"Next month, United Airlines and American Airlines will strip frequent-flier miles from accounts that have been inactive for 18 months, half the time they had been letting accounts sit idle previously.

Infrequent fliers can preserve their miles by taking action that adds to or subtracts from their account balance before the deadlines.

American and United are among many airlines that are cracking down on casual customers by shortening the time an account can remain dormant before miles disappear.

The old industry standard was 36 months. Now, most major airlines require action every 18 to 24 months. Among old-line carriers, only Northwest is still at 36 months. Continental says it has never expunged miles from accounts, although it reserves the right to do so after 18 months of inactivity.

The good news is, you usually don't have to take a trip to generate activity in your account. "
[Via www.sfgate.com]

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To read the rest of this article click blue line above.

Don't miss the chart at the bottom of the article that gives you all the airlines and their expiration policies.

Labels: american Airlines, frequent flyer, miles, United Airlines

"Mixing cash and frequent flyer miles as payment for a ticket has always been an alluring idea, bordering on the inevitable. Both, after all, are forms of currency, and currencies ought to be combinable. In fact, to a limited extent, they have been. Northwest has allowed members of its mileage program to use cash and miles for tickets for years. Other airlines have flirted with the idea as well.

Now, according to the following news item from USA Today, US Airways will add its name to that list next month: "Beginning October 22, US Airways customers will be able redeem 10,000 miles to reduce the cost of a round-trip ticket by $50, the airline says in an e-mail to its frequent fliers. The offer will be valid on all published US Airways round-trip fares flown in January and February and requires a 14-day advance purchase."

Having established that you can combine cash and miles for US Airways tickets, the question then becomes: Should you?

In this case, the answer is a resounding "No."

The math is straightforward. Exchanging 10,000 miles for a $50 discount amounts to realizing a value of one-half cent per mile redeemed. Tellingly, if you were to buy miles from US Airways, they would charge you 3.5 cents per mile. So by US Airways' own assessment of the value of their miles, you're either getting way too little by cashing them in for a discount, or grossly overpaying by purchasing them directly from US Airways.

In fact, both indictments are valid. According to my analysis, which puts the average value of a frequent flyer at around 1.2 cents, neither US Airways' cash-plus-miles promotion nor its ongoing miles-for-sale offer are good deals for consumers.

Getting good value for frequent flyer miles is simple. In the most basic scenario, redeem 25,000 miles for a round-trip coach ticket for travel within the continental U.S. If a comparable paid ticket would have cost $300, you'll have reaped a per-mile value of 1.2 cents (actually a bit less, when the difficulty of obtaining a capacity-controlled award seat is factored in).

That 1.2 cents figure can be used as a general guideline for the value of miles. If an airline suggests that you receive significantly less value when using your miles, or pay significantly more to buy miles, the proper response is a healthy dose of skepticism—because not all promotions are "deals." [Via smartertravel.com]

Labels: miles, US Airways

"Last year marked the twenty-fifth anniversary of the launch of the first frequent-flier program, American Airlines' AAdvantage, which in less than a decade spawned countless similar loyalty schemes throughout the industry and created a generation of mileage junkies. But don't feel left out if you didn't notice: The occasion came and went without much fanfare. In fact, instead of celebrating the free flights and upgrades promised by these programs, most travelers found that it was more difficult than ever to wring an award ticket out of the airlines. "Whenever my wife and I want to fly someplace, it seems like there's no way to use our miles," says Ed Reagan, a Pennsylvania-based financial consultant.

Reagan is not alone. More than half of the 750 readers of Condé Nast Traveler recently polled report that it has become more difficult to redeem frequent-flier miles in the past year, and nearly 70 percent say that it's gotten tougher over the last five years. Although the airlines do not disclose the percentage of passengers who have tried unsuccessfully to redeem miles for a ticket, the most recent data provided by the six largest U.S. carriers (American, Continental, Delta, Northwest, United, and US Airways) shows that most of them are issuing fewer tickets in exchange for miles. On Continental, for example, the number of award tickets issued fell from 8.1 percent of all tickets in 2002 to 6.8 percent in 2006; on United, it fell from 7.8 percent in 2002 to 6.6 percent in 2005.

