Rewards Network

One of the easiest ways you can earn airmiles is by dining at various restaurants that participate in the Rewards Network program. There are 11 or 12 airlines that participate in the program. They include American Airlines, British Airways, Northwest Airlines, United Airlines and U. S. Airways. Each airline has a link to their particular program. You click on that link and you follow the directions on activating your account. Once you're enrolled, you can earn airmiles at participating restaurants. However, please check the program website to make sure the restaurant you want to dine at that day is offering airmiles. Restaurants can vary in how many airmiles they offer each day. There can also be limits on how many airmiles you can earn at a participating restaurant ex. Remomo's in Arundel Mills Mall, Maryland has a limit of 600 dollars per month. What that means is that you can earn airmiles on your total purchases there up to 600 dollars each month. You won't earn any of any purchases over that amount.

The program has three tiers. The first tier is for those who don't enroll through any airline program. The person dines out between 1 and 3 times a year and will receive 1 airmile per dollar spent at participating restaurants. The second tier is for people who enroll through an airline program or who dine out between 4 and 11 times per year. The member earns 3 airmiles per dollar spent. The program offers some bonus mile opportunities at this tier. Bonus opportunities are offers where the member can earn additional airmiles through promotions the participating restaurant is offering. The third tier is for those who dine out 12 plus times per year. The member earns 5 airmiles per dollar spent. The member also has the best chances for bonus miles ex. at Tier 3, I can earn 5 airmiles through the program and I receive an additional 5 bonus airmiles per dollar spent. Plus, I can receive additional bonus miles depending on the restaurant. I've seen some deals where I could earn as many as 20 airmiles per dollar spent. There is one catch with the tier levels. If you want to remain at tier 2, you must dine at participating restaurants between 4 and 11 times each year. If you want to remain at tier 3, you must dine a minimum of 12 times per year. I find myself in the predicament where I'll have to dine at participating restaurants 23 times in the next month and a half in order to keep my tier 3 status in the British Airways and Northwest Airlines programs. You can expect to see some restaurant reviews in the future on my blog.

The program has some very nice features. One, when you dine at a participating restaurant, you don't have to show any special membership card or tell them you are a member of the program. All you have to do is make sure you use a credit card you registered with the program. Second, airmiles are automatically deposited in your frequent flier account in 6 to 8 weeks. Third, each airline has a website where you can find out what restaurants are participating in the program. The website tells how many airmiles the restaurants are offering as well as maps which show you how to get to the restaurants. NOTE: You should check the website to make sure the restaurant you want to dine at is still in the program. The program adds and drops restaurants every month. If you don't check, you may not earn any airmiles when you dine out. I know this rule from personal experience.

Overall, the program makes it pretty easy to earn a lot of airmiles with your frequent flier program. Also, I've found the restaurants that participate in the program to be consistently good. The program has thousands of participating restaurants throughout the U.S. In my opinion, it's an excellent program and an easy way to earn yourself an upgrade or free ticket.

Disclaimer: FYI, I don't work for the Rewards Network and I haven't received any kind of remuneration for this blog entry. All opinions are my own. I do belong to the British Airways and Northwest Airlines dining programs. I've been a member of the British Airways program since 1997. Because of that, I feel I'm qualified to make some judgements on the program.