Top 7 Airlines with the Most Flexible Award Flight Cancellation Policies in 2024
Top 7 Airlines with the Most Flexible Award Flight Cancellation Policies in 2024 - Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Flexibility
Alaska Airlines is making some adjustments to its Mileage Plan program throughout 2024, with a focus on improving flexibility and potentially offering better value. A major shift is the introduction of a distance-based award chart, which, while aiming for more consistent pricing across partner airlines, may or may not result in substantial changes for many travelers. While some economy and business class partner routes could become cheaper, it remains to be seen if this is a truly beneficial change for everyone.
Another planned enhancement is the option to mix two different airline partners on a single one-way award ticket, giving members more options and potential for creative routing. However, the implementation timeline for this new feature isn't clear yet. For those with elite status, the ability to roll over extra elite qualifying miles earned in the previous year is welcome news and can potentially reduce the pressure for some to chase a high number of miles each year.
It's worth noting that Alaska Airlines is one of the few U.S. airlines that continues to publish an award chart, which is undoubtedly helpful for travelers as it allows for better planning and understanding of the points needed to redeem flights. Whether all these changes ultimately benefit the average Mileage Plan member in a meaningful way remains to be seen, but the intent to offer more options and potentially improved value is positive.
Alaska Airlines' Mileage Plan stands out with its adaptability, particularly in its award flight policies. While other US carriers are tightening their grip on award seats and flexibility, Alaska offers a relatively lenient approach.
The program offers a unique benefit: the option to cancel or modify award flights without penalty, even at the last minute. This degree of flexibility is something that many other major airlines have moved away from.
One notable aspect of the Mileage Plan is its vast network of partner airlines. You can redeem miles for travel on a diverse range of carriers, including several international options. The breadth of choices in this network often translates into potentially finding better value in redemption opportunities.
The Mileage Plan also allows for one-way bookings, which is appealing for travelers who favor constructing flexible trip itineraries. This feature eliminates the requirement for a round-trip purchase and is particularly useful for multi-destination journeys, giving flexibility to change plans.
Interestingly, Alaska Airlines occasionally allows members to engage in a practice called "mileage runs." This entails earning miles through carefully designed booking strategies, even on shorter flights. Some members cleverly utilize this to maximize miles and potentially achieve cost savings over time.
Finding seats using award miles on Alaska Airlines has often been reported as relatively easier when compared to other airlines. This tendency applies particularly to routes that are less travelled, as they often see fewer competitive bookings. It seems their system is structured in a way that this aspect can be a benefit for the member.
Alaska Airlines awards elite members with the perk of complimentary upgrades to premium cabins, which is an appealing element of the program. It's a way for these members to experience enhanced travel without needing to pay extra.
Another appealing aspect is the flexibility to book award flights with layovers without additional charges. It is a relatively simple, but often appealing, strategy for explorers to include stopovers in their itinerary, transforming regular journeys into more varied and enriching experiences.
Occasionally, a traveler faces unexpected travel hurdles. Alaska Airlines' Mileage Plan provides a buffer in these situations with a "hold" feature. Members can hold onto their chosen award flight for up to a day while they finalise their travel arrangements.
It's worth noting that your accumulated Mileage Plan miles have a rather relaxed expiration policy. Miles are only rendered unusable after two years of inactivity, offering generous room for leisurely planning of future trips.
Beyond flights, it is interesting that the program at times offers redemption options that include curated dining opportunities, often connected to collaborations with partner airlines. Although not always available, this is a nice feature which allows members to access certain premium culinary occasions.
What else is in this post?
- Top 7 Airlines with the Most Flexible Award Flight Cancellation Policies in 2024 - Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Flexibility
- Top 7 Airlines with the Most Flexible Award Flight Cancellation Policies in 2024 - Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Freedom
- Top 7 Airlines with the Most Flexible Award Flight Cancellation Policies in 2024 - JetBlue TrueBlue Points Versatility
- Top 7 Airlines with the Most Flexible Award Flight Cancellation Policies in 2024 - Air Canada Aeroplan Award Adaptability
- Top 7 Airlines with the Most Flexible Award Flight Cancellation Policies in 2024 - Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Leniency
- Top 7 Airlines with the Most Flexible Award Flight Cancellation Policies in 2024 - Emirates Skywards Miles Malleability
- Top 7 Airlines with the Most Flexible Award Flight Cancellation Policies in 2024 - Lufthansa Miles & More Accommodating Policies
Top 7 Airlines with the Most Flexible Award Flight Cancellation Policies in 2024 - Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Freedom
Southwest Airlines' Rapid Rewards program has a reputation for its straightforward approach and generally good value. A key aspect of the program that shines in 2024 is its flexibility. There are no blackout dates to worry about, and they offer an unlimited number of reward seats, which removes a major hurdle many other airlines impose. This means it’s generally easier to find a flight using points when you need it.
