ASBTA: Frequent Flier Miles Offer Bottom-Line Savings Opportunities for Small Business Travelers; Understanding Frequent Flier 'Best Practices' Can Help Small Businesses Reap Even Greater Rewards.

DALLAS -- Small business travelers have more ways than ever to earn and redeem frequent flier miles, but few know all the ways to earn them and how to turn them into bottom-line savings, reported the American Small Business Travelers Alliance (ASBTA). ASBTA is a national, non-profit alliance that provides valuable services and functions focused specifically on the travel needs and interests of small business owners.

"Most business travelers know they can earn frequent flier miles simply by flying or charging purchases on an airline-partnered credit card, but how many know they can earn miles on a home mortgage or by having their taxes prepared," said Heather Martin, ASBTA Chief Financial Officer? "Likewise, simply by following a few frequent flier mile 'best practices,' most small businesses could be saving money by redeeming airline miles for products and services they use everyday."

Best Practice #1: Know All the Options for Earning Miles

American Airlines is just one of several airlines that has partnered with a number of travel service providers to help travelers earn more frequent flier miles using its AAdvantage(R) program. In addition to more traditional methods, such as earning 50 AAdvantage miles per day on an Avis rental car and 500 AAdvantage miles per stay at participating Hilton hotels, members can also earn up to 1,000 AAdvantage miles by having H&R Block manage their tax preparation needs, or 1,000 AAdvantage miles for every $10,000 financed on a new home purchase or refinance with Wells Fargo Home Mortgage. (Visit https://www.aa.com/apps/AAdvantage/AAdvantageHome.jhtml for more details.)

"There are dozens of ways to earn airline miles and most people don't have to change what they're already doing to earn them," said Martin. "The trick is simply knowing what companies your frequent flier program partners with and understanding how to get the miles. In most cases, the frequent flier program Web site is the best place to start."

Best Practice #2: Redeem Miles for What You Use Most

Most frequent flier programs offer members the opportunity to redeem points for more than just flights. Small business owners can take advantage of this by using points toward everything from magazine subscriptions to rewarding employees or clients with a gift of airline miles.

Programs such as AAdvantage also make it possible for members to cash in miles for free car rentals and hotel stays. For instance, AAdvantage miles can be redeemed for free Avis car rentals, with as few as 12,000 miles for three free weekend day rentals or 13,000 miles for two free week day rentals. In addition, Hilton HHonors(R) members can earn both HHonors points and airline miles on 55 participating airlines, including American Airlines, Delta, British Airways and AeroMexico. (Visit http://hhonors.hilton.com/en/hhonors/index.jhtml for more details.)

Best Practice #3: Take Advantage of Independent Points Programs and Publications

Beyond the airlines' frequent flier programs, small business travelers can also take advantage of independent points programs and publications. Programs like The Points Exchange (www.points.com), an online exchange that allows members to combine and exchange points and miles among a variety of loyalty programs, offers travelers another way to maximize frequent flier miles.

For example, a subscriber to The Points Exchange could exchange 10,000 AAdvantage miles for 4,500 eBay Anything Points(TM), which can be used to pay for eligible items purchased on eBay. (Visit http://anythingpoints.ebay.com/ for more details.) Serious frequent fliers could also benefit from subscribing to publications like InsideFlyer (www.insideflyer.com), a combined online and print publication that provides frequent flier news, in-depth articles and expert advice on earning and redeeming miles and points.

"The opportunities for small businesses to truly benefit from frequent flier miles are out there, it's really just a matter of knowing how to make the miles work to their best advantage," said Martin.

About ASBTA:

The American Small Business Travelers Alliance (ASBTA) is a national, non-profit organization serving small business travelers by providing information regarding resources, services and savings, as well as and technology designed to improve and enhance the travel experience. To achieve its mission, ASBTA will utilize an integrated communication program while working closely with travel-industry companies that serve small business travelers. If you're a small business owner and want to learn more, visit our site and register (free until December 1, 2005) at www.asbta.com. We'd like to hear from you, too. Give us a call or e-mail us at [e-mail] if you have questions or want to share ideas about what small business travelers really need and how ASBTA can serve you effectively. Call us at 469-648-0190.