How to earn points without flying

One of the biggest myths about frequent flyer points is that you need to fly all the time to earn them.

You don’t.

In fact, for most Australians, flying is only a small part of the points game. The real earning happens on the ground, through everyday spending, supermarket programs, credit cards, online shopping, insurance, utilities, hotel bookings and partner offers.

That is good news if you are not flying every month. It means points are not just for business travellers or people with airport lounge memberships. They are for normal households too.

The trick is not to spend more. The trick is to make sure the spending you already do is working harder.

Start with the program that fits your life

Before you try to earn points everywhere, work out where you want those points to land.

For most Australians, that usually means choosing between:

• Qantas Frequent Flyer

• Velocity Frequent Flyer

• Or collecting both, if you have a good reason

Qantas Points are useful if you shop through Everyday Rewards, fly Qantas or Jetstar, or want access to Qantas and partner airline redemptions.

Velocity Points are useful if you fly Virgin Australia, use Flybuys, or want access to Velocity’s airline and retail partners.

There is no perfect answer for everyone. The best program is the one that matches how you already spend and where you actually want to travel.

Supermarket points are an easy starting point

This is probably the easiest place to begin.

If you shop at Woolworths, BIG W or BWS, you can connect Everyday Rewards to Qantas Points.

If you shop at Coles, Kmart, Target, Liquorland or other Flybuys partners, you can collect Flybuys and convert them to Velocity Points.

This does not mean you should change your whole grocery routine just to earn points. That is usually a mistake. But if you already shop with one of these programs, make sure you are actually scanning your card and sending points to the program you care about.

Small habits matter.

Use online shopping portals

Both major programs have shopping portals that let you earn points when you click through before buying online.

The process is simple:

1. Start at the airline or rewards shopping portal

2. Search for the retailer

3. Click through from the portal

4. Buy as normal

5. Earn points on eligible spend

This can work well for things like clothing, appliances, electronics, wine, gifts and travel gear.

The catch is that not every retailer earns points at the same rate, and some purchases may be excluded. So always check the terms before you buy.

Do not buy something you do not need just for points. That is not a strategy. That is just expensive shopping.

Credit cards can earn quickly, but only if used carefully

Credit cards can be one of the fastest ways to earn points without flying, especially through sign-up bonuses and everyday spend.

But they are not magic.

A points earning credit card only makes sense if you:

• pay the balance in full

• understand the annual fee

• meet the minimum spend without overspending

• do not carry interest

• know where the points will be useful

The moment you pay interest, late fees or unnecessary surcharges, the value of the points can disappear very quickly.

Used well, a credit card can be a strong points tool. Used badly, it can become a very expensive way to earn a small reward.

Look at bills, insurance and utilities

Some programs let you earn points through partners in categories like insurance, mobile plans, energy, fuel, accommodation and car hire.

This can be useful, but it needs a bit of common sense.

A good points earner is only good if the underlying product is still competitively priced. Paying $200 extra to earn a handful of points is not a win.

Before switching providers for points, compare:

• the total annual cost

• the points you would earn

• any bonus offer

• the contract terms

• whether you would use the points

Points should be the bonus, not the reason you overpay.

Watch for bonus offers

Bonus offers can be excellent when they match something you already planned to buy.

You might see offers like:

• bonus points for shopping at a partner

• extra points through online shopping portals

• transfer bonuses

• supermarket booster offers

• limited-time credit card sign-up bonuses

The best bonus offers are the ones that attach to spending you were already going to do.

The worst bonus offers are the ones that convince you to spend money you had no plan to spend.

Keep your points focused

One of the easiest mistakes is scattering points everywhere.

A few points in one program, a few in another, a few in a hotel program, a few somewhere else. It feels productive, but it can make it harder to build enough points for something useful.

At the beginning, keep things simple.

Pick one main program. Set up your supermarket account. Consider whether a credit card makes sense. Use shopping portals when you remember. Then build from there.

The Reward Pilot view

You do not need to fly every week to earn points.

You just need a simple system.

Start with the spending you already do. Send it to the program that makes the most sense. Avoid chasing every offer. And never spend more just because points are attached.

That is how normal Australians can build a useful points balance without living at the airport.