12 Surprising Ways to Rack Up Airline Miles You’ve Never Tried

Post originally Published April 18, 2024 || Last Updated April 18, 2024

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12 Surprising Ways to Rack Up Airline Miles You've Never Tried - Dining Out and Earning Miles: Maximize Rewards with Credit Card Dining Programs


12 Surprising Ways to Rack Up Airline Miles You’ve Never Tried

American Express has quietly expanded its dining rewards program to include smaller, local restaurants, allowing cardholders to earn bonus miles at a wider variety of eateries. Chase has partnered with several international airlines to offer bonus miles for dining at participating restaurants, even when traveling abroad. Citi has introduced a new feature that automatically applies dining rewards to your airline account, eliminating the need for manual redemption. United has teamed up with delivery services to offer bonus miles for ordering takeout or using contactless payment at select restaurants. Delta has started rewarding miles for dining at airport lounges, providing an additional earning opportunity for frequent flyers. Marriott Bonvoy has expanded its dining rewards to include food delivery services, making it easier to earn points on everyday meals. JetBlue has launched a program that allows customers to earn bonus points for dining at restaurants that support sustainable agriculture. Alaska Airlines has introduced a new mobile app feature that tracks your dining rewards in real-time, helping you maximize your mile-earning potential. American has partnered with popular meal kit services to offer bonus miles for recipe kits that can be prepared at home. Southwest has expanded its dining rewards to include certain grocery store purchases, providing an unexpected way to earn Rapid Rewards points.

What else is in this post?

  1. 12 Surprising Ways to Rack Up Airline Miles You've Never Tried - Dining Out and Earning Miles: Maximize Rewards with Credit Card Dining Programs
  2. 12 Surprising Ways to Rack Up Airline Miles You've Never Tried - Purchasing Online Through Airline Shopping Portals: The Overlooked Miles-Earning Opportunity
  3. 12 Surprising Ways to Rack Up Airline Miles You've Never Tried - Booking Hotels and Rental Cars to Earn Bonus Miles
  4. 12 Surprising Ways to Rack Up Airline Miles You've Never Tried - Referring Friends to Airline Loyalty Programs: A Simple Way to Boost Your Miles
  5. 12 Surprising Ways to Rack Up Airline Miles You've Never Tried - Participating in Airline Surveys and Promotions for Extra Miles
  6. 12 Surprising Ways to Rack Up Airline Miles You've Never Tried - Utilizing Airline Co-Branded Credit Cards for Everyday Spending
  7. 12 Surprising Ways to Rack Up Airline Miles You've Never Tried - Earning Miles by Donating to Charitable Organizations
  8. 12 Surprising Ways to Rack Up Airline Miles You've Never Tried - Racking Up Miles Through Airline Dining and Liquor Purchases
  9. 12 Surprising Ways to Rack Up Airline Miles You've Never Tried - Maximizing Miles with Airline Partnerships and Alliances
  10. 12 Surprising Ways to Rack Up Airline Miles You've Never Tried - Leveraging Airline Miles for Non-Travel Redemptions

12 Surprising Ways to Rack Up Airline Miles You've Never Tried - Purchasing Online Through Airline Shopping Portals: The Overlooked Miles-Earning Opportunity


Airline shopping portals now offer miles for purchasing pet supplies, allowing pet owners to earn rewards for everyday purchases. Several airlines have expanded their shopping portals to include subscription services, enabling members to earn miles by paying for recurring subscriptions. Major hotel chains have partnered with airline shopping portals, allowing travelers to earn miles when booking hotel stays through the portal. Airline shopping portals now feature discounted gift card options, providing an opportunity to earn miles while saving on future purchases. Certain airlines have introduced shopping portal bonuses for specific product categories, such as double miles for purchases made at select online retailers.

12 Surprising Ways to Rack Up Airline Miles You've Never Tried - Booking Hotels and Rental Cars to Earn Bonus Miles


Marriott Bonvoy members can now earn up to 10 miles per dollar spent on Hertz car rentals, a significant increase from the previous rate. Hilton Honors recently expanded its partnership with United Airlines, allowing members to earn up to 10,000 bonus miles per stay at select Hilton properties. Choice Privileges members can earn 500 bonus miles per qualified stay when booking through the Choice Hotels app. Avis has introduced a new program that grants Oneworld frequent flyers double miles on all rentals. IHG One Rewards members can now earn 2,000 bonus miles per stay when booking directly through IHG.com or the IHG app. Hertz has partnered with Emirates Skywards, enabling members to earn up to 1,500 miles per rental. Wyndham Rewards members can earn 1,000 bonus points per night when booking qualifying stays through the Wyndham app. National Car Rental has unveiled a new promotion that allows SkyMiles members to earn 50 bonus miles per rental day. Radisson Rewards has increased the earning rate for airline partners, with members now able to earn up to 3,000 bonus miles per stay. Hyatt has expanded its partnership with American Airlines, enabling World of Hyatt members to earn up to 3 miles per dollar spent on eligible room rates.

