These are certainly familiar to most frequent flyers, but here are a few tips from some experience in using the miles one earns...

(1) Save your miles for the largest award you can realistically go for. The higher the mileage award, the more its value. One rt business class to Asia is easily worth a lot more than three rt trips from Chicago to Newark ( both alternatives require about the same miles !)

(2) Don't use miles for upgrades if you can avoid it. Get to know the ground agents at your home airport. Don't be afraid to ask if they have upgrade certificates available.. they often either do have them, or will upgrade you anyway.

(3) Don't use miles for non-airline products, if you can avoid that... and even check out whether the value is the same when you use airline miles with so-called "partners". The value will always be higher in using miles with the airline than with products; often higher with the issuing airline than with partner airlines.

More to come.