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PrintMore Bang for Your Buck: Frequent Flyer Miles
Reported by:
Producer:
Laura Garrigan
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If you travel a lot, you probably have earned a lot of frequent flyer miles. But knowing when and where to spend those miles can be a bit tricky. In tonight's more bang for your buck, we found there are plenty of options without having to wing it.
WSVN -- New York, Boston, Los Angeles and Washington DC.
These are just a few hot spots, tony medina's band DC-3 rocked last year.
Tony: "For me personally, just being on stage performing there is no other adrenaline rush that can compare to it."
But getting to venues coast to coast can be expensive.
That's why tony and his bandmates must be frugal with their frequent flyer miles.
Tony: "The frequent flier miles do help out quite a bit. We can still be able to do our networking, get the band's name across and conserve our costs as well."
Travel agent Rosa Epstien says there are lots of ways to save starting with free tickets and upgrades.
Rosa: "If you're lucky enough to get the dates that you want they are very helpful."
If you don't have enough miles for a ticket, see if your airline offers other reward programs.
Many times, you can use your miles to pay for a hotel stay, cruises, rental cars, magazines, even other merchandise.
Rosa: "Use it to your advantage. Use it when you have it."
Because if you don't. Those miles can easily go to waste.
Rosa: "They're counting on people who will register with the program but arent really going to use it."
Most of the time, the miles are only valid for a couple years and can only be used on a limited number of flights.
The best advice - book as early as possible and check periodically with the airline.
Rosa: "Because by the end of the year, they will send you a statement when your mileage is going to expire."
Rosa suggests looking for the airline that offers the best price not the best points program.
And if you still have miles left over, check out the website milepoint.com or believe it or not, try e-bay.
Tony knows what he's doing with his miles.
He's saving up for his next tour.
Tony: "Music is supposed to be universal. It's supposed to bring people together. It's supposed to make people feel good. And that's our goal."
Another way to use your miles, is to donate them to a charity. Operation hero miles allows you give your miles to troops overseas.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Contact: lmartinez@wsvn.com
Nina Travel
8975 N.E. 6th Avenue
Miami Shores, FL 33138
305-751-6221
DC-3 Band Site
www.derekcintron.com
Operation Hero Miles
www.heromiles.org
Mile Point
www.milepoint.com
Ebay
www.ebay.com