Originally Posted by
blase
I thought if you weren't using a credit card, you wouldn't get miles.
Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Depends on the specifics of the program and merchant offer. For example, when using the AA E-shopping portal, many merchants do say in the T&C for that merchant that purchases using gift cards don't earn AA miles.
Don't forget about buying restaurant gift certificates through the I-Dine program. The miles post quickly after purchase, and the gift certificates can be used on any day, even days that wouldn't ordinarily earn the extra miles.
I do this all the time. Many local restaurants will even mail a GC to me for no extra charge, so I can just call them up and get a GC, no extra trip required. (The restaurants we like aren't near the house, so we're only there when we need to be. If we're going to be in the good-restaurant area for some reason during an I-Dine special, often we'll have lunch at one I-Dine restaurant and then swing by a second to get a GC. We then use the GCs after the I-Done promotion period ends.)