The key is to earning frequent flier miles is finding every-day options such as ordering from Starbucks and paying for groceries. First sign up for airlines' frequent-flier programs then link the retail accounts with the airline programs. If the retail partner has a membership program, you need to join that too.

Here are 12 lesser-known ways to earn airline miles (including hot links to join/register).

Vrbo - Earn three miles for every $1 spent if for home rentals booked through Vrbo.

Starbucks - Delta SkyMiles members who are also members of Starbucks Rewards program now earn one mile per dollar spent.

Ride Lyft - Link your Delta Air Lines’ SkyMiles and Lyft accounts to earn miles, double if it’s an airport run.

Airbnb – Link your Delta and Airbnb accounts before you click the red Reserve button on Airbnb. Each $1 spent earns an airline mile.

Home Improvements - The Home Depot’s partnership with United Airlines’ MileagePlus earns miles. Lowe’s and American Airlines have a partnership.

Take a Survey - JetBlue’s TrueBlue members earn through jetopinions, United Airlines’ MileagePlus members via Opinion Miles Club & American Airlines’ AAdvantage members with Miles for Opinions.

Streaming Services - JetBlue’s TrueBlue members earn 1,000 points when you subscribe; Alaska Airlines credit cards you earn two miles for every $2 spent on streaming services.

Floral Deliveries - Each airline partners with a different florist—such as 1800FLOWERS.com (United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and Southwest Airlines) and Teleflora (Frontier Airlines).

Magazine Subscriptions - All of the above airlines partner with MagsforMiles.com to offer hundreds of subscriptions through Dotdash Meredith, the country’s largest magazine publisher.

Spa Treatments - If a spa of your choice is bookable through Spafinder, then you can earn miles. With American Airlines, it’s four miles for every dollar spent.

Concert Tickets - Through AAdvantage Events for events in the US and Canada. there is a vast range pf events including performing arts & theater; live-music concerts; and NHL, NBA, and college sports. Delta SkyMiles’ members earn miles with Ticketmaster (also just for U.S. and Canada). For concerts abroad, Air France and KLM—plus other non-domestic airlines—also have a partnership with Ticketmaster.

Food Orders - Air Canada’s AeroPlan earns two miles for every dollar spent on Uber Eats in the U.S. and Canada through Grubhub and Uber Eats. 

source: fodors.com