket costs. The rest of the low-cost carriers generally award you airline miles or points based solely on the price of your ticket.

Related: How to stack rewards when you book flights with online travel agencies

Credit cards

Credit cards are big, big business for the airlines. Some airlines, such as Delta, lean in heavily on a partnership with one bank.

Delta has a relationship with American Express that includes entry-level credit cards and premium ones that come with benefits like lounge membership. Their relationship extends further to being a major transfer partner with the American Express Membership Rewards program, Amex's proprietary currency.

Other airlines, such as American, have partnerships with more than one bank. That, in theory, gives customers more choices.

That said, you're probably better off without an airline's credit card in your wallet unless you plan to give that airline quite a bit of money. That might sound counterintuitive, but it pays to follow the math. For example, the United Explorer Card earns 2 miles per dollar spent on United flights, hotels and dining.

For the exact same $95 annual fee you can hold the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card . That card earns 2 Ultimate Rewards points per dollar on all travel purchases (including airfare) and 3 points per dollar on dining, online grocery store purchases and streaming services.

In almost all cases, you'll earn more points on everyday spending on the Chase Sapphire Preferred card. Not only can you transfer the Ultimate Rewards points you earn instantly to United on a 1:1 basis, you also have the flexibility to transfer to Air Canada, Southwest, Hyatt and other great partners.

Related: How (and why) you should earn transferable points in 2022

Shopping portals

Earning bonus airline miles via shopping portals can be ridiculously easy.

You typically only need a few extra clicks to navigate to your favorite merchant. Those extra clicks through the shopping portal of your choice will earn you bonus miles for the items you already planned to buy, from the exact place you planned to buy it. With the exception of very few online merchants (the biggest being Amazon), you can find hundreds of the most popular online retail sites on a shopping portal.

Use a shopping portal aggregator like Cashback Monitor to determine where to earn the most airline miles for your purchases.

How should I redeem my airline miles?

You'll generally get the most value by redeeming them for award tickets. You can usually find award flights on the airline where you have your miles and on its partners. For example, your American Airlines AAdvantage miles can get you from Washington, D.C., to Miami on American but can also get you from Madrid to Rome on Iberia, one of its Oneworld partners.

While we maintain a full list of valuations of various airline miles and hotel points , there are some basic guidelines. For starters, if you're getting over 2 cents per airline mile you're redeeming, you're in pretty good shape. For example, let's say you want to redeem 25,000 miles for a flight. If that flight costs $500 (2 cents per mile) or more, that's generally a good use of your miles.

However, when money is tight, keeping a stash of airline miles can help with emergencies. If a family member falls ill and you absolutely have to be there, redeeming miles (even at a poor value) can help you preserve cash.

Generally, you won't get as much value when transferring your airline miles to hotel loyalty programs (and vice versa). And buying merchandise through the online retail sites some airlines operate is usually pretty horrible.

Related: From newbie to expert: 6 ways to up your mileage redemption game

Which airline miles program is the best?

Asking which airline miles program is the best is sort of like asking which of Baskin-Robbins' 31 flavors is best.

Some folks like vanilla, others like rocky road. If international travel is your goal, stick with Alaska, American, Delta and United. On the other hand, if you're perfectly fine in North America, Southwest can be an excellent value.

In short, there's no "best" airline miles program. Rather, there's a best fit for each style of travel.

Why you should care about airline miles

If you've made it this far in life without investing time and energy in learning the advantages of airline miles, you might be wondering why you should start caring now.

One of the biggest reasons to care is that it's easier than ever to earn airline miles. Most, if not all, travel credit cards have a sign-up bonus when you get approved for a card and meet the card's spending requirement. These sign-up bonuses are what jump-start your points and miles-earning potential.

Credit cards also have bonus purchase categories that can allow you to earn bonus miles that can far exceed the value of a cash-back credit card or a debit card. For example, the American Express® Gold Card earns 4 points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per year, then 1 point per dollar) and at restaurants worldwide.

Another major reason to get into the points and miles game is the destinations they can unlock. Even some of the stingiest programs have phenomenal award opportunities from time to time.

Delta is famous for flash sales that can make a trip across the country or to Europe or Asia incredibly affordable. When you reduce the cost of an airline ticket to virtually zero, you have so many options. It opens up your budget so you can splurge on a special dinner on your trip or cut the cost enough to make that dream trip a reality.

You can also use your miles to upgrade to business class or first class, which means you can treat yourself to incredible lie-flat seats, fine wines and dining on your way to your chosen paradise. Also, points and miles are not an all-or-nothing proposition. If you only have enough miles for one airline ticket, you can still cut the cost in half for you and a loved one to head to Hawaii. This is especially key for families, where the price of four airline tickets may literally be the barrier to even being able to plan a vacation.

There are unique opportunities with airline miles as well, like United's Excursionist Perk , which means you may not have to choose between Spain and Italy on a European trip — you may be able to do both for the same amount of miles.

Related: TPG beginners guide: Everything you need to know about points, miles, airlines and credit cards

Bottom line

Would it be a bit cheeky to say that airline miles can make your travel dreams come true? Maybe. But there are reasons airline loyalty programs issue billions (with a "B") of miles every year. Customers with even a tiny bit of strategy can come out miles ahead when they use them — and by default that includes you, because you're here.

Points and miles can change your life, or at least your travel frequency and costs. They can open up the world and allow you to take more trips, visit more far-flung destinations, bring along friends and family or simply enjoy the good seats every once in a while.

With that being said, airline miles don't generally get more valuable over time, so don't hoard them for a retirement trip many years down the road and expect them to still be worth later what they are today. Big sign-up bonuses and lucrative bonus categories make it easy to build up enough points or miles now to redeem them for a flight quickly.

While airline miles aren't what they were in the early 1980s, they are now much easier to earn and easier to use in everyday life — which means even infrequent travelers can unlock an award trip to a destination they never thought possible.

Additional reporting by Ehsan Haque.

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Award Travel

Use your miles to travel to 1,000+ destinations around the world with Delta and our partners. You can book Award Travel for yourself or for someone else – even if you’re not flying with them. And there are no blackout dates on any Delta Air Lines flight.

• Select ' Book ' at delta.com or in the Fly Delta app
• Check the box next to "Shop with Miles" on delta.com or "Show Price in Miles" on the app
• Enter your flight preferences and select ‘Find Flights’
• Our flexible Award calendar shows the lowest price options for the dates you select
• Choose your flight(s), complete your purchase and you’re on your way 

GET THE MOST OUT OF AWARD TRAVEL:

• Earn MQDs toward your next Medallion Status tier with Award Travel on Delta and our partners (excluding Basic Economy fares)
• We've made it easy for you to find the best deals for your miles by compiling all of our latest SkyMiles Deals 
• Follow #SkyMilesLife on Instagram to explore real experiences from your fellow SkyMiles Members and get inspired for your next adventure
• Miles can be redeemed toward travel on Delta Air Lines, Delta Connection carriers and on 30+ partner airlines 
• Book different experiences on the outbound and return flights – Relax in Delta Comfort+® on the way to your destination and fly home in Delta One® to return rested and refreshed
• Earn a Bonus Miles welcome offer with select Delta SkyMiles® American Express Cards. Plus, eligible Card Members save 15% when booking Award Travel on Delta flights. Not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes or fees. Terms apply.
• Award Travel flight miles flown (excluding Basic Economy fares) will count toward your total Million Miler balance

See if Award Travel or other fees apply to your ticket. All fees are non-refundable.

*Changes to origin, destination, routing, date and time are permitted except for Basic Economy tickets, and the mileage difference (and any applicable taxes) for the new Award ticket will apply. For travel originating from the United States and Canada to anywhere in the world (including flights operated by joint venture and codeshare partners), Members may change or cancel Award tickets for travel without a redeposit or change fee, excluding Basic Economy fares. For some travel originating outside the United States and Canada, Basic Economy Award ticket restrictions will vary and may be non-cancelable or may be changeable for a fee. For details, visit our Baggage & Travel Fees page .

Mileage difference, taxes and fees apply for any changes. Changes to Pay with Miles tickets are determined by the fare rules of the ticket purchased.

Mileage Upgrade Awards may be surrendered or cancelled any time prior to the scheduled flight departure time. Members may reissue or change a Mileage Upgrade Award prior to departure time. Taxes, fees and any additional collection is based on the rules of the purchased fare.

Not applicable where prohibited by local law.

1 Charges may vary by country. Charges will only apply to tickets issued in select European countries and Members may be eligible for a waiver of the direct ticketing international charge upon request. Charges are waived for all other points of origin.

2 Basic Economy fares are not eligible to make same-day confirmed or same-day standby travel changes, regardless of Medallion or other elite Status. Same-day Standby and Same-Day Confirmed are limited to availability, and only available on domestic flights.

See what other taxes and fees apply to your Award Ticket .

Terms & Conditions:

Your SkyMiles account must have enough miles for the Award Ticket you are purchasing.

All Awards are subject to availability, and additional taxes and fees may apply. See Membership Guide & Program Rules for details.

Awards are subject to capacity controls. Awards may require higher prices depending on routing rules and restrictions. Exceptions to these rules may require additional mileage or taxes and fees. Travel to all destinations within region may not be available at lowest price. Not all countries within region are serviced by Delta and/or partner airlines. Taxes and fees for Award Travel are the responsibility of the passenger and must be paid at the time the ticket is issued. The payment of any taxes, fees, and other government-, airport- or carrier-imposed charges is the responsibility of the passenger. Award redemption requires payment of at least $11.20 in U.S. government taxes and fees for domestic itineraries and may include up to $600 for foreign government taxes and fees and/or carrier-imposed fees for international itineraries.

