We’re back with Points & Miles 101 and I am giving out some homework in this installment. Today it’s a very easy and basic assignment but one that is absolutely necessary to begin your journey in points and miles.

So far we’ve discussed your credit report, what is your credit score, and creating a travel bucket list in this series.  With that information, you’re almost ready to apply for a rewards credit card that earns points or miles to all the exotic locations on your bucket list. However, in order to accumulate these frequent flyer miles, you need frequent flyer accounts! It’s no good signing up for an American Airlines credit card if its not linked to your American Airlines AAdvantage account!

This seems like common sense but a friend of mine forgot this very rule when he applied for a US airways credit card (that’s what he gets for not talking to me first…). The miles will still accumulate but they will be placed in a new, random frequent flyer account the bank has set up for you – obviously this is not optimal (don’t worry a phone call to the bank got everything straightened out).

Below, I’ve included links to the major frequent flyer accounts and hotel loyalty accounts you should signup for. Yes, it will take a little time to signup for each but you will save this time later on when the next big 100,000 mile credit card comes up and you already have a frequent flyer account ready to go and use on the application.

Airlines

American Airlines

British Airways

Delta Airlines **Current Promotion – Register your new account now for extra bonus miles after your first flight**

Hawaiian Airlines

JetBlue Airways

Southwest Airlines

United Airlines

US Airways

Hotels

Club Carlson (Radisson, Radisson Blu, Country Inn, etc.)

Hilton Hotels

Hyatt

IHG (Intercontinental, Holiday Inns, etc.)

Marriott **Current Promotion – Sign up, complete two stays and get a free night**

Starwood

Even if you don’t plan on ever flying a certain airline, you still want to signup for their frequent flyer account. For example, I’ve never set foot on a US airways flight but I have over 300,000 miles with them. And if you swear you won’t fly US air even if it’s free, you still want their miles because you can redeem them for free flights on their partners. So I highly recommend signing up for all these accounts now!

P.S. Stay tuned for a FREE, super easy way to manage all of these accounts in the next Points & Miles 101 installment.