Both Mileage Plan Shopping from Alaska Airlines and AAdvantage Shopping from American Airlines are offering the chance to win some extra miles by running sweepstakes or promotions open to their online shopping customers.
American Airlines is offering the easiest prize, with up to 2,000 bonus miles between now and September 16. Just spend $75 in a single purchase to get 500 bonus AAdvantage miles. You can make up to four eligible purchases to earn a total of 2,000 miles after registering for this offer.
Alaska Airlines is offering a sweepstakes, with a top prize of 100,000 miles, but it may not be that difficult to win given the program is smaller and likely gets fewer entries than one of the big four. The grand prize winner also receives $2,500 in addition to the miles, while three runners up each get 20,000 miles.
The total number of entries to the Alaska sweepstakes is limited to 2,101 per person. So how do you accumulate them?
- One entry for registering.
- 100 entries for agreeing to receive marketing emails — and continuing to receive emails through the end of the sweepstakes.
- 100 entries for downloading the Mileage Plan Shopping Button — and keeping it installed through the end of the sweepstakes.
- 50 entries for making a qualifying transaction of $50 or more. You are limited to two qualifying transactions and 100 entries per day.
- 100 entries without purchase for mailing a hand-written 3×5″ card. You are limited to 20 cards for 2,000 entries.
Remember that online shopping is one of the easiest ways to earn extra airline miles for something you would have done anyway. I used to reprimand my wife for buying stuff online without going through a portal. Then I installed the Mileage Plan Shopping button on her browser. She gets a reminder to sign in when she’s on a participating site, and peace has returned to our household.