While airline miles are usually considered as valuable travel currency, there are five instances when using a credit card might work out better for your pocket, time and energy, according to a report by Gulf News. Let’s break it down:

1. Low demanding low-priced airfares

If flights are already reasonably priced (and you can often be pleasantly surprised at the affordability of some airfares depending on destination, seasonality and sales on offer at the time of booking), it may be more practical to just enjoy the cash savings instead of investing time and money navigating a program to earn airline miles with limited award availability. Alternatively, you can also consider a credit card with travel credits for greater flexibility and value, as these credits can often be used to offset the cost of the flight.

2. Flexible travel dates

Should your destination be typically on the pricier side, it might be worth waiting for a sale or promotion where there is flexibility in travel dates. Some might even look at booking last minute flights as the best deals often go to those who can travel at any time or with short notice. To maximize savings, you can also consider signing up for a flexible travel rewards card, which allows you to redeem points at your discretion, and wait for a sale. Take advantage of online resources, websites and app that specialise in finding discounted tickets – subscribe to them and follow them on social media to stay updated on discounts you won’t want to miss.

3. Group bookings

Eligibility and booking constraints can make airline miles less practical when booking flights for multiple people. Many airlines restrict award seats per flight, making it challenging to secure more than one or two seats using miles. While some airline programs offer more flexible award availability, it’s important to note they may not always fly to where you need or want to go. As such, even with flexibility for travel dates, booking multiple seats requires quite a bit of advance planning and booking early to secure several seats on the same flight. And when planning early isn’t an optino, then consider opting for flexible travel credit and monitoring prices to grab the best deal.

4. Non-flexible travel dates

Where there is no flexibility on travel dates, for example seasonal and religious celebrations, weddings, work events, of when there’s a limited travel window, airline miles might not be the best option. Frequent flyer programs often have restrictive award seat availability anyway, so would not work if you have a fixed travel schedule. In such cases, flexible travel credit or flexible travel credit cards that allow point transfers can come in handy. This approach can also help you earn a sign-up bonus and accumulate points to use at a later date.

5. Uncertain travel dates

If your travel plans are up in the air with uncertainty, airline miles may not be the best option. However, accumulating miles without using them may lead to waste or suboptimal redemption. As such, consider travel credit cards that offer flexible point redemption options, especially if you’re unsure about using up earned miles. By using a card that allows direct travel booking, point transfers to hotels and airline partners, or redemption for gift cards or cashback, you can thus use your points for more options other than travel.