How can I receive special treatment
from the Airline?
- Get to know the Airline personnel that you see
the most. If you use the same Airline to fly out of
the same airport, take some time to recognize people.
If you take the time to get to know them, it will
make traveling more pleasant and the contacts you
develop will be able to help you with problems and
might even result in some free upgrades.
- If the Airline personnel are extra helpful, send
a letter of thanks to the Airline. Most companies
reward employees who receive positive customer service
letters. You don¡¯t have to give all the details. Don¡¯t
include "they broke every policy in your book
to help me", even if they did, it may end up
getting them in trouble. You can just state how helpful
and professional they were and how their actions will
only encourage your further use of the Airline. This
will encourage the employee to continue to give good
service and once they get the letter, they will probably
remember you the next time you need their help.
- Join the Airline¡¯s elite membership clubs. There
are some costs involved, but there are also lots of
perks.
- Consider joining the Airline¡¯s frequent flyer program.
This is not only a good way to work your way to a
free ticket, better seat assignments, class upgrades,
but also to keep informed of special programs. You¡¯ll
also gain leverage when dealing with the Airline¡¯s
customer service department if you ever run into a
problem. You can start collecting miles with your
next flight.
- You may also find that you¡¯ll be able to collect
miles with your hotel and rental car reservations.
Some credit cards are connected to frequent flyer
programs and you can receive miles for any charges
placed on those cards.
Is it worth the money to join
the Airline¡¯s elite membership clubs?
These clubs generally have membership fees and some
have minimum travel requirements. You probably shouldn¡¯t
spend the money to join if you don¡¯t travel often.
Every program will vary as to what you get for the
membership, so you¡¯ll have to look at the individual
program benefits. Some Airlines have several different
levels of clubs to join, so you might try the entry
level first. Before you spend the money to join, you
also want to check and see if the services the club
offers will be available on the routes you fly. The
frequent flyer will find the most benefits in joining.
Here are a few benefits offered by elite clubs.
- You get the short line. If you need any help,
you¡¯ll get the most and be the first to get it.
- You¡¯ll get the first shot at the extra first
class seats or other upgrades.
- You¡¯ll be much less likely to be bumped.
- If you get stuck somewhere, you¡¯ll be on the
top of their list to get you out.
- When you do wait, they may have a special private
waiting area. These areas often have much more comfortable
seating and can have business services available.
- You may be entitled to special deals that are
only offered to elite club members.
- You may be allowed a larger luggage allowance.
- Customer service issues are generally taken more
seriously when you belong to an elite club.
How can I maximize my frequent
flyer points?
- Be flexible and check several itineraries. Different
routes or days traveled could save you money and/or
reward you with more points.
- If you can¡¯t find a seat on your chosen Airline,
look into using their partners. Many Airlines have
partnership agreements that can earn you frequent
flyer points on your regular Airline.
- Stay in hotels that reward your frequent flyer
program. Charge items, such as meals and other services,
at the hotel to your room so you¡¯ll earn even more
points.
- Use rental car services that reward your frequent
flyer program.
- Use credit cards that reward your frequent flyer
program.
- Always be on the lookout for special marketing
agreements that reward your frequent flyer program.
What should I know about my frequent
flyer program?
Read the fine print and make sure to follow the rules
or you could loose all your hard-earned privileges.
Also, make sure you keep your boarding pass until your
account shows that points have been credited for that
flight. Ask the following questions of your frequent
flyer program so you can avoid unpleasant surprises.
What do you need to do to earn points?
What other Airlines or businesses reward miles
from your frequent flyer program?
Are there minimum points rewarded for short flights?
Are the points earned only valid for a certain
time period?
What are the blackout periods for the use of my
rewards?
How are you informed if they change the rules?
Is there a limit on the number of passengers using
points to reserve seats on a particular flight?
Do they allow you to share your rewards with others?
What is the process to grant others your rewards?
Can my rewards be used on international flights?
What other limits are there on the use of your
rewards?
Are frequent flyer programs always
the best way to go?
No. Joining a frequent flyer program is a good idea,
but don¡¯t get too caught up in the program. Don¡¯t
spend a lot of extra money for tickets just because
you get the points. The free tickets are supposed
to be free, so keep this in mind and continue to shop
for the best rate. You can always join several programs
to be able to earn the miles and still have the flexibility
to find the best rates.
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