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How can I receive special
treatment and free tickets from the Airline?
Is it worth the money to join the Airline’s
elite membership clubs?
How can I maximize my frequent flyer points?
What should I know about my frequent flyer
program?
Are frequent flyer programs always the best
way to go?
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How can I receive special treatment
and free tickets from the Airline?
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Get to know the Airline personnel that you
see the most. If you use the same Airline to fly out of the
same airport, take some time to recognize people. If you take
the time to get to know them, it will make traveling more pleasant
and the contacts you develop will be able to help you with problems
and might even result in some free upgrades.
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If the Airline personnel are extra helpful,
send a letter of thanks to the Airline. Most companies reward
employees who receive positive customer service letters. You
don’t have to give all the details. Don’t include "they
broke every policy in your book to help me", even if they
did, it may end up getting them in trouble. You can just state
how helpful and professional they were and how their actions
will only encourage your further use of the Airline. This will
encourage the employee to continue to give good service and
once they get the letter, they will probably remember you the
next time you need their help.
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Join the Airline’s elite membership clubs.
There are some costs involved, but there are also lots of perks.
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Consider joining the Airline’s frequent
flyer program. This is not only a good way to work your way
to a free ticket, better seat assignments, class upgrades, but
also to keep informed of special programs. You’ll also gain
leverage when dealing with the Airline’s customer service department
if you ever run into a problem. You can start collecting miles
with your next flight.
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You may also find that you’ll be able to
collect miles with your hotel and rental car reservations. Some
credit cards are connected to frequent flyer programs and you
can receive miles for any charges placed on those cards.
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Is it worth the money to join
the Airline’s elite membership clubs?
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These clubs generally have membership fees
and some have minimum travel requirements. You probably shouldn’t
spend the money to join if you don’t travel often. Every program
will vary as to what you get for the membership, so you’ll have
to look at the individual program benefits. Some Airlines have
several different levels of clubs to join, so you might try the
entry level first. Before you spend the money to join, you also
want to check and see if the services the club offers will be
available on the routes you fly. The frequent flyer will find
the most benefits in joining. Here are a few benefits offered
by elite clubs.
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You get the short line. If you need any
help, you’ll get the most and be the first to get it.
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You’ll get the first shot at the extra
first class seats or other upgrades.
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You’ll be much less likely to be bumped.
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If you get stuck somewhere, you’ll be
on the top of their list to get you out.
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When you do wait, they may have a special
private waiting area. These areas often have much more comfortable
seating and can have business services available.
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You may be entitled to special deals that
are only offered to elite club members.
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You may be allowed a larger luggage allowance.
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Customer service issues are generally
taken more seriously when you belong to an elite club.
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How can I maximize my frequent
flyer points?
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Be flexible and check several itineraries.
Different routes or days traveled could save you money and/or
reward you with more points.
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If you can’t find a seat on your chosen
Airline, look into using their partners. Many Airlines have
partnership agreements that can earn you frequent flyer points
on your regular Airline.
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Stay in hotels that reward your frequent
flyer program. Charge items, such as meals and other services,
at the hotel to your room so you’ll earn even more points.
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Use rental car services that reward your
frequent flyer program.
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Use credit cards that reward your frequent
flyer program.
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Always be on the lookout for special marketing
agreements that reward your frequent flyer program.
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What should I know about my
frequent flyer program?
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Read the fine print and make sure to follow
the rules or you could loose all your hard-earned privileges.
Also, make sure you keep your boarding pass until your account
shows that points have been credited for that flight. Ask the
following questions of your frequent flyer program so you can
avoid unpleasant surprises.
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What do you need to do to earn points?
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What other Airlines or businesses reward
miles from your frequent flyer program?
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Are there minimum points rewarded for short
flights?
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Are the points earned only valid for a certain
time period?
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What are the blackout periods for the use
of my rewards?
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How are you informed if they change the
rules?
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Is there a limit on the number of passengers
using points to reserve seats on a particular flight?
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Do they allow you to share your rewards
with others?
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What is the process to grant others your
rewards?
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Can my rewards be used on international
flights?
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What other limits are there on the use of
your rewards?
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Are frequent flyer programs
always the best way to go?
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No. Joining a frequent flyer program is a
good idea, but don’t get too caught up in the program. Don’t spend
a lot of extra money for tickets just because you get the points.
The free tickets are supposed to be free, so keep this in mind
and continue to shop for the best rate. You can always join several
programs to be able to earn the miles and still have the flexibility
to find the best rates.
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Section: LUGGAGE INFORMATION
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