The first air miles program was offered by American Airlines in 1981. United, Delta and British Airways initiated programs in that same year. There are now hundreds of air mile reward programs, which are offered by domestic and international carriers.
In most cases, passenger will earn one air mile point per miles flown. However, if you are flying on a discount carrier, they might only award you for flight segments, regardless of how many miles you have traveled. With the recent influx of airline alliances and code shares, it's now possible to earn miles on other carriers, even if you are not a member of their program. For example, United Airlines is a member of Star Alliance, which has code share flights with US Airways, as well as a large number of international carriers. Delta is part of Sky team. Since they have recently merged with Northwest, you can now combine the miles earned from both programs. You can also earn Sky Miles on Continental, and a variety of international airlines. American is a member of One World. Currently, it only has alliances with International partners.
Keep in mind that airline alliances are constantly changing. Once you join a program, be sure to sign up for email updates. This information was accurate in June of 2009. Be sure to check the database and the airline rewards Websites that are listed in the Resources section; changes are always happening.
Affinity program credit cards are extremely popular amongst frequent travelers. In most cases, you will earn one point per dollar spent. Most of these cards offer a generous mileage bonus for signing up. American Airlines has an affinity program with Citibank. Delta has a program with American Express, and United has an affinity card with Chase. You can opt for cards such as Diner's Club and American Express Membership Rewards, which allow you to earn points with a variety of airlines and hotels.
Just about every air mile program has an online shopping program, which allows you to earn points for purchases. In most cases, you will earn one point per dollar. However, they often offer bonus points during certain seasons. Typical partners include Harry and David, Sephora, FTD, and Macy's. New stores are constantly added.
Just about every hotel chain offers air mile bonuses. In most cases, you will earn 500 miles per hotel stay. The nice thing about these programs is the fact that you do not need to fly in order to receive the bonus. Simply present your frequent flyer card at check-in. Be sure to sign up for email updates from your frequent flyer program, since they will periodically give bonus points for staying at specific hotels during certain time periods.
