How to Earn Extra Frequent Flier Miles

Every airline has a frequent flier program, whether it's Delta's Skymiles or AirTrans's A+ Rewards, they all want you to fly with them and earn free flights. It takes a lot of flying, though, to earn miles or points, so here are some ways to accrue them more quickly.

Always fly the same airline. This isn't always for the budget-conscious. By always flying the same airline, you'll accrue points or miles in the same place every time, and be much more likely to get enough for a free flight. If you live near a hub, do some research and find out which airlines flies the most to your preferred destinations, and for the most reasonable amount of money. Also, if you're accruing miles and have a choice of where your layover is, try to get the one that has the longest distance between stops - you'll get more miles that way. Another thing that will get you extra miles on your flight would be to upgrade to Business Class or First Class. Most airlines give an extra 50% points or miles for that upgrade, and depending on your luggage requirements, it might not lose you any money.

Most airlines offer a credit card that adds miles to your account, as well. This isn't the best option if you don't want a credit card, obviously, but if you're going to use one anyway it's a good way to get extra miles. When you first sign up, they also give you enough bonus miles that you can get a free flight, usually. Check with each card issuer to see what benefits they'll offer you.

A very slow way to get points is also Points.com. On this website, you can transfer miles and points between airlines, and also sign up for programs where you earn points that you can transfer into miles. They also have a trading board where you can trade miles or points with other users, so if you have SkyMiles that you won't use you could trade them for A+ points. Some airlines also have programs where you can earn miles by doing surveys, Delta being the one that comes to mind immediately. Another way to earn miles is to shop through the airline's Frequent Flier programs.

Most airlines also offer the option to combine account balances, so if you know someone who flies a lot but never uses their miles, ask them about buying theirs. It's not terribly expensive (not as expensive as the ticket would be!) and the points are there, they may as well get used.