There are a plethora of dry cleaners within walking distance of my home in DC. I’ve tried them all, but one day I was strolling by the last one I’d yet to try in the neighborhood when something caught my eye. It was the US Airways Dividend Miles “flag” symbol. As you might imagine, that caused me to walk in for a closer look. Turns out, OXXO Cleaners participates in the Thanks Again Rewards program.

In this case, I can earn miles with Alaska, Delta, United (and Continental), or US Airways for my dry cleaning. I went with US Airways Dividend Miles for my Thanks Again rewards partner. The deal is 1 mile per dollar spent, but right now I’m earning more because I am eligible for bonuses based on spending.  So far, I’ve earned about 3,000 miles through the program. It’s not the most lucrative, but if you can earn miles for doing something you’re going to do anyway, I consider those miles to essentially be “free.”

Thanks Again is in cahoots with a number of bricks & mortar and online retailers across the country, so you could even earn a few miles unexpectedly as I have done through shopping at a participating retailer when I had no idea they were a program participant. Check out the program and see if it will work for you.