Millions of consumers around the world collect rewards points on credit and debit cards each day. These rewards points are accrued by purchasing meals, groceries, music and other items as outlined by the card provider. You can redeem rewards points for airline miles to realize the benefits of credit card programs.
Establish an online account to expedite the redemption of reward points for airline miles. The traditional process of calling card companies and airlines is cut in half with these accounts.
Purchase airline tickets on your desired airline and seek reimbursement for the cost with available rewards points. This method of rewards points redemption is used by some card companies to evaluate the travel details of account holders.
Seek immediate gratification from your rewards program when you redeem points for airline miles ahead of your trip. The growth of online services has allowed account holders to purchase vouchers and e-tickets for partner airlines without worrying about reimbursement.
Wait for your rewards points to build to a certain level for airline privileges. Your credit card company may offer privileged rewards like reduced blackout dates and business-class seats if you reach a certain points threshold.
Redeem your rewards points for airline miles when you take a trip using partner hotels, restaurants and rental car companies. These trips allow you to take advantage of free plane tickets and discounts while building up rewards points for future trips.
Review the points scale for participating airlines in your rewards program. A program like Marriott Rewards has different point levels needed for domestic and international airlines (see Resources below).
Convert your rewards points into airline miles based on your card's monthly and annual points limits. Card companies do not allow unlimited storage of rewards points, which makes frequent redemption necessary for budget-conscious spenders.
Anticipate the expiration dates for stored rewards points as you plan for future trips. The CreditCards website provides a review of expiration dates by major rewards programs ranging from 36 months to no limits on storage within annual limits (see Resources below).
