Use Frequent Flier Miles for Upgrades Instead of Flights to Get Your Money&#39;s Worth

If you have a travel rewards card or you've accumulated a lot of frequent flier miles and you're ready to cash in your miles or rewards, you may be better off using them for upgrades to first class instead of free tickets. Here's why.

The travel blog Triphunter explains how using your miles to actually book a flight may actually cost you more than buying a regular ticket and using your miles to upgrade to first class for each leg of your trip. They run the numbers and point out that by the time you finish paying the taxes, fees, and surcharges that your miles won't cover along with the amount of money you've already spent to earn those miles in the first place, spending them on a free flight isn't really a bargain.

If you travel frequently anyway, the money you spent earning the miles may be a wash, but if you only travel occasionally, it may not make a huge difference to you, but when it comes time to cash in your miles or rewards, you may get more bang for your buck by using them for upgrades to first class on your next flight instead of using them to get a "free" flight sitting in coach.

Ideally, you can get two or three upgrades out of your miles where you would have only gotten one round-trip ticket in coach for the same rewards. Besides, it's a great way to score a seat in first class while paying for a seat in coach. For more tips on how to get a cabin upgrade, check out our guide to getting first class seats without paying for them. Photo by Alan Light.

Why Using Your Miles to Book a Flight is Rarely a Good Idea | TripHunter
