When it comes to travel rewards, learning how to earn airline miles and hotel points often evokes images of hefty credit card bills and lots of strategic spending. However, there are lesser-known avenues to travel with points by accumulating airline miles and hotel points. In most cases, it only requires that you open a free rewards account with the airline or hotel group that you plan to use, an opportunity to begin earning rewards credit with every transaction. To help you get the most miles and points, we’ve gathered some of the uncommon yet simple methods that can help you bolster your rewards balance without relying solely on traditional approaches.

Airline, Transit and Hotel Partnerships

There are a handful of transit and hotel partnerships that make it simple for you to accumulate more miles and/or points. Once you have a free rewards account opened with each, you can easily link your accounts so that qualified purchases or actions automatically earn you extra rewards in addition to what you’re already earning with the respective loyalty program. These alliances can be used to your advantage to strategically build your stash of miles or points faster.

American Airlines and Hyatt

American Airlines and World of Hyatt have forged a partnership that rewards travelers on both fronts if you have elite status with both programs. AAdvantage elite members can earn bonus miles during stays at Hyatt properties, while World of Hyatt elite members can rake in bonus points when flying with American Airlines. This coordinated relationship extends perks like status opportunities and bonus points, making it a win-win for loyal customers.

Emirates and Marriott

In a bid to enhance customer experience, Emirates and Marriott have teamed up to offer complimentary loyalty benefits. Marriott Bonvoy members now have the opportunity to earn points for Emirates flights, while Emirates Skywards members can accrue miles for Marriott Bonvoy hotel stays. Elite members enjoy additional perks like priority check-in and boarding, enhancing the overall travel experience.

Uber and Marriott

Uber and Marriott have joined forces to offer points on rides and meals. By linking your Uber and Marriott accounts, you can earn Marriott Bonvoy points for each dollar spent on most Uber rides and Uber Eats orders over $40. Additionally, Marriott Bonvoy elite members can enjoy special benefits such as bonus points and elite status upgrades when using Uber services during stays at Marriott properties.

Delta and Airbnb

Delta Airlines has partnered with Airbnb, the popular accommodation rental platform, to offer Delta SkyMiles members the opportunity to earn miles on Airbnb bookings. By linking your Delta SkyMiles account to your Airbnb account through the dedicated Delta Airbnb portal, you can earn 1 mile per $1 spent on Airbnb stays, providing an alternative way to accumulate miles beyond traditional hotel partnerships.

Air France–KLM and Accor Group

The Air France–KLM and Accor Group has a dual reward offering, allowing loyalty members to earn both Flying Blue miles and Le Club AccorHotels reward points on flights and hotel stays. Unlike many partnerships, this arrangement is not limited to elite members, offering an opportunity for all loyalty members to benefit.

Airline & Hotel Shopping Portals

Many loyalty programs have shopping portals where you can start any shopping trip, just like a cash back site or app, to earn rewards on your shopping. The difference with these is that instead of cash back, you’ll earn miles or points to add to your balance with the airline or hotel to use towards future travel with them.

Delta SkyMiles

American Airlines AAdvantage

United Mileage Plus

Southwest Rapid Rewards

Alaska Atmos

Wyndham Rewards

Additional Ways to Earn Travel Rewards

In addition to the partnerships and shopping portals mentioned above, there are a few more tips and tricks you can use to maximize your points and miles earnings.

1. Utilize dining programs: Many airlines and hotel loyalty programs offer dining programs where members can earn points for dining at participating restaurants. By linking a credit or debit card to these programs, members can earn points automatically when dining out.
2. Take advantage of promotions: Keep an eye out for promotions and bonus offers from airlines and hotels. These promotions often provide opportunities to earn extra points or miles for specific activities, such as booking a certain number of stays or flights within a given time frame.
3. Refer-a-friend programs: Some loyalty programs offer referral bonuses for referring friends or family members to join. Take advantage of these programs as it’s one of the best ways to earn additional points or miles for simply recommending the program to others.
4. Attend events and workshops: Airlines and hotels sometimes host events or workshops that offer opportunities to earn points or miles for attending. Keep an eye on your loyalty program’s event calendar and RSVP to events that interest you.
5. Stay active on social media: Some airlines and hotels offer points or miles for engaging with them on social media platforms like Twitter or Facebook. Follow your favorite brands and participate in contests or promotions to earn additional rewards.

Earning Points and Miles for Free

While credit card sign-up bonuses and spending remains a popular method for earning travel rewards, we’ve explored alternate ideas of how to earn airline miles and how to earn hotel points for free. With ideas like using airline and hotel partnerships, shopping portals, and the additional strategies we covered, you can significantly boost your points and miles balance to make every purchase count towards your next getaway.