Air miles guide: How to save money on flights using frequent flyer schemes
Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy It’s usually fairly easy to spot the frequent flyer points junkie – they’re the ones asking if they can pay by American Express. The Virgin scheme works in a similar way to most others – you get the points based on the miles you fly, your status and the fare class you’re booked in. British Airways dishes out its "Avios" points in a similar way, albeit usually a bit more stingily – it’s 2,680 Avios gained for that same sale fare return to San Francisco, and 32,500 to buy it off-peak. The main way many frequent flyer obsessives earn points is using credit cards – some of which offer big hauls of points as a sign-up bonus, then a certain amount per pound spent on them.
How to use your frequent flyer miles for the most value while travelling abroad
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