Frequent flyer miles an increasingly bad option on clarkhoward.com

Frequent flyer miles are supposed to be all about loyalty. You get free exotic trips all around the globe for flying one particular airline, right?

Wrong. The airlines have duped us and things are getting even worse. One example of this is those fake award charts. They advertise that you can go somewhere for X amount of miles, but you have to use double the miles if you want to go where you really want to go! And that's if you can find the seats.

Clark used to value frequent flyer miles at around a penny per mile, but now that's down to less than half a cent per mile.

To add insult to injury, airlines are now feeing you to death when you use your miles. There's usually a fee to book the miles and then a fuel surcharge on top of that. For example, Christa recently redeemed some of her husband's frequent flyer miles and wound up paying $75 per ticket in junk fees alone.

So Clark's advice is to burn through your miles now as he's doing. In the future, fly the airline with the best deal or the one that's the most convenient for you. Don't waste any effort chasing frequent flyer miles, which are like fool's gold.

What others are saying

Spirit Airlines
Hurricane Ike stopped us from going to the keys for our vacation.
We were flying into Fort Lauderdale on Spirit. The resort gave us a full refund, Spirit gave us the shaft. Not only did they refuse to acknowledge the coming of the hurricane, they refused to put a supervisor or a manager on the phone. They hung up on us, they played stupid about the weather,they kept saying oh call back at "fill in the blank". We started calling 48 hours before and have yet to get any type of service much less satisfaction. I was willing to take a voucher and book another vacation later, but at this point I'm sick of the whole thing. The credit card company will get a stop payment from us on this one. I'll make sure I am unavailable to spirit when they want to know why I am disputing the charge.
By Kathy Suter @ 09/07/08 03:48:20 PMreport abuse
Good Experience in 2007 with United FF miles
In August/September 2007, I used United FF miles for the first time ever for round trip ticket to Europe. I was apprehensive because of all the horror stories I'd read about trying to redeem miles. It took some searching for dates, but I found a combination that worked for me. I ended up paying more for airport parking than I did for the ticket fees. It sounds like I would not be so lucky if I were to take that trip today.
By Rene @ 07/06/08 03:19:11 PMreport abuse
National Airlines is Coming, literally
After health care is nationalized in 2009, I predict the next industry will be the airlines. Better use up those FF miles boys and girls, when Uncle Sam takes over they will be a fond memory.
By Jason @ 07/05/08 01:36:16 PMreport abuse
Correction
Sorry, 38,000 miles is the right amount! Still a deal!
By Victor @ 07/02/08 09:10:17 PMreport abuse
Miles aren't that bad
With advance planning miles are still a great value. I would never be able to earn back cash anywhere close to the amount of what free tickets I've redeemed. In Septemeber my wife and I are flying from Alanta to Minot, ND (taking Amtrak to Glacier National Park) and returning from Kalispel, MT. This itenerary would have cost over $1,400 for both of us to fly. I paid a grand total of $20 plus only 36,000 miles. True story and no, I don't work for the airlines. I just know how to play the game. The best tip I can give is plan, plan, plan. You'll never win if you don't!
By Victor @ 07/02/08 09:06:44 PMreport abuse
frequent flyer miles are for biz travelers
I agree with Clark not to waste effort chasing frequent flyer miles. FF programs were designed for business travelers. If you travel for business, they're a bonus that you may or may not be able to exploit. But leisure travelers are indeed foolish if they book for the miles rather than by the best fares.
By Lorenzo @ 07/02/08 12:45:43 PMreport abuse
Fly AirTran
8 paid flights = 1 free ticket AND if you can plan at least a week or so in advance, I have been able to get a free seat on 80% of the flights scheduled. MUCH better than the big airlinse.
By Pat @ 07/02/08 10:46:30 AMreport abuse
Frequent flyer
I am about to use mine for 1st class travel to Seattle. I love them. The best program is Southwest. For 16 one-ways, you get a ticket good for one year. Unless they have changed, they do not block out seats. If it is available it is yours
By Todd @ 07/02/08 10:10:52 AMreport abuse
Frequent flyer
I've had nothing but great results from Frequent flyer miles. Because of the credit cards I have I can alway checkin in the first class line and have access to lounges. I would pay extra just to have that but I dont need to. I've just flew to London for Free and it was great, they even had a limo pickup to and from the airport. The miles are working for me!
By Jack @ 07/02/08 10:00:52 AMreport abuse
frequent flyer miles
my fellow employees (at a very large company) focus on flying itineraries that only include airlines (primarily Delta) that add miles to their accounts, at a greater cost to the company than if they just took the lowest fares to a location.
By ken @ 07/01/08 11:38:36 PMreport abuse

