How to earn miles — LOTS of miles — without ever flying
Call it revenge on the credit card industry. Call it a tad deceitful. Or just call it “working the sytem.” But I recently read about a guy who opened accounts with credit card companies just for the miles. Then he did a little double dipping as his credit allowed. For instance, Citibank offers different American Airlines cards — personal and business. You’ll get “bonus” miles on each — just for signing up — up to 50,000 total. You might have to make a purchase before your miles kick in, so just use the cards for everyday purchases and pay off your balances right away. Then, “churn” the card after you’ve used the miles. “Churning” simply means that you wait 60 days after you cancel, then apply for the same cards again. One caveat: this kind of card game may cause your credit score to dip a few points, so this may not be the best practice if you plan to make a major purchase soon.