Can you earn miles if you buy a ticket with miles?

When you redeem miles to buy your ticket, you will not earn redeemable miles for the flight. In general, if the airline is not receiving revenue for your flight, you won't receive credit.



No, you generally cannot earn frequent flyer miles on a ticket that was purchased entirely with miles (an "Award Ticket"). Frequent flyer programs are designed to reward "paid" or "revenue" travel. When you redeem miles for a flight, the fare class is usually categorized as "X" or "U," which are non-earning classes. However, in 2026, there is a common exception: "Miles + Cash" bookings. If you pay for a portion of your ticket with cash and the rest with miles, many airlines (like Delta or United) will allow you to earn miles based on the cash portion of the fare. Additionally, even on award tickets, you can still earn "status miles" or "Premier Qualifying Points" (PQP) on certain airlines if you have their co-branded credit card or if you are flying during a specific promotion. It is also important to remember that while you don't earn miles on the flight itself, you still earn miles on any incidentals or upgrades you pay for with a credit card during your trip, such as checked bags or in-flight meals.

People Also Ask

What are the benefits of booking directly? Most of the time, the airline has the cheapest airfares available. Third-party sites can often match the airline's fares but cannot usually beat them. Most often, the third party sites just use the statement that they have the cheapest fares as a pure marketing ploy.

MORE DETAILS

Capital One Miles are most valuable when redeemed for travel. Each mile is worth 1 cent as a travel statement credit, making 50,000 miles worth $500 in travel reimbursements. You can request a credit for travel purchases made in the last 90 days.

MORE DETAILS

Membership numbers are nontransferable. Only one person may be enrolled per SkyMiles account.

MORE DETAILS

You can register your child with Miles & More from the age of 2 years and above. Airlines generally allocate children their own seat from that age which entitles them to earn miles.

MORE DETAILS

If your goal is to get or maintain a good credit score, two to three credit card accounts, in addition to other types of credit, are generally recommended. This combination may help you improve your credit mix. Lenders and creditors like to see a wide variety of credit types on your credit report.

MORE DETAILS

40,000 Capital One miles are worth an average of $280, depending on how you redeem them. Capital One miles are worth the most when redeemed for travel, but you can also redeem for a statement credit, a check or gift cards, among other options.

MORE DETAILS

You need 100 Capital One miles for every dollar that a flight costs. Each mile is worth one cent when spent on travel. So, if your flight costs $200, you'll need 20,000 miles.

MORE DETAILS

How Much Are 100,000 Capital One Miles Worth? By our valuations, 100,000 Capital One miles are worth about $1,800. These are worth $1,000 in travel booked via Capital One Travel, $1,000 at Amazon.com, $800 at PayPal, $500 to $1,000 in gift cards, or $500 in cash-back.

MORE DETAILS

Miles and points earned on co-branded hotel and airline travel rewards cards do expire usually if you are not active in redeeming them for 12 to 24 months, depending on the terms of the hotel or airline loyalty program.

MORE DETAILS