Are you a member of an airline’s frequent flyer program?

The chances are good, and possibly you’re a member of more than one program.

So, you’re probably sitting on a lot of unused, unredeemed miles.

You’re not alone.

One reason is that it’s so hard to redeem those miles.

Do you want to know how many unredeemed miles there are out there?

Fasten your seatbelt—it’s 23 trillion.

So, are you out of luck? Maybe not.

Right now, global travel is in a slump, thanks in no small part to the power of the U.S. dollar and the global fear and uncertainty surrounding President Trump’s executive orders concerning immigration and visas.

For the first time, lots of seats are going empty.

Translation: mileage seats are opening up.

It’s perhaps the best time in recent memory to redeem those hard-earned miles.

My advice: think 330 days out, and pick destinations other than France, Spain, and Hawaii.

That’s where everyone else wants to go.

Think of taking a trip out of season, and pick destinations that may not be on everyone else’s bucket list.

At least for the short term, you have a reasonably good chance of redeeming those miles.

For more information about mileage and reward programs, check out:

• American Airlines Implements a Fare-Based Mileage Program
• Rules for Frequent Flyer Miles Continue to Change
• Changes for Frequent Flyer Miles Affect Stopover Flights

Keep reading for more travel tips.