Award seats may be limited and not available on all Delta Connection flights. Offers and benefits subject to change without notice. Other restrictions may apply.

Award Tickets issued by Delta Reservation Sales over the phone, in person at a ticket office or airport ticket counter, may be subject to a direct ticketing charge . Charges only apply to tickets issued in select European countries and may be waived upon request. Charges are waived for all other points of sale.

In some cases, seat assignments are made automatically based upon your preference for a window or aisle seat, noted in My Profile . We will request seat assignments when traveling on an airline partner at the time of ticketing. Seat assignments may not always be confirmed at the time of the request. Contact the airline partner directly for seat requests. If your seating preference is not available, "NA" will appear in the "Seat Assignment" column of your itinerary. In this case, you will receive your seat during check-in on the date of departure or you can go to Itineraries to select a seat. We accommodate the seating requirements of customers with certain types of disabilities. This could result in the occasional need to change another individual's pre-assigned seat, with bulkhead seats being particularly subject to reassignment.

Travel with Miles on Partner Airlines

Book Award Travel through delta.com with:

• Aerolineas Argentinas
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Contact Delta Reservations for Award Travel on:

• Air Tahiti Nui
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There are no blackout dates on Delta-operated flights. Blackout dates may apply on partner airline-operated flights and are defined by individual carriers .

Partner Airline Redemption for Members Residing in Asia:

Medallion Members or Delta SkyMiles Credit Card (issued in Japan) Members residing in Japan may redeem miles toward Award Travel on Skymark flights throughout Japan.

Routes/Destinations: Haneda, Kobe, Nagoya, Sapporo, Fukuoka, Kagoshima, Nagasaki, Naha and Ibaraki. Check flight schedule with Skymark Airlines , prior to submitting the request.

SEGMENTS AVAILABLE

• Fukuoka (FUK) - Naha (Okinawa, OKA)
• Haneda (HND) - Kobe (UKB)
• Kagoshima (KOJ) - Amami (ASJ)
• Kobe (UKB) - Ibaraki (IBR)
• Kobe (UKB) - Kagoshima (KOJ)
• Kobe (UKB) - Nagasaki (NGS)
• Kobe (UKB) - Naha (Okinawa, OKA)
• Kobe (UKB) - Sendai (SDJ)
• Naha (Okinawa, OKA) - Shimojishima(SHI)
• Central Japan International (Nagoya, NGO) - Kagoshima (KOJ)
• Central Japan International (Nagoya, NGO) - Naha (Okinawa, OKA)
• Central Japan International (Nagoya, NGO) - New Chitose (Sapporo, CTS)
• Fukuoka (FUK) - New Chitose (Sapporo, CTS)
• Haneda (HND) - Fukuoka (FUK)
• Haneda (HND) - Kagoshima (KOJ)
• Haneda (HND) - Naha (Okinawa, OKA)
• Haneda (HND) - New Chitose (Sapporo, CTS)
• Haneda (HND) - Shimojishima(SHI)
• Ibaraki (IBR) - Fukuoka (FUK)
• Ibaraki (IBR) - Naha (Okinawa, OKA)
• Ibaraki (IBR) - New Chitose (Sapporo, CTS)
• Kobe (UKB) - New Chitose (Sapporo, CTS)
• Kobe (UKB) - Shimojishima(SHI)

Skymark Terms & Conditions

• SkyMiles Medallion Members or Delta SkyMiles Credit Card (issued in Japan) Members, residing in Japan, may redeem miles toward Award Travel on Skymark flights throughout Japan. SkyMiles Medallion Members or Delta SkyMiles Credit Card Members cannot earn miles on their Skymark Award ticket. Supplemental card holder is not eligible for this offer. New Card Members are eligible to redeem miles for this offer after two months of activity on their card.
• Award Travel on Skymark is available on the segments listed above in Economy/Main Cabin Class in a booking class Skymark determines and currently on sale on the Skymark website. Travel must be booked at least 14 days prior to departure. Award Seats on Skymark are limited and may not be available on all flights or markets.
• Booking is available for travels through October 26, 2024
• February 2, 2024 – February 13, 2024 (for flights between New Chitose (Sapporo, CTS) and Haneda (HND), Ibaraki (IBR), Kobe (UKB), Fukuoka (FUK), and Central Japan International (Nagoya, NGO) )
• February 9, 2024 – February 13, 2024 (for all flights other than HND-CTS,IBR-CTS,UKB-CTS,NGO-CTS,FUK-CTS)
• March 19, 2024 – March 30, 2024
• April 26, 2024 – April 30, 2024
• May 1, 2024 – May 7, 2024
• July 12, 2024 – July 16, 2024
• August 8, 2024 – August 19, 2024
• September 13, 2024 – September 17, 2024
• September 20, 2024 – September 24, 2024
• October 11, 2024 – October 15, 2024
• Once your booking is confirmed, Delta will deduct the required miles from your SkyMiles account usually within 24 hours and a Skymark Confirmation Number with the flight details itinerary will be sent to the e-mail address provided when the booking was requested. If your ticket is not confirmed or additional information is needed, you will be emailed within 72 hours after the request is submitted. 
• You cannot check or view your Award Travel itinerary on Skymark website.
• A request response email of your Skymark award flight will be sent to the email address you provide on the online booking form within 72 hours after your submission of the request form. Skymark tickets are “ticketless” meaning no paper or electronic tickets will be issued after booking is complete. Once you receive the confirmation email, show the email to the Skymark check-in counter, and a boarding pass will be issued at the counter. 
• With your Skymark Confirmation Number, make sure to check in between 2 hours – 20 minutes prior to departure for your Skymark Award Travel at an auto check-in machine. If you do not meet the check-in window, you will not be able to travel on the scheduled flight. 
• Award Travel redemption on Skymark is not combinable with itineraries on any other carrier's flights, including with Delta or any other Airline Partner.
• Adults must enter their age as of the date of flight.
• Infant and children must travel with adult. Infant and children cannot travel alone. Infant is defined as a person of 0-2 years old and does not occupy a seat, and child is defined as a person of 3-11 years old.  The same award redemption level is required for children as adult. No miles are needed for infant not occupying a seat but only one infant is allowed to travel with one adult.
• One (1) infant must travel with at least one (1) adult. Please contact Skymark for more details about infant and child passengers.
• Waitlist is not permitted for Award Travel on Skymark.
• Upgrade is not permitted.
• Open-jaw travel is not permitted.
• One-way travel is permitted. One-way travel requires the same award redemption level as roundtrip.
• Return trips cannot be left open when making reservations. All flights must be confirmed before SkyMiles Award tickets can be issued. 
• Cancellation and changes are not permitted once the booking is confirmed. Redeposit of miles is not permitted. Award Travel has no cash value.
• If you miss a Skymark flight due to a flight delay or cancellation, Skymark will put you on the next flight with seats available only if you show a certificate proving the delay or cancellation of the original itinerary. If you do not use your Skymark flight due to a flight delay or cancellation, mileage will not be redeposited to your SkyMiles account, and Delta or Skymark will not provide a cash refund. 
• The number of seats available for this offer may be limited and are subject to availability.
• Passenger facility charges, fuel surcharge, security fees, any applicable taxes are the responsibility of the user.
• Redemption award level is subject to change without prior notice. Please refer to the Redemption Level for details.
• If you need any special assistance or arrangement, please contact Skymark. Please note that the special assistance or arrangement is subject to availability.
• An ID (Drivers license, Passport, Health insurance card, Student ID card, Basic resident register card, Resident card, Full copy of a person's family register, Abstract of a person's family register, Certificate of alien registration, War injury and sickness certificate, Mentally disabled person's certificate or Pension book) of the traveler is required when the customer checks-in the Skymark flight.
• Skymark terms and conditions apply .
• For luggage requirements and restrictions, please visit Skymark or contact Skymark.  
• Other restrictions may apply.
• Delta has the final authority in the interpretation of these rules.

Additional Terms & Conditions

Award Tickets on partner airlines may require higher rates or a Saturday night stay. Some airline partners impose a surcharge on Award redemptions for travel on their airline. These charges when applicable are the responsibility of the passenger and will be collected at the time of booking. Partner airline benefits are subject to change and subject to terms and conditions of each partner. Skymark operates on a Boeing 737-800.

If a flight is delayed or cancelled, Skymark is not responsible for ground transportation to/from the airport. Please visit Skymark , opens in a new window for details.

Food and beverages are not provided on Skymark flights. You can purchase soft drinks with 100 yen per drink or an alcoholic beverage with 200-300 yen per drink.

Note: The ability for SkyMiles Members to redeem miles on Thai AirAsia and Jetstar is no longer available as our partnership with both airlines has ended.

Book with Delta Vacations

Go Beyond the Flight with Delta Vacations. Your miles are now worth at least 15% more* to every destination at any time when you use them toward a Delta Vacations package booked through Delta Vacations. Use your miles to pay for just a portion or your entire vacation. With Delta Vacations you can choose from flights, expertly curated stays, rides and activities all over the world all in one place. Plus, you will still earn miles as you redeem them! 

• Visit Delta Vacations to customize your vacation package
• Enter your SkyMiles number
• During the “Review & Purchase” step, choose miles as your payment type. Keep in mind, only one SkyMiles account can be used for redemption
• Enter the amount of miles to redeem. Your mileage discount should appear in the payment overview
• Select ‘Complete Purchase’ 

* As compared to the mileage value with Delta Vacations prior to July 10, 2023.

