Using those frequent flyer miles

We all love collecting miles and filling up frequent flyer cards every time we travel, but do most of us actually use them? Well, there are lots of ways to use them, besides getting a free ticket. That is the ultimate reward, of course, but you have to be patient and book your seat way in advance as most airlines keep on a few "award seats" for each flight.

The number one rule is to book in advance and to know all the different alliances, so you can maximize your miles. Credit card companies also give miles as rewards for usage and they are a good way to accumulate miles and use them in one go. Other than getting a ticket, you can get an upgrade to a business class seat with your miles.

There are several alliances, with StarAlliance being the largest and encompassing the North American and European carriers, along with some of the smaller European flyers as well. There are also SkyTeam and OneWorld alliances with several major airlines. Check Flyer Talk for more information.