. >> reporter: here at jfk, i meet with brian kelley, an expert who employs all sorts of tricks of therade. you don't have to be a professional to enjoy the perks of airline status. >> all types of the travelers. you can enjoy the lounge. >> i'm going to take six consecutive flights starting in new york city, on to seattle, down to alaska, down to phoenix, cross-country to charlotte, overseas to san juan, puerto rico and back to new york city all in 52 hours. 40 hours to go. 19 hours into this trip. but unfortunately for me, it wasn't enough. >> i'm still 400 points short. i could cry right now. a lot of airlines these days are reducing the amount of miles you earn so that cheap economy tickets are not earning as much. >> reporter: still brian says there are ways to save on your holiday travel this year. tip one, be flexible on your schedule. >> it may make sense to drive to another airport. that's how you get frieses down. >> number two, consider using a low cast carrier. >> the fare is one component of a ticket. do the math and see what the total price is to fly. >> reporter: tip new