If you do not understand, the mile programs (bonuses for miles) of airlines look like reliable and profitable for passengers. But is it? After all, if the passenger's intuition about discounts does not work, and he does not fly at least four times a week, then this program may turn out to be, one might say, the very cheese that is lured into a mousetrap. Is it profitable to buy miles from airlines?
It is not enough to be an active passenger and constantly use the services of airlines; you also need to follow affiliate programs, carefully calculate and not miss the validity period of miles.
Let's try to deal with all these "gifts»From airlines that entice passengers with the opportunity to spend the night in a luxury hotel or take a free flight to the country of interest.
What are miles.
Mile Is the unit of measure in which airlines calculate passenger acceptance. Airline premium projects do not differ from the same promotions of trading companies, you buy a product (ticket) - you get the opportunity (miles) to buy some product with a discount on the promotion (tickets, hotels or car rental).
Award miles Is a reward that can be used to purchase a ticket or to improve the level of service. Their duration of action varies from twenty months to one and a half years, after which they simply burn out. Qualifying miles can be exchanged for awards and, in addition, they have an impact on the category of service. The higher the number of miles on the card account, the more likely it is to use the recreation areas at the airport and get on the flight without checking in in the general queue. On the eve of the New Year, the thirty-first of December, status miles are lost, reset to zero.
How to choose a bonus program.
Two hundred and fifty carrier companies have loyalty projects for passengers. You can become a participant on the company's website, in the office or on board. After registration, the passenger will be given a member number and issued a card, but, as a rule, the member's registration number and the passenger's ID are sufficient. Miles are credited for the number and length of flights, depending on their class and cost.
Alliances created by airlines allow miles to be earned and redeemed on all airlines in the alliance. And by using the services of companies from the additional list of partners, you can get miles as bonus per card.
How you can earn miles:
- Miles are easy to get for those passengers who often fly on business trips to their relatives, friends and relatives in the same direction. Or those who have chosen their favorite country for their permanent vacation. And without changing your plans or preferences, you can save a lot.
- You can use the services of members of the affiliate program. It is worth compiling a list of partner companies in advance in order to use their services (hotels, hotels, restaurants, car rental). For this, bonuses will be credited to your card.
- Use the services of some banks using their services to purchase tickets for flights. At some banks, when buying, interest is credited to the bonus account, while at others, a mile is charged for each spent monetary unit. The cost of servicing bonus cards of banks is higher than that of ordinary cards. If you want to make the flight cheaper, pay more to the bank. These cards are profitable only with expensive purchases, and their constant use. Banks credit you double miles when using cards abroad, but you should find out in advance how much it will cost to exchange currency at the rate of the bank in another country. There is an assumption that "double miles" will cost the user four times more.
Gifts or charity.
What can you do with miles? You can gift miles to friends or acquaintances. These little gifts make it possible to accumulate soon-to-be-used miles from one person and get one free ticket.
Should you start earning miles?
Is it worth saving miles and getting bonuses from the world's airlines? If you fly more than four times a year with only one airline or alliance, then it is worth it, but if only once or twice a year, then your flights will not accumulate miles.
Will you benefit?
Do you think it is profitable to earn miles? It is worth actively using the services of airlines, only then the bonuses will bring benefits. You need to study the conditions for exchanging bonuses and fly with the airlines of the same alliance, never forget to fill out the registration card when purchasing plane tickets. Create a list of partners and make it the basis for calculating tickets.
It turns out that you become tied to one airline and you have to buy tickets only from them. You can forget about finding really cheap air tickets through Aviasales.
Will the ticket cost you nothing?
In most cases, no. The cost of your ticket is made up of its fare and collection. It is possible to count the fare with miles, but the fee must be paid in banknotes, and it ranges from fifty to seventy percent of the ticket price. Remember, if you decide to exchange miles for a ticket, it is worth clarifying the percentage of fees from the ticket price - if it is very large, then there is no point in changing.
What should be done if the bonus is not credited to your card?
If, for any reason, bonuses are not credited to you, then you should go to your personal page on the airline's website or at the airport to the company's employees. A prerequisite is that the originals of your tickets are kept. If within two years you have not used the services of Aeroflot or its business partners, the bonus miles will expire.
And finally, do not forget that everything that companies and advertising offer us is beneficial only to them, and we can only use the product. I would be glad for using the social media buttons, your friends will also find it useful to learn about tourism and travel first-hand.
