For most people, a miles-earning credit card is the fastest route to a balance without flying, because spending you already do can earn miles automatically. Groceries, fuel, bills and online shopping all count if they are paid on the right card, and many cards offer higher earning rates in specific categories, so matching your card to your biggest spending categories makes a real difference over a year.

The key discipline is to treat the card like cash: only spend what you can repay in full each month, because interest charges will quickly wipe out the value of any miles earned. If you carry a balance, a cashback card or a no-fee card is usually the better choice. Miles are a bonus on spending you would do anyway, never a reason to spend more.

Airline shopping portals let you earn extra miles for online purchases simply by starting at the airline's portal and clicking through to the retailer. The prices are the same as going direct, but the portal tracks the purchase and credits miles on top of whatever your credit card earns, so a single purchase can earn twice. It takes only a few seconds once you build the habit of checking the portal first.

Dining programmes work similarly for restaurants. Register your card once with the airline's dining programme, and you earn miles automatically when you eat at participating restaurants and pay with that card. Combined with a miles-earning credit card, a single meal can earn in two ways at once, and these small, regular earnings add up surprisingly fast over months.

Airlines partner with hotels, car rental companies, retailers and survey sites, and many of these partnerships let you convert everyday activity into miles. Hotel stays can often be credited to an airline programme instead of the hotel's own scheme, and car rentals booked through airline partners frequently include a miles bonus. Checking the partner list before you book a hotel or a rental car takes a minute and can earn hundreds of miles per trip.

Promotions are worth watching too, since airlines regularly run bonuses for activities such as signing up for a partner service, completing a first stay, or shopping during a promotional period. Signing up for your airline's newsletter or checking its promotions page occasionally means you will hear about these offers before they expire, and a well-timed bonus can be worth more than months of ordinary earning.

Miles are only useful if they are still there when you want to travel, so learn your programme's expiry rules early. Some miles expire after a period of inactivity, while others last indefinitely, and a small earning activity such as a portal purchase is often enough to reset the clock. Keep a simple note of your balances and expiry dates, and check them a few times a year.

Finally, set a realistic goal for your miles, such as a specific flight you want to book, and work toward it steadily rather than collecting aimlessly. A clear goal helps you choose which programme to focus on, which partners to use, and when to stop chasing miles and simply enjoy the free or discounted trip you have earned.

The most successful miles collectors are not the ones with the most complicated strategies, but the ones with steady habits. A good card used responsibly, a quick check of the shopping portal before buying, and a dining programme registration take only minutes to set up and then earn quietly in the background. Start with those three habits, add partners and promotions as you learn, and you may be surprised how quickly a free flight comes within reach.