5 ways to earn frequent flyer miles without boarding a plane

Over the last few weeks, we received several e-mails from our visitors asking us if there are any tricks on accumulating more points or miles with their frequent flyer programs. Since we think this was a very valid question to which the answer is "YES", we will discuss the top 5 ways you can earn more frequent flyer miles, or accrue points, on frequent flyer programs without boarding a plane.

Before we begin, let's quickly define the "frequent flyer program". A frequent flyer program is simply a loyalty program offered by many airlines which enables customers enrolled in the program to accumulate points corresponding to the distance flown on that airline. Accrued points, also known as frequent flyer miles, can be redeemed for free air travel; for other goods or services; or for increased benefits, such as airport lounge access or priority bookings. Before purchasing a flight, it's always beneficial to be enrolled in that airlines frequent flyer program so that you can earn frequent flyer miles for that flight or any future flight with that airline. Moreover, with the introduction of airline alliances and code-share flights, frequent flyer programs are often extended to allow benefits to be used across partner airlines.

Okay, now that we have defined the frequent flyer program concept and admitted that there are tricks on accumulating points or miles, let's take a look at the top 5 easiest ways you can earn additional frequent flyer miles or points without boarding a plane:

Points.com:  Points.com is a free service that allows members to earn points in several ways. The key feature of this program is that you can swap miles from airlines that you rarely use to miles for airlines that you use more frequently, allowing to capitalize on the reward program that you want. This way you can shop for the most economical flight when purchasing airline tickets and still take advantage of earning miles or points on your favourite airline. Since membership is free and it only takes about 5 minutes to sign-up at Points.com, it's a great way to earn the points for frequent flyer miles that you want. Just have your frequent flyer numbers ready when you sign-up, you'll need them. Other advantages of the program include a consolidated place to view all of your frequent flyer program miles or points, alternative ways of using your points or miles (like using the points to buy items at retails you want), earning 5 points by clicking on the link in each email they send you, and so on. Moreover, members can: 

trade points and miles with other people;

transfer points or miles from their account to someone else's;

purchase points or miles and get the flight or reward they want;

earn points or miles while they shop online at 100’s of retailers.

Currently, members can trade and swap their points/miles between their favourite reward programs, including Aeroplan®, Air France, KLM Flying Blue, AirTran Airways A+ Rewards, Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan, American Airlines AAdvantage®, Asia Miles™, BMI, British Airways Executive Club, Continental Airlines OnePass®, DISTANCIA, Delta SkyMiles®, Frontier Airlines EarlyReturns®, Hawaiian Airlines®, HawaiianMiles®, Icelandair Award Points, JetBlue TrueBlue ,Lufthansa Miles & More®, MexicanaGO, Midwest Airlines Midwest Miles, Scandinavian Airlines EuroBonus, US Airways® Dividend Miles® and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club.

In our opinion, this is the best free way to get the reward points or frequent flyer miles that you want. Click here if you want to sign up at Points.com.

e-Rewards® Market Research:  e-Rewards is an e-mail-based rewards program that periodically sends out surveys to its members on behalf of their clients. Since the clients are conducting market research for their product, commercial, etc., only the members that fit the criteria will receive those emails. The company pays its members varying amounts for completing each survey that they were selected for. The surveys vary in duration and in value. Members can select the amount of surveys they want to receive on a weekly basis and can choose not to answer them when they arrive in their inbox. It's really a good way to earn extra money if you have free time to complete the surveys.

Members can currently earn points/miles with the following airlines: Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan^® Miles, Iberia Plus Points, Continental Airlines OnePass® Miles, US Airways Dividend Miles, Delta SkyMiles®, Flying Blue Miles and MexicanaGO Points.

Despite the easy way to earn points or miles on your frequent flyer program, the one negative thing about the e-Rewards program is that it's "by-invitation-only", thus you cannot join their program unless they invite you. You can send them an email and request that the next time they select participants they keep you in mind, but that's about all you can do.

Rent a car using your airline frequent flyer number: Most major car rental companies will allow you to earn frequent flyer miles provided you give your number at the time of booking.  For example, by renting a car from Avis.com you can earn points or miles with AirCanada, AerLingus, Air France, British Airways, Czech Airlines, KLM, Continental Airlines, Delta Airlines, and many more. With Budget.com you can earn frequent flyer miles or points with AeroMexico, American Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta Airlines, Emirates, Qatar Airways, US Airways just to mention a few. 

Credit Cards:  Get a credit card that earns miles. There are a variety of credits cards on the market that accumulate frequent flyer miles, either for a specific airline or for any airline using a "points per dollar" grid. On credit cards that earn miles for a specific airline only, you earn one point per dollar spent on general merchandise and three points per dollar spent on that airline's tickets. On credit cards that earn points toward any airline, you generally only earn one point per dollar spent, but you have much wider redemption choices. 

Shop through your preferred airline's website: Many airlines have teamed up with online merchants to offer frequent flyer miles for shopping at these merchants. If you are going to buy an Aunt a birthday present anyway, why not do it online with a preferred merchant using your frequent flyer number? Merchants offer anywhere from one to 25 points or more per dollar spent at their websites.