10 alternative ways to earn airline miles without relying on credit cards

While credit card sign-up bonuses are a fast route to free flights, banks have started restricting credit card churning, with policies like American Express' 'once-in-a-lifetime' bonus and Chase's 5/24 rule. Excessive credit cards can raise red flags for lenders, and some avoid applicants with credit limits that exceed their incomes.

Thankfully, credit cards aren't the only way to rack up points and miles. Beyond flying, here are 10 simple ways to boost your airline mileage balance without needing to apply for new credit cards.

Shop through online portals

Numerous airlines, banks, and hotel loyalty programs provide online shopping portals with hundreds of participating retailers. Popular platforms include Shop Through Chase, Southwest Rapid Rewards Shopping, and American AAdvantage eShopping.

By shopping through these portals before making a purchase, you can earn extra points or miles per dollar, in addition to your regular credit card rewards. Some items, like satellite dishes or mobile phone services, may offer fixed rewards.

Here are some helpful tips:

• Always start with an online portal.
• Compare different options. Bonus points per dollar can vary by portal.
• Save time by using a shopping portal aggregator like Evreward or Cashback Monitor, which shows the bonus points offered by each retailer to easily compare the best deals at the moment.
• Look out for lucrative bonus promotions during peak gift-giving seasons like Valentine's Day and Mother's Day.

If you're shopping in person, use United Airlines' MileagePlus X app to earn extra miles at various merchants. The app also works for online purchases.

Join dining reward programs

Many airlines offer bonus miles or points through dining rewards programs, making them a great way to earn more. Simply sign up, register your credit card(s), and dine or order takeout from participating restaurants. Personally, I prefer to 'set it and forget it.' I don't specifically look for these restaurants, but it's always a pleasant surprise when I get bonus points at a participating location.

Examples of airline dining programs include:

• American Airlines AAdvantage Dining
• Delta SkyMiles Dining
• United MileagePlus Dining
• Southwest Rapid Rewards Dining
• Alaska Mileage Plan Dining
• Free Spirit Dining

Hotel chains like Hilton, IHG, and Marriott also provide dining rewards.

Open checking and savings accounts

If you collect American AAdvantage miles or Citi ThankYou Rewards points, you can boost your balance by opening checking and savings accounts.

With a Bask Bank savings account, you can earn 2.5 AAdvantage miles for every dollar you save annually, instead of earning interest. Miles accumulate daily and are credited monthly based on your average balance. For instance, maintaining a $10,000 average balance over a year would earn you 25,000 miles.

Citibank frequently runs targeted or public promotions offering AAdvantage miles or ThankYou points when you open a checking or savings account. The offers and requirements can vary by individual and location. You'll typically need to deposit the required amount and keep it in the account for a set period (usually 60 to 90 days), after which the miles or points will be credited to your account.

As with any financial product, it's important to compare interest rates and fees with other options to ensure you're not paying more for the extra miles. Miles earned through bank accounts are considered interest income, so you'll receive a 1099 form and must report the miles to the IRS.

Reserve rental cars

Many major car rental companies partner with airlines, allowing you to earn miles for your rental when you book with a special promotion code. Popular companies like Avis, Alamo, Budget, Hertz, and National collaborate with various airlines for these offers.

Be aware that some car rental companies may add surcharges for earning airline miles, meaning you might end up paying more for the rental than if you booked without the promotion code. It's crucial to research in advance, rather than at the rental counter.

Complete surveys

If you have a flexible schedule or plenty of free time, you can earn miles by participating in surveys on various topics. Some airlines offering these opportunities include:

• American Airlines (Miles for Opinions)
• United Airlines (Opinion Miles Club)
• JetBlue (Points for Surveys)
• Southwest Airlines (e-Rewards and Rewards for Opinions)
• Spirit Airlines (Points for Thoughts)
• Alaska Airlines (The Opinion Terminal)

Keep in mind that you'll need to answer many questions to earn a small amount of miles, so evaluate whether it's worth your time. While it may not be the quickest way to accumulate miles, it's a simple method to top up your account if you're just short of a few miles for a reward.

Pay taxes

Got a large tax bill? You can earn points or miles by paying the IRS with your credit card through one of its three approved payment processors. This option is best if you can pay off your balance in full each month, and it offers hidden benefits: charging your tax payment could help you meet the spending requirement for a sign-up bonus or hit a spending threshold for extra perks.

Each processor charges a fee, so do the math to ensure it's worth it for you:

• Pay1040 (1.87% fee; $2.50 minimum)
• payUSAtax (1.82% fee; $2.69 minimum)
• ACI Payments, Inc. (1.98% fee; $2.50 minimum)

Send flowers

Whether you're a hopeless romantic or just someone who likes to show appreciation, sending flowers is a great way to earn points and miles. Many airlines collaborate with florists like FTD, Teleflora, and 1-800-Flowers, but make sure the cost of the flowers doesn't outweigh the rewards you're earning.

Compare prices and look for special offers during peak holiday seasons like Christmas, Valentine's Day, and Mother's Day. It's not uncommon to earn up to 30 miles per dollar when you brighten someone's day with flowers.

Buy real estate

Purchasing a home may feel overwhelming, but United Airlines offers a way to earn miles on this significant investment. Through a partnership with Rocket Mortgage, you can earn 25,000 miles when you close or refinance a home loan.

When making such a major financial commitment, it's crucial to focus on the interest rates, fees, and points rather than simply earning miles. Be sure to compare different offers and select the best deal before proceeding.

Look for special targeted offers

Keep an eye out for personalized bonus point offers sent to you via email or mail for the credit cards you already own. These offers are often simple to complete with minimal effort. For instance, I’ve received offers from Chase for bonus points by adding a card to a mobile wallet, going paperless, or making a few contactless payments.

American Express frequently sends targeted promotions to cardholders, like 10,000 Membership Rewards points just for enrolling in the Pay Over Time financing option.

Join business frequent flyer programs

Many frequent flyer enthusiasts are unaware that some airlines offer separate loyalty programs for businesses. The best part is that the miles or points you earn for your business are separate from those you earn as an individual. This dual earning potential makes these programs especially beneficial for small business owners and sole proprietors.

• AAdvantage Business gives you 1 AAdvantage mile for every dollar spent on business-related flights booked through American Airlines channels.
• SkyMiles for Business provides 1 to 10 SkyMiles per dollar spent on Delta flights and select SkyTeam partners, depending on the fare class booked.
• United PerksPlus has a complex points formula, which can later be converted to MileagePlus miles, based on fare class and whether you're flying from a hub or non-hub city.

Keep in mind that many of these programs come with specific requirements, such as meeting a minimum annual spend or enrolling a set number of travelers.

In conclusion

Even if you've already earned the maximum sign-up bonuses from your airline credit cards, there are still many ways to collect points and miles. Just be sure that the rewards you pursue are worth the time and money spent, so you don’t end up over-investing for minimal returns.