• You can use your miles for yourself and everyone who is traveling with you, as long as they’re on the same reservation.
• There is no minimum or maximum number of miles, no blackout dates, and you don’t need a promo code. 
• You can use miles on any vacation package type. 
• When booking online, you can redeem up to 999,999 miles on flight and hotel packages to any Delta Vacations destination. To redeem more than 999,999 miles, please contact Delta Vacations at 1-800-800-1504.
• All SkyMiles Program rules apply. To review the rules, please visit delta.com/memberguide . To review rules for Delta Vacations mileage redemption, please visit delta.com/vacations-usemiles .

You can now use your miles to book your next hotel stay or vacation rental when you book with Delta Stays.  

How to Book with Delta Stays  

• Log into your SkyMiles account (either on delta.com or the Delta Stays platform)
• Click the "Book Now" button below to launch Delta Stays
• Select "Pay with miles" when searching for your hotel stay or vacation rental 
• Search the available inventory shown  
• Make your selection(s), complete your booking and enjoy your stay

General Terms and Conditions:

• Delta’s online booking engine for stays is powered and serviced by Expedia and is accessible via delta.com, delta.com/hotels, delta.com/stays or directly at travelextras-delta.com.
• Standard Mileage Offer: SkyMiles® Members will earn two (2) miles per US$1 or equivalent foreign currency spent at travelextras-delta.com on the base hotel or vacation rental rate for a completed stay. Base rate is the cost of the hotel room or vacation rental property, before taxes and fees, charged at the time of booking. Taxes and fees, gratuities, room service, other incidental charges, and insurance costs are excluded from mileage credit. Miles will not be awarded on any portion of the stay paid for using miles.
• Mileage can only be credited to the SkyMiles Member if the name on the booking matches the name of the SkyMiles account provided.
• SkyMiles number should be provided at the time of booking.
• Only one SkyMiles number can be provided per booking.
• Please allow up to 8 weeksn after completion of eligible stay for miles to be deposited in SkyMiles account.
• If mileage credit has not been recorded on your SkyMiles account within 8 weeksafter qualifying activity occurs, please  contact us  and select: Request Refund or Miles > Mileage Credit > Partners
• Requests for mileage credit will be accepted up to 6 months from check out date.
• Stays completed prior to enrollment into SkyMiles will not be eligible for mileage credit.
• Hotel currency or status are subject to each respective Hotel guest program and may not be applicable for bookings made on travelextras-delta.com.
• Miles awarded are bonus miles, and do not count toward Million Miler Status.
• Unless otherwise expressly specified as part of a limited time offer (which is subject to the terms and conditions of such offer), spend on completed stays does not count toward Medallion Qualification Dollars.

Redeeming Miles for Stays:

• For certain pay now hotel and vacation rental properties, SkyMiles Members have the option to pay for all or a portion of their booking using miles earned through the SkyMiles Program.
• There is no minimum number of miles needed to redeem for a stay, but if you would like to book your stay using only miles, your mileage balance must equal or exceed the total of your booking.
• If you do not have enough miles to pay for your entire stay, you can split your transaction using both miles and a credit/debit card for payment. When prompted, enter how many miles you would like to use for that booking; the remaining value (after subtracting the miles used) will be reflected as USD and must be paid using a credit or debit card.
• You must be logged-in to your SkyMiles account to complete a purchase when using miles.
• You may not combine miles from two or more accounts on a single transaction. Miles used may only come from one SkyMiles account.
• Miles will be deducted at the time of purchase from the SkyMiles account provided and will appear as “Delta Stays”.
• If permitted under the terms of your booking, refunds will be made to the original form of payment less any fees and charges, where applicable. If your booking was made using both miles and a credit/debit card, then the portion of your booking made with miles will be refunded as miles to your SkyMiles account and the credit/debit portion will be refunded to the original card used in the booking.
• If you change or alter your booking resulting in additional costs and charges, any charges must be paid using a credit card or debit card.
• Miles will not be awarded on any portion of the stay paid for using miles.
• Resort fees, gratuities, room service, and any third-party fees or charges, including those incurred while traveling, are in addition to the fees and charges of your original reservation and are not eligible to be paid for with miles.
• Delta reserves the right to cancel any stays bookings due to insufficient miles in your account, suspicion of fraud, violation(s) of the SkyMiles Program Rules, or termination of your SkyMiles account.
• Delta may change, suspend, or terminate the redemption program (including but not limited to any benefits and conditions of participation), in whole or in part, at any time with or without notice.

Miles + Cash

Don’t have enough miles for the flight you want? Available on select flights, Miles + Cash gives you the flexibility to pay for a flight using a combination of miles and dollars.

HOW TO USE MILES + CASH:

• Choose your flight
• Change the ‘Show Price In’ setting from “miles” to “Miles + Cash”
• Select your flight(s), complete your purchase and you’re on your way

Miles + Cash is offered worldwide only on flights operated by Delta, Delta Connection and Delta Shuttle. Remember, tickets purchased using Miles + Cash are Award Tickets and are subject to all the limitations of Award Tickets. They are not eligible to earn miles, and mileage purchases in Miles + Cash transactions are nonrefundable. All Award ticket change fees apply. In the event of ticket changes or cancellations, miles, including miles purchased as part of a Miles + Cash transaction, will be redeposited in the Member’s SkyMiles account.

Pay with Miles

Take a shortcut to your next adventure by using Pay with Miles*. Exclusively for Delta SkyMiles American Express Card Members, Pay with Miles is a Card benefit that gives you more flexibility by taking dollars off of Delta tickets or allowing you to use miles when you don’t have quite enough to cover the full ticket. Not yet a Card Member and based in the U.S. or its territories? Learn more about The Delta SkyMiles American Express Cards  here . 

HOW TO PAY WITH MILES 

• Log in at delta.com
• Go to Book a Trip
• Select flights marked as “Pay with Miles eligible”
• On the ‘Trip Summary’ page, choose “Pay with Miles” and pay with miles, money or a combination of both
• After you make your selection, continue booking your ticket
• If you choose to pay for a fare with both miles and a credit card, use your Delta SkyMiles American Express Card to pay for the remaining ticket price

Not U.S.-based? You may be eligible to use Pay with Miles internationally if you’re a SkyMiles Credit Card Member in certain countries. Learn more .

HOW DOES IT WORK*?

Pay with Miles is an exclusive benefit for Delta SkyMiles American Express Card Members.  This benefit allows Card Members to use their miles, starting at just 5,000 miles, to discount the price of Delta tickets.  Regardless of ticket price, a Card Member can reduce the cost of their ticket by up to $50 for every 5,000 miles. For example, redeeming 10,000 of your miles takes $100 off your fare, 15,000 miles takes $150 off, 20,000 miles takes $200 off, etc.

For example: a Card Member who currently has 22,000 miles in their SkyMiles account selects a round-trip flight from Atlanta, GA to Washington, D.C. for $250 total fare. By using Pay with Miles, the Card Member can redeem 20,000 miles to reduce the ticket cost by $200. The Card Member would then pay $50 and 20,000 miles for the ticket.

Frequently Asked Questions

There is no fee for using your Pay with Miles benefit.

As long as you have sufficient miles in your account, there is no limit on the number of times you can use your Pay with Miles benefit—use it as often as you like.

There is no cap on the amount of miles you can use. If you have enough miles, you can pay for your entire ticket price using miles.

Yes, you may use Pay with Miles to book someone else's ticket. You can use Pay with Miles for multiple tickets—you just need to have 5,000 miles per passenger available and they must be on the same itinerary.

If you do not have the minimum 5,000 miles per passenger available in your account, you will not see Pay with Miles as an option to purchase your ticket after selecting your flights. Pay with Miles is only available for Delta Air Lines (not partner airline) flights. You also must log into delta.com to see the Pay with Miles option.

Pay with Miles is a benefit of Delta SkyMiles American Express Cards where you can use miles to pay for all or part of the price of eligible flights. It is always available as a payment option on all Delta operated flights as long as you have 5,000 miles in your SkyMiles account. Pay with Miles always has a value of up to $50 per 5,000 miles for Card Members. Miles + Cash is a redemption option on Award Tickets offered to all SkyMiles members where you can pay for your flight using a combination of miles and dollars.

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Air Miles: 4 Ideas for Redeeming Miles for Flights

Well, everyone, it’s finally happening. We’re going to talk about Air Miles. 

I haven’t given Air Miles too much attention here at Prince of Travel thus far, mainly because it doesn’t quite stack up to some other programs out there in terms of the value you can extract from the program. Nevertheless, over 10 million Canadians are Air Miles collectors, and they certainly deserve to know how they can maximize the points they’ve earned, don’t they?

I’ve just added a Guide to Air Miles to the Points Programs section of the website, which provides a high-level outline of all the best ways to earn and redeem Canada’s most popular loyalty currency. We’ll start talking about the program in much more detail in future posts, but for today, I wanted to flesh out the possibilities of redeeming Air Miles for flights and provide a few practical examples of ways to book flights at a good value.

In This Post

Air miles: setting expectations, 1. short-haul flight within north america.

• 2. Long-Haul Flight within North America

3. Trip to the Canadian North

4. flying to europe or other continents.

Before delving into the redemption ideas just yet, we should talk a little bit about the general expectations of what you can accomplish with Air Miles. 

