These days, with so many ways to earn free or discounted airline tickets, no one should ever have to pay full price for air travel again! Some methods are better than others, so read below for the programs that I find most useful for funding my air travel.

A rewards credit card is an absolute must if you are a frequent traveler. Not everyone can get one (dependent upon your credit score) and rewards will vary, but most credit card companies offer an option to redeem for airline tickets. You will be rewarded with a certain amount of points when you make purchases on your credit card, which you can then redeem for a variety of rewards, including cash back, gift cards and airline tickets. Just make sure to set your preferences to air travel and to read all of the fine print regarding how to redeem your rewards. Most cards will set limitations on your rewards, including expiration dates, so make sure that you have all of the information so that you don't lose those hard-earned points.

If you like to shop online, MonkeyJar is another good option for earning cash, which can then be used to fund your air travel. MonkeyJar works much like a rewards credit card, earning you cash back for all of your purchases to participating stores (of which there are more than 1,000 retailers). All you have to do is sign up for a free MonkeyJar account at http://www.monkeyjar.com/registration/invitationApplication.cfm?referrer=30792 and make sure you are logged in to your MonkeyJar "Mall" before making your purchases. You will earn cash back (pennies on the dollar - similar to rewards credit cards) within 24-48 hours of purchases. Every month that you accumulate $25 or more, MonkeyJar will send you a check, which you can then use for whatever you want (including those airline tickets). Combine shopping online through MonkeyJar and your rewards credit card and you may never have to purchase a full-price airline ticket again!