Frequent-flier Miles and Short-term Trips

November 11, 2008 – 3:51 pm

You would love to visit a missionary overseas, but you are not sure if you can afford it. You think, “I’ll use my frequent-flier miles!”

In a cash-tight economy like we face today it is important to consider alternatives to finance our short-term trips. Frequent-flier miles would be a good option. The key is to maximize the potential. Have you thought about whether you are using those miles wisely? Are you managing the growth in a smart way? You can use online tools like the one created by Randy Peterson, considered by National Geographic Traveler to be the “guru of airline affinity programs,” to help you manage your miles and activities.

Here are some things to remember when managing your frequent-flier miles. Want a free ticket using your miles? January is the busiest month for redeeming miles.  Book in December. Remember to check if your miles have an expiration date. Take your time on the internet and phone when making travel plans. You could fly to nearby alternate airports instead of busy hubs where it would be more difficult to find the free frequent-flier seats on flights.

Having you considered donating your miles? Instead of letting them expire donate them to a missionary couple or family who could really use a vacation. Maybe you don’t have enough miles for them to fly back to their home country, but they could fly from Buenos Aires to Santiago or London to Madrid.

If you have ideas or comments you would like to share with us regarding the use of frequent-flier miles for the cause of missions we would love to hear from you. Drop us a note.