First off, Air Miles’s award chart is really only useful for economy class flights, as there is no provision in the award chart for business class or First Class flights. As discussed in the Guide to Air Miles , you can book premium flights using the FlexFly perk that comes with the Amex Air Miles Reserve Card , but that’s essentially a fixed-value redemption scheme that ultimately won’t be very useful for booking flights in premium cabins that cost thousands of dollars.

Next, there are a few significant shortcomings in terms of the functionality of the Air Miles award search engine. First off, the award pricing doesn’t necessarily conform exactly to what’s given in the award chart, as there seems to be an element of dynamic award pricing involved (i.e., a more expensively priced flight might require slightly more Air Miles to book). 

But even more frustratingly, the search engine won’t show you the search results if you don’t currently have enough Air Miles in your account to book! This really isn’t a consumer-friendly feature at all, as it makes it quite difficult to plan for larger redemptions with Air Miles. 

Taken together, the lack of premium cabins and the lack of transparency in terms of the redemption prices mean that the value of Air Miles is generally reduced compared to a program like Aeroplan , which by comparison is excellent for flying business class and provides a clearly laid-out award chart. 

Searching for value within Air Miles can therefore be quite a challenge, and I wouldn’t recommend treating the program as your main focus when collecting points. Nevertheless, Air Miles are quite easy to earn given the wealth of retail partners they have, so they’re best thought of as the “gravy” on top of the other major points programs – after all, everyone needs to book a quick, no-nonsense economy class flight every now and then, and as we’ll see below, Air Miles does provide a few pockets of value for those types of trips.

The last thing to mention relates to the nominal value of Air Miles. The “baseline” value of Air Miles should be thought of as 10.5 cents per point (cpp), because that’s the value you’re getting when you trade them in for groceries at a ratio of 95 Air Miles = $10. When you redeem Air Miles for flights, you should therefore be seeking to get a value of at least 10.5cpp, because otherwise, you’re better off just using them for groceries instead.

But 10.5cpp seems like an exceptionally high value, doesn’t it? Most of the points currencies we’re familiar with exist in the range of 1–2cpp, and something like 10cpp is usually considered to be unbelievable value. 

Well, it’s really just a matter of different programs using different conventions for the nominal values of their points. While a program like Aeroplan usually quotes its mileage amounts in the five-figure range, Air Miles uses the four-figure range – for example, you can typically start to redeem flights at 1,000 Air Miles.

Accordingly, the signup bonuses and earning rates are also adjusted: while Aeroplan credit cards grant five-figure signup bonuses and earn 1 mile per dollar spent, Air Miles cards grant four-figure signup bonuses and earn 1 mile for every $10 spent, so it all works out to be the same. Don’t be fooled by this!

With all that said, let’s see if we can disprove Air Miles’s less-than-stellar reputation and hunt for some value within the program. All of the below flights are priced out for one traveller, and keep in mind the key tips that are discussed in the Guide to Air Miles : the BMO Air Miles World Elite MasterCard will get you a 15% discount on flight redemptions (which is reflected in the below examples), having Air Miles Onyx status will open up more availability, and having a companion voucher (a legacy perk of the BMO credit card) just about doubles the value of these trips if you redeem for at least two passengers.

One of the most reliable high-value uses of Air Miles is for short-haul flights within North America. This is because short-haul flights can get kind of expensive despite the limited distance they cover, opening the door to a distance-based award program like Air Miles to provide added value by covering the cost of the flight with relatively low required mileage.

Take the below long weekend trip from Toronto to Montreal, which would cost you $394 if booked with cash. The Air Miles pricing gives you the same journey for 1,594 Air Miles (taking into account the 15% discount from the BMO Air Miles World Elite MasterCard) plus $109 in taxes and fees. This works out to 19.3cpp in value, which far exceeds the baseline value of 10.5cpp that you’d get by redeeming Air Miles for groceries.

Another way to think about this is that if you didn’t redeem those 1,594 Air Miles on this flight, you could instead redeem them as $167 towards free groceries (since 95 Air Miles = $10 in free groceries). You’re therefore paying just $167 worth of grocery money plus $109 in taxes and fees (a total of $276) for your weekend trip, a much more reasonable price compared to the full fare of $394. 

As a point of comparison, Aeroplan would charge you 15,000 miles plus a similar amount of taxes and fees for the same journey on Air Canada instead of WestJet. Would you rather part ways with 15,000 Aeroplan miles or 1,594 Air Miles? The answer will vary from person to person, but in general, since Aeroplan miles can be used towards much more valuable redemptions like Mini-RTW trips or premium cabin flights, it might well make more sense to use Air Miles for these “smaller” redemptions instead.

2. Long-Haul Flight within North America 

While some travellers have aspirations of jetsetting around the globe, others are content with a simple trip to somewhere warm once a year during the festive periods. Reasonable airfare down south during Christmas and New Year’s… is that too much to ask for?

Apparently. Check out the below fares from Vancouver to Arizona at the end of the year:

Instead of paying the $686 cash fare, what if we took a look at Air Miles? We can book the flights for 3,536 Air Miles plus $135 in taxes and fees, netting us a value of 15.6cpp. Again, that’s better than the baseline value of 10.5cpp, so it should be considered a decent use of your Air Miles.

If we asked ourselves “how much grocery money is this equivalent too?”, we’d find that 3,536 Air Miles amounts to $371 in grocery money. Add in the taxes and fees, and you’re looking at effectively paying $506 for your flights instead of $686 – a good chunk of savings. 

Note that we’re getting good value here because we’re travelling in peak season, so the cash fares are artificially high – during low season, fares on the Vancouver–Phoenix route are often as little as $300, at which point it might not make sense to redeem Air Miles. Always be sure to check your redemption ideas against the cash fares to determine if it’s a good value or not.

A few niche redemptions through Air Miles can deliver even better value. For example, visiting Churchill, Manitoba, the Polar Bear Capital of the World, can be very expensive if booked with cash. The trip below, which retails for almost $1,500, can be had for a mere 1,989 Air Miles plus $157.86 in taxes and fees. That amounts to a vertigo-inducing 63.6cpp in value!

If we were to think about this trip in terms of “grocery money”, 1,989 Air Miles is equivalent to $209 in groceries. Add in the taxes and fees and you’re effectively only paying $367 for a $1,423 flight – and thus scoring a 74% discount! 

If you’re feeling even braver, you can even book a trip into the deep Canadian Arctic, which would take you to two or more destinations that are pretty cool indeed. For example, you could fly the below route from Ottawa to Edmonton, but with a few days each in Iqaluit and Rankin Inlet:

You’d piece together this trip on a segment-by-segment basis, but since each segment has an exorbitant cash price and thus gives you extremely high value for your Air Miles, the overall trip would give you an extremely high value as well.

I’ll spare you the litany of screenshots here, but in total, you’d be looking at spending:

2,040 Air Miles + $51 in taxes and fees for the Ottawa–Iqaluit flight (retails for $862)

1,193 Air Miles + $16 in taxes and fees for the Iqaluit–Rankin Inlet flight (retails for $1,446)

1,591 Air Miles + $51 in taxes and fees for the Rankin Inlet–Edmonton flight (retails for $1,637)

In total, you’re spending 4,824 Air Miles + $118 in taxes and fees, but you’re saving an eye-watering $3,945 on the retail costs of these flights. Value-wise, that amounts to 80.4cpp – this, my friends, is how you win in Air Miles.

Of course, this type of trip might not appeal to everyone, but if you do have an interest in exploring our country’s more remote Northern regions, Air Miles might well be the way to go. As a point of comparison, Aeroplan also lets you book flights on First Air and Canadian North up to the Arctic, but you wouldn’t get to customize your stopovers quite as much – and if you did want to do so, you’d have to pay for multiple awards. 

Outside of North America, Air Miles tend to be less useful, and there are a few reasons why:

Economy class airfare to other continents are at a historical low, thus suppressing the average value you’d get from an Air Miles redemption

Air Miles imposes fuel surcharges on redemptions outside of North America, which can quickly eat into your savings

As a result, the occasions on which you might find it worthwhile to redeem Air Miles on long-haul international flights would be limited to when the cash fare is exceptionally high, perhaps during peak travel season. Take, for example, the below one-way flight from Toronto to Istanbul on KLM. It’ll cost you $1,117, or you could redeem 5,100 Air Miles instead, although you would have to pay the taxes, fees, and fuel surcharges totalling $387:

This gives you a value of 14.3cpp, which is good but not great. It’s about on par with the North America long-haul example from above, but pales in comparison to short-haul flights and a trip up to the Canadian North. Remember, though, as long as you’re exceeding the baseline 10.5cpp in value you’d get from redeeming for groceries, you’re coming out ahead of what the vast majority of Canadians blow their Air Miles on. 

Generally, I’d say that while there are occasional opportunities in redeeming Air Miles for long-haul international flights, their optimal usage remains short-haul and long-haul flying within Canada and the United States. A very compelling strategy for the traveller who likes taking both kinds of trips, then, is to focus on Air Miles for North American flying while using another program, like Aeroplan, for the bigger long-haul trips instead.

Air Miles is a program that I’ve ignored for far too long. While it might not carry the glamor of luxury travel in cushy First Class suites, Air Miles gets the job done when it comes to those simple trips that you need to book (particularly within North America) where you’re looking for a way to avoid paying the full cash fare, and intrepid travellers will also do well to take note of the opportunities in redeeming Air Miles for travelling up to the Arctic tundra. 

