Maybe you’re longing for an overseas escape to Paris or Bora Bora — or perhaps you just want to avoid overspending every time you visit family in another state.
Whatever your aim, you’re hunting for ways to travel for free. You’ve heard of those mysterious “frequent flyer miles,” but you’d rather not sign up for a pile of credit cards to collect them.
So what’s a budding travel hacker to do?
Take comfort: you can accumulate frequent flyer mileswithoutopening new credit cards. You only need to know where to look.
Before diving in, one key piece of advice: be deliberate with how you earn. Don’t scatter your efforts across numerous programs. Pick one or two loyalty schemes to concentrate on, because you can’t merge points between most programs after they’re earned. It’s far more advantageous to hold 50K in one program than 10K spread across five.
Here’s How to Get Frequent Flyer Miles
Below are six practical methods to earn frequent flyer miles without applying for credit cards:
1. Shop Through Airline Portals
This is an often-missed, and extremely simple, way to collect miles. Most major carriers operate online shopping portals; by logging in through the portal and then completing a purchase at a retailer, you’ll receive bonus miles from that airline. It doesn’t cost extra and only adds a minute or two to your checkout routine.
For instance, you probably shopped at Target recently. Did you earn airline miles for that purchase? If not, don’t worry — read on.
When you’re about to buy something, visit ev’reward. This site should be your first stop before making an online purchase — it shows how many points you can earn across different programs.
At Target.com, you might earn two miles per dollar with American Airlines, two points per dollar with Chase Ultimate Rewards, and one mile per dollar with many other carriers.
Next, decide which program’s portal to use (think about which programs already have balances and how you’ll redeem miles). Click the relevant portal link, sign into that program, and then you’ll be redirected to Target’s site.
Shop as usual — and now you’ll collect extra miles on that same purchase. For example, if you logged into American Airlines’ shopping portal and bought a $50 blender, you’d earn 100 American miles just for a purchase you would’ve made anyway. If you do pay with a travel rewards card, you’ll stack even more rewards.
2. Complete Surveys
Have spare minutes to kill? Earn miles by participating in online market research surveys.
Two well-known services are eMiles and e-Rewards. After accumulating a set number of points, they’ll convert them into miles in the program you choose.
3. Dine Out Through Dining Programs
Many airline loyalty programs partner with restaurant networks to award bonus points when you dine at participating establishments. It’s straightforward: sign up online, link your payment card to the dining program, and you’ll earn bonus miles when you pay the bill at enrolled restaurants.
Here are links to a few major dining networks:
- American Airlines AAdvantage Dining
- Delta SkyMiles Dining
- United MileagePlus Dining
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Dining
4. Keep an Eye on Social Media
Airlines and hotel brands frequently promote offers via social channels. For example, you may be asked to watch a short video about British Airways and like their page in exchange for 500 miles. If you’re already active on social media, these quick wins are easy to claim.
The simplest way to spot these deals is to follow airlines and frequent travel blogs on Twitter. If Twitter isn’t your thing, subscribe to email alerts or add RSS feeds to receive updates.
5. Use a Miles-Earning Debit Card
I generally advise having at least one travel rewards card for everyday purchases — it’s the easiest path to miles. If you avoid credit cards or can’t guarantee paying off balances monthly, pick a debit card that awards miles instead.
Though rewards debit cards are less common now, a few options still exist:
- Delta SkyMiles World Check Card
- UFB Direct American Airlines Debit Card
- Bankoh Hawaiian Airlines Visa Check Card
Other financial promotions exist — for example, investing with brokerages like Fidelity or Ameritrade can sometimes come with miles offers — but these often require larger deposits to qualify.
6. Don’t Forget to Travel
This may sound obvious, but many people miss chances to earn miles when they travel.
Always add your frequent flyer number when booking flights. And remember our earlier tip about concentrating your earnings: it applies on flights too. Even if you buy a ticket on Korean Air, you might be able to earn miles with Delta if they’re partners. Ensure you enter the correct loyalty number when booking.
Also, register your hotel stays and car rentals with your preferred programs. Check partner relationships and pick the option that gives you the best mileage return.
Those are the core strategies for collecting frequent flyer miles without applying for credit cards, but the travel rewards landscape is constantly evolving. Watch for other promos — such as bonuses for signing up for streaming services, paying insurance, or using tax-prep services.
Once you start paying attention, avenues to earn miles pop up everywhere. For more on maximizing stays, consider exploring this guide to the best hotel rewards program.
Alex Rivers has been working seasonal adventure roles and journeying around the globe since 2008 — all on a tight budget. Follow along on the Travel Junkette-style blog to discover how you can do the same.
