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I’ll get to the free United Club Pass in a minute, but first, to the readers of Million Mile Secrets, welcome to milevalue.com. This blog is a must read for anyone interested in frequent flier miles and travel:
1) Beginners– Welcome to the miles game. You may never have to pay for a flight again. And if you want to fly for free in seven-foot beds at the front of the plane to exotic destinations, you can do that too! You’ll want to start with my Free First Class Next Month series that started today just below this post. Each post in the series will be a two minute read that prompts you to do something that will take you two more minutes. By the end of the month, you’ll go from knowing nothing about frequent flier miles to being a nascent expert, someone who can fly wherever he wants for free!
2) Experts– In daily posts, I do the math and give you the math-free analysis behind making sure you’re squeezing every bit of value out of the programs you already understand well. I focus on quantifying good redemptions and good deals and posting valuable resources that you won’t find anywhere else. Check these posts out to see what I mean:
A List of All Possible International Gateway Cities When Using AAddvantage Miles
How Much Are Rapid Rewards Points and Avios Worth?
Complete Lists of All Possible Avios Redemptions from New York and Los Angeles
Free Giveaway
I have one one-time United Club pass that expires October 31, 2012. I will be giving it away through a random drawing. There are two ways to enter, and you can enter both ways to double your chances. First, comment on this post with a question or a suggestion for something you’d like to see covered here. Second, follow me on twitter: @milevalue. Tomorrow at midnight, I’ll use a random number generator to determine a winner, and I’ll mail you the pass.
Just getting started in the world of points and miles? The Chase Sapphire Preferred is the best card for you to start with.
With a bonus of 60,000 points after $4,000 spend in the first 3 months, 5x points on travel booked through the Chase Travel Portal and 3x points on restaurants, streaming services, and online groceries (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs), this card truly cannot be beat for getting started!
Editorial Disclaimer: The editorial content is not provided or commissioned by the credit card issuers. Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of the credit card issuers, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the credit card issuers.
The comments section below is not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all questions are answered.
I only make $40,000 a year. What is the best way to earn miles?
a targeted credit card approach. you need to be signing up for fewer deal than someone who makes $100,000 a year, but each one will have a higher average bonus
The more UA the better. Mileage runs/travel tips for United (Denver’s my home base) would be much appreciated. Or Poker tips!!
Great interview over at MMS. Would love to hear an occasional post on poker! Keep up the good work.
Could you please cover how to you use AA miles to get to southern or eastern Africa? Also, I would be interested to learn more about using AA miles to go to Australia and New Zealand. Thanks!
I can definitely cover these. Be on the lookout for my AA series in the next week or two.
Visiting site for the first time and love the calculator. Used it to calculate my best ever redemtion – going to Paris on Swiss (LX) in F for 90000 Aeroplan miles -a value of 12 c a mile!
Will be flying on UA this summer to Jackson Hole so I could sure use the lounge pass! Please enter me in the draw.
Look forward to seeing more on Star Alliance.
Thanks for the beginner’s guide. It’s exactly what I needed.
I’m here to learn. Love hotel programs, but I hear it’s almost impossible to use your frequent flier miles from many people. How do you get around those roadblocks?
Don’t correct them. Let them keep thinking it’s impossible to redeem airline miles. That way we can keep having amazing award availability.
But seriously, have them read this site, specifically the beginners’ series, and they’ll see how to redeem miles.
I’m very new to this and would love to see something on booking partner flights. I thought I read somewhere that I could book Korean air from ORD to HNL for 35k. I’ve been so focused on earning miles that I have not figured out how to use them.
you’re going to love the beginners’ series Free First Class Next Month. There are a number of programs in which you can get from ORD to HNL for 35 or 40k r/t
I just wanted to let you know know that you are on my list….that’s a good thing. Look forward to the read! Thank you.
Great interview and blog! What airline provided your favorite first class experience?
Qantas A380 first is my dream, but I’ll have to settle for business on my upcoming Melbourne-LAX redemption
Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experiences.
Great site. I am a beginner and I am looking forward to having my mind filled with miles and free first class flights.
How do you/did you learn all the little codes for flight fares, airlines, etc.? Is there a site somewhere that clarifies all that? Also, how do you keep track of all your miles and awards?
Both questions will be answered by the series!
Great interview and I look forward to your Free First Class series.