Overall, there are many ways to get over 10.5cpp in value from redeeming flights, and given how easily you can earn Air Miles through their vast range of retail partners, it’s a program that ought to be, if not your primary focus, then one of the many alternatives that you keep in your locker as you look to optimize your travel.

• Earn 3,000 AIR MILES ® †  upon spending $3,000 in the first three months†
• Earn 1x 3x AIR MILES ® † per $12 spent at AIR MILES ® † partners†
• Earn 1x 2x AIR MILES ® † per $12 spent at grocery stores†
• Use AIR MILES ® † for Cash Rewards or Dream Rewards†
• Minimum income: $80,000 personal or $150,000 household†
• Annual fee: $120 (rebated in the first year)†

13 Comments

Introduce your summer interns Ricky!

You may have noticed Andrew’s contributions – he’ll be helping me plan blog articles, develop the Resources section, and chip in with replying to readers’ comments!

Another one of my summer interns, Rachel, is working behind the scenes on a few other projects.

What are your thoughts on using air miles for all inclusive travel vacations to the Carribean?

It looks like Air Miles partners with Red Tag Vacations for all-inclusive trips and offers the option to redeem 909 Dream Miles for $100 towards the booking. That would work out to 11 CPM which is ahead of cash miles (a 10.5 CPM) but nothing spectacular. I would personally save my Air Miles for flight redemption since flights tend to cost more than the theoretical price, but if you’re swimming in Dream Miles, there’s nothing bad about redeeming for all-inclusive trips.

Really glad to see you covering this program! Although the redemptions on Air Miles typically aren’t as lucrative as some of the other programs out there (in particular Aeroplan), I’ve never understood why so many people simply dismiss out of hand the possibility of finding Air Miles sweet spots. There are indeed many uses for Air Miles, as you’ve pointed out.

In my own case, being based on the far edge of the country in St. John’s, Newfoundland, I’ve found Air Miles to be particularly valuable as a secondary points currency for those times when I’d rather save my Aeroplan or Amex MR points. For example, travelling from St. John’s to Toronto – something I frequently do – costs either 30K Aeroplan points or a mere 1500 to 2000 Air Miles. With taxes and surcharges being roughly the same between these programs, deciding which points currency to use is a no-brainer. In this sense, having a healthy reserve of Air Miles on hand for short-haul or domestic travel makes it easier to save up for a big international redemption using other programs.

Looking forward to seeing more posts like this one! Cheers,

Hey Justin,

I’m glad you enjoyed our Air Miles related posts, your use case is definitely one where using Air Miles makes sense, especially on a shorter flight where business class wouldn’t make much sense.

Is there anything in particular you’d like to see us cover? I think we’ve hit on the major redemption options between this article and the guide, but if there’s something we’ve missed, let us know!

Can I switch my cash miles to dream miles as I’m stuck with tons of cash miles now?

Thanks in advance.

Funny you’d ask that, I touched on that in one of our Knowledge Base articles this week: https://princeoftravel.com/knowledge/whats-better-cash-rewards-or-dream-rewards

The quick answer is unfortunately you can’t exchange already earned miles. You can redeem your Cash Miles for store vouchers (essentially gift cards) though which can be an easier way to redeem Cash Miles. That being said, it’s pretty easy to accumulate more Air Miles so you can probably build your Dream Mile stash while redeeming your Cash Miles. Happy earning!

Do you get the airline perks and loyalty points if you book with airmiles. For example if I book a westjet flight as an RBC WJ cc holder will I still get a free checkin bag and earn WJ dollars on my airmiles booked flight?

Loyalty points are typically not earned on Air Miles tickets since the fares are typically booked into a "basic" fare or a deep discount travel agency fare class. Unfortunately the only way to know the fare class is to call Air Miles and have them check the class the ticket is booking into.

In terms of airline benefits, you should be able to get the airline provided ones, as long as they don’t require you to book into a specific fare class or though a specific channel. For your example, the WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard only requires you to have your WestJet Rewards ID on the reservation when checking-in to get the free bag. As such, you’ll be able to benefit from the checked bag benefit.

For those near YYZ, a trip to New Orleans is a great redemption.

Only non-stop flights are w/ AC which has tickets for $800+. I did a redemption for this past Easter long weekend which came out to 54.7cpp when I used the 15% BMO AM WE MC and the companion waiver.

AM redemption might also be useful if you need a positioning flight for a bigger flight somewhere else.

Thanks for your input! Been considering a NOLA trip for Mardi Gras next year, so this is something I’ll personally be keeping in mind.

I have used Airmiles to Churchill and also, used Companion voucher on the same trip

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Table of Contents

What are airline miles?

How much are airline miles worth, how to earn airline miles, how to spend your airline miles, which airline miles are the most valuable, the best airline credit cards, how do reward miles work.

If you enjoy flying around the country (or around the world) to visit loved ones, see new places or any other reason, knowing how airline miles work could possibly help you cut costs. In this case, "airline miles" generally refer not to distances flown, but to a kind of currency, created by airline loyalty programs , that you can use for free or discounted flights and other rewards in the future.

Follow this beginner’s guide to airline miles to learn the best ways to earn miles, how to use them for flights and other rewards, and how to maximize your value per point.

Airline miles, also called frequent flyer miles, are the airline’s currency that you can use by redeeming them for flights, hotel stays and other rewards. Some airlines call their currency "points" rather than miles, but the concept is the same.

Depending on the airline, your miles can be used to book flights — both on that specific airline and potentially on partner airlines.

Airlines typically allow you to search for cash flights or award flights separately. Here's flight availability with Rapid Rewards, Southwest Airlines's frequent flyer program, for a flight from Chicago to New York City.

If you wanted to view the cash price for flights instead of the airline miles price, you would toggle to the "$" button in the top right.

According to NerdWallet's analysis , miles from major airlines are worth about 0.8 to 2 cents each. But the flights you choose may influence your valuation.

For example, Southwest uses a system where your points have a mostly fixed value: The number of points you'll need to book a flight directly mirrors the price of the cash fare.

Other airlines, like American , use an award chart to determine how many miles you’ll need for a flight. These costs are typically based on the regions you’re flying from and to.

Region-based award charts will sometimes create opportunities to get more value out of a redemption. Many travel points collectors refer to these as "sweet spots."

Some airline loyalty programs also let you use miles or points for hotel stays, car rentals, magazine subscriptions, merchandise or flight upgrades. In most cases, these types of redemptions will get you a low value for your miles. To get the best value, you'll want to plan to redeem your airline miles for flights.

There are a number of ways to build a balance of valuable airline miles.

Earn miles by flying

The default way to earn miles with most airline loyalty programs is flying. When you fly on a paid fare, you are usually eligible to earn frequent flyer miles for the trip.

Depending on the airline’s rules, you may earn miles based on how far you travel or the flight cost. In most cases, you will earn a number of points per dollar spent or per mile flown. Travelers with elite status in the airline’s loyalty program may earn more miles for each trip than other members.

» Learn more: How to know how many miles you’ll earn from a flight

Earn miles by spending on credit cards

How do credit card miles work? Generally, you can earn miles from spending on either a co-branded airline credit card or a general travel rewards credit card.

Airline credit cards

For savvy travelers, credit card rewards make up a large portion of miles earnings. Example airline credit cards include the JetBlue Plus Card and the United Quest℠ Card .

Depending on the airline and credit card you choose, you may earn anywhere from 1 to 3 miles per dollar spent on the card. You usually earn more when you use the card to purchase travel directly from the airline. You could also earn more by making purchases in expense categories that pay bonus miles, like restaurants or gas stations (these vary from issuer to issuer).

» Learn more: The beginner's guide to points and miles

When you open a new airline credit card account, you may be eligible for a big welcome bonus after meeting a minimum purchase requirement. After that, you'll continue to earn miles for purchases you would have made anyway.

Make sure to pay off your credit card balance in full by the due date each month, or you may wind up spending more in interest than the value you earn from airline miles.

Airline credit cards are a subset of general travel credit cards, and there are pros and cons for choosing either (though some frequent travelers opt to have both types of cards in their wallets). If you prefer to have more flexibility to book with multiple airline partners instead of one, a general travel credit card will likely fit the bill.

» Learn more: Are airline credit cards worth it?

General travel credit cards

In addition to airline-specific cards, you can apply for a general travel rewards card, like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or American Express® Gold Card , which give you points that can be transferred to airline rewards programs, used to purchase travel directly in the card issuer’s travel booking portal or redeemed for other things, like merchandise.

» Learn more: The best travel rewards cards for beginners

Cardholders are able to redeem their points and miles with various airlines through individual online portals that are managed by the issuer. These relationships, often called transfer partnerships, vary across credit cards.

Here's a closer look at the most popular general travel credit cards , their rewards programs and their transfer partners:

AmEx Membership Rewards .

Bank of America Travel Rewards .

Citi ThankYou Points .

Chase Ultimate Rewards® .

Earn by traveling with partners

Airlines, hotels and rental car companies often collaborate to allow you to earn awards with one program while spending with another brand.

For example, auto rental company Enterprise gives you opportunities to earn miles at JetBlue , Turkish Airlines , Lufthansa or Virgin Atlantic with every paid rental. If you’re renting a car anyway, consider adding your frequent flyer number to earn more value from the rental.

Earn via dining and shopping programs

Another way to earn miles is through airline dining and shopping programs. With dining programs, you can earn miles when you eat at any participating restaurant and pay with a linked credit or debit card. Many major airlines offer this type of program , so it’s a good idea to link your most-used cards to your favorite airline’s dining program.