The Rapid Rewards program isn't just about flights, although that's its main focus. Members can use their points for various travel-related perks such as hotel stays, rental cars, and even gift cards and merchandise. This versatility provides value to those who might not always need to redeem points for flights. Further enhancing flexibility, members can combine their points with cash when booking flights. This allows travelers to customize their spending and use the system in a way that suits their budget and needs.
One of the most popular aspects of the Rapid Rewards program continues to be the Companion Pass. It offers a compelling reason to engage with the program, as it enables members to essentially take a travel companion along for free or at a reduced cost. Whether it’s a family member or friend, this benefit can dramatically enhance the value of the Rapid Rewards program. This feature, along with the points never expiring, helps solidify Southwest Airlines' spot among the best for flexible reward flight policies.
Southwest Airlines' Rapid Rewards program presents a compelling mix of features, but also some quirks. It's ranked relatively high in some rankings, but whether it's truly among the best depends on your individual travel style.
One of the core aspects is how they value their points. While Southwest claims their points are worth roughly 1.4-1.5 cents each, this value fluctuates based on how you redeem them and the demand for flights. Meaning, 10,000 points could be used towards a $140 flight, but the same points might get you a different value at a different time.
They do boast a few intriguing attributes: Notably, they have no blackout dates or restrictions on reward seats, meaning you have more flexibility on when you fly. They allow you to combine points and cash for flights, which can be handy when you're close to a redemption but don't have quite enough points. Points are earned based on how much you spend on flights and can be boosted through promotions or booking higher fare classes.
Southwest's Rapid Rewards program gives you a few extras if you fly often enough. Their A-List and A-List Preferred tiers offer perks like priority boarding, which is beneficial for frequent travelers. The star feature, however, is the Companion Pass, which allows a designated companion to fly with you for essentially free or a discounted price. A very compelling feature for those who regularly travel with a companion. They also boast the significant benefit of no point expiration, meaning you have the luxury of accumulating them over time without being constrained by deadlines.
While they tout a simple pricing model for some bookings, with approximately 3,000 points needed for a $49 flight, it's also worth remembering that Southwest uses a dynamic pricing system, which means prices shift based on various factors. The 3,000 points for a $49 flight is an estimate and the exact number needed could be different.
So, while Rapid Rewards presents some compelling features, including flexibility and the ability to potentially find value through various avenues, the overall value might not be for everyone. The dynamic pricing, while convenient, can be frustrating when prices unexpectedly surge. The program works best for those who travel frequently with Southwest, especially those who can capitalize on their elite tiers and the Companion Pass. For others, the value might be less predictable and more dependent on booking at the right times to capitalize on promotional rates.
Top 7 Airlines with the Most Flexible Award Flight Cancellation Policies in 2024 - JetBlue TrueBlue Points Versatility
JetBlue's TrueBlue program presents a compelling proposition for travelers seeking flexibility and value. The program's core strength lies in its points versatility, offering a straightforward way to earn and redeem rewards. Unlike some programs that rely on miles flown, TrueBlue focuses on dollars spent, allowing you to more directly track how your travel habits contribute to your point balance.
One notable advantage is that TrueBlue points never expire, removing the pressure to use them quickly and giving you time to plan ideal redemption opportunities. Furthermore, you won't encounter blackout dates on reward flights, which is a welcome feature for those with spontaneous travel inclinations. Booking award flights with JetBlue often feels less restricted by constraints than on some other airlines.
