where to begin?
 

Hi all, new here, and completely overwhelmed! Cannot afford to travel much, and decided I would really begin to commit myself to obtaining frequent flyer points etc. Where do I begin? How do i start? How can I begin accumulating a stash of points for my family and I?

thanks! :)

Welcome to FlyerTalk! Lots of information in the Posts at the top of the MR forum which will give you some of the basics. You might also consider taking one of the MR Seminars offered by the MR/Point FT Experts, such as the one in October (I think there is still space). http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/commu...th-2010-a.html

oh thanks! I will definitely look into the seminar.

For the info, are you talking about the miles and points forum page? or somewhere else? So many airlines, so many programs? Are there good ones to begin to build a basic stash of points that can take you anywhere?

Yes, under Miles & Points there are various forums covering how to accumulate miles in various airline programs, either via MR's or other deals (such as credit cards), & getting hotel & car rental points, etc. It takes time but just start browsing, reading & you will learn, have fun, make new friends, & begin the lifelong quest for elite status, miles & points!

ok! thanks! here i go.. :/

Read as much as you can! I'm new too, got a few weeks head start on you ;) Spending LOTS of time here reading through the forums. It'll take a little time just to get the lingo down. Soon after that you should begin to have a pretty decent understanding of the most common FF programs, and be able to plan how you want to begin. From my understanding so far, looks like choosing a credit card will land you a nice chunk of miles so you can hit the ground running. :)

Welcome to FT, and we all are learning from the great posts.

Welcome to FT, ngabriel! :) (And also a welcome to withatwist and Dodoldurian!)

As you can imagine, there's no "right" answer for all the questions you asked. As others have said, the best way to start is to take advantage of all the great information that's already been collected here by the members. I'd encourage you to take the time to read the "sticky" threads at the top of each of the forums. They tend to contain "Frequently Asked Questions," wiki sections, glossaries, popular threads, and/or "help desk" threads. If you're looking for something specific, utilise the "search" function. (Odds are, the exact same question you has already been asked and answered - probably multiple times!)

But to get you started, I'll pose a few questions for you to ponder...

Why do you want to start earning points/miles? Because you love to travel? Want to earn enough for a specific goal like a family vacation?

If you're looking to gain hotel points, pick a chain/program and stick with it. (And of course read everything you can about the tips of the trade from the corresponding forum.)

If you're looking to gain airline miles, pick an airline and alliance based on your travel patterns. (That is, which airline(s) serve the airports you use? Are you willing to drive to another nearby airport? Will you be flying long trips? Short trips? Many trips? Few trips?)

Good luck! :)