Miles Plus
Balance popular with practical and you'll get the best reward
Who's got the best frequent-flier program? The top hotel
reward program? How about the number-one affinity card? Depends on
who you ask--and who you are.
Randy Petersen, editor of InsideFlyer magazine, polls his
readers on these subjects every year. This time around, the top
picks included Continental OnePass and Marriott Rewards.
But selecting the program that's right for you isn't as
easy as looking at the list of winners, warns Petersen. "When
choosing a program, you have to take a number of things into
consideration," he says.
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Such as? Geography, for one. Determine which airlines offer the
most flights to your closest airports or which hotel chain is best
represented in the places you travel to. It makes no sense to start
collecting miles with a supplier you'll rarely use.
Another factor is alliances, says Petersen. It isn't enough
to look at a program on its own. Find out which other airlines or
hotels you can collect points with as a member of the program. That
way, even if you're not using your preferred airline, you can
still rack up mileage credits.
"Talk to other people who are travelers in your area,"
suggests Petersen. "Ask them about their own experience. Get
their advice."
What if it turns out to be bad advice? Don't worry, you can
always switch programs. Often, an airline will even let you
transfer your elite mileage status from another airplane, meaning
you don't have to start from the beginning when you jump
ship.
Christopher Elliott is a writer in Annapolis, Maryland.
Contact him at http://www.elliott.org
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