Should You Finally Join a Frequent Flyer Program in 2024?

If you're looking for more affordable vacations and the sweet perks that come from elite airline status, you might be thinking about joining a frequent flyer program in 2024. There are a few factors to keep in mind if you're trying to decide if a frequent flyer program is worth it for you.

Some people would rather be airline "free agents" who aren't loyal to any airline and always take the cheapest flights. Other people might worry that a frequent flyer program is too much hassle, and they don't want to worry about counting miles and cashing in points.

But if you're a true travel aficionado, if you fly several times per year, if you want to maximize the value of your credit cards and get the best possible deals from your favorite airline, then joining a frequent flyer program could be a smart move.

Let's look at a few reasons why you might finally want to join a frequent flyer program in 2024.

Frequent flyer programs can get you free flights

The first and most obvious reason to join a frequent flyer program is: free flights! If you can earn enough frequent flyer miles, you can start to get some serious discounts on plane tickets -- sometimes even covering the entire cost of your ticket. You might be able to get free plane tickets sooner than you think. Some of the best airline credit cards offer bonus miles that can be exchanged for free flights soon after you sign up.

For example, the American Airlines AAdvantage® frequent flyer program has a partner credit card called the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®. If you join AAdvantage and sign up for this credit card, you'll get 75,000 miles as a bonus -- once you spend $2,500 within the first three months of account opening. On American Airlines, 50,000 frequent flyer miles can buy you a roundtrip award flight ticket to Europe! But keep in mind that award flight tickets are not 100% "free" -- you might have to pay a bit of money for taxes and fees that are not covered by frequent flyer miles.

As a frequent flyer, you're not limited to just one airline

The major U.S. airlines fly all over the world. But in case your travels take you to other countries that are off the usual routes, don't feel like you can "only" earn frequent flyer miles on one airline. Most airlines will also let you earn (and use) frequent flyer miles on their partner airlines.

For example, United Airlines is part of the Star Alliance of member airlines. If you fly on any Star Alliance airline, you can use your United Airlines MileagePlus® frequent flyer membership to earn and use United frequent flyer miles for those other airlines' flights. United's Star Alliance partners include Air Canada, Asiana Airlines, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, TAP Air Portugal, and more.

Being a frequent flyer is a fun lifestyle

People who love frequent flyer programs don't just love to travel -- they love the game of trying to get the most miles and points. They love earning a few extra travel rewards. They love maximizing the value of their travel credit cards and getting the best possible deals on frequent flyer award flights. If you want to travel as often as possible, if you're curious about trying new credit cards, if you're passionate about finding cheap flights and getting fun perks from airlines, a frequent flyer program could unlock a whole new way of life.

Bottom line: There's no easy way to calculate if a frequent flyer program is the right choice for your personal finances. It depends on how much you travel, how much you spend on airline tickets, and how much you want to commit to one airline. But if you fly several times per year, and if you are open to getting an airline credit card that offers bonus miles, you could quickly start to see significant savings on flights. Being in a frequent flyer program can even introduce you to a new fun subculture of passionate travel enthusiasts who get VIP treatment from airlines.