This Is When You Should Earn Miles for Your Canceled Flight
Air travel has been notoriously difficult this summer. If you are among the many travelers who experience delayed or canceled flights, the airline may offer you compensation in the form of miles or cashback. But which one is best for you?
How much do air miles cost?
Miles are great if you’re a frequent traveler and can be used to book free or discounted flights in the future. But they are not as flexible as cash, which can be used to book any flight or cover other travel expenses. If a flight is delayed or cancelled, you may be given the option to receive a flight delay or cancel a mileage or cashback refund. In order to determine which option is best for you, you must understand the value of miles.
Typically, airline miles can cost between 1.5 and 2.5 cents per mile. If the number of miles you are being offered at that price is worth more than the value of the cashback, you may be better off taking the miles.
How to choose between air miles and cashback
Cost aside, here are some other things to keep in mind when you’re trying to decide if you’re getting a better deal on the miles the airline offers or a direct cashback:
- Cashback is more flexible than miles . On the other hand, cashback is obviously a more flexible form of compensation than miles. With cashback you can book any flight of any airline. You are also not limited to using your compensation for a certain period of time, as you can be with miles. And if you’re not a frequent flyer, the cost of miles may decrease over time as airlines make changes to their programs.
- You are entitled to a refund. If your flight is canceled or there is a major delay, you are generally entitled to a refund of the full value of your ticket. So, even if you are offered a voucher for future trips or miles instead of a cash refund, you have the option to request cash instead. However, the value of the miles discount can be more than the value of the cash refund, especially if you travel frequently and know how to get the most out of your miles .
- The cost of miles depends on the program. The cost of miles also varies depending on the airline’s rewards program. For example, redeeming United Airlines MileagePlus miles for international flights in a premium cabin will generally earn you a higher return than redeeming for domestic flights in economy class. So if you’re offered a voucher for future United flights and you know you’ll be flying overseas in the near future, you might want to use miles instead of a voucher.
Use miles or cashback when booking a ticket?
Since different miles have different values and no miles are as flexible as cashback, you should always choose the best way to book your ticket. As a general rule, you should always book the cheapest option. If your miles are worth $100 but you can book your ticket for $80 in cash, it makes sense to book in cash. But if the same ticket costs $120 in cash, it makes sense to book tickets with miles.
In addition, you need to keep in mind the expiration dates of miles and vouchers. If you can book a ticket for $100 in miles or $80 in cash but your miles expire in two months, it may still make sense to book with miles if you can’t use or renew them otherwise. expiration.