The only free part is what the airline deems the basic fare. A return flight using Virgin Atlantic Flying Club miles from London to New York in economy class still costs £192.

In November, the Air Passenger Duty tax will rise by £1 for most of Europe in economy, £15 to the USA and £30 to Australia.

The hikes are doubled in premium classes and cost of fuel also adds to increased charges.

Members of the specific Airmiles scheme – not linked directly to an airline – do not pay extra, as miles cover the entire cost.

Travelsupermarket.com´s Bob Atkinson says you can get good deals after amassing enough to fly in premium classes.

You have to pay higher fees for premium classes but the difference can be small. On a British Airways (BA) return flight from London to Madrid, fees are £70 in economy and £88 in business.

Atkinson says frequent flyer schemes offer best value when flying long haul. European standard ticket destinations often come cheap, so don’t waste precious points on cheap flights, such as with a 1p trip each way on Ryanair. Atkinson adds: “Don’t spend just to collect miles. Look at schemes as giving you something for nothing on your usual spending.”

Often, you can collect miles when booking with carriers in the same airline group. There are three major alliances: One World (includes BA and American Airlines), Star Alliance (includes BMI and Singapore Airlines) and Sky Team (includes Air France and KLM).

You can also amass points by spending on a BA or Virgin credit card.

Richard Cohen