The program also caters to groups and families with its point-sharing option, making it simpler for travel companions to combine their point pools for larger travel endeavors. Combined with generally flexible cancellation policies for reward flights, JetBlue's approach in 2024 positions it as a strong contender for those prioritizing easy-to-manage travel arrangements. This flexibility coupled with the program's accessible earning structure, provides a solid reason to consider JetBlue for your next travel booking. However, the value of JetBlue points can vary, so you may not always get the best return for your accumulated points. Still, overall, TrueBlue's features stand out for the emphasis on flexibility and simplicity in a world of increasingly complicated travel reward programs.
### JetBlue TrueBlue Points Versatility: Exploring the Program's Features
JetBlue's TrueBlue program presents a compelling mix of features that can appeal to a wide range of travelers. Its focus on flexibility and ease of use makes it stand out in the crowded airline loyalty landscape. Here's a closer look at some of the key aspects of TrueBlue that set it apart:
1. **Point Sharing Across Families**: The ability to pool points across family accounts is quite useful. Up to six family members can contribute and redeem points together, making it easier for families to reach award travel goals. This pooling feature eliminates the need for each individual to accrue a significant number of points and potentially increases the possibility of more worthwhile flight redemptions.
2. **No Blackout Dates**: This straightforward feature is increasingly uncommon these days, but it adds a degree of certainty to planning trips with JetBlue points. The absence of any restrictions on when you can fly is a definite advantage, as it allows members to choose the dates they want to travel without being constrained by specific blackout periods.
3. **Earning Points Beyond Flights**: TrueBlue goes beyond simply rewarding miles flown. Members can earn points based on spending, including online purchases. This diversified earning structure can accelerate point accumulation without forcing travelers to solely focus on JetBlue flights.
4. **One-Way Award Options**: One-way awards offer significant flexibility for travelers who aren't tied to a return flight. This allows for creating more open-ended and potentially cheaper itineraries.
5. **Point Transferability**: The ability to transfer points to other loyalty programs creates opportunities beyond just JetBlue flights. This provides a wider range of options to those who wish to experience different travel or lifestyle benefits.
6. **Dynamic Award Pricing**: TrueBlue operates on a dynamic award pricing model. The number of points required for a particular flight can fluctuate based on factors like demand and timing. While this can introduce some uncertainty, it also opens up opportunities to secure awards at potentially lower point costs if a flight has lower demand.
7. **Swift Booking Process**: The user-friendly online and mobile interfaces make it simple for members to find and book award flights with TrueBlue. It's quite efficient in terms of its interface to quickly find available award seats.
8. **Varied Promotional Offers**: JetBlue's promotions can significantly impact the value of the program. The occasional "Fly More, Earn More" type of campaign can lead to a more efficient path towards award travel if strategically leveraged.
9. **Point Value Fluctuations**: As with other programs, the value of TrueBlue points isn't static. Points typically are worth between 1.3 and 1.5 cents each, but their worth can vary depending on the travel date and destination. This aspect requires a bit more proactive planning to maximize point value.
10. **Access to Premium Mint Service**: Using TrueBlue points to secure access to Mint is a notable advantage. It opens the door to a premium travel experience for a potentially lower cost than purchasing a full-fare ticket, making it a compelling way to upgrade experiences within the JetBlue ecosystem.
Top 7 Airlines with the Most Flexible Award Flight Cancellation Policies in 2024 - Air Canada Aeroplan Award Adaptability
Air Canada's Aeroplan program has seen some updates in 2024 focused on making award flights more flexible. While the program does charge for changing or canceling flights, with fees reaching CAD 150, travelers still appreciate the ability to adapt to unexpected circumstances. Aeroplan members have access to a wide range of airline partners, around 50 in total, expanding travel options significantly. The program has streamlined its award pricing, making it simpler to determine how many points are needed for a desired trip. While Aeroplan offers competitive value for points, particularly when redeeming for premium cabins like Business or First Class, it may not always be the most advantageous program when compared to alternatives offered by other airlines.
Here are 10 intriguing aspects of Air Canada's Aeroplan award flexibility:
1. **Points Fluctuations Tied to Demand**: Aeroplan employs a dynamic pricing system where the number of points needed for a flight changes depending on how popular that flight is. This can be a good thing for travelers who are flexible with dates, potentially uncovering less-traveled routes where fewer points are needed.
2. **Crafting Multi-City Itineraries with a Single Ticket**: Aeroplan allows you to weave together multiple cities into a single award booking. Many programs force you to book each leg separately, but Aeroplan offers a bit more freedom for those who plan on hopping between destinations.
