7 Expert-approved Tips to Earn and Use Airline Points to Save on Flights

While airline miles are easier to earn than ever, using them well—and maximizing their value—can often feel confusing. Used strategically, though, points and miles can unlock far more than a free domestic flight, from business-class seats on long-haul routes to the ability to book expensive trips without paying cash. To make sense of it all, we spoke with travel experts and points pros about how airline miles actually work today—and how to use them wisely. Ahead, you’ll find guidance on earning miles more efficiently, building a credit card strategy that fits the way you spend, avoiding common mistakes, and redeeming points in ways that truly pay off.

Start with a travel goal, not a credit card.

Without a clear goal, Tiffany Funk of Point.me says it’s easy to earn points that don’t really serve your needs. “There are so many cards these days, and so many ways to earn miles, and you truly earn more efficiently if you know what you’re aiming for.” That goal, she says, can take many forms. “This can be a specific dream trip, or as simple as ‘I want to have a stash of points so I can see family in an emergency without it creating financial stress.’”

Build a credit card strategy that reflects how you actually spend.

One of the most common reasons travelers struggle to earn meaningful points is that they rely on a single credit card for everything. That one-size-fits-all approach may feel simple, but it rarely reflects how people actually spend. Quinn English, founder of FreeQuinnt Flyer, argues that earning well requires more intention. “It all starts with using the right cards at the right places to maximize your points.” Yet this strategy can be abstract, which is why Funk offers a simple rule of thumb. “As much as possible, you want to be earning at least 2x points per dollar on every transaction you make.” If most purchases fall short of that mark, it’s often a sign that points aren’t being earned efficiently.

Thankfully, this doesn’t mean you need to carry a wallet packed full of cards. Most travelers, English notes, can see a meaningful difference with just two or three well-chosen cards, or by layering in online shopping portals to earn bonus points on purchases they were already planning to make. The results can add up quickly, and English has seen the impact firsthand. “We’re helping clients average a 221 percent year-over-year increase in the number of points and miles they earn just by using the right cards.”

Don’t sleep on welcome bonuses.

For many travelers, earning a meaningful number of points can feel like a slow game, especially when day-to-day spending is low. But some of the biggest boosts don’t come from routine purchases at all. “You also don’t have to spend a ton of money to earn a ton of points,” English says. “Banks offer huge welcome bonuses on a lot of their cards after spending a certain amount of money in a set amount of time.”

What’s more, used thoughtfully, those bonuses can form the backbone of a points strategy, often covering entire trips on their own. When paired with strong everyday earnings, they can accelerate balances far faster than most travelers expect.

Of course, as with anything, the key here is timing. Applying for new cards around predictable expenses—such as travel bookings, insurance payments, or home-related costs—allows travelers to meet minimum spending requirements organically, without changing their spending habits or feeling pressured to overspend.

Prioritize transferable points over airline loyalty.

It’s tempting to put all spending on the credit card of the airline you fly most often; however, English says that instinct usually works against travelers by limiting both earning potential and flexibility. “Too many people say, ‘I fly this airline a few times a year, I should use their co-branded credit card for everything,’” he says. And while airline cards aren’t inherently useless, they do come with constraints. Transferable points, by contrast, give travelers greater flexibility in both earning and redeeming. “Using a card that earns transferable points like American Express, Chase, Citi, and Capital One, you can earn way more points on the same transactions,” English explains. While some programs transfer to major U.S. carriers, many also partner with a wide range of international airlines and hotels, dramatically expanding redemption options, which is why English “values transferable credit card points most.”

Avoid the “easy” redemption trap. 

When it comes time to redeem points, convenience often wins out. Many travelers default to booking through a credit card’s travel portal because it seems like the most logical option, but there is one major caveat: Portal bookings typically deliver poor returns. “You’ll only get about one cent per point value,” English explains. “So,” he adds, “If a flight is $1,000, you’ll need 100,000 points.”

However, booking directly with airline partners can stretch those points much further, particularly on long-haul international flights. English regularly aims for redemptions of at least two cents per point on international business-class seats, where the difference between the points price and the cash price is most pronounced.

Save points for the flights that matter most.

While it’s tempting to use points as soon as you have enough for a free flight—a common practice—it’s rarely where points deliver the strongest value. Instead, English encourages a more patient strategy, saving points for higher-payoff redemptions, such as long-haul international travel.

On those shorter-haul routes, the difference between economy and premium cabins is often smaller than travelers expect. As English explains, “an economy-class flight from the U.S. to Europe can cost 30,000 miles, whereas a business-class flight can be as cheap as 60,000 miles.” 

Flexibility is key.

Even with a healthy points balance, flexibility often determines whether booking an award flight is possible. Premium-cabin award space is limited, particularly on popular routes, and travelers who can adjust their travel dates tend to have far more options than those locked into a fixed schedule. “More flexibility on dates of travel will open up a lot more possibilities for flights,” English says.

Flexibility also shapes how travelers search, from booking one-way flights to rethinking where a trip begins—especially for those outside major hubs. “If you live in a smaller city like I do, it can be tough to find award flights that depart from or arrive back to your city,” English says. In those cases, he often widens the search to larger international gateways, then books a separate, inexpensive ticket to connect, “leaving enough time between flights in the event of irregular operations.”