Points and Miles, Explained
How everyday travelers earn free travel with airline miles, hotel points and card rewards.
Plan a Trip With a SpecialistPoints and Miles, Without the Jargon
Points and miles are how millions of travelers turn flights, hotel stays and everyday spending into free trips. The idea is simple; the details are not. Earn Free Travel explains the basics in plain English — how the programs work, how to earn and redeem, and how to avoid the mistakes and scams that catch beginners.
Every major airline runs a frequent-flyer program, every big hotel company runs a loyalty program, and many credit cards and shopping portals add points of their own. Collect enough in the right program and you can book an award flight or a free night. The art is collecting in programs you will actually use, and spending them for trips you actually want.
How to Get Free Travel
A beginner's plan: which programs to join, how to earn and when to redeem.
Airline Miles
Frequent-flyer programs, alliances, elite status and award tickets.
Hotel Points
Free nights, elite perks and when points beat cash.
Credit Card Points
How card rewards work, in general terms — and the cautions.
Transfer Partners
Moving flexible points into airline and hotel programs.
Award Search
Finding seats and rooms you can book with points.
Three Ways People Earn Free Travel
Travel itself. Flights earn miles and hotel stays earn points, and frequent travelers can reach elite status with perks such as upgrades and better rooms.
Everyday spending. Co-branded and general rewards credit cards, airline and hotel shopping portals, and dining programs award points for purchases you would make anyway.
Partners. Car rentals, rideshares, cruises and even some utilities can credit points to an airline or hotel account.
None of these makes sense if it costs you money: interest, annual fees or buying things you do not need wipe out the value of any reward. Treat points as a bonus on spending you would do anyway.
What Points Are Good For
Flights
Award tickets in economy or premium cabins, often on partner airlines worldwide.
Airline miles →
Cruise travelers have their own rewards world. Our sister sites cover it in depth: Cruise Travel Rewards on booking cruises with points, Cruise Rewards Program on each cruise line's loyalty program, Free Cruise Rewards on free cruise perks, and Cruise Credit Card on cruise line credit cards.
When Cash Is the Better Deal
Points are not always the smartest way to pay. When fares or room rates are low, cash can cost less than the points are worth to you, and paid bookings earn new points. Compare both: check fares on Airfares for Less and hotel rates on Rooms Cheap before you redeem. And when a trip has several moving parts — flights, hotels, tours, a cruise — a travel specialist at the Official Travel Directory can price it all for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "points and miles" mean?
The rewards you collect from airline frequent-flyer programs (miles), hotel loyalty programs (points) and some credit cards (points that can often be moved to airlines and hotels). Travelers use them to pay for flights, hotel nights and upgrades instead of cash.
Is free travel really free?
Rarely completely. Award flights usually still carry taxes and fees, and points have to be earned somehow — through travel, everyday spending or card use. Done carefully, though, points can cover most of the cost of a trip.
Where do I start?
Join the free loyalty programs of the airline and hotel brands you already use, credit every trip, and learn how redemptions work before you try anything more complicated. Our how to get free travel page walks through it.
Tips and travel offers by email: join our free travel deals newsletter. If you love travel enough to make a business of it, see Be a Travel Agent.
More From Our Travel Network
Who Is Behind Earn Free Travel
This site is part of the Smart Traveler network, led by Mister Cruise. He has sold travel since 1972 and worked full-time in the industry since 1977. He has sold or originated more than $500 million in cruises and has trained more than 500 travel agents.
When you ask for a trip quote through the Official Travel Directory, a travel specialist plans it with you personally — not a call center. Meet Mister Cruise →
Make Your Points Go Further
Tell us where you want to go. A travel specialist can price the trip in cash so you know when points are worth using.
Get Free Trip Quotes