Airline miles just got easier on Airbnb and Vrbo

Airbnb and Vrbo bookings can earn airline rewards when you start from the right airline partner page or shopping portal, with multiple programs offering miles or points on eligible stays. The catch: you’ll need cookies enabled, the booking must qualify, and yo

Vacation rentals are often the best way to stretch a trip budget—until you realize you booked an Airbnb or Vrbo the same way you always do, without stacking airline rewards.

But there’s a way to change that. and it starts with one small detour before you land on the booking site: clicking through an airline partner page or a shopping portal. Get that right. and several major frequent-flyer programs offer mileage or points for eligible stays—often at rates that depend on how and when you connect your accounts.

For Airbnb bookings, there are four primary airline options. The first is ANA Mileage Club, which offers 1 mile per 200 Japanese yen (about $1.24) spent when you start from the ANA Mileage Club link and click through to book an Airbnb stay.

British Airways Club follows with a higher-sounding earning rate: 2 Avios per dollar spent with Airbnb when you start from the British Airways link and click through to book an Airbnb stay or experience.

Delta SkyMiles uses a different setup. You can earn 1 mile per dollar spent on Airbnb stays and 3 miles per dollar spent on Airbnb services and experiences when you connect your SkyMiles and Airbnb accounts through a designated link—and then book within 10 days. After that 10-day window expires, you’ll need to reconnect your accounts to continue earning.

Qantas Frequent Flyer offers 1 point per 1 Australian dollar (about $0.69) spent when you start from the Qantas link and book an Airbnb stay through Qantas.

There’s also a clear limit that catches many travelers off guard: none of these programs offers rewards on taxes and fees for the booking. The loyalty account name also typically needs to match the primary guest’s name.

If Vrbo is your preferred platform, the paths to airline rewards look similar—start from the right portal first. For Vrbo. rewards can be available when you click through select online shopping portals. including the American AAdvantage eShopping portal. the Atmos Rewards Shopping portal. the Delta SkyMiles Shopping portal and the Rove Shopping portal. One practical perk of using a shopping portal is that it can allow you to earn rewards even when you’re booking a stay for someone else.

For more direct, predictable earning, Vrbo also has partnerships that apply when you’re booking a stay for yourself. In that case, airline rewards can be earned at the more consistent rates tied to those partnerships, with the mileage account name usually needing to match the primary guest’s name.

Vrbo has another program in the mix: it participates in One Key rewards. That means travelers may be able to earn OneKeyCash on top of airline rewards on some stays. The catch is eligibility—stays where you complete your transaction on the Vrbo website are likely eligible for One Key program earnings. but some stays may not be.

Even with the right click-through, travelers still have to manage the details. You’ll need cookies enabled in your browser, and you’ll need to ensure your booking is eligible. In most cases. tracking matters in a very literal way: start from the correct partner page or portal. enter the right loyalty number. and make sure the loyalty account name matches the primary guest.

Another lever is the credit card you use to pay. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card now lets cardholders earn 3 points per dollar spent on vacation home rentals booked through Airbnb. Vrbo. Plum Guide. HomeAway. Homestay.com and Vacasa. If you already hold the card, that can make these platforms even more rewarding.

Otherwise, the guidance is to use a rewards credit card that earns bonus points on general travel purchases. The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is highlighted for general travel purchases. and the American Express® Green Card is also described as another excellent option. The card details for the American Express Green Card on this topic are described as being collected independently by The Points Guy. and it’s noted that the card details on that page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

If none of those are in your wallet. the advice is to use whatever card you have for nonbonus category spending. Cards like the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card. the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card and the Citi Double Cash® Card are described as earning more than just one point. mile or percent cash back per dollar.

The bottom line is straightforward: it may be tempting to go straight to Airbnb or Vrbo. but taking an extra minute to start from an airline partner page or shopping portal can add airline miles or points on eligible bookings. British Airways. Delta Air Lines. Qantas and All Nippon Airways are described as offering ways to earn airline rewards on eligible Airbnb bookings. Delta, United Airlines, JetBlue and select shopping portals are described as offering options for eligible Vrbo stays.

And while those miles or points won’t typically apply to taxes and fees. the upside is still real—especially when your booking is eligible to stack airline rewards. OneKeyCash or another platform currency. and rewards from your credit card. In other words. the same vacation rental you were already going to book can turn into something more—if you plan the click before you pay.

airline miles Airbnb rewards Vrbo rewards Avios Delta SkyMiles ANA Mileage Club Qantas Frequent Flyer Chase Sapphire Preferred OneKeyCash loyalty account name cookies enabled