I’m an AU on a Delta Skymiles plat card, and not yet able to app prime rewards cards. The cardholder is 7k miles away from silver medallion level, for which I can take advantage of. Is paying the $15 dollar monthly fee for rent, worth the reward value?
Probably. Ask yourself how much you value the Silver amenities like better seats and a free bag. Ask yourself how often you’d take advantage of them. And then see if that value is greater than $15/month. I pay my rent by card, not for this purpose, but just to clear sign up bonuses. To me, it is worth the fee.
I’d like to see coverage on the topic of buying plane tickets for the sole purpose of trying to get bumped to get airline vouchers. What’s the best way to do this?
I love this topic, you’ll be seeing something
Great blog! The more Star Alliance redemption info. the better, since they have such great worldwide coverage. Also, what about these nasty rumors about Delta’s Skymiles program changing? Yikes!
I will give my thoughts on the possible Delta change. Cliff notes: not necessarily bad news for us.
Congrats on the blog. What is the best way to upgrade to business class tickets. Can you buy economy with miles and still upgrade? Thinking about United/partners.
Thanks!
See page 4 of this chart: http://www.united.com/web/en-US/content/news/United_Award_Chart_2012-03-03.pdf
It’s tough to read, but if you understand fare classes, you’ll figure it out.
I just emailed Darius to tell him that of all the inteviews I have read on his site in the past 6 months of my joining him, yours has been the best, since your analytical and mathematical mind parallels mine, but you have done the legwork already. I am so happy to find your blog. Can you tell me the best routing and advantageous use of miles to go around the world, stopping in each continent, over a 6 months period of time. I have lots of American miles still from my days as a road warrior; now semi retired, teaching English accent abroad. I live abroad also most of the year, and travel from Europe and the Middle East regularly; now will start doing it in business or first.
Thanks for the kind words. Stay tuned; I’ll do a post on round-the-world awards with AAdvantage miles.
Nice to see a new blogger actually adding value instead of rehashing the posts of myriad other blogs. I’m curious, with the recent (now not so recent) DOJ actions against online poker organizations, how do you play and where do you keep your money?
Most of my poker friends no longer publicize their hobby.
I play at a legal cardroom here in LA. I had to give up online play after black Friday.
Love the blog. I am new to the game, but my goal is to book a vacation for me and my husband to Kauai from NYC. I am working on my credit scores. Numbers are on high 600’s but I know it is not enough to get the good deals. Hopefully in a couple of months I can get some new credit cards. Can I pay student loans and earn miles?
Yes! Once you get in on the big offers, to help clear them more quickly you can pay student loans for a 2-3% fee with a credit card. The fee is worth it if it helps you clear more bonuses.
I’m also newer to the “scene”, so anything you can do to “dum down” some of the more complicated topics would be much appreciated!
I really enjoyed your MMS interview. Your blog is now in my daily google blog reader. As for suggestions, I would like to mention articles on how limited travelers like me (travel about 15,000 miles per year with about $20,000 in cc purchases & 2 weeks of vacation time)can take advantage of the many offers/gimmicks available. Happy travels!
You basically described my travel profile, so this blog should be perfect for you!
I am really interested in what you are going to talk about in regards to the free one-way flights with AAdvantage miles as my city is one of the gateway cities.
Very cool blog, I loved the interview on MM!
Stay tuned, this info will be up in the next week or two.
Very interested in your series – hope you can discuss different strategies for point conversions and partners. Looking forward to it!
I would like to know more about obtaining Chase cards and their requirements for time(s) between applications.
Chase seems to have most of the best cards, so info on Chase will definitely be given.
Tips on building up miles in one program quickly would be great.
Most comprehensive travel site ever. Got your link from Million Mile daily posting. No matter where you go using Avios, BA makes you go via LHR with outrageous Fees/Taxes/Surcharges. Please tell us how to avoid LHR.
Read my series on Avios! Short answer: don’t fly from North America to Europe with Avios. Use your Avios for domestic and short flights on American, Qantas, or LAN.
If you’re applying for loans in the near future what’s the best way to accumulate miles?
I’d love to see a post on the best way to get to Africa through miles. I agree with what the others have said, from your interview it seems like your site will be very unique, and I look forward to following it.
