There's no point in having an airline rewards card if you aren't going to maximize its miles-accumulating potential. If you aren't earning the rewards that you think you deserve from your airline's debit or credit card, follow these 5 tips to boost your airline card rewards!

1. Make Purchases

On most debit and credit cards that offer airline mile rewards, you get one or two miles per dollar that you spend. So the simplest thing you can do to boost your airline card rewards is make more purchases! Of course, if you're using a credit card, remember that you will have to pay this money back - so have the funds set aside to pay it off each month. Also, don't overlook mundane purchases. You can rack up a lot of miles just paying your bills! Holidays are also ideal for raking in the miles.

2. Dine Out

Many airline cards offer rewards for dining out. If you are going to eat out anyway, be sure to look up specific restaurants on your airline reward's dining website first. You can expect reviews of great restaurants, locations, and price ranges to be listed! It's a great way to treat yourself in more ways than one. Since you earn airline rewards for dining out on registered cards, you will maximize your miles by paying with your airline rewards credit or debit card. That way, you get rewarded both for dining and for using your card. Check with your specific airline rewards program to see if this is possible.

3. Shop at Airline Linked Partners

Many airlines will have specific partners through which you can make purchases and earn bonus miles. If your air miles site has an online mall, it may be a great way to find just what you need, or to discover that perfect birthday or holiday gift, and earn airline card rewards simultaneously. Again, you will often earn miles for shopping through partners independent of the purchase amount on your card, for which you will also earn!

4. Fly Often

If it comes down to flying or driving, or even taking the train, opt for flying. If you fly wherever and whenever possible, you will definitely maximize your miles - and purchasing flights with your card will often expand the amount of reward miles you get. You don't always have to fly with your particular rewards program's airline to earn miles, either. For instance, if you earn United Miles, you can fly with any Star Alliance member and still earn reward miles.

5. Take Advantage of Special Offers

Many rewards programs will have special offers. For example, after dining, you may be asked to take a survey to earn double miles. Since you already used your airline rewards debit or credit card on dining, and earned the additional dining rewards, you can sometimes triple the miles you earn in instances such as these. Keep an eye out for all special offers that your airline card makes available!

The key to earning more miles is researching the offers that your airline rewards card makes available, and making sure you always use your airline debit or credit card. That way, even when shopping with partners, for example, you get the miles both for shopping with the partner and for making a purchase on your airline card.