Today it takes a bit more thought to make the most of mileage rewards. You not only need to know how many miles will earn you free travel but if and when your miles expire, if blackout dates apply or if there are any caps that may affect the type or price of the ticket or destination you would like to visit.

Annual Fee versus No Fee Cards
One of the first things to consider is whether there is an annual fee applied to the card. It doesn’t make much sense to work toward a travel reward if the annual fee is more than the free or reduced travel. Some cards charge as much as $75 which would mean you have to charge $8,000 annually just to break even with your earned reward miles. If you find that a card with an annual fee will earn the best mile rewards, be sure you never carry a balance as the interest paid will also offset your rewards.

Annual Percentage Interest Rates
Interest rates are extremely important, if you typically carry a balance. In fact, it would be wise to consider whether using this type of card is in your best financial interest. However, if you are able to pay off your balance most months, than be sure to find the lowest APR available and be sure to take advantage of 0% introductory periods. It is essential to do a cost benefit analysis on the various available airline credit cards before selecting one.

Frequent Flyer Miles or Airline Miles Credit Cards
The big difference here is whether you’re interested in traveling with one specific airline or whether you’d like to shop around for the best rates for your destination. Be sure to examine all the fine print before deciding. Regardless of which type you choose, the points or miles earned typically equal one mile for each dollar spent with some offering double-point opportunities.

Airline Miles Reward cards are issued by most major credit card companies and banks and allow miles to be earned on all purchases made with the card. The biggest advantage is that you can redeem your points for travel on any airline.

Frequent Flyer Credit cards are issued by a specific airline. These cards allow you to earn frequent flyer miles to be used when traveling with their airline. To encourage you to participate, these cards often offer bonus miles just for opening up an account. It’s not unusual for the bonus to be 7,500 miles or more which can kick-start your efforts and help you earn that trip much sooner.

Earning Points
The percentage you can earn on your purchases is between 1% and 6% with an average of 3%. At the higher level it is usually an introductory offer which lowers over time. Most mile cards require a minimum of 25,000 points to get a ticket. A few offer a one-way ticket for as little as 14,000 points. Look for opportunities to earn double points and a particularly good value is the bonus that is often attached to introductory offers. Most cards have a cap on the number of points that can be accumulated so be sure you understand the fine print.

Additional Reward Offers
The rewards you can earn with your airline mile points are not as limited as they once were. Some programs offer other travel benefits to use your points. Look for cards that include discount hotel rooms and car rentals and seat upgrades as redemption rewards.