3. **Last-Minute Changes Without Big Fees**: It's a fact of travel that plans change. Aeroplan has been updated to accommodate this, letting you adjust your plans without facing extreme penalties, even if it's close to departure.
4. **A Wide Network of Partner Airlines**: Aeroplan isn't limited to Air Canada flights. You can potentially use your points for over 45 airlines worldwide, offering more choices for destinations and routes compared to many airline loyalty programs.
5. **Often Easier to Find Award Seats**: Aeroplan's award seat availability seems to be a bit more generous than some of its competitors, meaning finding a flight using points can be more straightforward, even during peak travel seasons.
6. **Earning Points Beyond Just Flying**: Beyond flying, Aeroplan has partnerships with different stores and services, making it easier to collect points even if you are not flying frequently. It's another way to potentially accelerate the pace at which you collect points.
7. **Hold Feature to Plan with More Time**: If you aren't entirely sure about your plans, Aeroplan allows you to put a flight on hold for up to a day without needing to pay anything. This can be a good way to keep a desired option open while you finalise details.
8. **Sharing Points for Group Trips**: Aeroplan enables families or travel companions to combine points, creating a larger pool for everyone to share. This can be useful for those who want to travel together but don't individually have enough points.
9. **Discounts on Premium Cabin Bookings**: At times, Aeroplan offers special discounts on award flights for business and first class, which means you could get a luxurious travel experience for fewer points. This can make high-class flights more accessible to travelers.
10. **Using Points for Upgrades**: Instead of just booking flights with points, Aeroplan also enables you to use them to upgrade to better seats on flights you've already purchased. This means you have a bit more control over enhancing the quality of your travel experience.
These various features demonstrate that Aeroplan offers a lot of versatility for travelers. This is especially important when travel plans often change, or when you're looking to mix and match flights and routes to find a good deal.
Top 7 Airlines with the Most Flexible Award Flight Cancellation Policies in 2024 - Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Leniency
Virgin Atlantic's Flying Club has become more attractive to travelers, particularly since joining the SkyTeam alliance. This partnership significantly expands the range of airlines where you can use your points, boosting the program's appeal for those who frequently travel. The program's tiered system provides a framework for rewarding loyalty, while the "Points Booster" feature lets members buy extra points, often at discounted rates during promotions. While this flexibility is a plus, it's the ability to redeem points for some unexpectedly valuable award flights that truly distinguishes Virgin Atlantic. Their system often reveals "sweet spot" redemption opportunities that maximize the return on your points, offering greater value than many competitors. It's worth remembering that many other airlines have been tightening their restrictions on award tickets. In this environment, Virgin Atlantic's Flying Club offers a notable degree of leniency, making it an appealing option for travelers who want to have more flexibility in their trip planning.
### Virgin Atlantic Flying Club: Flexibility and Perks
Virgin Atlantic's Flying Club program offers a blend of flexibility and redemption options, making it interesting to analyze for frequent travelers. One particularly useful feature is the ability to book one-way flights for half the miles required for a round trip. This makes planning trips to diverse locations simpler and potentially allows for maximizing the value of earned miles.
One interesting aspect is the lack of fees for changing award bookings, even close to the departure date. This level of flexibility is unusual in the loyalty program landscape, offering a safety net in case travel plans need adjustment. The ability to combine miles within a family account also adds a dynamic aspect to the program. This allows groups to accelerate reaching their redemption goals, potentially making access to award flights more attainable for those who frequently travel with family or friends.
The Flying Club's partnership network extends beyond Virgin Atlantic and its current alliance, allowing members to use their miles on carriers like Delta and Air France. This broadens the possible destinations and can be a considerable benefit when choosing travel options. It is worth noting that as long as there's a qualifying flight or point-earning activity within a three-year period, the accumulated miles won't expire, providing a long window for planning travel.
Another aspect that can be useful is that members aren't restricted to just using points for flights. Flying Club miles can also be used to upgrade existing flight bookings. This approach allows a degree of flexibility for travelers who want to improve their experience without significantly impacting their travel budget.
It's worth noting that Virgin Atlantic's award pricing uses a dynamic model. The number of miles required for a flight can vary based on factors like demand. This can work to a traveler's benefit when booking flights with less demand, often making those award seats more accessible at a lower cost.
