Newbie getting into miles/points Question
 

Hi Everyone

I am just starting to get into miles/points. I have been reading this forum and there is a lot of information to absorb .. from the bonus offers for credit cards to buying miles to evaluating miles on a monetary basis. Anyone got any advice for me on which things to focus on when starting off?

My goal is to be able to use miles for business class international travel :-)

Keep reading. Join all programs. Figure out your commitment level and how much money you're willing to commit to earning miles. Basically, keep reading. It took me several months before I felt comfortable enough to jump into the thick of things.

Well there's the current purchasing miles promotion from US Airways and I think Delta, it's a good idea to take advantage of both

Read more, there are a bunch of questions you have to ask yourself.

Do you want a "free" business class ticket or "free" upgrades where you buy a coach ticket?

"international" is a big place - where specifically, because different airlines/alliances are stronger in some regions than others.

What airlines can you not use from where you live?



With the above info, then, you need to decide whether you want to shotgun to all airlines or focus on a few, and concentrate the mileage earnings.

Be careful, it is quite easy to end up spending more on getting the points than it would be to just buy the ticket.

You won't get it all in a few short views here at FT. There's tons of information available. Most of the forums have stickies at the top that summarize most of the important information available on various FF programs, hotel programs, and credit card offers (although the credit card offers tend to fluctuate wildly so the individual threads will help you more there). Then you can delve back into all of the threads to get an idea of how things are changing and what new offers are available.

As you start seeing all the options, you should also be getting your travel goals organized. There are plenty of big card offers out there, but if those offers don't meet your plans, they're of no use to you. And, you might find that some offers that many don't like might actually fit your travel plans better.

These travel bloggers, amongst others, give generally reliable information about offers, plans, and promotions and are worth a look:

http://thepointsguy.com/
http://www.frugaltravelguy.com/
http://boardingarea.com/blogs/viewfromthewing/
http://millionmilesecrets.com/
http://www.freefrequentflyermiles.com/index.htm
http://www.onlinetravelreview.com/
http://boardingarea.com/blogs/onemileatatime/
http://boardingarea.com/blogs/loyaltytraveler/

Thanks for the help everyone!

Also, become familiar with the terms of the FF programs that you are a part of. Not all miles are the same. Using UA as an example, you have total miles and EQM (Elite Qualifying Miles). It's important to understand the difference.

Figure out what you're earning miles for and what would be the best way to achieve those goals (which airlines/alliances, hotel programs, etc). Analyze your current travel. Research the programs (most have an FAQ at the top of their forum here) and make sure they fit your needs. Set up an RSS reader and add the previously mentioned blogs, check daily for new posts, and learn.

Finally, make sure your finances are in order. Check your credit, figure out which cards you have, etc. Figure out how much you can reliably spend per month on cards and add in whatever extra avenues you're willing to take to meet spend requirements.

International Business Class is attainable with just some credit card sign ups. Like Citi AA to start.

Definitely do this.

Also you should ask yourself why you are interested in these programs and what are your goals. What do you want out of your miles/points?

Do you want Free service class upgrades, Airport Lounge access, award economy flights or award first class flights. Try to create a mission statement as to why are you earning miles to give your earnings focus.

^ +1 on these. I think it's much easier to start absorbing all of this information if you actually have a specific objective you're working towards. I would pick a destination, or at least a region, and figure out a redemption strategy from there. If you can't make it work, try another destination... the knowledge you pick up along the way will build in a much more coherent way.