1. It depends on the activity and the program. It could be nearly instantaneous or it could take 8+ weeks. Often a promotion will say how long it takes. If you are interested about a specific activity, check the relavent thread or Forum. If they have not appeared in the expected timeframe, contact the issuer (e.g. Citi for a Citi credit card) to ensure that they were forwarded to the airline.

2. Usually your itinerary will display the distance between airports or you can look it up online. Depending on the airline, usually there is a 500-mile minimum. Then add class-of-service and elite status bonus and any promotions.

3. Sure.

4. Some forever, others 12-18 months without activity. It depends on the program as to when and if they expire and what restarts the clock.

5. Depends on your credit score, your ability to meet spend, and your organizational ability. Probably not more than 6 pulls per credit bureau per 6-month period at the outside. Some issuers have limits on applications and total number of cards.