Being in business often means traveling for business. And if you’re traveling a lot, you’ll want to make sure you’re signed up to get rewards for it! There are tons of tips and tricks out there for accumulating and spending points, but here are a few basics to remember, and one great website to check out.

1. Pick the Right Program
While it can’t hurt to enroll for the frequent flyer program from any airline you use, it makes more sense to pick an airline and “concentrate” on it. That means knowing what airline you’re most likely to use, either because they have a strong presence at your home airport, or fly often to your most common destination city. If you’re traveling often, you’ll know which airline offers the best deals and routes for you.

2. Get a Credit Card
Believe it or not, a credit card that earns miles is a great investment for the serious traveler. Most of these offers have an annual fee after the first year, but if you’re earning enough miles through the card it will be worth it. Just make sure to shop around: even the same card from the same airline will change frequently.

3. Get Outsourced Advice
The frequent flyer community is huge and it’s vocal. Let them help you! At Flyertalk.com there are tons of great forums posting mileage deals, credit card reviews, airline program-specific rewards info, and even hotel and rental car reward program forums. If you’re new to the world of frequent flyer programs, definitely read their introductory guides. They’ll be invaluable as you realize you can actually use frequent flyer miles to save money and travel better. Visit Flyertalk to read up on frequent flyer programs or to ask questions of the experienced community there.

Not a traveler but have one in your life? Check out our gifts for frequent travelers here.