"Certainly, the anecdotal evidence would indicate that it's never been tougher to redeem miles," says Tim Winship, publisher of FrequentFlier.com, noting that on some flights to the most popular destinations, carriers don't set aside a single seat for a mileage award.

As bad as the squeeze is in the back of the plane, things have gotten even tighter up front: US Airways recently announced that it is reducing the first-class section on its 757s from eight rows to two, and air marshals now occupy two seats in many first-class sections, representing as much as 25 percent of capacity in that class on many domestic flights. Even elite members are feeling the crunch, losing benefits such as free upgrades, bonus mileage, and access to airport lounges as some airlines make elite status more difficult to achieve. Continental, for instance, no longer applies mileage earned through promotional or partner offers, or even through certain low-fare tickets, toward elite qualification.

Why the new stinginess? First, with airplanes flying at record capacity (an average of 80 percent of seats are filled with paying passengers on every flight), fewer seats are available. And now that the airlines are beginning to fly profitably after six years of devastating losses, they're understandably reluctant to give anything away for free. Another reason is that there's simply a glut of miles. A full 60 percent of miles earned today are awarded for purchases other than plane tickets, as carriers rake in hundreds of millions of dollars for the billions of miles they sell to credit card and other companies that use them to lure consumers." [Via concierge.com ]

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Labels: Conde Nast Traveler Magazine, frequent flyer, miles

Donors who make one time gifts of $100 or more are eligible to receive 10 American Airlines AAdvantage miles for every dollar donated. Please allow up to eight weeks for the bonus miles to be posted to your account. Contributions can only be accepted in U.S. dollars. All gifts are welcome; however, miles will only be earned for contributions between $100 and $10,000 USD. The America the Beautiful - the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass is offered as a benefit for contributions of $1000 or more - an $80.00 value. Donors are eligible to receive the Pass as a benefit once per calendar year. Please allow up to eight weeks to receive your Pass.

Labels: AAdvantage, american Airlines, miles, National Parks

Now through December 31, 2007, enjoy the savings below and earn double miles on weekend rentals of two or more days or weekly rentals at a participating airport or off airport location in the U.S., Puerto Rico or Canada. That's 100 Mileage Plus miles per day on weekend rentals or 1,000 Mileage Plus miles on weekly rentals.

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Click on blue line above to get started and get the special code needed

Labels: codes, DEALS, Hertz, miles, United Airlines, United Mileage Plus

To celebrate winning the Freddie Awards for "Program of the Year" and "Best Award" we are giving you a 1,000 mile bonus for every ticket purchased at FrontierAirlines.com between May 7, 2007 and June 14, 2007, for travel through November 14, 2007.

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must purchase by June 14, 2007,

Labels: bonus, Frontier Airlines, miles

For every meal costing at least $25 at participating restaurants, you'll earn 250 bonus miles (with a total maximum allowed of 5,000 miles). You must be a registered member of the dining program to earn the bonuses. The 250-mile bonus per meal is in addition to any miles you normally earn as a member.

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click on blue line above to register

Labels: bonus, Midwest Airlines, miles

In a significant first for the credit card industry, American Express today announced that Cardmembers will now have the ability to pay monthly home mortgage payments on the American Express® Card. American Home Mortgage Corp. will be the first lender to offer this Express Rewards MortgageSM program for eligible prime loans.

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Labels: american Express, bonus points, miles, mortgage, points

Earn 1,000 Bonus Miles When You Complete a Home Loan Request!
submit your request before 4/30/2007 to qualify.
Find a Home Loan - Earn 1,250 American Airlines AAdvantage® miles per $10,000 financed
Find a REALTOR® - Earn 3,000 AAdvantage® miles per $10,000 of home purchase or sale price

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Labels: American Airlines AAdvantage, bonus miles, Lending Tree, miles

500 Miles for Insider Newsletter Sign-up

Mileage Plan members who subscribe to alaskaair.com's Insider newsletter will receive 500 Mileage Plan Bonus Miles just for signing up! Insider newsletter subscribers receive weekly alaskaair.com news and information along with handy quick reference prices for Web Specials, vacations, cruises and hotel rooms. There's also a weekly e-certificate with discounts you won’t find anywhere else.

