This guide focuses on ways travelers can earn award miles outside of traveling. While I primarily focus on American Airlines, my preferred carrier, I also include information for Delta Air Lines and United Airlines.
Updated: January 9, 2026, with expanded information on loyalty points and the AAdvantage eShopping program.
Many of us dream of strolling down cobblestoned streets in Europe, snorkeling in the blue waters of Australia, or embarking on a safari across the savannahs of Africa. Yet the cost of air travel can make those dreams feel out of reach. Award miles can help offset flight costs, but the process of earning them can be slow and at times confusing.
That is where this travel guide comes in. Here, I offer insight into different ways travelers can earn award miles beyond flying. I also explain American Airlines’ revamped status program and why point systems matter.
Program rules and earning rates change, so always verify details on the airline’s website before making purchases.
Guide to Earning Award Miles and Loyalty Points
As someone who flies several times a year, I am all too familiar with the increasing cost of air travel. I also contend with an issue many travelers face: the slow and lengthy process of earning award miles. Interested in taking more trips, and preferably in an upgraded cabin, I started looking for ways to earn award miles outside of travel. This search led me to change my mindset about the process, learning that “diversifying the portfolio” is a good way to increase the earnings rate without relying on travel.
Many carriers have branched out and now offer loyalty program members a multitude of ways to earn miles – banking products, dining and shopping programs, accommodations, car rentals, and more. Travelers can now earn miles through everyday activities such as dining out, grocery shopping, online shopping, and refueling their cars.
Fellow travelers, below is a depiction of my portfolio and how I currently earn airline miles and loyalty points.
Mobile Users: Rotate your phone to landscape mode to view the full chart legend.
Starting the Process to Earn Award Miles
Before jumping into ways to earn award miles, I will cover some basics for those who may not be familiar with air travel and related programs and terms.
For those new to award miles, the first step is to join an airline’s loyalty program, which is generally free. These are the award programs for America’s 3 legacy carriers:
The next is understanding award miles – what they are and what they can be redeemed for. Award miles are miles earned with a specific carrier that can be used to pay for a flight, upgrade to a better cabin, or purchase a lounge pass. This is standard amongst most airlines.
In addition to award miles, a point system is used to determine a traveler’s status both with an airline and its partners. In general, you earn one point per mile, though this can vary by carrier. Within the point system, each status tier offers unique benefits and the opportunity to select special rewards. Examples of benefits and rewards include earning more miles and loyalty points per flight, preferred seat coupons and system-wide upgrades, preferred standing with affiliate partners, free checked bags, and status within an airline’s alliance.
Be mindful that you may not earn loyalty points for “bonus” miles received through a credit card or affiliate program, such as credit card sign-up bonuses.
What are partner airlines? Partner airlines are carriers that belong to the same team, more commonly referred to as an “alliance”. These alliances benefit travelers by providing more routes and connections, shared lounges, integrated frequent flyer programs, and reciprocal status benefits. Note that not all airlines are members of alliances.
Alliances allow travelers to redeem award miles on partner airlines. For example, I can use AAdvantage miles to book flights on Oneworld Alliance member airlines, like British Airways or Iberia.
This table highlights some key points related to American Airlines’ award miles and loyalty points.
American Airlines – Award Miles versus Loyalty Points
| Award Miles | Loyalty Points |
| Earned by traveling, making purchases with an AA credit card, or participating in programs such as AAdvantage Dining | Earned the same way as award miles and counts towards AAdvantage status (Gold, Platinum, Platinum Pro, and Executive Platinum) |
| Redeem miles for flights, upgrades, vacations, hotels, and more | Receive status-specific benefits and redeem for Loyalty Point Rewards |
| Carried over each year as long as 1) you are the primary holder of an open AA credit card account or 2) earn or redeem miles at least once every 24 months | Reset to zero on March 1st; Qualification period runs from March through February of the following year |
Below is a deep dive into the 5 ways I am currently earning award miles. After each method, I will provide the information for Delta Air Lines and United Airlines. Note, this is just the tip of the iceberg. These carriers offer travelers additional ways to earn miles, including booking hotels through a designated travel portal, renting cars with partner companies, purchasing miles directly from the airline, and more.