If you’re shopping online, consider starting at an airline shopping portal. These virtual malls allow you to earn bonus miles for shopping with partner retailers. For example, a few recent promotions in Alaska Mileage Plan 's shopping portal include 700 Alaska Airlines miles for signing up with Blue Apron, 3 miles per dollar spent at Macy’s and 2 miles per dollar spent on purchases at Lenovo and Under Armour.

Hundreds of stores participate, so if you’re buying something online, there’s a good chance you could earn extra miles by using the airline’s shopping portal.

» Learn more: How to earn and double-dip with online shopping portals

Now we’re getting to the good part: putting your miles to use for discounted travel and other rewards. Spending airline miles is often called redeeming, and the easiest method for finding ways to redeem miles with your airline of choice is to log in to your airline account.

Redeem your miles for flights

Many people primarily opt to redeem airline miles for (nearly) free air travel. Whether you want to hop across the state to visit family or jet across the world on a once-in-a-lifetime vacation, airline miles can help you get there.

Each airline has its own award chart or rules, so redeeming with one airline isn’t exactly like redeeming with another. You'll want to get in the habit of doing the math:

Divide the cash price by the number of points needed for an award flight.

Multiply that value by 100. Then, you'll know the value per point in cents.

Double-check that value against our valuations before you book to make sure you’re getting a good or on-par deal.

If you do the math and find that you're not getting a good deal with an award ticket, consider saving your points for a better redemption in the future and paying instead with a travel credit card now.

Advanced airline miles tip: Book flights in the airline alliance

In addition to booking flights on the airline where you have your mileage account, you might consider redeeming miles for flights with partner airlines. These relationships are sometimes known as airline alliances.

» Learn more: The basics of airline alliances and partnerships

There are three major alliances: Star Alliance , SkyTeam and Oneworld . These far-reaching airline partnerships open up virtually the entire world to U.S.-based flyers.

Through these arrangements, you can redeem airline miles as "partner awards," and the process is usually just as easy as redeeming a flight on your own airline.

For example, if you’re a member of United Airlines’ MileagePlus program and you log in to your account to search for award flights to Berlin, you’re likely to see flights on Lufthansa and Swiss Air Lines that you can book easily with United miles.

Redeem miles for hotel stays, rental cars and cruises

Some airline miles programs will let you cash in miles with hotel partners. American Airlines, for example, lets you use AAdvantage miles to pay for stays at more than 150,000 properties worldwide.

As mentioned before, it's worth highlighting that it's harder to get a good value per mile when redeeming airline miles for other travel rewards. This shouldn’t be your first redemption choice.

Some airlines let rewards members redeem miles for rental cars and cruises, too. Others let you cash in miles for whole vacation packages, airline lounge memberships, live events or charitable donations.

» Learn more: Plan your next redemption with our airline points tool

Shop with miles

It's possible to redeem your airline miles for merchandise, gift cards or magazine subscriptions with some programs. These options usually give you the worst value per point, so they should be your absolute last choice for redeeming airline miles.

Based on NerdWallet’s analysis , this is the value of an airline mile at major U.S. airlines:

Remember that these are averages, not fixed amounts. The cent-per-mile value you get will depend on the flight and cabin you book. For example, you may be able to get much more value when booking international flights in business or first class.

If you're ready to start earning airline miles for every purchase, consider adding one of these cards to your wallet. Even bad credit doesn't have to keep you from earning travel rewards.

Top choices for credit cards for airline miles include:

Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® .

Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card .

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card .

Alaska Airlines Visa® credit card .

To choose an airline credit card, consider your travel circumstances and preferences. For instance, if your home airport is Chicago-Midway, it might make more sense to have a Rapid Rewards-branded credit card due to Southwest Airlines’ presence at the airport. A Delta-branded credit card might not do you much good.

» Learn more: The best airline credit cards on the market today

Airline miles or points — the currency that you can redeem for flights, hotel stays and other rewards — work a little differently at every airline. Typically, they're worth 0.8 to 2 cents each. You can earn them by flying, spending on co-branded airline credit cards and shopping with specific partners.

JetBlue’s TrueBlue program offers the most valuable miles, but ultimately, the right airline credit card (and loyalty program) for you will depend on where you are and how you like to travel.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

on Chase's website

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1.5%-6.5% Enjoy 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel; 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year). After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

$300 Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!

on Capital One's website

2x-5x Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day. Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options.

75,000 Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

Find cheap flights to Moscow

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Flights to Moscow - Travel Insights & Trends

Get data-powered insights and trends for flights to moscow to help you find the cheapest flights, the best time to fly and much more., how many airports are there in moscow, there are 4 airports in moscow: moscow sheremetyevo airport (svo), moscow vnukovo airport (vko), moscow domodedovo airport (dme) and moscow zhukovsky airport (zia). the busiest airport is moscow sheremetyevo airport (svo), with 46% of all flights arriving there., how long is the flight to moscow, the duration of your flight to moscow depends on your departure and arrival airports. obviously any flights that include a layover will also be longer. the most popular routes to moscow on kayak are from boston , which takes 11h 50m, san francisco , which takes 19h 20m, los angeles , which takes 20h 30m, and new york , which takes 22h 15m., how many long-haul flights are there to moscow each week, each week there are around 274 long-haul flights (6-12 hour flight duration), 1,363 medium-haul (3-6 hour flight duration) and 2,888 short-haul (up to 3 hour flight duration) flights to moscow. the most long-haul flights depart from beijing., when to book flights to moscow, faqs - booking moscow flights, what are the stopover options for the us to moscow flights.

The stopover options for the US flights to Moscow depend on your airline, departure city, and arrival airport. If you're flying with Turkish Airlines from New York, expect layovers in Istanbul, Bodrum, and Antalya. United Airlines, British Airways, EI AI, Azerbaijan Airlines, Austrian Airlines, SWISS, and Emirates offer flights from New York to DME with common layovers in Tel Aviv-Yafo, London, Baku, Vienna, Zurich, and Amsterdam respectively. Flights from Los Angeles have common layovers in New York, Frankfurt, Dubai, Stockholm, Amsterdam, and Vienna.

Which US airports offer flights from the US to Moscow?

If you’re looking to fly to Moscow from the US, you will be happy to know that several US airports offer these flights. You can get flights from the US to Moscow from Los Angeles (LAX), Miami (MIA), Newark (EWR), New York (JFK), Philadelphia (PHL), Chicago (ORD), and Atlanta (ATL) among others.

Does Sheremetyevo International Airport offer accessible services?

Yes. SVO is an accessible airport with management that strives to ensure that all passengers traveling through the airport get full access to its programs and services. The airport’s terminals are well configured to provide easy access for passengers with reduced mobility. SVO also offers accessible restrooms throughout its terminals. Disabled travelers are welcome to use Saturn Lounge in Terminal D or Sirius Lounge for passengers flying from Terminals D, E, and F.

How can I access the lounges at Moscow Vnukovo International Airport?

Art Lounge is near Gate 23 on the Second Floor of Terminal A. The lounge admits passengers on in-transit or international flights only and remains open for 24 hours. You can access the lounge through a pass or membership programs. Fountain Lounge is in the food court area on the Second Floor of Terminal A and admits passengers on membership programs. You can access Top Lounge through membership programs. The lounge is near Gate 21 on the Third Floor of Terminal A. Prokofiev Premier and Tchaikovsky Lounge admit travelers through membership programs. Prokofiev is near Gate 13 in Terminal A while the latter is on the International Airside of the same terminal.

What shopping options are available at the Moscow airports?

Travelers looking to shop while in Moscow need not go any further than the airports, as both airports have a wide range of options from fashion to jewelry and souvenirs. Popular shops in Sheremetyevo International Airport include Red Machine, Yarmarka, and Swarovski. For Domodedovo International Airport, Natura Siberica, Consul, and Frey Wille are all great stores to take a peek at.

What restaurant options are there at the Moscow airports?

Just as the shopping options were extensive at both airports, the dining is the same. For Sheremetyevo International Airport, consider paying a visit to Kolbasny Tsekh and Mama Russia. If you are flying into Domodedovo International Airport, Uzbechka and Edim Letim are sure to satisfy.

What facilities are available for children and families at Moscow’s airports?

In Sheremetyevo International Airport, travelers will be happy to note that there is a children’s play area in Terminal D. There are also mother-and-child rooms that feature play areas, showers, and couches for young children and their mothers. As for Domodedovo International Airport, there are two children’s play areas located at the International and Domestic Terminals.

How do I get from Domodedovo International Airport to downtown Moscow?

Fortunately for travelers, Domodedovo International Airport is very well-connected to downtown Moscow. If you are just in town for a visit, likely the cheapest and most convenient way to get into town is the Aeroexpress. Aside from the Aeroexpress, however, there are also bus, shuttle and taxi options available.

Which Moscow airport is closest to central Moscow?

There are 4 major airports in Moscow. The nearest airport from Moscow city center is Moscow Vnukovo (17 miles), followed by Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport (18 miles), Moscow Zhukovsky (25 miles), and Moscow Domodedovo Airport (25 miles).

How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights to Moscow?

KAYAK is a travel search engine. That means we look across the web to find the best prices we can find for our users. With over 2 billion flight queries processed yearly, we are able to display a variety of prices and options on flights to Moscow.

How does KAYAK's flight Price Forecast tool help me choose the right time to buy my flight ticket to Moscow?

KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to Moscow is likely to change within 7 days, so travelers know whether to wait or book now.

What is the Hacker Fare option on flights to Moscow?