The Pointswizard.com Spin: click blue line above and go to sign up

Labels: Alaska Airlines, bonue, Mileage Plan, miles

Why enrol the MilleMiglia Program?
Because you will be able to earn miles to get award tickets to fly to some of the most beautiful destinations worldwide and to enjoy numerous privileges, special offers and services both onboard and on the ground. It will also give you the opportunity to gain access to our exclusive Ulisse and Freccia Alata Clubs.

And that’s not all. To celebrate the 15th anniversary of the MilleMiglia Program this year, you can earn up to 10,000 bonus miles:
- 2,000 miles welcome bonus, that you will receive after your first flight with Alitalia or with one of our airline Partners, providing it is flown within 3 months from your enrolment
- 3,000 miles bonus upon completion of your 5th flight, if you enrol and fly by December 15th 2007.
- 5,000 miles bonus after your 7th flight taken with Alitalia, if you enrol and fly by December 15th 2007.

Herebelow is an example (based on 10 flights London-Milan in Economy Class Y):
Activity Miles earned
Enrolment 2,000 welcome bonus miles
1st flight leg 1,200
2nd flight leg 1,200
3rd flight leg 1,200
4th flight leg 1,200
5th flight leg 1,200 + 3,000 bonus miles
6th flight leg 1,200
7th flight leg 1,200 + 5,000 bonus miles
8th flight leg 1,200
9th flight leg 1,200
10th flight leg 1,200
TOTAL 22,000

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enrol online by December 31st 2007 and get up to 10,000 bonus miles!

Labels: Airlines, Alitalia, bonus miles, miles

They'll keep you on top of all kinds of mile-earning opportunities, special promotions, useful information, and great deals—and 1,000 bonus miles. Give them your information, choose your e-mails, and they'll do the rest.

Labels: bonus miles, Delta, miles, SkyMiles

They'll keep you on top of all kinds of mile-earning opportunities, special promotions, useful information, and great deals—and 1,000 bonus miles. Give them your information, choose your e-mails, and they'll do the rest.

Labels: bonus miles, Delta, miles, SkyMiles

click blue line above

The Pointswizard.com Spin: ends Feb. 28

Labels: Freddie Awards, miles, South African Airways

Cap off your holiday shopping by earning 5,000 bonus miles* for yourself and you'll be even closer to award travel on Spirit Airlines. For each roundtrip you purchase by December 31, 2006 you can earn 5,000 bonus miles

The Pointswizard.com Spin: Offer ends Dec. 31 - Hurry

Labels: Airlines, bonus miles, miles, Spirit Airlines

Give yourself the gift of travel or treat family, friends and colleagues. With our United e-Certificates, just a few thousand miles saves up to $75 on roundtrip travel.

Choose your e-Certificate

* Redeem 1,000 miles for a $25 discount e-Certificate
* Redeem 5,000 miles for a $75 discount e-Certificate

You may redeem your miles for multiple e-Certificates. However, only one certificate may be used per ticket purchased.

The Pointswizard.com Spin: offer good thru June 1, 2007

Labels: air travel, miles, savings, United Airlines

Swiss Knight Fondues and Snack Wedges are made with 100% natural cheese and real milk for a naturally better taste. And now earn 500 American Airlines AAdvantage® miles with the purchase of specially-marked boxes of Swiss Knight. There is a limit of two (2) redemptions per AAdvantage® member. To redeem the miles,Please allow 6-8 weeks before your miles are credited to your AAdvantage® Account.
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Codes must be redeemed by midnight (EST) January 31, 2007.
Click on blue line above for all the details

Labels: AAdvantage, american Airlines, cheese, miles, Swiss Knight

Offer: Earn up to 40,000 miles per year by using a Chase private education loan that allows you to finance up to the total cost of your college education (less any other financial aid). Qualified borrowers may receive up to $40,000 per academic year (with an aggregate maximum of $130,000, to qualified applicants) to pay for tuition, books, computer equipment, software, lab fees, housing -- or any other education-related expenses.

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Labels: college, college loans, mileageplus, miles, united mileageplus