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Travel Tip
Travel Tip 106: Don't upgrade using your miles.There are many reasons not to upgrade using your miles, but the easiest way to see the folly is to do a simple cost benefit analysis. Remember that miles are worth about 2 cents each. Upgrading requires you to purchase what amounts to a full fare coach ticket unless you are top elite and even then it's still not cost effective.
Let’s say you are an NWA WorldPerks member with 120,000 miles looking to go to Hong Kong. Traveling in peak season, from Detroit to Hong Kong finds the typical coach fare of $1,000. If we want to upgrade with miles, we must pay $3790 plus 80,000 miles for a real cost of $5390. If you simply pay for the ticket with 120,000 miles, our real cost is $2,400. In this case we have saved about $2,990 in real worth.
Clearly, upgrading with miles can cost a lot more in the long run.
Discount Airfare
The biggest cost of travel is airfare and accomodations. This is where you can save the most money if you do your research. Of course, going to all the major travel sites and typing in your travel information over and over again would be rediculous. Who has time for that?
That's why we have provided the search box to the left that does all the leg work for you. Type your info in once, and get prices from all the major travel sites including Expedia, Orbitz, Travelocity, Kayak, Priceline, CheapTickets and more! Compare airfare prices and get the cheapest travel deals!