Get frequent flyer miles for making your mortgage payment

For those who are consumed by racking up frequent flyer miles without traveling, amassing miles by paying your mortgage has always been a sort of holy grail.

One option is a firm called ChargeSmart.  Make a payment – mortgage, utility bills, car loan payments, or student loan payments – via their service, and you can charge the payment to your frequent flyer miles credit card. ChargeSmart pays the vendor in question, and you receive flyer miles.

Two important points:  ChargeSmart does NOT accept AmEx, (Doh!) and this will surprise no one:  there’s a fee involved.  With Wells Fargo mortgages, it’s a flat $9.95 plus a “large payment security fee” if your payment is over $900 or so (I couldn’t determine the exact threshold).  900 points for ~$10 works out to a 1.1% cost, which is a great deal.

What about other mortgage lenders?  There are a bunch which will accept payments from ChargeSmart, but the fees associated with some are quite high.   Check it out at ChargeSmart.com

Another option is to pay your mortgage with money orders purchased on your credit card at the USPS.  This is allowed with US Airways or Alaska Airlines Bank of America credit cards (PIN transactions).  In order to avoid credit card fraud, the Post Office will not let you normally purchase money orders with a credit card; with your US or AS Bank of America card, simply use your PIN and it will work.

A final option for racking up miles (not mortgage related) is to buy a large gift card at a store you frequent, and then use the card yourself as you make purchases.

Have you discovered any clever ways to generate miles?  If so, please comment!