According to a survey, US Airways and Delta Airlines have the worst records among carriers for redeeming frequent flyer miles, with redemption rates of 27% and 28% respectively. The CEO of AlphaFlightGuru.com commented that this shows how difficult it can be to redeem points on some airlines. While deals from frequent flyer miles would be useful for passengers facing problems booking flights of choice, airlines find it more profitable to fly first-time customers paying higher prices than reward repeat customers. Budget carriers like Southwest Airlines and GOL are identified as the best airlines for redeeming miles according to the survey. The optimal strategy suggested is to book seats as close to departure date as possible to ensure airlines have

1. Rack up some good karma with US Airways and Delta Airlines the next time you attempt to redeem your
frequent flyer points. According to a recent survey conducted by Ideaworks, these airlines have the
worst records (27 and 28 percent) amongst carriers for redeeming frequent flier miles. "The numbers
show how difficult redeeming points on some airlines can be," said AlphaFlightGuru.com's Chief
Executive Officer Tim Gibson. Alpha Flight Guru is focused on finding the best deals for the frequent
flyer miles of business and first class passengers.
Those deals should come in handy for passengers who face problems while booking a flight of their
choice with airlines. It is more profitable for airlines to fly a first-time customer, who will pay a higher
price, than a repeat customer, who is more interested in a bargain. Added to that are the challenges
associated with the recent recession, rising fuel costs, and airline restrictions, and the cumulative result
is that airlines find it difficult to award frequent flier miles.
The main utility of the survey lies in identifying airlines that are most profitable for frequent travelers.
According to the survey, budget carriers such as Southwest Airlines and Brazil-based GOL airlines are the
best airlines for redeeming miles.
Gibson of Alpha Flight Guru says that the optimal strategy to get a flight of your choice is to book your
seats as close as possible to the date of departure. This ensures that airlines have no option but to
award those empty seats to you.