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Lots of people love to travel. The tricky part is paying for it, and airfare tends to be one of the biggest travel expenses. The average airline ticket cost $272 in December 2022, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Just getting to your destination isn't cheap.
There is, however, a way to save quite a bit on those flight costs. Savvy travelers often use credit card airline miles to get free airfare. If you're new to this card benefit, here's everything you need to know about it.
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How credit card airline miles work
All the major airlines have their own frequent flyer programs. If you sign up for a frequent flyer program, you can earn miles on purchases you make with that airline. Then, you can redeem your miles for airfare, upgrades, and sometimes other types of purchases, such as car rentals or vacation packages.
Credit card airline miles are the same thing as frequent flyer miles. The difference is that you earn them by making purchases on an airline credit card.
Most big airlines have one or more of their own airline credit cards. Each of these cards is tied to an airline's frequent flyer program and earns miles with it. While airline cards can have various travel perks, one they all have in common is that they allow you to earn miles on all eligible purchases. If you're looking for a card with a specific airline, here are some of the most popular options:
- American Airlines credit cards
- Delta Air Lines credit cards
- Southwest credit cards
- United Airlines credit cards
Let's say you fly with Delta Air Lines often. You could sign up for Delta SkyMiles and earn miles that way. But to earn miles faster, you could also open a Delta credit card. You'll then earn 1 mile per $1 or more on eligible purchases.
Many of the best airline credit cards also offer bonuses that help speed up the process even more. For example, there are airline cards that earn 2 to 3 miles per $1 in bonus categories, such as purchases with that airline, dining, or hotels. There are also quite a few cards with sign-up bonuses. These reward you with a large number of miles for reaching a spending minimum, such as 50,000 miles for spending $3,000 in the first three months.
By the way, not every airline uses the term "miles." Most do, but Southwest is a notable exception. It uses the term "points" in its frequent flyer program. Although it may seem confusing, the two terms are interchangeable here. Whether you're earning miles or points, they work the same way.
Redeeming credit card airline miles
When you apply for an airline credit card, you'll have the option of entering your frequent flyer number with that airline, if you have one. All the miles you earn will be credited to your account. If you don't have an account in that program yet, one will be created for you, assuming you're approved for the card.
Here's how to book a flight with your miles:
- Go to the airline's website.
- Log in to your frequent flyer account.
- Enter your desired travel dates and destination.
- Select the option to shop with miles. Airlines typically have a box you can check for this on the booking form.
- Search for flights and choose the one you want.
Flight prices will be displayed in miles. When you go through the checkout process, the airline will deduct the required miles from your account. Note that there may be taxes and fees for your award ticket, in which case it won't be 100% free.
Although booking flights is the standard way to use miles, it's far from your only option. You might also be able to use miles to upgrade tickets you already purchased, book other types of travel, or even purchase merchandise through the airline's shopping portal. You can learn about an airline's frequent flyer program and redemption options on its website.
Keep in mind that not all redemption options are good uses of your miles. Some provide much more value than others. Flight bookings, especially for business- and first-class travel, tend to provide the most bang for your buck. On the other hand, it's usually a waste to buy merchandise with miles.
They may seem a little complicated at first, but credit card airline miles are actually easy to use. If you get an airline credit card, you'll earn miles that you can redeem through its frequent flyer program. This option isn't right for everyone -- if you're not loyal to an airline, then more all-purpose travel rewards credit cards are a better choice. But for those who usually fly with the same airline, an airline card is a great way to earn miles and save money on flights.
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We're firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.Lyle Daly has positions in Delta Air Lines. The Motley Fool recommends Delta Air Lines. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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