Frequent Flyer Miles

A Business Week Special Advertising Section

Currency for High Flyers

• Airlines Reward Best Customers With Better Service

• Without Ever Flying, Shoppers Can Earn Free Travel

• Hotels Hope Guests Will Give Them Points ó for Caring

• Miles Gain Value With More Ways to ëSpendí Them

• In Frequent Travel, Itís All About Partnerships

In business travel, no decision is tougher than selecting a loyalty partnership. It used to be fairly simple: You picked the airline that went where you wanted to go. Today, thatís just the start.  

As airlines form alliances and partner with hotels, car companies and charge cards, it almost takes an MBA to decide which combination will provide the best return on investment. But itís worth the effort. Partnerships can pay off ó big time. Not in cash, of course. In points, miles, perks, multi-mile bonus buying bonanzas and redemption opportunities. As programs lure travelers with a million miles or combinations of points and miles, as miles become currency for merchandise and merchandise earns points for purchase of who knows what, the key to program survival becomes liquidity. What follows is the latest news on hot ways to earn, convert and redeem todayís unofficial currency of frequent travel.

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