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Managing frequent flier miles

There aren't many sure things in life. But when it comes to the locum tenens life, one thing is guaranteed: travel.

For some of us, air travel is part of the fun. For others, exploration of a new location is the reward. Airports, luggage and flight itineraries are simply a cost that must be paid. Regardless, we spend a lot of time onboard airplanes. We can pull extra value out of those travel hours by participating in travel rewards programs.

How they work

Most airlines participate in some sort of rewards program. It might be called air miles, frequent flier miles or travel points, but basically they are all the same and function similarly to loyalty programs at big box stores or national retailers.

Essentially, the more you fly with an airline or their partner carriers, the more points you earn toward free flights. We'll cover that "free" part in a bit.

Other ways to earn points

Flying is the obvious way to earn air miles, but there are other ways to rack up points. Some carriers may offer points for purchases made at partnering retailers, hotels and restaurant chains. But you can also get miles from everyday spending with an air miles credit card.

The best thing about credit card plans is they don't have to be airline specific and you can build points with day-to-day management of your personal finances. You're going to pay your cell phone bill every month anyway, might as well get some air miles from it.

Get some bang for your buck

In addition to harnessing your regular spending, here are a couple tips to help you get the most from your hard-earned air miles:

There's no such thing as a "free" ticket. You'll be responsible for certain fees, taxes and fuel surcharges. So avoid using miles for cheap, domestic flights or short commuter hops. Instead, save miles for longer flights where fees aren't such a large percentage of the ticket cost.

Lastly, some programs require regular account activity to keep mileage current. This doesn't have to be a flight. Usually a purchase that adds miles will do the trick, but understand how your plan works so you don't lose miles.