“I’m a teacher, so can only fly on weekends, major holidays, or at peak times in the summer. I manage to collect points on United, but usually can’t find a way to USE those points. Do you have any ideas as to how a non-elite-level flyer can book a flight with points at peak times?”

Wouldn’t we all like to know? Luckily, FlyerTalk founder Randy Petersen, the world’s leading expert on frequent-flier programs, has the answers and has graciously shared them with us. Here are Randy’s top tips for travelers who want to use their miles for free tickets:

1. Pick up the phone. Call the airline mileage-award-redemption desk. The award-booking tools on airline web sites often don’t display all the award seats that are actually available. Phoning the desk will cost you a few dollars, but that’s a small price to pay if you find a helpful reservations agent who will think creatively, look into alternate routes and partner airlines, and find that available seat you’re looking for.

2. Try to predict which flights will have award seats available. Generally speaking, the emptier a flight, the lower the airfare will be and the more award seats it will have. So look to see which flights during your travel window are priced lowest, since they will be most likely to have award seats. Try using Bing’s Farecast technology for this. If you search for a flight and the “predictor” says “wait” to buy it because the price may drop, then award availability is a possibility.  ”When fares are predicted to go down,” says Randy, “then award seat availability can be predicted to rise.”

3. Know which days of the week offer the most award seats. It varies by destination. For flights to Hawaii, for instance, award seats are most likely to be available on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. For flights to Florida, they are most likely to be available on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays.

4. Consider flying into one airport and back from another. A number of programs now offer one-way awards, allowing you to fly into one airport and return from another, which can be very helpful if your destination has more than one airport. Say you want to fly to New York City.  ”Just because Tuesday into JFK isn’t available doesn’t mean that Wednesday into Newark isn’t either,” says Randy. Say you want to fly to Los Angeles. You could fly into LAX and back from Ontario or Orange County airports.

5. Look for award seats six months ahead. After years of research, Randy and his team have figured out that six months before your travel date is the time when you’ll find the greatest award-seat availability. If you plan to travel during the peak summer months, the best time to look for award seats is December. ” ( via concierge.com ) by Wendy Perrin

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Frequent-flier rewards are more elusive than ever. Tips to help you score

“The average leisure traveler no longer has a prayer of compiling enough miles for a free trip simply by flying a few times a year. Most airlines now demand more miles before you qualify, and they expire quicker than ever — in 18 months, typically.

Today you must pile up points by every means available, and do so in a hurry. That means taking advantage of the airlines’ partner programs and being smart about how to use them. Here, with help from insideflyer.com ’s Randy Petersen, are ways to turn everyday activities into miles.

Go ahead and get crafty.

Choose plastic There’s a good chance you already have an airline-affiliated credit card. Get another one: It’s hands down the quickest way to earn a free trip. Most of these cards deliver enough bonus points for a domestic round trip after you make your first purchase.

Eat out Register your credit or debit card with an airline’s dining program and you’ll earn up to five miles for every $1 spent at partner restaurants. Alaska Airlines, American, Delta, Southwest, and United have very similar programs — and nearly identical Web sites. The restaurant options are better than you might imagine: around 600 in New York City alone, for example — most of them independently owned.
Word to the wise
To get the full five miles per $1, you have to use your card for a meal at least 12 times a year, and let the restaurants send you promotional e-mails. If you block the e-mails, you could get only one mile per $1 spent — or worse, maybe even nothing.
American and Delta: 1,000-mile bonus for spending $25 or more within 30 days of joining, and up to five miles per $1 spent at partner restaurants thereafter.
United: Similar to American and Delta — but minus the 1,000-mile bonus.
Southwest: One-quarter credit bonus for the first $25 spent, and then one-quarter credit for every additional $100.

Sell your house Picking a mortgage lender, real-estate agent, or moving service that works with a frequent-flier program is a quick way to pile up tens of thousands of miles.
Word to the wise
With financial transactions this huge, keep your eye on what’s really important; a few free flights won’t help that much if you end up paying thousands extra on your mortgage.
•    American: 1,000 miles for every $10,000 financed with Wells Fargo Home Mortgage.
•    Continental: 3,000 miles per $10,000 of any home sale or purchase with a Realtor found through LendingTree (which adds up quickly — if you’re buying a $300,000 house and selling one of the same value, you’ll net 180,000 miles).

Go shopping Every airline has a bunch of retailers it partners with, and they’ll thank you for your business with 1 to 25 miles for every $1 you spend. Signing up is easy; enter the shopping section of your miles program’s Web site to browse stuff from Omaha Steaks, Staples, Target, iTunes, Mrs. Fields, Macy’s, REI, and more.
Word to the wise
It’s always good to comparison shop and root around for better deals. Even with the bonus miles factored in, you might be better off making the purchase elsewhere.
•    Alaska Airlines: Four miles per $1 spent at Macy’s.
•    American: 14,000 miles for activating a new FamilyTime plan from T-Mobile with a two-year service plan (though there’s a $200 penalty for dropping T-Mobile’s service before your term expires).
•    Continental: 10 miles per $1 spent with luggage vendor ebags.com , plus double miles if you pay with a Continental Chase card.
•    United: 2,000 miles for signing up with Netflix; a bonus of 2,000 miles if you pay with a United Visa card.

Pay your bills Everyday expenses, from buying your weekly groceries to paying monthly utility bills, can earn you some serious miles.
•    Continental: 3,000 miles for signing up with Energy Plus, an energy service in New York, plus two miles for every $1 spent on your electric bill.
•    Continental: One mile per $2 spent at ShopRite. But in order to collect, you have to spend at least $1,000 every three months. And you can’t roll your dollars over from quarter to quarter.
•    Alaska Airlines and United: 125 miles for spending $250 at Safeway supermarkets with a Safeway Club Card.
•    American: 2,000 miles at sign-up with Gexa Energy, a Texas-based electricity provider, plus two miles for every $1 of your monthly bill.
” (via msnbc.msn.com) by  Brad Tuttle, Budget Travel

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