Earn frequent flier miles

Learn how to earn more air miles and travel awards through frequent flyer program tricks. Why pay for cheap tickets when you can fly free?

[edit] Credit Card Deals

American Express, Delta Airlines: Get 2500 miles and no annual fee for the first year, or apply for the business card and get 3000 miles!

American Express, Starwood Preferred Guest Platinum Optima: Get 1,000 bonus points and no annual fee for the first year ($30 thereafter). Starwood points can be traded for airline points on every major airline (United, Delta, American, etc) with a 1:1 ratio, and if you exchange 20,000 Starwood points for airline points, you get a 5,000 point bonus (so the ratio is really 4:5 -- better than any other card).

Continental Airlines Mastercard: 15,000 miles after your first purchase, double miles on restaurants and continental tickets

United Airlines Visa: Get 17,500 miles after your first purchase, double miles on United tickets and several coupons including a $50 e-certificate

US Airways Visa: Signature cardholders earn 25,000 bonus miles, Platinum cardholders earn 10,000 bonus miles and Classic cardholders earn 5,000 bonus miles after you make your first purchase.

American Airlines

Get 30,000 bonus miles until 6/30/2006. Use reference code FLY3 and fly three roundtrips on American or American Eagle between Dallas/Fort Worth or Dallas Love Field and Austin, Kansas City, San Antonio or St. Louis. Register prior to travel at www.aa.com/offers
Get up to 15,000 bonus miles until 6/30/2006. Use reference Ccde:AAPVG and fly roundtrip between Chicago and Shanghai (ORD and PVG) starting April 2, 2006; earn 15,000 bonus miles for First or Business Class; and 7,500 bonus miles in selected Economy Class (Y, B, H, and K). Register prior to travel at www.aa.com/offers

Northwest Airlines

Lending tree lets you earn miles for getting a Loan - Earn 1,250 miles per $10,000 financed. If you find a REALTOR® you earn 3,000 miles per $10,000 of home purchase or sale price
See Northwest Car Rental Partners for how to earn 50-500 miles per rental
Refer a friend bonus expires 5/31/2006: Refer up to five (5) friends and earn 500 bonus miles FIRST time each friend purchases a ticket or checks-in on nwa.com; 2,500 bonus miles when they travel roundtrip on any Northwest or KLM-operated flights; and 500 bonus miles when they complete all items (maximum of 4,000 miles per friend). Your friends will earn 500 bonus miles EACH time they purchase tickets or check-in at nwa.com; and 2,500 miles for roundtrip travel on Northwest, or KLM-operated flights. Sponsor and friends must register for this promotion prior to friends’ qualifying activity, before May 15, 2006, at http://www.nwa.com/offers/referafriend/ with promo code GNWP BONUS RAF06
Earn 10 miles for every US$1 spent during your first visit each month at participating restaurants, including tax and gratuities (up to 6,000 miles per qualifying visit). Call 800/818-2040 or visit IDine for details

United Airlines

Earn 2500 miles for booking through United.com
Lending tree lets you earn miles for getting a Loan - Earn 1,250 miles per $10,000 financed. If you find a REALTOR® you earn 3,000 miles per $10,000 of home purchase or sale price
Earn 25,000 miles when you open an Ameritrade account. Visit Ameritrade for details
Earn 3,500 miles per car loan and 1,250 miles per US$10,000 borrowed for a home equity loan, home mortgage or home refinance. Visit E-Loan or call 877/356-2693
Get up to 10,000 miles from Netbank. 4,000 miles for a checking account, 4,000 for a savings account and 2,000 for a CD
Earn up to 6,000 miles for opening a sprint long distance account online and get 5 additional miles per $1 spent. check out Sprint for details
Open a non-retirement account with Fidelity Investments and receive United miles. Get 25,000 miles for a $50,000 initial deposit, 10,000 miles for a $25,000 initial deposit, 2,500 miles for a $5,000 initial deposit. This offer is limited to new accounts and can be redeemed once per household. Visit Fidelity or call 800/554-3719
February 1 through April 30, 2006, Earn double miles at the Hilton San Francisco. For your stay also earn double Hilton HHonors® Base points. Request Plan Code H2 to receive this offer.
Dates: March 1 through October 1, 2006, Earn up to 5,000 bonus miles with Get Away Now packages from Marriott Vacation Club International. See details