I am sure most of us have heard people talk about redeeming their frequent flyer miles towards an upgrade on their next flight or even paying for a part of the ticket by encashing them. While all this may sound fancy, there are several things that need to be kept in mind when it comes to notching up frequent flier miles and redeeming them. To begin with, what are frequent flier miles?
These are basically loyalty programmes which award a passenger with miles for continuously flying on one airline. Each airline has a different frequent flier miles programme (FFP). Mark Davies, Director, Marketing and Loyalty, Star Alliance, suggests that a passenger should try and collect miles in one programme, which will increase his or her chances of having a status within the programme. For example, if you reach the Gold Benefits status, the highest status in a FFP, there are seven benefits including airport lounge access, extra baggage allowance and priority airport check (if the airline wants to speed you through the airport), priority boarding, priority airport stand by, and a priority reservation wait list (to put you on the next flight in case you miss your original flight because a meeting went on longer than expected).
Fine print
These frequent flier miles that you get for a flight depend on a variety of factors including the cost of the ticket, and whether the travel is in economy, business or first class. Hence, two people travelling on the same flight need not necessarily accrue the same miles.
Most airlines have a cut-off date, by when you can use the frequent flier miles. This varies from airline to airline, so see the fine print carefully before you decide to redeem your miles.
Almost all airlines that have FFP programmes also have what they call blackout periods during which the points that you have accumulated cannot be used to purchase free tickets. So, it is possible that a domestic airline could refuse to let you encash your miles for a free ticket in the days leading up to Diwali or any other major festival, during which they are expecting a heavy rush for seats.
What a passenger also has to remember is that you can’t buy a completely free ticket by redeeming your miles. Though basic fare and surcharges may be exempt, you will still have to meet the fees and other costs involved such as the airport charges, the taxes which are owed to the Government for the flight.
However, the common misconception that the miles earned can only be used for taking a free flight is misinformed. The miles can actually be used for a variety of options including upgrading from one section of the aircraft to another. So, say, your company has purchased an economy class ticket for a particular route and you prefer to travel in style, you can use your miles towards an upgrade.
The miles earned can be used for reward tickets not only in your name but also your wife’s, children’s, parents-in-laws’ or anyone else that you want. Some frequent flier programmes also allow you to use the miles you have notched up towards shopping or on hotels, car rentals and even cruises.
In case you are an FFP member for an airline which is a member of one the three global airline alliances – the Star Alliance comprising 27 airlines, OneWorld Alliance (which has 15 airlines and 30 affiliate airlines) or SkyTeam (20 airlines) – then you will be able to redeem the points that you have earned on one particular airline to travel on another partner airline of the Alliance.
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