Accruing Airline Miles Made Easy

Accruing airline miles doesn't have to be a complicated process. You can earn miles by flying with a specific airline or its partners, which is known as earning miles on a partner airline.

One of the most common ways to earn miles is through flying, and you can earn miles on flights operated by the airline or its partners.

If you're a frequent flyer, you can also earn miles by flying with an airline's partners, such as hotel chains or car rental companies.

Signing up for an airline's credit card can also be a great way to earn miles, with some cards offering a large number of miles as a sign-up bonus.

To fly free, you'll need a decent amount of airline miles, but the exact number varies greatly. You'll need at least 12,000 to 190,000 miles for a free flight on Delta Airlines, depending on the distance and airport.

The miles needed for a free flight also depend on the class of your seat. Main seats are the cheapest, but Comfort+ and First Class seats will cost you more miles, anywhere from 20,000 to 370,000 more per one-way flight.

Domestic flights are generally cheaper, with a one-way flight ranging from 5,000 to 20,000 airline miles. International flights, however, can be significantly more expensive, with coach flights requiring more than twice as many miles.

Airline miles are a type of reward currency used by airlines to incentivize customers to fly with them.

You can earn airline miles by flying with an airline, but you can also earn them by using a credit card that offers airline miles as a reward, or by partnering with an airline's hotel or car rental partners.

Airline miles are often tied to a specific airline's loyalty program, and can only be redeemed for flights or upgrades on that airline.

One airline mile is typically worth one cent, but the value of airline miles can vary depending on the airline and how you use them.

Some airlines offer bonus miles for things like booking a ticket directly with the airline or for using a certain credit card to pay for your flight.

Airline miles can expire if not used within a certain period. This is true for most airlines, although some may allow you to extend this period if you've flown with them.

If you're a frequent flyer, you might be able to extend the expiration period. Some credit cards also offer extended expiration periods based on purchase history.

It's essential to track your airline miles to avoid losing them. If you don't, you might notice them fade away over time.

Here are some key facts to keep in mind:

Hotel points can be redeemed for things like gift cards, and some hotel chains even allow transfers to airlines.

Some hotel chains offer more value when used to book rooms directly with them.

The World of Hyatt Credit Card earns 2 points per dollar spent at fitness clubs or on gym memberships.

Booking four award nights with Marriott can get you the fifth night free.

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card earns up to 17 total points per dollar spent at over 7,000 participating Marriott hotels.

Redeeming hotel points for car rentals can be a great option, especially if you're planning a road trip.

Hotel points can sometimes be used to book rooms at participating hotels, offering a convenient and cost-effective way to travel.

Domestic flights can range from 5,000 to 20,000 airline miles, while international coach flights may require more than twice as many miles. The class of your seat and flight nature will heavily dictate the airline miles needed to fly free.

To earn airline miles quickly, consider using online shopping portals like Delta SkyMiles Shopping, Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Shopping, or United Airlines MileagePlus Shopping. These portals allow you to earn miles for shopping with hundreds of popular retailers.

Some credit cards offer bonus points for spending in specific categories, such as travel and dining at restaurants. For example, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card earns bonus points on travel and dining expenses.

Here are some popular airline shopping portals:

Earning airline miles with credit cards is a great way to accumulate rewards, but it's essential to understand the different types of credit cards and their benefits. You can earn miles with a credit card by using it for daily purchases, but some cards offer bonus rewards in specific spending categories, such as travel and dining.

To maximize your rewards, look for credit cards that align with your spending habits. For example, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card offers flexibility, point transfers, and a large bonus, making it a great choice for those who want to earn rewards in multiple ways. Some cards also offer no annual fee, like the Wells Fargo Autograph Card, or flat-rate travel rewards, such as the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card.

If you're a frequent traveler, consider a card that offers high-end perks, such as the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card or The Platinum Card from American Express. These cards often come with annual fees, but they can provide significant rewards and benefits. Always weigh the value of the rewards against the interest charges and annual fees.

To earn miles with credit cards, register for the airline or hotel chain's loyalty program and input your loyalty number into your credit card account. This way, you'll earn miles for every purchase you make with your credit card. Some credit cards also offer initial bonus miles, which can be a great way to boost your rewards balance.

Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2025, categorized by their benefits:

Remember to always read the terms and conditions of your credit card and understand how the rewards program works. With the right credit card, you can earn airline miles and rewards that can help you save money on your next trip.

Earning airline miles can be a great way to score free flights or upgrades, but did you know that you can earn miles by taking surveys? Several airlines offer programs that pay customers in miles to share their opinions.

Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, JetBlue, Southwest, and United are some of the airlines with survey programs. You can earn miles by filling out surveys with these airlines.

Filling out surveys is a relatively easy task you can do during your free time, but they can be time-consuming and may not net very many miles. Think about the time commitment and whether it provides enough value for you.

Here are some airline survey programs to consider:

To choose a frequent flyer program, start by considering your travel habits and goals. If you spend around $527 per year on air travel, you might be a Light Flyer, while those who spend around $3,880 per year on air travel are considered Average Flyers.