Welxome to the blogging world!!! Also would love an occassional post on the poker world and how it affects your miles world.
i have heard there is fare sometimes avail. on united/co
where you pay economy fare but are booked into business class- im thinking it was a Z fare- do you have any knowledge if such a thing exists and if so, how to get it?
I’m new to the points game. It looks like the best way to get points is to sign up for credit cards. I have read these crazy stories in the past about small purchases building huge miles, like the yogurt containers that gave out 100 miles and stuff like that. Do those weird deals ever pop back up?
Also I saw you mention the dining miles. I currently have all of my cards signed up with United Dining, do you know if I can register them with other airlines too?
If those deals do pop back up, I’ll mention them here. As to signing up the same card multiple times. Those dining programs are all run by the same company, so if you sign up your card in a different program, it will just cancel the original signup. But I love that you’re thinking outside the box in an attempt to double dip!
Great interview at MMS! I’m just getting into the whole credit card churning world and would like to see a mathematical approach to balancing your credit score with credit card applications/cancellations. Many of us may have to apply for loans/mortgages/etc. in the near future, but also want to travel for cheap.
I love the blog! Both the math and the detailed breakdown of how to best redeem on each reward program. Looking forward to the Skymiles breakdown, as I’m at a Delta hub… I was also wondering if you’ll be covering Round The World fares at all? Thanks a ton!
Sweet! Came here from Million Miles. Can you please set up a Facebook account (hate Twitter) so we can get updates there? That’s the only way I keep up….and I’m sure I’m not the only one.
I’ll look into a facebook page; thanks for the tip.
Love it! The reviews are very helpful! Thanks!
I was interested in any information on the value of cash and points when booking hotel rooms. IHG does not refund the cash spent should you have to cancel a cash and points booking, and I was hoping you could address this topic with more hotel chains as well. Thank you for all your tips!
I’d like to know when and under what circumstances a cash redemption makes more sense than a miles redemption. Cards like the Chase Sapphire allow you to use points as “cash” or transfer to airlines and redeem. Is the transfer always better? Is buying with points (and earning miles on the flight) sometimes better? Which is better when?
Thanks!
Check out the Mile Value Calculator at the top of the home page. One of its many uses is to compare an award to a “cash” use of a point. If the awards gets a higher cents per mile than the “cash” value, go with the award. Go with the “cash” value if the cents per mile of the award is lower.
Hey, your blog is looking awesome!
I’m interested in knowing the best way to buy airline tickets, hotel stays, car rentals, vacation packages, etc. in order to maximize the mile/points/Cash Back that can be earned. Whether through specific shopping portals, cashback sites, or third party booking engines and combined with a rewards credit card for double or even triple dipping.
Cheers!
I am looking forward to reading your blog!
Your blog brings a lot of new insight. I am glad you were interviewed!
Thanks!
Thanks for the blog! Interested in seeing more info rating the best promos from the past 10 years for frequent travelers.
I’m also a huge poker fan, and a relative newbie to the points world, so excited to see coverage from a poker player’s perspective!
We leave in the PNW and love going to Mexico and other warmer countries to the south in the winter so Alaska is a really good airline for us but it doesn’t get talked about much on miles web sites although it partners with some interesting airlines. We both got Alaska CC’s this year for the 25,000 bonus but would love to hear some ideas for how to increase miles for flights on Alaska or it’s partners.
Hi, can you do a feature on utilizing UR points for business class travel to Southeast Asia (Bangkok or Singapore)? Looking to get a family of three their early next year.
churning -when to cancel and what to churn
How to get the cards for a homemaker when the other partner does well financially.
My question is how one person can earn enough miles to cover flights for three people up in the front of the plane (they’re children so they can’t open their own credit cards)without taking a year of churning cards. Thanks!
Opening the Citi AA Amex and Visa at the same time would be 100,000 miles, enough for the three of you to fly LAN’s fully flat business class to Northern South America. More generally, earn some miles through paid flying or try to convince a loved one to open a Sapphire Preferred or Ink Bold and transfer the miles to you.
I’d love to see how you are able to find availability for first class travel to Europe at the mile saver rate AND without crazy layovers or even changing airports in the NY area (which is what I found when trying to book Seattle to Rome in April).
With which type of miles? Certainly the best to get to Europe are miles on the star alliance (United, US) since that alliance has the most European based airlines with direct flights to Europe from tons of American cities.
This seems like its going to be a great travel resource. Bookmarked! Thanks.