SCarterGW asked:


I do maybe about 15,000 miles of flying every year on all different airlines. Generally, my tendency has been to look for cheap flights on Orbitz or Kayak and book those- this has resulted in me flying many different airlines just a few times each but saving a lot on each ticket.

I signed up for frequent flyer programs for AA, Continental, and US Airways. I noticed that these programs also give points for making purchases through affiliates (like 1800flowers) and dining at certain restaurants.

However, I am looking for some advice as to whether these programs are worthwhile. Say I buy some flowers and earn triple points. So I’ve earned 150 points, but that doesn’t count for much in these programs. I almost feel like I am better off scouting the web for sales, coupons, and discounts than by trying to rack up frequent flyer miles and using them.

Do you guys agree? Am I missing something?

Claude