SEARCH COMPARE FLIGHTS FREE

So as you earn three points per dollar (or six points per dollar, if you book directly on JetBlue's site), you know that they're piling up, big time, into a treasure trove of free flights.

JetBlue's TrueBlue: The perk here is that your points never expire.

Short flights start at just 10,000 miles, so you don't have to fly that far to start redeeming points.

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan: Alaska is one of the few traditionalists left that rewards you based on the number of miles you fly, instead of how much you spend.

How easy is it to earn points? (The quicker you earn, the quicker you can spend.) Where do this airline fly? (You want access to places you actually want to go.) And how easy it is to spend your points? (There's no need to complicate this.) While there's no one-size-fits-all airline rewards program, we have a few U.S.-based favorites: While our best advice is to pick an airline and stick with it, as best you can, finding the perfect frequent flier program requires a little researching, and asking yourself three questions. It's the earning of those points that can seem complicated and overwhelming. This one's simple on the surface: Use points. The 'grass is greener, flight is cheaper' mentality of waiting for the least expensive flight will make you miss out on some great (and yes, cheap) flights. That said, if you see a flight that's cheap enough to make you want to book, go for it. Going farther afield, anything under $1,000 is a stellar deal for southern Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. Round-trips to South America at or under $500 are also great, a number that applies to flights to Asia, too. Getting to Northern Africa for less than $500 is a steal. Flights to Europe at or under $400 round-trip are a go. 'Cheap' is always relative, depending on your budget and needs, but we have a few guidelines in the Traveler office for what counts as a good deal from the U.S.

SEARCH COMPARE FLIGHTS HOW TO

Here, we answer all your questions about how to find cheap flights. It's a matter of decoding airline jargon, doing some pre-planning, and getting acquainted with OTAs.

The idea of travel becomes less a question of 'how' and more a matter of 'Where to?' Start spreading the news-it's never been cheaper to fly, and with a minimal amount of work, you can cash in. The moment you figure out that you really can book $200 round-trip tickets to Europe, your life changes forever.

Search compare flights