A guide to how airline miles work
A lot goes into planning a trip, including booking flights. Luckily, rewards miles can help you pay for flights if you’re a frequent flyer or use a travel rewards credit card.
Whether you’re always planning your next trip or are new to earning travel rewards, learn more about how miles work and the ways you can use them.
What you’ll learn:
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Airline-specific miles and credit card rewards miles are similar programs that can allow you to use rewards to help cover the costs of flights.
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You typically earn airline miles by being a regular customer of a specific airline and enrolling in its rewards program.
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Generally, you earn credit card miles by using a travel rewards credit card.
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With Capital One travel rewards cards, you can transfer miles to travel partners’ loyalty programs.
What are airline miles?
Airline miles or frequent flyer miles are rewards that you earn by being a regular customer of a specific airline and its loyalty program. Typically, you can earn airline miles when you book flights through the airline or its partners. To enroll, you’ll usually sign up with the airline you’re interested in or the one you travel with most frequently.
Airline miles vs. credit card rewards miles
Airline-specific miles and credit card miles are similar, but they’re separate programs. Credit card miles may be offered through travel rewards cards. Frequent flyer miles are offered through airlines.
Both types of miles can be used to cover travel expenses, but credit card miles may provide more flexibility. Travel credit cards might let you earn rewards on every purchase you make, whether it’s travel-related or not. Some cards let you use those miles toward flights or things like event tickets, cash or gift cards. You could even combine credit card rewards miles and frequent flyer miles to make travel savings even greater.
How to earn airline miles
Here are a few ways you can earn miles:
Join your preferred airline’s loyalty program
Different airlines offer various rewards programs. You may want to sign up for a frequent flyer program with the airline or partner airlines you use most often. You’ll usually earn miles based on how much you fly. So the more you fly with an airline and its partner airlines, the more miles you can earn.
Some airline rewards programs may let you earn miles by shopping through the program’s online portal or dining out at certain restaurants.
Use a travel rewards card
Another way to earn miles is using a general travel rewards card. Capital One travel rewards cardholders can earn miles on every purchase.
Capital One also offers flexible rewards redemption options. Miles can be used to book travel, cover recent travel purchases, get gift cards and more.
How you can use your miles
You may be able to use your points or miles for the following:
Purchasing flights
You could use your rewards miles to cover the cost of your airfare or reduce the amount you pay out of pocket. And if you’re a Venture cardholder, you can even use your rewards miles to cover travel purchases made within the past 90 days, book trips through Capital One Travel and transfer your miles to travel loyalty programs.
Upgrading your seats
If upgrades are available, you may be able to use your rewards for a seat upgrade on your flight.
Paying for hotels and rental cars
You may be able to use your miles to help pay for hotel stays and rental cars on your trip. But you may need to book at specific hotels that your airline or travel credit card partners with. So it’s a good idea to review the details before you make a reservation.
How airline miles work FAQ
Here are a few frequently asked questions about how airline miles work so you can better understand your options:
How do frequent flyer miles work?
With frequent flyer miles, you usually earn miles when you fly. But you may also earn miles in other ways, like by making purchases through an airline’s shopping portal. Then you can usually use those miles toward the price of your flight.
Can I use both credit card miles and frequent flyer miles on trips?
You may be able to use both credit card miles and frequent flyer airline miles on the same trip, but how you combine and redeem your rewards might vary based on the airline and credit card issuer.
Is applying for a travel rewards credit card worth it if I have frequent flyer miles?
A travel rewards credit card may help you save even more on your trips. Plus, you might be eligible for additional cardholder benefits. And because you can earn miles on every purchase, you could end up earning more with your card than through frequent flyer programs alone. For example, Venture cardholders can earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase and unlimited 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals, rental cars and activities booked through Capital One Travel.
How many airline miles do I need for a free flight?
The number of miles needed to cover the cost of a flight varies depending on the value of your miles and the cost of the flight.
Key takeaways: How do airline miles work?
Rewards miles you earn through your credit card issuer or an airline can be used to cover the cost of things like airfare, hotels and rental cars.
If you’re interested in maximizing your rewards potential, you may want to consider a general travel rewards card. Capital One offers travel rewards credit cards with exclusive benefits and elevated rewards that can help make your travel experience more enjoyable.
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Explore travel rewards cards with unlimited miles you can actually use.
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Elevate your next adventure with the Venture X card, which offers premium travel benefits and more.
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Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day, and earn a one-time 75,000-mile bonus with the Venture card.
- Earn unlimited 1.25X miles on every purchase, every day with no annual fee with the VentureOne card. View important rates and disclosures.
