Earning frequent flyer miles can be one of the best ways to reduce the cost of flying. Frequent flyer miles are available through a wide variety of programs, and can even be accrued without actually flying at all. Though, no matter what program you choose to use, the best way to earn frequent flyer miles is by flying.

This perk of free miles is given by airlines as a means to reward their most loyal customers. An individual who flies frequently with the same airline can gain status with that company by using a frequent flyer reward program. Through this program, the passenger will not only accrue free miles of travel with an airline, but also gain preferential treatment. The higher one's ranking, the better chance one has to get better seats on the flight or get higher percentages of rewards for travelling. Being recognized by an airline as a preferred customer can make your flight much more comfortable. No more getting stuck in the middle seat or the back of the plane. Overall, it can make every flight better.

For most airlines, you will gain free miles either for travelling a certain number of miles, or for travelling a certain number of segments. Segments accumulate based on how many flights are taken. A flight that has a stop over in which you leave one plane and board another will count as two segments. This is good for individuals who do not travel very far frequently, but who travel very often over short distances. Those who tend to travel long distances, such as coast to coast or intercontinental, would probably get better value out of mile based systems. Most systems are tier based. After travelling a certain number of miles or segments the customer will move up another tier. With each tier comes a new set of bonuses. The primary bonus being the amount of credit you get for the miles you travel. Some plans actually allow you to reach a point where you are getting double credit for your flights. When one gets to the higher tiers, the benefits add up fast.

There are certain things to be wary of before entering into a frequent flyer program. Some plans include blackout dates in which miles earned cannot be used. This can be problematic as those blackout dates tend to coincide with the most popular travel times every year. If you are trying to earn frequent flyer miles so that you can visit a distant relative for Christmas, only to find out that all those miles you saved cannot be redeemed at Christmas time, it would be rather disappointing. Be sure to read the fine print and know what you are getting into before accepting a plan with blackout dates. Another popular system makes it so that you can only stockpile points for a certain amount of time before they become void. This can cause complications as well, as it often forces you to use your points for smaller discounts or shorter flights, and prevents you from saving them for a large discount or long flight at a later time. These factors do not make any plan useless; they are just restrictions that you should be aware of before committing to a plan.

Another way to get the most out of a frequent flyer plan is to take advantage of bonuses offered by airlines. When an airline opens up a new route or maybe they are trying to recover from a slow season business-wise, it will frequently offer special bonus rates for frequent fliers in which they accrue miles for flights will be heightened significantly. Keeping a close eye for these rates can lead to marvelous results when it comes time to redeem your miles. Another tip is to choose an airline that is not dominant at your airport of choice. In order to lure customers from more prominent airlines, the smaller airlines will often offer more bonuses or better plans to frequent fliers. Choosing the airline carefully can have major benefits.

These aspects are very beneficial if you are somebody who flies regularly. But what about somebody who likes to travel, but does not have the time or money to fly often? They can gain free miles too. One does not need to fly to gain frequent flyer miles. Many airlines offer reward credit cards that give free miles out for money spent using the card. Indeed, cards can be found that are not sponsored by a specific airline. These cards can be used to gain miles, and then those miles can be redeemed with a variety of airlines. Reward cards from airlines often have an annual fee and a higher interest rate, but if one uses a credit card frequently and pays off the bill on time, the rewards can be huge. With patience one can earn free flights or major discounts just as if he or she was a frequent flier simply by using the airline's reward card.

Getting preferential treatment from an airline can be a wonderful thing. Getting the choice seats on the plane, getting free flights and special bonuses from reward miles and saving money all around are among the best of the perks offered through frequent flyer miles. Use of this system of rewards can have immense benefits when it comes time for your next flight.