Travel Tips October 13, 2025

How Airline Loyalty Programs Can Save You Thousands

Free flights, upgrades and travel perks - discover how loyalty programs can transform your travel experience

By Dristi Shakya 6 min read

Free flights, upgrades and travel perks, who does not love that?

When you travel a lot, or even a few times a year, becoming a member of an airline loyalty program may create one of the best financial choices that you will ever make.

These programs will reward you on each mile that you fly (and occasionally hotel stays, dining and shopping also) and will help you save thousands of dollars in the long run. But what do they do - and how can you get the best out of them?

Let's dive in.

Airline Loyalty Programs

1. What Are Airline Loyalty Programs?

Airline loyalty programs, also known as frequent flyer programs, are reward systems designed to encourage passengers to stick with one airline or alliance.

Each time you make a purchase, you get miles or points on the flights you do. The more you travel the more you get and such miles can be redeemed later to get free flights and upgrade their seat or even get access to the lounge or even hotel accommodation.

Some of the world's top programs include:

  • Emirates Skywards
  • Qatar Airways Privilege Club
  • Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
  • British Airways Executive Club
  • United MileagePlus
  • Air India Flying Returns

It's completely free to join, and you can start earning from your very first flight.


2. How Loyalty Programs Help You Save Thousands

It is here that the magic really occurs. Loyalty programs will allow in saving big, not only on airline flights but overall on the entire travelling experience.

Here's how:

✈️ a. Free or Discounted Flights

Some number of miles can be earned and used to get flight tickets as you travel. It would be very possible to save hundreds, or even thousands of pounds of air fare per year, depending on the frequency of travel and the reward system used by your airline.

💺 b. Upgrades to Premium Cabins

Why spend thousands of dollars more to upgrade to Business or First Class when you can upgrade with miles? Most airlines will also enable you to upgrade your ticket as Economy to Business Class with their points, thus enjoying luxury at a very low cost.

🎁 c. Free Baggage, Priority Boarding & Lounge Access

Complimentary benefits such as additional luggage, priority check-in, access to airport lounge (complimentary meals and Wi-Fi) are benefits that frequent flyers enjoy, and they can save them money and time.

🏨 d. Hotel & Partner Rewards

Numerous loyalty programs are related to hotels, rental car agencies, and even restaurants. That is because your miles may extend way further than flights - sometimes they will cover all of your traveling.


3. How to Earn Miles Faster

You do not need to take flights weekly to get serious rewards. You can easily accumulate some miles balance in a couple of clever moves:

  • Accumulation is better done by sticking to one airline or alliance (such as Star Alliance, SkyTeam, or Oneworld).
  • Make direct reservations with airlines so that the miles can be earned.
  • Use co-branded credit cards which provide miles with each purchase.
  • Keep an eye out on bonus offers - airlines frequently increase the miles on certain routes by two or three times.
  • Dine and shop with partner brands which have bonus points.

With a loyalty account that is well managed you can be able to get free tickets sooner than you would have imagined.


4. Are Airline Loyalty Programs Really Worth It?

Undoubtedly, particularly to those travelers, who fly at least once in a year. In the long run, you may have accumulated miles worth:

  • Complimentary domestic or international flights.
  • Hundreds of dollars worth of seat upgrades.
  • Free services and travel benefits.

Loyalty programs may also result in elite status tiers to frequent flyers or corporate travelers as they get special privileges such as priority waitlists, free upgrades, and special customer service.

Although you may be a non-traveller, enrolling in a program will not mean any of the miles you save will be wasted as they can translate to huge savings in future.


5. Pro Tips to Maximize Your Travel Rewards

To maximize on your loyalty program, these are the few steps that you need to follow:

  1. You should never forget to enter your loyalty number during booking a flight.
  2. Compare redemption rates and before using your miles there are better routes to redeem.
  3. Do not allow yourself to expire — fly or earn with partners.
  4. Optimize on the use of miles - upgrades are usually better than free flights.
  5. Add points and cash- most airlines accept a hybrid system to be flexible.

These are some tiny steps that may assist in smarter and more economical travelling.


6. Booking Smarter with Bon Travels

At Bon Travels, we realize the value of your travel rewards. Our expert team helps you:

  • Get the most favorable flight deals which you can still get all the loyalty points.
  • Follow your favorite airline programs to receive the most benefits.
  • Plan and purchase tickets to turn each mile into a mile.

Economy or Business Class, either way, it is true that you are saving more money and enjoying more benefits whenever you travel with us.

Reserve your flight with Bon Travels today - and see your next trip score you the rewards worth thousands!

Dristi Shakya

Dristi Shakya

Content Writer and social media manager for Bon Travels.

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