Hacker Fares allow you to combine one-way tickets in order to save you money over a traditional round-trip ticket. You could then fly to Moscow with an airline and back with another airline.

What is KAYAK's "flexible dates" feature and why should I care when looking for a flight to Moscow?

Sometimes travel dates aren't set in stone. If your preferred travel dates have some wiggle room, flexible dates will show you all the options when flying to Moscow up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

Which airline offers the most flights to Moscow?

Of the 19 airlines that fly to Moscow, Aeroflot offers the most flights, with around 1,471 per week, followed by Pobeda with 452 flights per week.

Top tips for finding cheap flights to Moscow

• Enter your preferred departure airport and travel dates into the search form above to unlock the latest Moscow flight deals.
• Moscow Vnukovo International Airport (VKO) consists of two terminals, Terminal A and Terminal D. The former is the main terminal that serves most international and domestic flights. Terminal D mostly serves flights arriving from North Caucasus. The terminals are a short walk from each other as they are adjacent and are connected by walkways.
• Passengers arriving at Moscow Domodedovo International Airport (MDE) can utilize the airport’s shower facilities to freshen up before leaving the airport. Showers are available in the Left Wing of the International Arrivals Area.
• Passengers looking to explore MDE luggage-free are welcome to leave their luggage at the airport’s storage lockers. You can find the lockers Landslide of the International Arrivals Area and on the Ground Floor of the Domestic Arrivals.
• Gadget-totting travelers can charge their devices at MDE. The airport offers stand-alone charging stations in every waiting lounge. You can also rent battery chargers from the Left Luggage room.
• Moscow Sheremetyevo International Airport (SVO) is completely smoke-free in the terminals. However, the airport offers designated smoking pavilions to accommodate smoking passengers. The smoking pavilions are outside at the terminals’ entrances.
• For flights to Moscow, travelers have four different airports to choose from: Domodedovo International Airport (DME), Sheremetyevo International Airport (SVO), Vnukovo International Airport (VKO), and Zhukovsky International Airport (ZIA). However, most travelers will be flying into either Domodedovo International Airport or Sheremetyevo International Airport, as they are by far the most popular of the four airports.
• Getting from Sheremetyevo International Airport to downtown Moscow is simple, thanks to the Aeroexpress, which connects directly to both Belorussky Railway Terminal and Okruzhnaya station. From either station, you can head to a number of locations across Moscow in no time.
• Looking to head straight to the hotel after your flight to Moscow? If you are landing at Sheremetyevo International Airport, the Novotel Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport Hotel is within walking distance of the airport’s terminals. For Domodedovo International Airport, on the other hand, there is the Domodedovo AirHotel, which is located just half a mile away from the airport and offers free transfers to and from the airport.
• If you need to get between Domodedovo International Airport and Sheremetyevo International Airport, your best bet is to take a combination of the Aeroexpress and the Moscow Metro. There is even a special “Between Airports” ticket available for purchase at the Aeroexpress ticket office.
• Got a few hours to spare at Sheremetyevo International Airport? Why not stop off at the Aero-beauty hair salon for a cut, trim, or maybe even a dye? Another option is to spend some time at the History Museum of Sheremetyevo, which has several unique exhibitions on the history of the airport.

Prefer to fly non-stop to Moscow?

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Watch CBS News

United Airlines now allows travelers to pool their air miles with others

By Khristopher J. Brooks

Edited By Aimee Picchi

March 21, 2024 / 6:33 PM EDT / CBS News

Customers who have racked up travel miles with United Airlines can now share those points with up to four other passengers under a new program the airlines announced Thursday.

Anyone 18 or older with a MileagePlus membership can link their online account and combine their miles with those accumulated by family or friends from previous flights, United said. As with other airline points programs, United passengers can use the miles they've gathered to help pay for future travel.

United said there's no limit to how many miles a group can pool together. The Chicago-based airline said it launched the program in anticipation of families seeking to fly more often as the summer draws near. 

Allowing customers to pool miles "gives our members more flexibility to use their miles while making it easier to connect to the destinations and moments that matter most," Luc Bondar, chief operating officer of United's points program, said in a statement. 

United isn't the first airline to allow passengers to pool miles. In 2018, New York-based JetBlue extended its existing points-pooling program  to include friends and extended family.

Access to more air miles may come in handy for travelers as the price of flights have soared since the pandemic Additionally, most major airlines have  increased their baggage fees this year. United in particular raised its fees $5, the company said last month . 

Meanwhile, prices for air tickets sold in February were up about 6%, according to the Airline Reporting Corporation. Higher fuel costs and production delays at airplane manufacturer Boeing are partly to blame for higher fares, but airlines still expect high demand for travel in the coming months. 

The miles pooling program comes at a time when United is facing questions about its safety record. One United jet landed with  pieces of aluminum skin  missing from its fuselage, and in another case, a jet lost a wheel during takeoff . 

The incidents prompted CEO Scott Kirby this week to reassure passengers that flying United is safe. Aviation experts also said air travel is still one of the safest forms of public transportation . 

"Unfortunately, in the past few weeks, our airline has experienced a number of incidents that are reminders of the importance of safety," Kirby said Monday. "While they are all unrelated, I want you to know that these incidents have our attention and have sharpened our focus."

• United Airlines

Khristopher J. Brooks is a reporter for CBS MoneyWatch. He previously worked as a reporter for the Omaha World-Herald, Newsday and the Florida Times-Union. His reporting primarily focuses on the U.S. housing market, the business of sports and bankruptcy.

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After the eclipse, exodus of drivers could create a path of gridlock

Eclipse traffic has officials bracing for congested highways and flight delays on april 8.

Planning to stake out a good spot to view the total solar eclipse next month? You won’t be alone — and officials are warning that the massive public interest could lead to hours of standstill road traffic, airspace crowded with leisure and commercial pilots, and disruptions at a host of airports.

The Federal Aviation Administration has warned that air traffic delays are likely on April 8, when the eclipse will sweep through North America from Mexico to Canada and plunge a narrow path into complete darkness in the middle of the day.

2024 total solar eclipse

On the roads, federal authorities are asking for the public’s help to avoid gridlock across several states.

“While an estimated 32 million people live within the path of totality, millions more will travel to see the event firsthand,” Shailen Bhatt, administrator of the Federal Highway Administration, said in a video message . “This rare event maybe be a once-in-a-lifetime for some, but could have widespread impacts on the traveling public. So please plan ahead to arrive early and, if you can, stay put to avoid traffic congestion.”

Around the last total solar eclipse to reach the U.S., in 2017, motorists clogged roadways along the path in multiple states immediately after the show. Citing INRIX, a firm that analyzes transportation data, AAA said some rural routes experienced more than 15 hours of congestion, with backups stretching for up to 70 miles.

Kathleen Bangs, spokeswoman for the flight-tracking service FlightAware, said she drove to a field in Nebraska for the last eclipse.

“Oh my gosh, the traffic,” she said. “Once the eclipse ended, we thought it would take five hours to get home. It took like 11.”

Some cities have been planning for an influx of visitors for more than a year before the upcoming eclipse. Some local governments in Texas have declared a state of emergency ahead of time; the declaration for Bell County, an area north of Austin that is bisected by Interstate 35, says officials expect the local population of 400,000 to “double, if not triple, in size” in the days leading up to the eclipse, creating “extreme traffic congestion” and a strain on local resources that threatens the safety of local residents.

Landowners who are hosting events for 50 or more people are required to register with Bell County, and officials are encouraging locals to stock up on gas and groceries well before the eclipse.

The state of Oklahoma is warning residents of longer emergency response times, potential disruptions to cell coverage and overwhelmed roads.

AAA recommends bringing camping chairs to an eclipse-viewing spot and hanging out, “much like after a concert,” until the early wave of departures has ended.

“Fill up right before the eclipse so you have a full tank in case you get stuck in traffic,” the organization says. “Have an emergency kit prepared with extra water, snacks, first-aid kit, and phone charger.”

During the last eclipse, air traffic operations increased between 23 and 36 percent around some major centers, according to a 2017 report from the National Air Traffic Controllers Association.

One airline has added flights designed to follow the path of totality, while others have highlighted existing routes expected to have a high-level view of the eclipse. Bangs, a former airline pilot, said the anticipated spike in air traffic is more related to smaller, privately owned or rented planes.

“A lot of those people are going to go out and fly that day to see the eclipse,” she said.

The FAA is asking airlines and pilots to plan ahead and file a preferred route to help reduce delays, and to monitor notices and temporary flight restrictions. In its notice , the agency says planes should be prepared to potentially be rerouted or put in a holding pattern. Some activities such as practice approaches, touch-and-goes and pilot training operations may not be allowed.

It’s not just planes that might be affected, the FAA warned.

“There may be a higher traffic volume than normal anticipated at airports along the path of the eclipse,” the agency said in its notice . Roughly 450 airports of various sizes and uses are considered close to the path. “Parking may be limited — particularly at the smaller, uncontrolled airports.”

More travel news

How we travel now: More people are taking booze-free trips — and airlines and hotels are taking note. Some couples are ditching the traditional honeymoon for a “buddymoon” with their pals. Interested? Here are the best tools for making a group trip work.

Bad behavior: Entitled tourists are running amok, defacing the Colosseum , getting rowdy in Bali and messing with wild animals in national parks. Some destinations are fighting back with public awareness campaigns — or just by telling out-of-control visitors to stay away .