Interestingly, the Flying Club points can be applied to additional services beyond flights. These range from cabin upgrades to access to airport lounges, which can further refine the travel experience beyond the core booking. And in cases where an award flight is not immediately available, a waitlist option is available free of charge. This offers a chance to secure a desired seat later without any financial penalty.
For those who want further flexibility, the Flying Club offers the possibility to transfer miles to the British Airways Avios program. This expands the number of airlines and routes potentially reachable, providing an increased degree of flexibility and control for travel planning.
The Virgin Atlantic Flying Club presents a combination of features that might be attractive to those looking for a good balance of flexibility and redemption options. While some features might be quite appealing, others might require more thorough analysis to evaluate the value provided, especially when compared with other airline loyalty programs.
Top 7 Airlines with the Most Flexible Award Flight Cancellation Policies in 2024 - Emirates Skywards Miles Malleability
Emirates Skywards miles offer a degree of flexibility, but their value proposition might not be the most compelling compared to other airlines. Award flights typically require a significant number of miles, with economy class tickets ranging from 80,000 to 100,000 miles, and even more for premium classes. This can be a barrier for many travelers hoping to maximize their miles. Furthermore, Emirates charges fees for changing or canceling award tickets, with a $25 fee for changes and $75 for cancellations, which makes the program less flexible than others. One notable feature, though, is the ability to transfer Skywards miles to family or friends for a modest fee. This option brings a level of versatility in managing accumulated miles. While some tempting redemption opportunities exist, particularly on partner airlines, the generally high mileage requirements and associated fees may make Emirates a less attractive choice for those prioritizing both value and flexibility.
### Emirates Skywards Miles: A Look at Flexibility and Value
Emirates Skywards, the loyalty program associated with the Dubai-based airline, presents a mixed bag when it comes to using miles for award flights. While some aspects show potential, a deeper dive reveals areas where it falls short of truly optimizing the value of earned miles.
1. **Miles Cost and Variable Pricing:** The cost of award tickets fluctuates significantly. Economy class often requires between 80,000 and 100,000 miles for a roundtrip ticket, while business class can cost 150,000 to 250,000. First class is even steeper, typically requiring around 180,000 miles. The fact that these mile requirements are subject to change based on demand (dynamic pricing) adds a level of uncertainty.
2. **Family Mile Sharing:** One interesting feature is the ability to combine miles with up to eight family members. This concept of a "family pool" can be a boon for families who travel together frequently, potentially accelerating the rate at which they can accumulate enough miles for an award ticket. However, whether this outweighs the overall cost of miles depends heavily on a traveler's personal travel patterns.
3. **Flexibility with Award Tickets:** While the Skywards program does permit changes to award flights without additional fees, this flexibility is only related to dates, not destinations. Further, there is a cancellation fee of $75. This flexibility contrasts with some airlines that completely eliminate change or cancellation fees for award tickets.
4. **Mile Expiration and Renewal:** Skywards miles have a relatively long lifespan – three years as long as there's at least one qualifying flight within that period. This feature provides some buffer compared to other airline programs that have stricter rules regarding mile expiration. It's not necessarily a unique selling point when compared to other programs that also don't have restrictive expiration policies.
5. **Redemption Options Beyond Flights:** The ability to redeem miles for other experiences, such as hotel stays or car rentals, adds some versatility to the program. It may be helpful for those who are not consistently flying with Emirates, though the value of these options often may be less attractive compared to other programs that also have diverse redeemable options.
6. **Promotional Offers and Discounts:** Emirates, similar to other airline programs, occasionally offers promotional opportunities where miles requirements for certain flights are reduced. These offers are primarily targeted to incentivize travel during slower seasons or on specific routes. It requires attention and planning to catch these offers to take advantage of lower mile costs.
7. **Membership Tiers:** The tiered structure of Skywards, which can be seen in other programs as well, gives elite members advantages like better mileage redemption rates and potential for improved availability of award seats. It is a standard feature in many loyalty programs and a feature that helps to drive engagement.
8. **Airline Partnerships:** Emirates is not affiliated with the major airline alliances (Star Alliance, oneworld, SkyTeam). While it has partnerships with carriers such as Air Canada, Qantas, and Japan Airlines, the selection of partners might not be as comprehensive as other alliance-based programs. This could impact a traveler's ability to find a truly optimal redemption opportunity.
