How many frequent flyer miles does it take to get a free flight?

We sampled flight awards available with U.S. carriers and found that consumers need between about 8,000 and 57,000 miles to get a free one-way coach flight. Free flights in business or first class start at around 25,000 miles and climb to well over 150,000 miles one-way.



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To give you a guideline, you should fly at least ten short-haul flights a year, two long-haul flights in economy class or one flight in business class to make a frequent flyer program worth your while. However, joining a frequent flyer program is basically always advisable, as you will not suffer any disadvantages.

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While many travel rewards are worth around 1 cent each, airline miles can be worth up to 6 cents each for first-class flights. Despite the potentially high valuations, miles are not always worth earning.

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Airline miles are oftentimes the most valuable award travel currency. While many travel rewards are worth around 1 cent each, airline miles can be worth up to 6 cents each for first-class flights. Despite the potentially high valuations, miles are not always worth earning.

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Editorial Guidelines Citi is an advertising partner. We found the average airline mile to be worth around $0.014, with AAdvantage offering the highest value and Southwest and United offering the most user-friendly rewards. The average airline mile across major U.S. companies is worth $0.014.

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Ultimately, you'll get the best deals with your miles if you're flexible with your travel plans. With that in mind, it's not difficult to find award availability to Europe from many US cities from 30,000 miles one way or 60,000 miles round trip, plus taxes and fees.

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75,000 Capital One Miles Statement Credit Value If you redeem your Capital One miles as a statement credit for recent travel purchases, each mile is worth 1 cent for any redemption. This makes the entire 75,000 miles balance worth $750 in redemptions for flights, hotels, cruises, car rentals, and tours.

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Book your flight in advance The Points Guy says that you should start monitoring their prices at least 10 months before your planned trip. Analyze their trends, whether the value goes up, down, or plateaus. This way you can make an informed decision when it comes to booking your flight.

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The main benefit of a frequent flyer program is the ability to accumulate miles and points which can be used to upgrade flights, book additional flights, buy travel-related gifts, and more.

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If you've got the miles to splurge, their value is even higher when you book first or business class, where you can get the most bang for your buck. Although the flights often cost thousands (or tens of thousands) of dollars, the amount of miles you'll pay generally isn't exorbitantly higher than an economy ticket.

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The most basic way to earn points is to fly often and with the same carrier. You can earn points without flying by signing up for a rewards credit card and using it and shopping with program partners.

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If you travel often or would like to travel more, earning frequent flyer miles or points with an airline and its participating partners can help you get free flights and enjoy such perks as airport lounge access, free checked bags and priority boarding.

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Security experts say frequent flier mileage and travel points are being targeted. They can be as valuable as money, and scammers can get into those accounts because too many of us are using old or weak passwords.

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We sampled flight awards available with U.S. carriers and found that consumers need between about 8,000 and 57,000 miles to get a free one-way coach flight. Free flights in business or first class start at around 25,000 miles and climb to well over 150,000 miles one-way.

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Summary of if 20,000 Miles is Worth it? For the most part, 20k miles are worth from $200 to $300 in award flights with credit card rewards programs.

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The exact process may vary slightly from Partner to Partner. Typically, while at checkout, show the cashier your AIR MILES Card and let them know you would like to use Cash Miles towards your purchase. You need to spend a minimum of $10 before tax; then every 95 Cash Miles will get you $10 off your purchase.

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