Tuesday April 24, 2001

Frequent Flyer Scam

Everyday, we're flooded with frequent flier come-ons. And we're not just reaping rewards for flying anymore; half of all frequent flier miles are racked up on the ground.

But before you keep piling up the points, you should know that a shocking 92 percent of all frequent flier miles never get cashed in! "Extra's" travel detective Peter Greenberg says, "The airlines will do everything they can do deny you a frequent flier ticket."

Greenberg says limited seats, expiration dates, restricted upgrades, and more blackout dates - the major airlines added 20 new ones added just last year - make it almost impossible to cash in on what you've worked so hard to earn. He says, "You want to go to Des Moines on a Wednesday? No problem. Want to go to Hawaii anytime in the next millennium? Start swimming."

The Best Day of the Week to Buy Cheap Tickets

There really is a best day of the week to buy airline tickets. Not Monday or Friday, but Wednesday. Guess what? There is even a best time on Wednesday. It's 12:00 - 1:00 A.M.* Wednesday morning because the airlines usually reload their computers with latest low-costfares that were announced the previous day but will be canceled if they are not purchased within 24 hours. *(Note: The time is in reference to whatever city the airline's headquarters is located in. Example: America West - Phoenix.) -- courtesy of The Travel Detective by Peter Greenberg

That's not what frustrated frequent fliers want to hear. But the airlines are making a killing. They make about two cents for every mile earned through partner companies like credit cards, hotels, and rent-a-cars. That adds up to hundreds of millions of dollars a year.

Since there's no law making the airline tell you how many frequent flyer seats are on any flight, if there are any at all, you've got to beat them at their own game.

So how do you turn those miles into an actual ticket?