9. **Emirates' Global Reach:** Emirates covers a wide range of international destinations across six continents, which creates many possibilities for redemption options.
10. **Last Minute Award Seat Availability:** There are anecdotal reports that finding award seats on Emirates, even close to departure, might be easier than with some other airlines. This perception is likely related to their sizeable fleet and operational scale. However, given the dynamic pricing aspect, this feature might be less reliable than travelers might think.
Overall, Emirates Skywards, while offering some appealing features, needs to be carefully evaluated. Travelers looking to optimize the value of their miles might want to examine other loyalty programs that may offer more comprehensive partnerships, less complex redemption options, or more clear mile valuations. However, the aspects that offer some attractive features like the family mile-sharing aspect or the longer time before expiration of miles and ability to use for other experiences make it worth analyzing further depending on one's travel habits.
Top 7 Airlines with the Most Flexible Award Flight Cancellation Policies in 2024 - Lufthansa Miles & More Accommodating Policies
Lufthansa's Miles & More program has been around since 1993 and offers a decent set of features for frequent flyers. It's not just about racking up miles on flights; members can earn them through various purchases, expanding the ways to potentially accumulate rewards. One convenient option within the program is the "Cash & Miles" feature. It grants travelers the ability to combine miles with cash for flight purchases, giving them a bit more control when booking trips. Furthermore, the program acknowledges the environmental impact of air travel and allows members to offset their carbon emissions when redeeming miles. While this is a nice touch, it remains to be seen how effective it really is.
The integration of the program with numerous partners broadens its scope beyond just Lufthansa flights, making it worthwhile to analyze if it can meet the needs of a variety of travelers. Whether this program truly stands out amidst competitors heavily focused on flexibility remains to be seen. However, it's evident that Lufthansa is striving to appeal to a broader spectrum of travelers by allowing them to use miles for multiple travel-related expenses, including a range of services and options beyond flights.
Lufthansa's Miles & More program, established in 1993, has some intriguing features, though its flexibility might not be as pronounced as with some other airlines. One area where it stands out is its mile expiration policy, which allows accumulated miles to be valid for 36 months following the last qualifying activity. While many other loyalty programs have shorter durations, Lufthansa's extended period provides a more leisurely approach to strategizing redemption plans.
When it comes to modifying or canceling awards, it is worth noting that fees can be applied. Lufthansa charges for changing or canceling flights. Although it's not a free-for-all like some programs, the costs are relatively moderate when compared to others. Having the ability to put a ticket on hold for up to 48 hours without making any payment provides a buffer for those who need a little time to solidify their plans, something which can be helpful when facing uncertainty with travel plans.
It's interesting that the program allows family members to combine their miles, with up to eight members linked to a shared account. This feature can boost the speed at which families can achieve redemption goals. For multi-city itineraries, you can use one award ticket, which is uncommon in the world of loyalty programs. This flexibility can be convenient for individuals who are exploring multiple destinations. Miles & More utilizes a rather straightforward approach to award pricing, with a fixed award chart for flights. This removes the element of surprise or potential confusion often experienced with airlines that employ a dynamic pricing system, which can mean that prices change frequently.
While some airlines rely on frequent promotions for enticing members, Lufthansa sometimes has sales or offers that impact the points needed for specific destinations. Using miles for upgrades to a higher class of service is also available. This can enhance the travel experience without needing to spend extra money out of pocket. Lufthansa is a member of Star Alliance, so it has partnerships with more than 25 airlines. This enables travellers to use their miles with more options than if they were limited to only a single airline.
The Miles & More program has a few unexpected offerings in addition to flights. In some cases, members can use miles to access experiences that go beyond traditional travel. These may include culinary experiences or other unique activities in specific destinations. The value of such offerings might not be easily assessed, yet they offer a unique element for those who desire diverse rewards.
Overall, Lufthansa Miles & More's flexibility is interesting but not as prominent as some competitors. Features like the rather long expiration of points or the ability to combine families' miles are appealing. The ease of planning with a fixed pricing system can be useful for those who prefer to know the costs ahead of time. Whether the breadth of possibilities in the program is ideal depends on an individual's travel preferences and frequency.