Air Travel
I will start with air travel, as it is the most familiar award-earning method for most travelers. This is how many travelers earn miles, but unless you fly frequently or in an upgraded cabin, such as business class, the earning pace can be rather slow. Travelers without status flying on American Airlines earn 5 base AAdvantage miles per dollar spent on eligible fares. Note that certain taxes and government-imposed fees do not count toward miles earned.
Let’s look at a simple example. You purchased a flight for which $1,000 is eligible for award miles. If you do not hold status, then you earn 5,000 miles. On the other hand, a multiplier is applied to those with Gold or higher status, which greatly increases your earnings. For example, if a traveler has Platinum status, they will earn 60% more miles, so instead of 5,000 miles for $1,000, they will earn 8,000 miles.
For flights, travelers earn 1 Loyalty Point for every eligible AAdvantage mile.
Note that you can earn AAdvantage miles by booking flights marketed by American Airlines on partner airlines.
Delta Air Lines and United Airlines also use revenue-based earning models (based on ticket price and status).
AAdvantage MileUp Credit Card
I tend to avoid company-affiliated credit cards, but after careful consideration, I decided to apply for the American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp credit card from Citibank as a way to earn more miles and loyalty points. While the 80,000-mile sign-up bonus on the AAdvantage Platinum Select sounded enticing, I opted for the MileUp card because it has no annual fee, and the purchases that qualify for double miles better suit my lifestyle.
Double Your Earnings
Air travel is where card users will notice the most significant gains with an AAdvantage credit card. First, you earn 2 miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases with the credit card. Then, after completing your flight, you earn additional miles based on the fare amount and your status level.
Example: For a recently purchased short-haul flight, I earned 2X miles with my AAdvantage MileUp card, and then I earned additional miles after completing my trip. The flight itself earned 2,555 miles, and the ticket purchase earned 1,156 miles (2 miles per $1), for a total of 3,711 miles.
Cardholders also earn more award miles when using their AAdvantage credit card for purchases made through AAdvantage Shopping or AAdvantage Dining. Just like with flights, you earn miles twice: first, by using the credit card, and then through the shopping or dining program itself. Combining an AAdvantage credit card with another of the company’s programs is a great way to boost your overall mile balance!
Earn 1 Loyalty Point for every eligible $1 spent with the AAdvantage MileUp card. Bonus miles do not earn Loyalty Points.
Here is a quick comparison of the two cards. Since I don’t dine out often, I found the 2X miles on groceries to be a better value over the long term. After crunching some numbers, I estimate I’ll earn about 10,400 miles yearly just from grocery purchases.
| AAdvantage Platinum Select | AAdvantage MileUp |
| 80,000 bonus miles after $3,500 in purchases within the first 4 months | 15,000 bonus miles after $500 in purchases within the first 3 months |
| $99 Annual Fee | $0 Annual Fee |
| 2X miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases | 2X miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases |
| 2X miles for every $1 spent at restaurants and gas stations | 2X miles for every $1 spent at grocery stores, including grocery delivery services |
| 1X miles for every $1 spent on other purchases | 1X miles for every $1 spent on other purchases |
Each card offers additional perks, so I recommend taking the time to research which card best aligns with your travel and spending habits to maximize miles and loyalty points earned.
Delta offers a series of SkyMile credit cards via American Express, while United offers Mileage Plus credit cards through Visa. American Airlines also partners with Barclays Bank for another set of credit cards.
AAdvantage eShopping
A fun way to earn miles from the comfort of your home is to shop online through American Airlines’ retail portal, AAdvantage eShopping. Here, you’ll find hundreds of stores where travelers can earn miles either at a per-dollar amount or a flat rate per purchase. And regularly, AAdvantage eShopping offers bonus miles specials, allowing you to earn even more award miles!
