Why Every Traveler Should Join a Loyalty Program

The easiest travel upgrade you'll ever earn could be completely free.

There was a time when I didn't see the point.

I only flew once or twice a year. I was on a budget, and I figured airline loyalty programs were for business travelers and the people sitting up front in the beautiful seats.

That wasn't me.

When I booked a flight, I looked at one thing.

Price.

I wasn't comparing connections, layovers, aircraft, or even the overall experience. I just wanted the cheapest ticket that got me where I needed to go.

Then one email changed the way I looked at travel.

After a Delta flight, I received an email that said something like:

"You could have earned XXX miles on this trip."

My first thought was simple.

Five hundred miles is better than nothing. I have to start somewhere.

Then I started thinking about all the flights I'd already taken over the years.

There was a mission trip to Kenya.

A few family vacations.

Several smaller trips.

Out of curiosity, I looked up how many miles those flights would have earned if I had simply joined the loyalty program before booking.

The total surprised me.

I had passed up enough miles for a free domestic round-trip ticket.

That's when the light bulb came on.

I hadn't been saving money by ignoring loyalty programs.

I had simply been leaving value behind.

Joining a loyalty program doesn't cost anything.

If you're going to fly anyway, why not earn something toward your next trip?

You don't need to fly every week.

You don't need elite status.

You don't need to understand every airline alliance or spend hours learning about points.

You just need to take five minutes before booking your next flight and create a free account.

Looking back, I wish someone had told me that years earlier.

The miles I missed aren't coming back.

But every flight since then has been working toward the next adventure.

Start earning miles before you think you'll need them.

Your future self will thank you.