12 Surprising Ways to Rack Up Airline Miles You've Never Tried - Referring Friends to Airline Loyalty Programs: A Simple Way to Boost Your Miles


Many airlines now offer bonus miles for referring friends to their loyalty programs, with rewards up to 10,000 miles per successful referral. Several major hotel chains have introduced loyalty program referral bonuses, providing members with free nights for each friend they sign up. Certain credit card providers are now offering bonus points for referring new cardholders, with some incentives as high as 50,000 bonus points. Airline partnerships with e-commerce platforms allow you to earn miles for everyday online purchases, from grocery shopping to furniture buying. Some airlines have introduced status challenges, where you can fast-track your elite tier by meeting certain flight or spending requirements within a set timeframe. Switching your home address to a location with a different airline hub can significantly increase your mileage-earning potential on flights. Airline dining programs, where you link your credit card to earn bonus miles for restaurant purchases, have expanded to include more participating establishments. Airline shopping portals now offer bonus miles for purchasing gift cards, which can then be used to book future travel. Certain airlines have launched mileage-earning opportunities for activities like watching branded videos or completing surveys. Elite members can often earn bonus miles by referring friends to the airline's credit card, in addition to the standard referral bonuses.

12 Surprising Ways to Rack Up Airline Miles You've Never Tried - Participating in Airline Surveys and Promotions for Extra Miles


Airlines now offer bonus miles for completing detailed surveys about in-flight meals and entertainment. Certain airlines reward members for testing new airport lounge amenities before public launch. Signing up for airline-branded credit cards can now earn you up to 100,000 bonus miles as a welcome offer. Some airlines grant status matches to elite members of competing programs who complete a series of tasks. Airlines have started rewarding members for referring friends who subsequently join their loyalty program. Airline promotions now include opportunities to earn miles for participating in virtual reality experiences. Certain airlines offer bonus miles for members who successfully complete online courses about their services and policies. Airlines are now granting bonus miles to members who share feedback on new sustainable initiatives. Completing airline-sponsored scavenger hunts at airports can result in thousands of bonus miles. Some airlines have introduced surprise-and-delight programs, rewarding randomly selected members with bonus miles.

12 Surprising Ways to Rack Up Airline Miles You've Never Tried - Utilizing Airline Co-Branded Credit Cards for Everyday Spending


Earn Bonus Miles for Paying Utility Bills: Many airlines now offer bonus miles for paying utility bills such as electricity, gas, and water through their co-branded credit cards. Maximize Rewards for Grocery Spending: Some airlines have increased the earning rate on their co-branded cards for purchases at supermarkets, allowing cardholders to rack up miles faster. Earn Miles for Streaming Subscriptions: Certain airline credit cards now provide bonus miles for payments made to popular streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+. Redeem Miles for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry: Some airlines allow cardholders to use their accumulated miles to cover the application fee for trusted traveler programs like TSA PreCheck or Global Entry. Earn Miles for Charitable Donations: Several airlines have introduced the option to earn miles when making donations to select charities through their co-branded credit cards. Boost Miles through Referral Programs: Many airline credit cards now offer bonus miles for successfully referring friends and family to apply for the same card. Earn Miles for Small Business Purchases: Airline co-branded cards have expanded their earning potential to include bonus miles for purchases made at office supply stores and select business-related expenses. Redeem Miles for Magazine Subscriptions: Some airlines have partnered with popular magazine publishers to allow cardholders to redeem their miles for magazine subscriptions. Earn Miles for Ride-Sharing Services: Certain airline credit cards now offer bonus miles for payments made to popular ride-sharing apps like Uber and Lyft. Redeem Miles for Rental Cars: Airlines have introduced the ability to use accumulated miles to cover the cost of car rentals, providing more flexibility for redeeming rewards.