The process is fairly straightforward. First, log in with your AAdvantage credentials, then search for a specific store or product, or browse to see what catches your attention. Once you select a store, click the “Shop Now” button, which will direct you to the retailer’s site via an affiliate link that tracks your purchase for points.
For travelers planning a trip, the Travel & Luggage section in AAdvantage eShopping is full of useful products and partners – travel bags and accessories, hotels, booking sites, tour marketplaces, and more. And AAdvantage eShopping is an excellent place to buy gifts for family and friends. They receive a gift, and you earn miles – a win for all!
To share a real-world example, I’m listing some of my recent purchases via AAdvantage eShopping so you can see the impact online shopping has on earning miles and loyalty points, especially when bonus-mile offers are available.
Between bonus-mile offers via AAdvantage eShopping (some good offers around the holidays) and seasonal sales at participating stores, I earned 3,017 miles from approximately $330 in spending. By comparison, an airline ticket worth that same amount will earn an estimated 1,650 miles and loyalty points if you don’t have status. As a bonus, I also earned additional miles and points by using my AAdvantage credit card for the purchases!
The purchases were for travel-related items (new luggage, a heavy winter coat, and a day bag with RFID protection), and I signed up for the Wall Street Journal solely for the 1,200 bonus miles and points offer. Who can pass up that offer for just $4?
| Merchant | Amount | Miles Earned |
| Belk | $133 | 532 |
| Macys | $136.07 | 1096 |
| Macys | $62.99 | 189 |
| Wall Street Journal | $4 | 1,200 |
This program earns Loyalty Points at a rate of 1 point per eligible mile earned.
Delta and United also offer similar shopping programs. Delta’s shopping program is called SkyMiles Shopping, while United’s is called MileagePlus Shopping.
AAdvantage Dining
AAdvantage Dining is a great, easy way to earn miles doing what most of us enjoy – eating out and exploring new restaurants! This program allows members to earn up to 5 miles for every $1 spent at participating restaurants and cafés, whether dining in or taking out. Similar to AAdvantage eShopping, you sign in with your AAdvantage credentials. Once logged in, you’ll link a credit or debit card to your account (multiple cards can be added). Then, when paying for your meal, use one of the linked cards, and enjoy delicious food while earning miles.
Initially, you’ll earn 3 miles for every $1 spent. But after 11 qualifying meals, you’ll be promoted to VIP Member! What do VIP members receive? As a VIP, your earning rate increases to 5 miles per $1, plus you’ll have access to a special dining help line and even more participating restaurants.
The only drawback to the AAdvantage Dining program is that smaller cities will have limited options. Currently, there are only a handful of participating restaurants in my area, but if you reside in places like Chicago, Miami, or New York City, the options are endless!
This program earns Loyalty Points at a rate of 1 point per eligible mile earned.
Both Delta and United offer similar dining programs. Delta’s dining program is called SkyMiles Dining, while United’s is called MileagePlus Dining.
AA Simply Miles
I recently joined the Simply Miles program and am still learning how it works. The program earns travelers points via online and in-person purchases made with a credit or debit card linked to the account, similar to the AAdvantage Dining program. However, before making a purchase, the offer must be activated on Simply Miles.
I find this program requires more effort than the others because you need to log in periodically to view and activate offers, and also remember when they expire. And most offers can be redeemed only once per activation, so if you make multiple purchases at a store, only one will count toward award miles and loyalty points. I suggest opting in to receive emails about new offers, as this simplifies the process.
Currently, enrollment in the program is only possible with a Mastercard.
Prepare for Landing
As I wrap up this guide, I want to emphasize that there’s no perfect method for earning award miles. Travelers need to select the approach that best fits their travel goals and lifestyle. If you love dining out, consider combining the AAdvantage Dining Program with the Platinum Select card for a good option. If you’re a homebody who loves cooking (which means buying lots of groceries!) and enjoys online shopping, the MileUp card, combined with AAdvantage eShopping, might be a better fit.
I hope you have found this travel guide beneficial, and that you’ll soon have enough award miles to book your next big adventure! ✈️🌍
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