How this ‘mileage maniac’ earned 40 million frequent flier miles

Tamara Hardingham-Gill, CNN

Whether it’s signing up for a credit card they don’t need, buying a random product, or filling out endless surveys, most travelers have attempted some type of hack to earn themselves extra air miles.

Some dedicated flIers even take specific trips, known as mileage runs, for the sole purpose of gaining miles and/or bumping up their frequent flier status.

However, it’s safe to assume that few have gone to the same lengths as air miles expert Steve Belkin, who took the notion of using rewards programs against themselves and ran with it way before most fliers, or airlines for that matter, understood just how fruitful it could be.

Belkin managed to earn himself a staggering 40 million frequent flier miles over three decades by coming up with elaborate schemes such as hiring dozens of actors to fly under his name, attending hair…