This is just a thread to document some of the struggles of a newbie to frequent flier programs.

So I knew I was going to have to fly a lot this year, when normally I hardly ever fly, I thought I might as well sign up for some of the airline's frequent flier programs to see if I could get a free flight or two out of all of my business flying. The first couple of times it works out great, I sign up for the airline's program and get some miles.

Then I start flying on some partner airlines. Rather than sign up for a new account, I say hey, let's put these miles on my existing accounts. So the first one is a Delta flight, and I already have an Alaska account. For some reason, the Delta website just would not accept my Alaska account. So, that's fine, I'll tell the Delta people on the day I fly. Well, not being used to doing this, I forget. So I go on their website later and see if I can still get my miles, well, you need to have saved your boarding pass. Didn't know that as a newbie. Lesson learned.

I then fly on a island jump with Hawaiian. I don't see any options to use any program other than theirs, and since I'm not going to be on Hawaiian anytime soon in the future, I think there is no point to getting a Hawaiian account. Later, I realize they do have partners, and I had one of those partner accounts. I try to get retroactive credit: too late, 90 days passed.

I fly on several AA flights for business. I see I can use my JetBlue FF number when buying the AA flights, I input my number. Several weeks later, when I don't get JetBlue credit, I read the fine print and see that JetBlue only gives credit for a couple of AA flights. Nuts. So I ask Alaska to give me credit instead for those AA flights I already flew. They deny me credit because another airline has already given me "credit" (JetBlue).

All of these issues were initially the fault of the airline and subsequently my fault for not understanding their systems well enough. Lessons learned. But for all of you "churning" or whatever (I've been reading up on this stuff), and taking advantage of the airline's programs, you're just part of the yin and the yang of FF programs. Airlines take advantages of novices, experts take advantage of them. Survival of the fittest.

I was in the same boat as you and like you I joined FT and started learning about this program. Now I have pretty much doubled the amount of travel I used to do with the same budget. This game gets under your skin pretty quick.

Welcome to FT!

This also applies to the banks and frequent flier earning cards. Banks may be able to game LIBOR rates and commit mortgage fraud using the motto of "We Deserve to Make a Profit." But customers have the ability to capitalize on their poor internal controls and turn them into frequent flyer miles dispensing ATM machines.

Hey, welcome to flyertalk. Read up and don't get fooled again :-p

I feel like google could have done you a lot of good in a short amount of time and thus the community will not likely blame the airline.
But they are also known as loyalty programs - so, if you were flying one airline the entire time, that helps... but I understand the cheapest flight isn't always with the same airline.

But again, Welcome!

In late 2008 I realized that I would be flying 24k miles in December, perhaps 50k in 2009. Far more than my normal 10-14k a year. I knew I needed to maximize my miles.

I scoured the web and discovered FT and read about the various programs, the nuances and the realities. I decided to fly with AA and did a PLT challenge.

As fate would have it I flew over 135k miles, built up a hefty stack of miles, burned through 12 SWUs, scored several OpUps on intercontinental flights. Heck, I even got an elusive double OpUp (Y-J) on BA flying JNB-LHR.

Point is you have to read FT and ALWAYS read your programs rules. Read over the T&Cs when booking.

FWIW I may fly 5 k miles this year. (Not counting an award trip to HKT, up front on CX later this year.)

It comes on fairly quickly... and then it becomes fun to try to get the maximum. I don't fly through business or anything and by most on FT, very very little, but through some creative spending changes I am able to fly all over free in premium cabins. It's fun.

hashtagzero, welcome to FlyerTalk! I'll move this thread to the more appropriate MilesBuzz forum. Ocn Vw 1K, Moderator, TravelBuzz.

It took also took me awhile to learn the ropes. I learned it really pays to try and stick with one airline website, one hotel website and one rental car website. Pick the airline that has the most flights to the places you regularly fly.

Welcome to FT. As someone who doesn't fly often on business, I can assure you that it works for us disloyal as well. You gotta have a different approach, though, but what you have figured out so far is correct. In this love-hate relationship between a traveler and an airline/hotel, one side always takes advantage of another. Do your diligence and you will find yourself on the winning side.

I seriously began collecting points and miles after retiring in 1999 from working and living all over the world for 25 years. I joined Flyertalk after just missing out on the Pudding Guy's plan but did give out nutrigrain bars for Halloween. As a 70 year old Grandmother I take my family on trips that most only dream about, all thanks to FT. A few friends follow my advice, but most are skeptical about collecting miles and credit cards.
I have been so lucky to participate in every suggestion offered in the last 13 years offered on FT for earning miles and great hotels to be sure an stay in. My husband often tells me to be sure and thank the person who posted how wonderful the Hilton Sorrento was to Gold members.
I am truly so very happy when I read about a new reader discovering how to increase their travel budget 10 fold. Happy Travels to All! Thank you FT.

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Well said. Welcome to FT.

I second this. In fact, I still do the vast majority through UR mall because it allows me to get points that work together from multiple sources.