While there are some people who fly on a regular basis, either for work or leisure, the vast majority of people are what we might call ‘occasional travellers’, only flying once or twice a year – and sometimes not even that often. While it might seem on the surface as though having a rewards credit card such as an air miles credit card is something that would be more beneficial for someone who travels a lot, there are actually several reasons why they are also great for ordinary travellers. Read on to find out how an air miles credit card could benefit you when you are planning trips away.
How it works
An air miles credit card works on a fairly simple principle. Once you have applied for the card and been accepted onto it, you will typically have the chance to join the flying club associated with your credit card company. This is what gives you access to all of the benefits your air miles can bring you.
Whenever you use your air miles credit card to make purchases, you will earn air miles in return. Over time, these build up and then when you have enough of them, you will be able to redeem them against the benefits on offer from your flying club. The more air miles that you have, the more benefits you will be able to access.
This means that if you have an air miles credit card that gives you 1 air mile for every pound you spend, and you spend £750 a month on your credit card, you could earn 9000 air miles in a year. Some purchases also earn you double air miles, and there are other cards available that offer more air miles for every pound you spend, so you could potentially earn even more depending on which card you get and your purchasing habits.
Cash and air miles flights
One of the main rewards that ordinary travellers tend to make use of is the ability to combine air miles and cash when purchasing flights. One of the best things about this is that you generally only need a few thousand air miles to be eligible, so it won’t take you too long to build up enough in order to be able to access this benefit. Plus, as you will normally be given an air miles bonus when you initially take out the credit card, it is likely that this will take you no time at all.
As you would expect, the more air miles you have to redeem against your flight, the less cash you will need to make up the cost of it. This means that you could potentially be saving yourself money on a flight simply by using your air miles credit card for making everyday purchases, meaning this is a great option for families, couples and singles alike.
Companion reward flights
Often with an air miles credit card, you will also be eligible for a complimentary companion reward flight if you spend a certain amount of money on your card in a 12 month period. This means that if you are looking to travel on a certain route and on a certain date, you might well be able to access a free companion ticket as a reward for making regular use of your air miles credit card.
How much you need to spend in a year in order to access the complimentary companion reward flight will depend on your air miles credit card, as each one will have a different limit, so it is definitely worth bearing this in mind when you are deciding which card to apply for as it could potentially bring you great flight savings on selected flights.
Seat upgrades
Once you have built up enough air miles, you’ll also be able to redeem them against seat upgrades, so if you have ever wondered what it’s like to travel in upper class you could well be able to find out. It seems safe to say that most ‘occasional travellers’ will travel in economy class, but naturally everyone would love to know what it’s like on the other side of the plane’s curtain. Redeeming your air miles against a seat upgrade could be your chance to find out.
Long term air miles saving
Finally, a rewards credit card can be great for ordinary travellers in the long term as the longer you save up your air miles, the more benefits you’ll be able to access. If you save your air miles up over an extended period, for instance, you might even be able to redeem them against an entire flight. Whether that is an economy trip to a European city or an upper class trip to New York, it’s sure to be worth it.
