A frequent flier program provides you with credits that you can collect and exchange for rewards. You earn credits for any ticket you buy with a specific airline company. Buying services or goods can earn points, too. The number of points you earn may vary, but is typically established by the number of miles you fly or the amount of money you spend. Programs may give you extra points if you join or fly business or first class. Track your credits online or through monthly statements.
The main rewards you get include free flights and flight upgrades. In addition to these, you may also get different services and goods, including expedited check-in, preferential seating on flights, free car rentals, hotel reservations or free merchandise. Before joining any frequent flier program, request detailed descriptions of the services and goods you get as rewards and the number of credits required for each type of reward.
Though airline companies with frequent flier program won't charge anything to join, ask when redeeming your points for goods or services if there are any special or other fees involved. You may have to pay a part of the upgrade fee if you don't have a sufficient number of points. For instance, if you have points that equal $30 and your upgrade costs $43, you'll have to pay the $13 difference. You might also have to pay taxes on the cost of a free flight.
The credits you earn and the rewards you receive will likely vary between airlines. Certain credits may not be transferable and expire if you don't use them within a certain period of time. In some cases, you may be unable to use your credit. For instance, if you want to get an upgrade but it isn't available on your flight, you can't use the points.
