PrintToday it's easier than ever to earn frequent-flier miles through credit cards and phone cards, by shopping on special frequent-flier rewards sites and through a variety of other special offers.
The hard part isn't accumulating miles; it's managing the miles you've racked up through various frequent-flier programs. Each account has its own special rewards, expiration dates, blackouts and limitations that affect how and when you can redeem your miles.
To keep track of your accounts, try using an online mile-management tool. MileageMiner from MaxMiles.com is a Web-based program that tracks all of your frequent-flier account information. Each month, members receive a statement via email that includes balances from each program, a summary of mileage expiration dates, a recent mileage transaction history and details on special deals. Members have online access to their accounts and can check them at any time. A number of travel-booking sites offer similar frequent-flier management programs.
If you would rather track your own frequent-flier miles, check out AirMiles, by Hands High Software, one of the many software products that let you manage your miles from the comfort of your own PC or handheld device. With AirMiles, you can track mileage for up to 14 frequent-flier programs and easily pull reports that show mileage expiration dates and current balances.
Accumulating miles should be a bonus, not a burden. If you have multiple frequent-flier accounts, think about using a mile-management program to ensure that your hard-earned miles don't go to waste.
