Are airline miles still worth it?

Airline miles used to feel like a secret travel weapon. You saved them, watched the award chart and then pounced when the right seat opened up.

Now? You may search for a flight and see a price so ridiculous that it makes you want to close the laptop.

That is exactly why I sat down with David Fleming, a travel rewards consultant known online as The Miles Guy. His job is helping travelers squeeze more value out of airline miles, hotel points and credit card rewards without getting fooled into bad redemptions.