Air Miles and How to Earn Air Miles – I have drafted a concise guide to earn air miles in india. Air Miles are the key to flying for free. It’s easy and hassle free to earn air miles with the right knowledge.

Air miles: Frequent Flyer programs offered by the airlines, aims to reward a customer for being a loyal frequent flyer. The reward is by means of “air miles“. Air miles, like the credit card reward points, are awarded post the travel. Each airline has its own policy to calculate and reward air miles.
Airline Loyalty programs aims to build brand loyalty, a win-win business strategy.However, the mushrooming of low cost airlines and the craze for the cheapest airfare have downplayed the flyer programs in India. There are only a handful of active airlines which offer such programs.

• Air India                                       –  Flying Returns
• Jet Airways                                   –  Jetprivilege
• AirAsia India (budget airline)   – BIG Loyalty Programme
• Singapore Airlines                       – Kris Flyer
• Vistara                                            – Vistara Club

How to earn air miles:

Well, you should understand that air miles are not giveaways, meaning they are not free. A percentage of the money you spend could earn you air miles. It is essential that you Signup for frequent flyer programs with individual airlines to benefit from your spending.

Buy, Gift or Transfer your air miles!

Air-tickets: Log in to your frequent flyer program account to book tickets or quote your FF number while booking air tickets. The number of miles you earn per journey depends on the airline and the sector (Economy/Business class) you choose to fly! Sign-in and book through mobile app of the airline (Airlines may offer bonus air miles for app bookings).

This is the direct method to earn air-miles. Booking tickets with partner airlines and select code share flights could earn you miles as well. (CODE SHARE is an agreement between two airlines – where in an airline markets or sells the seats for another airline as its own).

However, if you are not a frequent flyer there are alternate ways to make the best out of your spending!!!

Pool in air miles of your whole Family!

Co-Branded credit cards and debit cards: Jet airways widely promotes its co-branded credit cards and debit cards. You could directly earn miles from your spending on credit and debit cards and the points multiplier is a bit high on co-branded cards. Money withdrawal from ATM do not count as purchase!

Payback Redemption: Payback is a rewarding Shopping loyalty program. Payback points are awarded for purchases against 50 in-store and online partners. Your purchase in Amazon, Flipkart and various other portals could earn you airmiles behind the scenes. Convert your payback points to your preferred airline frequent flyer program! 

It’s possible to buy airmiles, when you fall short of!

Credit Card Redemption: The movie ticket you paid for, the sumptuous buffet you had on the TGIF, the mobile bill you paid for, the vacation you booked for – with your credit card earns you airmiles on the back stage! Each of your purchase converts to credit card points, which could be redeemed to earn airmiles. I have redeemed my credit card points against Jet Previlege and Flying Returns (Airindia). I didn’t have the need to convert to Kris Flyer, yet.

Purchase or transact with airline merchant partners (Airasia and Jetprivilege have a huge list of partners to earn miles from).

TripAdvisor reviews: Writing reviews on the travel forum could potentially earn you airmiles!

Your accrued points has an expiry date. Waste not!

Ryan Bringham (George Clooney),in the movie “Up in the air” earns the elite status for hitting the 10 million miles mark! Well, it was inspiring. However, hitting such a number may not earn you a Ryan Bringham treatment, but would certainly get you decent respect and a good service from the airline. I had rather say, its flimsy and too difficult to accrue for a normal traveller (as in you and me), if you were to pay for the tickets out of your pocket!

Accrued points or airmiles are transferable. Gift your airmiles for your loved ones!

The concept of air miles and flying for free is amazing. However, it comes with a heavy price. The more you spend, the more the miles you accrue and your free ticket!

Airmiles are a reward for your spending. Learn to fly for free!