The airline industry is changing, and frequent flier award tickets are no longer free. Here is a chart of fees you can expect to pay if you plan to cash in your air miles. Click on the tab for your airline.
$25 for U.S. and Canada flights, $35 for Mexico and Caribbean, $50 for Hawaii and international.
Service fee
(based on how you redeem award):
If you book online it's free, but if you book over the phone, it's $30/person for domestic and Canada, and $40/person for international
Quick ticketing fee:
If you use miles to purchase ticket within 14 days of travel, pay $50 for tickets booked online, or $75 if booked over phone
If you want a paper ticket:
$50
Fees for changing dates, times and reissuing tickets:
$150, or $250 for transatlantic/transpacific flights
Redeposit fee (if you don't use your award ticket and want the points credited back to your account):
$150, or $250 for transatlantic/transpacific flights
Preservation fee:
At 15-17 months of inactivity, you can pay $40 to remain active for another 18 months
Reactivation fee:
If you do not earn or redeem miles in a consecutive 18-month period, miles can expire. To reinstate forfeited miels: $50 fee if 1-4,999 miles, $100 fee if 5,000-19,999 miles, $200 if 20,000-49,999 miles, $300 if 50,000-99,999 miles, $400 if 100,000 or more miles.
Standby fee:
$25
Fuel surcharge:
n/a
Partner handling fee (if you fly any leg of the trip with a partner carrier):
n/a
Express delivery fee:
n/a
Expiration:
Will not expire unless you go 18 months without earning or redeeming any miles.
Annual fee:
Visa: $50. Visa Signature: $90. Visa Check Card: $30. Visa business: $75. Premier MasterCard: $79. MasterCard: $49. No-fee MasterCard: $0. MasterCard business: $79.
Three most recent Frequent flier programs, airline rewards stories:
AmEx, U.S. Bank contend for rewards card customers – In the wake of Delta's merger with Northwest Airlines, American Express announced April 27 it will be taking over Northwest's WorldPerks rewards program. Meanwhile, WorldPerks' former provider, U.S. Bank, sought to stay competitive by introducing its own expansive rewards card ...
U.S. Bank, AeroMexico forge airline rewards partnership – U.S. Bank has partnered with Mexico City-based AeroMexico to offer a frequent flier program through the AeroMexico Visa and AeroMexico Visa Signature credit card ...
Airline frequent flier fees and rules – The airline industry is changing and frequent flier award tickets are no longer free. Here is a chart of fees you can expect to pay if you plan to cash in your air miles ...
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