Spirit Airlines

Hurricane Ike stopped us from going to the keys for our vacation.
We were flying into Fort Lauderdale on Spirit. The resort gave us a full refund, Spirit gave us the shaft. Not only did they refuse to acknowledge the coming of the hurricane, they refused to put a supervisor or a manager on the phone. They hung up on us, they played stupid about the weather,they kept saying oh call back at "fill in the blank". We started calling 48 hours before and have yet to get any type of service much less satisfaction. I was willing to take a voucher and book another vacation later, but at this point I'm sick of the whole thing. The credit card company will get a stop payment from us on this one. I'll make sure I am unavailable to spirit when they want to know why I am disputing the charge.

By Kathy Suter @ 09/07/08 03:48:20 PMreport abuse

Good Experience in 2007 with United FF miles

In August/September 2007, I used United FF miles for the first time ever for round trip ticket to Europe. I was apprehensive because of all the horror stories I'd read about trying to redeem miles. It took some searching for dates, but I found a combination that worked for me. I ended up paying more for airport parking than I did for the ticket fees. It sounds like I would not be so lucky if I were to take that trip today.

By Rene @ 07/06/08 03:19:11 PMreport abuse

National Airlines is Coming, literally

After health care is nationalized in 2009, I predict the next industry will be the airlines. Better use up those FF miles boys and girls, when Uncle Sam takes over they will be a fond memory.

By Jason @ 07/05/08 01:36:16 PMreport abuse

Correction

Sorry, 38,000 miles is the right amount! Still a deal!

By Victor @ 07/02/08 09:10:17 PMreport abuse

Miles aren't that bad

With advance planning miles are still a great value. I would never be able to earn back cash anywhere close to the amount of what free tickets I've redeemed. In Septemeber my wife and I are flying from Alanta to Minot, ND (taking Amtrak to Glacier National Park) and returning from Kalispel, MT. This itenerary would have cost over $1,400 for both of us to fly. I paid a grand total of $20 plus only 36,000 miles. True story and no, I don't work for the airlines. I just know how to play the game. The best tip I can give is plan, plan, plan. You'll never win if you don't!

By Victor @ 07/02/08 09:06:44 PMreport abuse

frequent flyer miles are for biz travelers

I agree with Clark not to waste effort chasing frequent flyer miles. FF programs were designed for business travelers. If you travel for business, they're a bonus that you may or may not be able to exploit. But leisure travelers are indeed foolish if they book for the miles rather than by the best fares.

By Lorenzo @ 07/02/08 12:45:43 PMreport abuse

Fly AirTran

8 paid flights = 1 free ticket AND if you can plan at least a week or so in advance, I have been able to get a free seat on 80% of the flights scheduled. MUCH better than the big airlinse.

By Pat @ 07/02/08 10:46:30 AMreport abuse

Frequent flyer

I am about to use mine for 1st class travel to Seattle. I love them. The best program is Southwest. For 16 one-ways, you get a ticket good for one year. Unless they have changed, they do not block out seats. If it is available it is yours

By Todd @ 07/02/08 10:10:52 AMreport abuse

I've had nothing but great results from Frequent flyer miles. Because of the credit cards I have I can alway checkin in the first class line and have access to lounges. I would pay extra just to have that but I dont need to. I've just flew to London for Free and it was great, they even had a limo pickup to and from the airport. The miles are working for me!

By Jack @ 07/02/08 10:00:52 AMreport abuse

frequent flyer miles

my fellow employees (at a very large company) focus on flying itineraries that only include airlines (primarily Delta) that add miles to their accounts, at a greater cost to the company than if they just took the lowest fares to a location.

By ken @ 07/01/08 11:38:36 PMreport abuse

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Jul 01, 2008 -- Frequent flyer miles an increasingly bad option

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