Rewards Issue 1 : Airline Miles

If there is one good thing about constant travelling, it would be the various rewards that the Airlines, Hotels, Car Rentals, and Credit Card Companies dish out.

This tip is specifically about airline rewards.

1. Platinum Tips: Getting Started.

Just do it!

• REGISTER FOR FREQUENT FLYER MILES - You can do it online when you book your flight, and it takes no time at all.
• KEEP YOUR FREQUENT FLYER NUMBERS HANDY - I keep mine in my address book in my cellphone, it's actually part of the name of the airline, for example 'Airline Name 64362875F3' as the name of the phone number. This is particularly handy when bad things happen, and you need to beat everyone else to the, quickly disappearing, seats on the next flight.
• CHARGE YOUR CELLPHONE BEFORE YOU HEAD TO THE AIRPORT - Just in case you need to refer to the Golden Tips I've outlined below. Power outlets aren't always the easiest things to find in an airport, even if you do bring your charger.

2. Golden Tips: Bad things happen, just accept it, and you will be fine as a frequent flyer.

Your flight gets cancelled.

• CALL THE 1-800 NUMBER - Everyone will stand in line like cattle being led into the slaughterhouse, but YOU were smart enough to register for the frequent flyer miles, and YOU have your frequent flyer number handy, so YOU get special treatment, including a special phone number to call. This special treatment eventually get's you guaranteed seating on the next flight! The cattle standing in line will complain and they will likely sneer at you, but we all have to take our turn as cattle before we get treated like kings.
• When ANYTHING bad happens with your flight - Talk to the people at the gate, tell them that you understand that these things happen, and how nice it would be if they would offer some miles in leu of the extra time you get to spend in their charming company. I once saw an gate attended hand over a stack of at least 20 - 500 miles coupons to someone. They will do what they can to please you, especially if you are pleasant to them amidst all of the turmoil.

3. Silver Tip: Patience is a virtue.

You sit on the runway for 3 hours waiting to take off (PHL, anyone?).

• In addition to getting extremely uncomfortable and agitated, write a letter of complaint to the airline. My letter got me an additional 4000 miles with a certain red and white airline out of the midwest.
• Again, complain politely, and you will reap the miles. You can even call the 1-800 number for the airline, rather than writing a letter. I have had many amazingly helpful customer service reps bend over backward to acommodate me after a cancelled flight.

4. Bronze Tip: Something to read while you wait.

Take advantage of the free magazine subscriptions.

• Even if you only take one or two flights with any given arline, YOU can get free magazine subscriptions! I just sent my form out today, I'll be getting the latest Wired magazine, and Mens Vogue, compliments of a flight once taken, and some frequent flyer miles that will never culminate to a complimentary flight to Hawaii.

Cheers!