Safety concerns: A door blew off an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 jet, leaving passengers traumatized — but without serious injuries. The ordeal led to widespread flight cancellations after the jet was grounded, and some travelers have taken steps to avoid the plane in the future. The incident has also sparked a fresh discussion about whether it’s safe to fly with a baby on your lap .

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United Airlines announces miles pooling, seat preference alerts in new updates

United Airlines announced two updates this week aimed at making travel easier.

The airline is introducing a new way to collect and share miles among friends and family, known as miles pooling, and an app feature that will help you secure your preferred seat onboard. 

According to United both features are about providing better value and flexibility to customers and are aimed at helping flyers tailor their trips to their own preferences. 

Here’s what travelers need to know about the announcements and how to take advantage of the new features.

What is miles pooling?

United’s new MileagePlus feature allows frequent flyer program members to share miles with each other.

"We're always looking for new ways to provide the most value to all of our loyalty members," Luc Bondar, Chief Operating Officer of MileagePlus said in a statement . "MileagePlus miles pooling further reinforces United's position as the leader in family and group travel and gives our members more flexibility to use their miles while making it easier to connect to the destinations and moments that matter most, with the people that matter most." 

The program allows groups of up to five people to share redeemable miles and apply the pot toward the price of a reward ticket.

According to United, here’s how the program works:

Any MileagePlus member age 18 or older can become a group leader and can invite up to four other members of any age into the pool. Members can transfer their miles to the pool by following instructions on the airline’s website or app.

“If a group of friends is planning an upcoming summer getaway and each friend has their own individual MileagePlus accounts with their respective number of miles, they can combine all, or a select amount of their personal miles into one central 'pool' that can be used to purchase flights and offset the cost of ticket prices,” the airline’s announcement said.

There is no limit to how many miles can be contributed to the pool. 

Check out United’s website for full terms and conditions of the program.

How do seat alerts work?

The new feature in United’s mobile app lets you set your seating preferences so you’ll be notified if the one you like becomes available.

United began rolling out the option Friday.

It allows passengers to request their desired seat type (aisle, window or middle, including exit or bulkhead rows). 

United will automatically change you to your preferred seat type if it becomes available up to 12 hours before departure and will notify you of the change.

“With up to three million users interacting with the United mobile app daily, United is continuing to bring helpful features to its app, and this is just the latest new app feature that gives customers more options and makes travel a breeze,” a statement from the airline said.

Zach Wichter is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in New York. You can reach him at [email protected]

What is Delta Air Lines' SkyMiles loyalty program? Earn miles on your next flight

Delta Air Lines , a major global airline based in Atlanta, Georgia, offers the SkyMiles® loyalty program. Through SkyMiles, members accumulate points with each flight and co-branded credit card purchases, which are redeemable for travel, in-flight amenities, seat upgrades and more.

According to the airline's website, Delta operates hubs at eight U.S. airports and 10 international airports, making it likely that frequent fliers will fly Delta at some point and benefit from the rewards program.

SkyMiles, the name of the loyalty program from Delta Air Lines as well as the currency, allows fliers to earn and redeem miles for flights with Delta or partnering airlines. According to Nerd Wallet, the free-to-join program values a SkyMile at 1.2 cents. 

As part of the SkyTeam alliance, Delta facilitates earning and redeeming SkyMiles on its many global partner airlines . Travelers booking with any SkyTeam alliance member can benefit from Delta's SkyMiles program.

HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF ALASKA AIRLINES' MILEAGE PLAN REWARDS PROGRAM

Program members can earn SkyMiles by flying on Delta or a partner, spending on Delta co-branded credit cards , utilizing Delta's traveling partners, and dining and shopping with specified programs. Once a flier signs up as a Delta SkyMiles member, they can move up tiers by accumulating miles through their flights or other point-earning methods. 

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SkyMiles do not expire, which makes it convenient for infrequent travelers. According to a Delta representative, the program benefits anyone who signs up. Members don't need to live in a city with a Delta hub or fly the airline regularly to profit from the program. They can track their progress online and know where they are and how many miles are available to redeem. 

Silver Medallion is the entry status tier in Delta's SkyMiles program. Some of the benefits include:

• Complimentary upgrades to first class within one day of departure
• Complimentary upgrades to Comfort+ within one day of departure
• Waived baggage fees
• Priority boarding and check-in
• 5 miles earned per $1 spent on qualifying rentals

The Gold Medallion in the SkyMiles program will get the member all of the above benefits, in addition to the following:

• Complimentary upgrades to first class within three days of departure
• Complimentary upgrades to Comfort+ within three days of departure
• Waived same-day confirmed fees
• Sky Priority status
• Four drink vouchers
• 8 miles earned per $1 spent on qualifying rentals

The Platinum Medallion is the third tier. In addition to benefits from the previous tiers, members receive:

• Complimentary upgrades to first class within five days of departure
• Complimentary upgrades to Comfort+ after ticketing
• 9 miles earned per $1 spent on qualifying rentals

The highest tier within the SkyMiles program is the Diamond Medallion. At this level, fliers will receive everything mentioned above with the following perks:

• Complimentary upgrades to first class within five days of departure with priority
• Priority check-in and highest-priority boarding
• Higher upgrade priority
• 11 miles earned per $1 spent on qualifying rentals

Members can track their earned miles by logging into their account on the Delta website, where a progress tracker is available. Members can also obtain information directly from a Delta customer service representative.

Delta's SkyMiles is getting a makeover in 2025, making reaching Medallion, the elite status level, easier. The changes will include:

• Silver Medallion status: from $6,000 to $5,000 MQDs
• Gold Medallion status: from $12,000 to $10,000 MQDs
• Platinum Medallion status: from $18,000 to $15,000 MQDs
• Diamond Medallion status: from $35,000 to $28,000 MQDs

Delta initially intended to overhaul its SkyMiles program and limit Sky Club access, with the changes due to commence on Jan. 1, 2024.

The primary methods for achieving Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs) would be using co-branded Delta credit cards and spending on flights and vacation packages booked directly through Delta rather than a partner.

However, after facing criticism over the complications in attaining elite status under these changes, Delta re-evaluated and rolled back some aspects. Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian agreed that the changes "probably went too far" and that modifications were necessary.

DELTA CEO SAYS AIRLINE WILL MODIFY SKYMILES CHANGES: 'PROBABLY WENT TOO FAR'

Delta's revised loyalty program will make it easier for members to achieve elite Medallion status, enabling more customers to access the club. Although SkyMiles members will still only qualify through MQDs, the elite status will depend solely on spending, not the number of flights. 

These changes will be effective in 2025.

Delta SkyMiles is beneficial to both frequent and occasional fliers. Miles are earned predominantly by booking flights with Delta or a partner airline. Members can accrue miles by booking for themselves, family members or friends if they apply their member number. The rate of mileage gain per dollar spent varies, with Silver Medallion members earning 7 miles per $1 spent and Diamond Medallion members earning 11 miles per $1. Partner airlines' mileage rates vary.

Fliers also have the option to earn miles through a Delta co-branded credit card . The company offers a variety of cards to cater to individual needs. Delta collaborates with transfer partners, such as American Express, providing an avenue to earn and redeem points. 

Purchases from designated partners, including Hertz, Lyft and Starbucks, offer additional earning opportunities, with Lyft providing double miles for airport commutes within the U.S.

A main use of SkyMiles is to purchase domestic Delta flights. American Express Delta cardholders can pay entirely with their SkyMiles or reduce their cost with the Pay with Miles feature.

Co-branded credit cardholders can utilize Delta's TakeOff 15 benefit, which allows them to save 15% when booking travel using miles on Delta flights. 

Miles can also be used to book flights on Delta's alliance or other partners, thanks to the SkyTeam alliance. 

Beyond flights, SkyMiles are redeemable for experiences like magazine purchases or seat upgrades.

Original article source: What is Delta Air Lines' SkyMiles loyalty program? Earn miles on your next flight

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United to Allow Friends and Family to Share and Pool Miles to Book Flights

The airline will allow groups of up to five MileagePlus members to share and redeem their miles through one linked account.

Courtesy of United Airlines

United Airlines is now allowing travelers to pool their airline miles to purchase flights.

The new feature, United told Travel + Leisure , will allow groups of up to five MileagePlus members to share and redeem their miles through one linked account. Contributing miles to a shared account won’t impact an individual member’s status with the airline.

“We’re always looking for new ways to provide the most value to all of our loyalty members and are proud to be the first major U.S. airline to allow our members to pool their miles with their loved ones and friends,” Luc Bondar, the chief operating officer of MileagePlus, said in a statement shared with T+L. “MileagePlus miles pooling further reinforces United’s position as the leader in family and group travel and gives our members more flexibility to use their miles while making it easier to connect to the destinations and moments that matter most, with the people that matter most.”

To share miles, the initiating traveler or "pool leader" can create a pool for free and invite up to four other friends and family to join. Travelers can then add as many of their personal miles to the pool as they want, which can then be redeemed for award flights. 

The pool leader must be at least 18 years old, but members of the pool can be any age.

United’s MileagePlus program allows travelers to earn Premier Qualifying Points (PQPs) by flying, using co-branded credit cards, or online shopping. Miles can be used to purchase flights, request upgrades, book hotels, pay for inflight Wi-Fi, and more.

United also allows travelers to swap unwanted gift cards for airline miles . Although the airline touted itself as the "first" major airline to pool miles, it's worth noting that JetBlue has been doing so since 2013.

Southwest offers a similar feature, allowing passengers to transfer eligible unused flight credits to friends or family. The airline has been doing so since 2022 with the introduction of its Wanna Get Away Plus fares .