How to Earn Airline Miles Without Flying

Traveling the world using airline miles might sound like a privilege reserved for frequent flyers, but that’s far from the truth. Today, you can earn a significant number of miles without ever setting foot on a plane. In fact, many savvy travelers build up enough miles for international trips—like flying from São Paulo to New York or Paris to Miami—just by making strategic choices in their daily spending. Whether you live in Brazil, Europe, or the United States, there are smart ways to earn miles through credit cards, promotions, online shopping, and loyalty program offers.

In this article, you’ll discover how to accumulate airline miles efficiently without flying, and how to turn routine purchases into opportunities for free or upgraded travel. These tips will help you reach your next destination faster—and more comfortably.

Use Co-Branded Airline Credit Cards

One of the most effective ways to earn airline miles without flying is through credit card spending. In Brazil, Europe, and the U.S., banks offer co-branded cards in partnership with airline loyalty programs. These cards provide welcome bonuses, accelerated mileage earning, and exclusive travel benefits.

In the U.S., cards like the American Airlines AAdvantage® or Delta SkyMiles® cards often offer sign-up bonuses of 50,000 miles or more. These bonuses are typically enough for a round-trip economy ticket to Latin America or Europe. Spending on these cards also earns you 1–3 miles per dollar, depending on the category.

In Brazil, the LATAM Pass Itaú card, TudoAzul Itaucard, and Smiles Visa Infinite all allow you to earn points with each purchase. These cards are also eligible for transfer bonuses during promotions with Livelo, Esfera, or iupp—bank loyalty programs that multiply your points.

In Europe, programs like Flying Blue (Air France/KLM), Miles&Go (TAP), and British Airways Executive Club offer mileage-earning credit cards through banks like American Express, Santander, and others. The key is to use these cards for everyday expenses like groceries, bills, fuel, and online shopping.

Take Advantage of Bank Reward Programs

Many travelers underestimate the power of bank reward programs. Platforms like Livelo (Brazil), Membership Rewards (U.S. and Europe), and Esfera allow you to earn flexible points that can later be transferred to multiple airline programs.

In Brazil, Livelo offers frequent bonus promotions of 30% to 100% when transferring points to airline programs like Smiles, TudoAzul, Latam Pass, or TAP Miles&Go. If you strategically time your transfers during these promotions, you can double your mileage balance without any additional spending.

In the United States, American Express Membership Rewards points can be transferred to more than 15 airline programs, including Delta, Air France, Iberia, and Emirates. This flexibility gives you access to a wide range of award tickets and flight options.

In Europe, some banks partner with Flying Blue and British Airways, allowing customers to transfer credit card points directly into airline miles. Always check for promotional campaigns and keep an eye on transfer ratios—they may vary by region and currency.

Shop Online Through Airline Portals

Most airline loyalty programs offer shopping portals that reward you with miles for purchases made through their platform. Instead of going directly to an online store, you simply click through the airline’s shopping page to earn extra miles on purchases you were already planning to make.

Smiles, for example, has a platform called Shopping Smiles in Brazil that partners with hundreds of retailers, from electronics to fashion. Flying Blue, British Airways, and United MileagePlus offer similar portals in Europe and the U.S.

By using these portals when buying items like laptops, phones, clothes, or even groceries, you can accumulate thousands of miles over time—without spending anything extra.

Book Hotels and Rent Cars With Airline Partners

Another excellent way to earn miles is by booking hotels and rental cars through airline partners. Most loyalty programs have agreements with global booking platforms like Rocketmiles, Booking.com, and Hotels.com, which award you miles for each night stayed.

For instance, booking a five-night stay through Rocketmiles could earn you between 5,000 and 10,000 airline miles depending on the hotel and destination. That’s a huge return compared to traditional bookings.

Some airline programs, like Smiles and TudoAzul, also allow you to book hotels directly with miles or cash + miles combinations. These options are especially useful when you need to boost your mileage balance without flying.

Subscribe to Airline Loyalty Clubs

Airlines increasingly offer paid monthly subscription clubs that give members extra miles, status points, and exclusive bonuses. For Brazilian travelers, Clube Smiles and Clube TudoAzul are popular options. By subscribing, you receive monthly miles, transfer bonuses, and early access to promotions.

For example, Clube Smiles members often receive up to 80% bonuses on Livelo transfers, which helps boost your account much faster. Over the course of one year, the accumulated miles from a club subscription alone can be enough for at least one round-trip domestic flight—or more if combined with promotions.

In Europe and the U.S., frequent flyer programs occasionally offer promotional status matches or tier accelerators. Signing up for newsletters and tracking campaign calendars can help you earn elite benefits and miles without ever stepping onto a plane.

Participate in Referral and Bonus Campaigns

Loyalty programs frequently run promotional campaigns that allow you to earn extra miles by referring friends or reaching specific spending goals. These offers vary by region but can be quite generous.

In the U.S., airlines like Southwest or Delta sometimes offer up to 10,000 bonus miles for referring a new cardholder. In Brazil, banks like Bradesco and Santander offer campaigns with Livelo that reward you for inviting others or hitting milestones.

Always monitor your email for special offers from your airline or credit card. These time-sensitive deals are a valuable opportunity to earn more miles with little effort.

Combine Promotions With Strategy

The best mileage strategies are built over time by combining several of the methods mentioned. Use your airline credit card for daily purchases, make transfers during bonus promotions, shop online through airline portals, and subscribe to loyalty clubs.

Plan ahead for future redemptions by identifying your most frequent destinations and preferred airlines. With that knowledge, you can focus on earning the specific miles you need, whether it’s Smiles for a flight to Miami, Miles&Go for Lisbon, or Flying Blue for New York or Los Angeles.

Keep track of your mileage balances across different programs using apps like AwardWallet or spreadsheets. This helps avoid expiration dates and gives you a clear picture of when and how to book your next trip.

Final Thoughts: Unlocking Travel Without Flying

You don’t need to be a frequent flyer to be a frequent traveler. With the right approach, anyone can earn a substantial number of airline miles just by being strategic with spending, promotions, and loyalty tools. Whether you live in Brazil, Europe, or the United States, the opportunity to travel using miles is more accessible than ever. Start by aligning your financial habits with programs that reward you, stay informed about transfer bonuses, and take full advantage of every partnership and campaign available. In time, you’ll discover that traveling the world doesn’t have to be expensive—it just has to be smart.