For some, collecting air miles is a full-time obsession. Ian, a former telecoms employee whose work patch stretched from Dublin to Sydney, used to fly constantly for business. David, an air accident investigator, achieved gold airline status but at a cost: at his peak, he flew 327 times in a single year, spending 63 hours on a plane in one week and circling the globe twice in 17 days.
To accelerate points accumulation, frequent flyers often opt for indirect flights, which are cheaper and earn status points for each leg. Some undertake convoluted multi-leg journeys, such as Ian’s recent trip from London to Denver via Stockholm, Helsinki, London, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Phoenix – a total of 27 flights in under two weeks.
Credit cards offering air miles are a popular alternative to perpetual travel. For every pound spent, points are earned, which can be used for flights. Savvy users pay off the balance monthly to avoid interest. Adding a secondary cardholder can double the points, and making bulk payments for group holidays or family purchases – then having them reimburse you – can also boost the tally.
Supermarket loyalty schemes, such as those at certain UK grocers, allow points to be converted into Avios, British Airways' air miles. Additionally, many airlines have shopping portals on their websites; by clicking through to retailers like John Lewis or Selfridges, members earn up to 30 Avios per pound spent – a simple way to turn everyday shopping into future travel.
