Caroline has enjoyed discovering the ins and outs
of how to maximize different
types of miles, hotel points, and transferable points
currencies.
Buying products and services with your card, in most cases, will count as a purchase; however, the following
types of transactions won't count and won't earn bonus
miles: balance transfers, cash advances, travelers checks, foreign
currency, money orders, wire transfers or similar cash - like transactions, lottery tickets, casino gaming chips, race track wagers or similar betting transactions, any checks that access your account, interest, unauthorized or fraudulent charges, and fees
of any kind, including an annual fee, if applicable.
In addition, not all points and
miles are created equal, which is why TPG releases his monthly valuations to capture the typical value you can expect out
of each
type of currency.
Hoarding
miles, however, is never recommended as this
type of mile - based
currency only devalues over time as airlines raise award ticket prices, tighten availability and adjust their programs to discourage loyalty among lower - spending travelers.