It's been just over 25 years since frequent-flier programs were introduced by American Airlines, revolutionizing marketing efforts not only by carriers, but also by hotel and car rental companies, as well as businesses outside the travel industry, like banks.

According to Randy Petersen, editor of Inside Flyer magazine and founder of FlyerTalk.com, the online travel community, some 120 million of the world's 180 million-plus frequent-flyer program participants are U.S. residents, and close to 30 percent of these are active.

There are certainly enough programs to choose from: Petersen estimates there are approximately 170 airline and hotel loyalty programs offered globally. And flying or sleeping in a hotel isn't even required to accrue miles or points. According to Petersen, over half the miles are not accrued by flying, and credit card purchases are the most popular way to earn miles without getting on a plane.

Savvy fliers today are no doubt familiar with the ins and outs of airline and hotel loyalty programs. To get real insider's advice -- tips from executives who fly hundreds of thousands of miles annually, and who know how to make flying work for them anywhere in the world -- we've interviewed 10 men and women who spend a significant fraction of their lives aloft.

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Their suggestions vary widely, covering everything from the fastest ways to transit an airport and what to take on a flight, to equipment that makes staying connected easy, and how to find the best restaurants anywhere. Some advice is simple, but extremely practical. For instance, Frank A. Argenbright, Jr., chairman of Air Serv Corp., an Atlanta-based company that provides aviation and transportation services, recommends opting for the left-side aiport security line if there are two.

"The left is always easiest to go through, because Americans always go right, while Europeans go left, particularly the British. If I'm at Dulles Airport, and there are 100 people on the right line waiting, if I go to the left side, there are usually only three or four," said Argenbright, who is on the road at least two days a week and travels abroad every other month.

Other travelers recommend certain products to take on the plane to make them more pleasurable: Niki Leondakis, chief operating officer of San Francisco-based Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants, brings a travel candle, often lavender scented. "There are always unanticipated odors in hotel guest rooms, and I can pretend I'm in Provence in a minute," she said.

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She also carries a tin of herbal tea bags, preferably by Mighty Leaf. "I frequently get cold on planes, and if I make my own tea, it's nicer than what they give you. It enhances the overall airplane experience, with the aroma and relaxation," she said.

Meanwhile, Sue Harmsworth, chief executive of Espa, a UK-based spa consultancy that has advised luxury hotel companies like Peninsula, Four Seasons, Bulgari and Mandarin Oriental, recommends Espa's Floral SpaFresh Spritzer, made of distillate of flower waters, to stay hydrated while flying. If you don't wear moisturizer and spritz with regular water, she said, it will evaporate and you will become even more dehydrated.

Kevin Swanepoel, a frequent traveler to Asia who is president of the One Club, an organization that honors excellence in advertising, even finds relief from the rigors of flying at airports: At Tokyo's Narita International Airport, for example, he's a devotee of the day rooms, which he rents to sleep or rest, and shower. He also swears by the massages available there.

Staying on top of things technological is always vital. To do this, our travelers recommend everything from air cards sold by cell-phone service providers for instant Internet access practically everywhere, to an iGo power adapter that can be plugged in anywhere to recharge multiple electronic devices, to restaurant blogs, like Eater.com, that will help you check out the best places to dine in the cities you're visiting.

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We've also collected tips from two of the country's leading travel-loyalty program gurus. One is Petersen; the other is Tim Winship, who once helped Singapore Airlines, Air Nippon Airways and Hilton Hotels set up their loyalty programs and who now publishes FrequentFlier.com.

Winship urges frequent fliers to concentrate on gaining the highest tier of elite status -- e.g., American's AAdvantage Executive Platinum -- in only one airline program, rather than on becoming an elite participant in several.

"A lot of people get entry level elite status in one program and then do the same for a second or third. These days, the odds of getting upgraded are increasingly dependent on how high a tier you have as an elite member. If you're a top-tier elite, that's where you stand to get the most upgrades," he said.

So buckle up and get ready for what should be an informative flight.

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