Does using credit card for miles compensate? Understand how loyalty programs work and also discover other ways to score!

How to use the card mileage program?  Does using credit card for miles compensate? Understand how loyalty programs work and also discover other ways to score! To be able to parcelate the value of purchases or make purchases even without money available on the account that day, the fact is that the Brazilian incorporated the use of the credit card in his/her day-to-day. In a survey conducted by SPC Brazil, 67.5% of respondents confirmed using their credit card in the last year. and to further stimulate its use, card operators have devoted more attention to loyalty programs, especially those that allow for accumulation of points or miles. The credit card for millions works in a very simple way: the more purchases you carry with it, the more points or miles you accumulate, and you can exchange them for airline tickets, appliances, gift cards, among other options.

How to choose the best mileage program?

The more you spend on your credit card, the more you accumulate points. However, the conversion to the dollar is usually made. That is, you accumulate 1 point every US $1 spent. Of course, this value may vary depending on the type of card. Some cards give up to 3 points per dollar spent, but their annuities are usually more expensive. "To know the best program for you, you need to analyze your profile: How much do you usually spend a month? How much does an airfare cost in that company that you think of accumulating miles? Will you have enough mileage accumulation? And how often do you travel? Remember that there is a deadline for mileage expiration, "says Marcela Kawauti, chief economist at SPC Brazil. Very careful not to increase your monthly spending just to accumulate miles. The program should be an extra benefit and not the reason for using the credit card. "Keep in mind that spending that you don't need, plus not helping you save, can end up disorganizing your budget," he notes. So, in case you come to the conclusion that you don't spend enough to accumulate enough miles to travel – or that the annuity won't compensate for the benefit –, know that credit card for miles is not the only way to accumulate points. It is possible to join in other ways! See below:

How to Buy passage with miles – even without them!

It is possible to find national passages with miles costing around 3500 points the stretch. If we consider a conversion from one point to every dollar spent, that means more than R $12000 spent on the credit card. So it may be that you take a long time to accumulate enough amount. But, some companies have arranged a way to offer a discount to the consumer, selling tickets with miles. What do you mean? The site works like a miles bank: when you buy there, it uses your own miles to issue your ticket. As a result, you pay cheaper! This is the case with the 123milhas.com site, the Max miles and the Hot miles. You can also sell your miles to these platforms that they pass on to other consumers who want to acquire tickets and have no miles. Some airline programs such as Latam and Gol also allow you to use part of your miles plus a cash value to buy your ticket, enabling those who do not accumulate as many points to enjoy the benefit as a discount on the total value. Points can also be used to purchase household appliances and other products. Vale, however, keep an eye on their price in miles. Many times, they are very high in the showcase of these platforms. "If your miles are about to expire, there will be no other option but to trade for products that are known to be more expensive, but it is better than simply losing the points," advises José Vignoli, SPC Brasil's financial educator.

How to earn miles without a credit card?

Shopping with your credit card is not the only way to earn points or miles. There are programs that allow accumulation of miles or points in other ways. This is the case with Livelo loyalty clubs and Smiles club. To participate, you pay a monthly fee, which revolves around R $45, and accumulates about a thousand points per month. And even without participating in the club, it is possible to earn miles on Smiles and Livelo through purchases in partner stores and affiliated cards. You can also accumulate points by doing the Dotz system, which allows you to accumulate miles through shopping in stores and partner companies. Some fuel station networks, such as Ipiranga and Petrobrás, also have their own programs that reward miles for car supplies. "Depending on the consumer profile, these programs can be advantageous. But you need to evaluate the conditions carefully before you opt for the plans that include tuition. In addition, there is the danger of the consumer ending up adhering to the program and then performing unnecessary purchases or more expensive than in other locations just to accumulate points. In these situations probably what he will save in the passage will be spent on the higher costs – and one thing won't compensate the other, "warns Marcela.

You have miles and you don't use them? Lucre with that!

If you do not travel much, but have accumulated miles due to credit card costs or participation in the programs cited above, know that you can profit from them. Although this is not a widely publicized option, you can sell your miles to sites such as Hot miles – and this is a legal procedure and your right, although some loyalty programs have a seal on the contract, penalizing the customer with the exclusion of Program. It is also important to take care to search and choose a company with credibility and good reputation to buy your points. "There are situations where it is advantageous to sell the miles, for example, when they are close to the expiry date, when there are promotion of tickets areas and you need money to acquire or in cases where you are having trouble exchanging your miles for products You want. To find out if you're financially compensating, it's worth the value of the miles you have and compare to the price of the tickets you could trade for them, "says Marcela. Usually the miles sales processes are very simple: you choose the Company, register your personal data, ask for a quotation and finalize the transaction. Payment is made quickly and securely, so you are free to use the money from the miles as you wish, without being limited to the options offered by the carriers or loyalty clubs.   With my happy pocket