How to Earn Airline and Hotel Points without Travel Credit Cards
Earning points and miles is a sure way to eventually receive free airfare and hotel stays. And while earning points with travel credit cards will reward you with huge sign-up bonuses and add tens of thousands of points annually, many might prefer to earn points and miles without credit cards. In college, I received a free flight on American Airlines using the tools below. It’s more work, but anyone motivated enough can earn free travel – even without credit cards. And so, though you might not be able to add points as quickly, here are five easy ways will help you earn airline and hotel points:
Add your Card to a Dining Rewards Program
Dining Rewards Programs are one of the easiest ways to earn points and miles on everyday spending. Here’s how it works: You pick one program to link your debit or credit card(s) to – you cannot double dip. Then, you use your card at targeted restaurants in your area and earn on average between 1 to 5 points per dollar spent at the location. The best part about dining rewards is that you can set up your account, add your card(s) and rarely have to look at the account. Instead, you can build a chunk of points just by eating at listed establishments.
Some of the best airline programs include Delta’s SkyMiles Dining, American Airline’s AAdvantage Dining, Alaska Air’s Mileage Plan Dining and United’s MileagePlus Dining. You can also earn through hotel programs like Hilton’s HHonors Dining, Marriott’s Eat Around Town and IHG’s Reward Club Dining. Oftentimes, these programs will include bonuses in the thousands after your first purchase.
Though credit cards offer a tool to double stack dining rewards, you can also utilize other cashback rewards programs to stack just as easily. Dosh and Rakuten are great options to easily stack your dining rewards by just linking your card.
Affiliate Links (keep me on the road)
Sign up for Rakuten using my link and you’ll earn $30 after your first $30 purchase!
Sign up for Dosh using my link and receive $10 just for signing up!
Take Surveys
Multiple airlines and hotels offer points and miles for answering opinion surveys online. Surveys are definitely more of an active way to earn points and miles, as some surveys can take you up to an hour to complete. Generally, the longer the survey the more points you receive. Users must qualify to complete the survey and if you fall out of qualification at any time during the completion, you won’t earn the points.
The best way to look at surveys is an easy way to top off points and miles for a reward redemption. (It’s also an easy way to spend a couple hours a week while watching mindless TV.) Eventually, these points and miles can add up to a free flight or hotel stay. Personally, one of my friends took enough Southwest Rewards for Opinions surveys it earned her a free flight to Belize. You just have to be okay putting in the time.
The Points Guy includes a list of survey partners. You can find it here.
Buy Products Through Shopping Portals
Shopping portals are an easy way to earn additional points and miles for online purchases. If you don’t need to use a specific portal, Cashback Monitor is the best tool to find which program will offer you the highest return. Additionally, many airline shopping portals will have promotional bonus points and miles for reaching specific spend through their platform. And though purchasing through a shopping portal adds points, it is also a great tool to keep your points from expiring. Instead of letting points expire use the brand’s shopping portal for your next online purchase, which will keep your account active.
There are three “rules” to ensure you’ll get rewarded through the portal:
- Use the shopping portal link to direct you to the website. You must purchase through the shopping portal link or you will not receive points!
- Enable your cookies to “track” you through the portal and into the brand’s website.
- Use promo codes found on the portal and only the portal, or your purchase might become ineligible for points.
Catch Airline and Hotel Promotions
It’s always a good idea to open promotional emails from hotels and airlines because they sometimes include offers for free nights or bonus points and miles. Promotions can be as easy as staying two nights to earn a free night certificate! Oftentimes these promotions will require registration through the reward platform to participate, but it’s typically as easy as a click. The Points Guy has a monthly updates guide to the best hotel promotions. I always check the guide before booking for an upcoming trip.
Airlines don’t run as frequent promotions, you can often find bonus miles through targeted promotions. But, as airlines continue to compete for business I think more details are inevitable. Like Southwest’s recent 2-month Companion Pass for the price of one flight.
Stay and Fly
It may seem obvious, but staying at brand-loyal hotels and flying can add thousands of points and miles from one stay or flight. The best way to rack up points and miles for free travel is to become loyal to one or two hotel chains and airline alliances. This will ensure your points and miles never expire. Plus, if you receive status you’ll earn more points and miles for your spend at the brand. For example, Hilton Honors base members receive 10 points per dollar spent, but Silver members receive 12.
(If you need help choosing a hotel program, be sure to check out my in-depth guide to Hotel Reward Programs.)
Some airlines no longer offer miles for basic economy tickets (you know, those tickets with few amenities and no seat selection). However, you can work around this by adding a partner airline loyalty program. Without getting too much in the weeds, here is a basic example: American Airlines no longer offer miles for basic economy tickets but you could add your Alaska Airlines account information to receive points through Alaska Airlines. You can then book award tickets on American Airlines through Alaska Airlines. Plus, since Alaska Airlines is not revenue based, you can earn status more easily.
Other Airfare and Hotel Stay Perks: - Stay at 5 different Hyatt properties and earn a free night at a Category 1-4 hotel. (Million Mile Secrets has a great guide.) - Consider a status challenge for an airline if you plan to have a lot of travel in the near future. This will give you serious perks and additional miles per dollar spent! - Take advantage of the Hyatt and American Airlines partnership to stack your rewards.
Explore on. -K
