Airline Miles Course

Lesson 1 • How Frequent Flyer Programmes Work

Explains enrolment, account management, and mile crediting cycles. Grounds learners in the operational flow before earning strategies.

Lesson 2 • Airline Alliances and Partnerships

Maps the three major global alliances and bilateral partnerships. Learners trace how miles flow across partner networks.

Lesson 3 • Types of Airline Loyalty Programmes

Surveys revenue-based, distance-based, and hybrid programme models. Learners identify which model governs any given airline.

Lesson 4 • Mile Expiration and Account Maintenance

Covers expiration policies, activity requirements, and reinstatement options. Learners build habits to prevent mile forfeiture.

Lesson 1 • Maximising Earning on Each Flight

Applies booking class and routing strategies to increase per-flight yield. Learners reframe ticket selection around earning potential.

Lesson 2 • Retro Credits and Missing Miles

Covers the process of claiming miles for flights not automatically credited. Learners file retro claims efficiently and within deadlines.

Lesson 3 • Calculating Miles Before You Book

Introduces mileage calculators and earning estimators as pre-booking tools. Learners verify expected earnings on complex itineraries.

Lesson 4 • Booking Class and Earning Rates

Explains how fare class codes determine earning multipliers. Learners decode booking class tables for any airline.

Lesson 1 • Transferable Points Ecosystems

Introduces bank rewards currencies that transfer to multiple airline programmes. Learners identify transfer ratios and optimal transfer timing.

Lesson 2 • Hotel, Car, and Retail Partners

Covers non-aviation partners that credit miles directly to airline accounts. Learners identify high-value partner categories for their spending profile.

Lesson 3 • Airline Shopping and Dining Portals

Shows how portal-linked purchases generate bonus miles on top of card rewards. Learners stack portal and card earnings systematically.

Lesson 4 • Co-Branded Airline Credit Cards

Examines how co-branded cards earn miles on everyday purchases. Learners evaluate sign-up bonuses, annual fees, and category multipliers.

Lesson 1 • Comparing Fixed vs. Dynamic Award Charts

Contrasts fixed zone-based charts with revenue-linked dynamic pricing. Learners identify which chart type governs a given programme.

Lesson 2 • Building a Personal Valuation Model

Guides learners to create a customised mile value benchmark based on travel goals. Learners apply the model to real redemption decisions.

Lesson 3 • Cents-Per-Mile Valuation Method

Introduces the standard cents-per-mile metric as a baseline comparison tool. Learners calculate CPM for any redemption scenario.

Lesson 4 • Why Mile Values Fluctuate

Explains devaluations, award chart changes, and dynamic pricing effects on value. Learners anticipate value shifts and adjust strategies accordingly.

Lesson 1 • Award Booking Tools and Techniques

Surveys search tools, calendar views, and phone booking tactics. Learners select the right tool for each award search scenario.

Lesson 2 • Partner Award Bookings

Teaches booking partner airline awards through a home programme. Learners navigate partner availability searches and ticketing rules.

Lesson 3 • Taxes, Fees, and Surcharges on Awards

Breaks down the cash costs attached to award tickets. Learners identify high-surcharge programmes and select lower-fee alternatives.

Lesson 4 • Award Availability Fundamentals

Explains how airlines release award seats and what controls availability. Learners locate available award space using program search tools.

Lesson 1 • Elite Status Tier Structures

Maps typical tier levels and the thresholds required to reach each. Learners identify which tier is realistically achievable given their travel patterns.

Lesson 2 • Status Matches and Challenges

Covers how to use existing status to obtain equivalent status at another airline. Learners execute a status match or challenge strategically.

Lesson 3 • Qualifying Metrics and Tracking

Explains elite qualifying miles, segments, dollars, and nights as qualification currencies. Learners track progress and project year-end totals.

Lesson 4 • Status Run Strategy

Teaches the practice of booking flights specifically to meet qualification thresholds. Learners evaluate whether a status run is cost-effective.

Lesson 1 • Sweet Spot Redemptions

Identifies fixed-chart pricing anomalies that deliver exceptional CPM value. Learners locate and book sweet spots across major programs.

Lesson 2 • Transferring Miles Between Programmes

Covers inter-program transfer options, ratios, and irreversibility risks. Learners execute transfers only when the redemption is confirmed.

Lesson 3 • Award Redemption for Premium Cabins

Focuses strategies on business and first class awards as the highest-CPM use case. Learners identify programs with the best premium cabin award rates.

Lesson 4 • Positioning and Deadhead Flights

Explains using cheap positioning flights to access better award inventory. Learners factor positioning costs into total redemption value.

Lesson 1 • Measuring and Iterating Your Strategy

Introduces metrics for evaluating strategy performance over time. Learners conduct quarterly reviews and refine their approach based on results.

Lesson 2 • Selecting Your Primary Programmes

Guides selection of one or two anchor programs based on home airport and goals. Learners avoid the dilution trap of spreading miles too thin.

Lesson 3 • Defining Your Travel Goals

Anchors strategy in specific destinations, cabin preferences, and travel frequency. Learners translate goals into mile and status targets.

Lesson 4 • Monitoring Programme Changes

Establishes a system for tracking devaluations, policy changes, and new partnerships. Learners respond proactively rather than reactively to program shifts.