If you're looking for a program that's great for West Coast travel and award tickets on Cathay Pacific to Asia, consider Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan. It's also worth noting that Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan scored the top spot in our rankings of the best airline loyalty program for 2025.

To maximize your earnings, focus on just a couple of airlines that ply the routes you expect to fly. For instance, it's better to have 100,000 points with one carrier than 10,000 each with 10. This will also help you avoid points expiring due to inactivity.

Here are some popular domestic airline frequent flyer programs to consider:

Choosing the right frequent flyer program can be overwhelming, especially with so many options available. To make the most of your rewards, it's essential to understand your travel habits and goals.

Consider your spending habits, as frequent flyer programs are often tiered based on annual spend. For example, Light Flyers spend around $527 per year on air travel, Average Flyers spend around $3,880, and Frequent Flyers spend around $7,232.

Think about the airlines you primarily fly with and their partner airlines. This can help you determine which frequent flyer programs to enroll in. Many airlines belong to networks like Oneworld, SkyTeam, and Star Alliance, which allow you to earn, combine, and redeem miles on partner airlines.

To maximize your rewards, focus on a few airlines that ply the routes you expect to fly. This will help you earn enough points to achieve your travel goals. For instance, if you live near a Southwest hub, it's better to have 100,000 points with one carrier than 10,000 each with 10.

Here are some of the best airline frequent flyer programs, categorized by spending level:

Remember to register for the airline or hotel chain's loyalty program and input your loyalty number into your reservations to earn travel rewards. By choosing the right program and following these tips, you can make the most of your rewards and achieve your travel goals.

Citi's transfer partners include more than a dozen airlines and two hotels, depending on the credit card you have.

If you have a Citi credit card, you can transfer your points to these airline and hotel partners. This can be a great way to get more value out of your points, especially if you're short on miles.

Some popular airline partners include those from the major US carriers, while the two hotel partners are World of Hyatt and IHG Rewards Club. Keep in mind that transfer times can vary, so be sure to plan ahead.

To give you a better idea, here are some of Citi's transfer partners:

If you have a credit card that earns points in a program like Chase Ultimate Rewards, American Express Membership Rewards, or Citi ThankYou, you can transfer those points to member airlines or hotels.

The key to maximizing airline miles is to have a flexible strategy. Consider not just which airline you fly most often, but also which partner airlines you want to fly and redeem points with.

Airline alliances like Star Alliance can provide more flexibility for earning and redeeming miles. For example, if you fly on Lufthansa, you can earn United miles by inputting your United Airlines MileagePlus number on the reservation.

To make the most of your airline miles, look for easy redemptions that check most of your boxes, rather than laboring to find the perfect one. Use a calculator to ensure you're getting the baseline value for a given travel currency.

Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2025 that can help you maximize your airline miles:

You can redeem miles through your credit card issuer, but it works differently than redeeming directly through the airline. The process involves logging in to websites, and the good news is that it's pretty simple.

Most credit cards allow you to redeem miles for flights, hotel stays, gift cards, cash back, merchandise, and charitable donations. However, you'll typically get the best value when redeeming for airfare.

To redeem miles through an airline, log into your account on the airline's website, go to the booking tool, and search for a flight. You'll see how many miles the flight costs, in addition to its dollar cost. During the checkout process, choose miles as your form of payment.

If you want to redeem miles for a flight on a different airline in the same alliance, you'll need to call the airline whose loyalty program you're enrolled in for assistance.

Redeeming miles through a credit card involves logging into your online account, finding the reward redemption portal, and trading in your miles for flights, hotel stays, gift cards, or other choices provided. Some credit cards allow you to transfer miles to the loyalty programs of certain airlines, which can sometimes get you a better deal.

Most credit cards require you to use your points when booking travel to redeem for travel. However, some issuers, like Capital One Venture and Barclaycard Arrival Plus, let you get a statement credit for previous travel purchases, and you get the same rate whether you redeem before or after you travel.

Here are some key differences between redeeming miles through an airline and a credit card:

As you start accumulating airline miles, it's essential to focus on the right strategies. You can earn points even if you're an infrequent traveler.

One of the biggest misconceptions is that travel rewards are only for frequent flyers. Infrequent travelers can get just as much value by targeting big welcome bonuses on credit cards.

The welcome bonuses on credit cards are not fixed and can change periodically, so it's worth keeping an eye out for these opportunities. I've seen some credit cards offer as much as 50,000 miles as a welcome bonus.

Don't waste your time chasing travel-based promotions, especially if you're not a frequent flyer. These deals are geared towards travel enthusiasts and may not be worth the effort.

To keep track of which credit card to use for different purchases, set up reminders for your spending categories. This way, you can easily remember which card to use for gas, groceries, or dining.

Here are some common spending categories and the credit cards that earn the most points in each category:

By following these tips and strategies, you can maximize your airline miles and make the most of your travel rewards program.