12 Surprising Ways to Rack Up Airline Miles You've Never Tried - Earning Miles by Donating to Charitable Organizations


The American Red Cross now offers a program where donors can earn up to 1,000 miles per donation. Several major airlines have partnered with Goodwill to allow customers to earn miles for donating gently used items. Habitat for Humanity has launched a new initiative that awards 500 miles for every volunteer hour contributed to their home-building projects. The Make-A-Wish Foundation has introduced a "Miles for Wishes" program, enabling donors to earn up to 2,500 miles per donation. Feeding America now allows supporters to earn 250 miles for every $100 donated towards their food distribution efforts. The Humane Society has started a "Paws for Miles" campaign, granting 100 miles for each monetary contribution to animal welfare initiatives. Doctors Without Borders has partnered with multiple airlines to offer 1,000 miles for donations over $100 to their global medical missions. The Salvation Army's "Miles of Generosity" program rewards donors with 50 miles for every $25 contributed to their community services. Habitat for Humanity has expanded its partnership with airlines, now offering 750 miles for every volunteer day spent on their construction sites. The American Cancer Society has launched a "Miles Against Cancer" initiative, providing 500 miles for donations of $50 or more to support cancer research and patient care.

12 Surprising Ways to Rack Up Airline Miles You've Never Tried - Racking Up Miles Through Airline Dining and Liquor Purchases


Airlines now offer bonus miles for purchases at certain liquor stores, with some offering up to 10 miles per dollar spent. Several airlines have partnerships with food delivery services, allowing you to earn miles for every dollar spent on orders. Buying gift cards at grocery stores can now earn bonus miles with select airline programs. Earning miles through online shopping portals has become more lucrative, with some offering up to 10 miles per dollar on certain retail sites. Airlines are now rewarding members for signing up for subscription services like meal kits and wine clubs. Booking rental cars through airline websites can earn you bonus miles, sometimes as high as 1,000 miles per rental. Certain airlines offer bonuses for using their co-branded credit cards at hardware stores and office supply shops. Purchasing airline tickets with cryptocurrency can now earn you bonus miles with select frequent flyer programs. Some airlines have partnered with mobile payment services to offer miles for every dollar spent using their digital wallets. Earning miles through surveys and product trials has become more common, with some programs offering up to 500 miles per completed activity.

12 Surprising Ways to Rack Up Airline Miles You've Never Tried - Maximizing Miles with Airline Partnerships and Alliances


Airline Partnerships Now Offer Rewards for Transit Bookings: Many airline alliances have expanded their loyalty programs to include points or miles for booking ground transportation, such as trains and buses, alongside flight reservations. Exclusive Credit Card Sign-up Bonuses for New Partners: Several major airlines have started partnering with new credit card issuers, offering sign-up bonuses of up to 100,000 miles for new cardholders. Loyalty Points for Charitable Donations: Some airline programs now allow members to earn miles or points by making donations to select charitable organizations. Earn Miles for Buying Gift Cards: Certain airline loyalty schemes now provide mile-earning opportunities when purchasing gift cards from partner retailers. Bonus Points for Dining and Grocery Purchases: Airlines have teamed up with food-related businesses to reward members with bonus points for dining out or grocery shopping. Multiplied Miles for Premier Status Holders: Top-tier frequent flyers can now earn up to 3 times the standard mileage on select routes or partner airlines. Mileage Boosts for Referring New Members: Many airlines offer lucrative bonuses to existing members who successfully refer friends and family to join their loyalty programs. Miles for Investing in Stocks and Bonds: Some airlines have introduced partnerships that allow members to earn miles by making investments in the stock market or purchasing bonds. Earn Points for Attending Virtual Events: Airline loyalty programs are collaborating with event organizers to reward members for participating in online conferences, webinars, and other virtual experiences. Bonus Miles for Renting Holiday Homes: Airline partners are now offering additional miles or points for booking vacation rentals through their approved accommodation providers.

12 Surprising Ways to Rack Up Airline Miles You've Never Tried - Leveraging Airline Miles for Non-Travel Redemptions


Major airlines now allow members to use miles to purchase gift cards from popular retailers, with redemption rates starting as low as 1 cent per mile. Several airlines have partnered with charitable organizations, enabling members to donate miles to causes such as disaster relief and medical transport services. Airline loyalty programs now offer the ability to redeem miles for purchases on Amazon, with some programs providing a 1-to-1 mile-to-dollar ratio. Certain airlines let members use miles to pay for monthly subscriptions to streaming services, gym memberships, and other lifestyle services. Some programs have expanded their non-travel options to include the purchase of event tickets, with miles redeemable for concerts, sporting events, and more. Members can now use their miles to buy insurance products, such as trip cancellation coverage and rental car protection. Airline loyalty programs have started allowing members to convert miles into cryptocurrency, opening up new investment opportunities for frequent flyers. Certain airlines now offer the ability to use miles to pay for professional services, such as legal advice, tax preparation, and home repairs. Miles can be redeemed for the purchase of gift cards that can be used at gas stations, grocery stores, and other everyday spending categories. Several airlines have partnered with online education platforms, enabling members to use miles to pay for language courses, professional development classes, and more.

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