(MONEY Magazine) – If you need just a few more miles to earn a plane ticket, you needn't take a flight or run up a balance on your credit card. Instead, check out these five possibilities.

--SWITCH YOUR LONG DISTANCE. Frequent fliers at eight airlines, including American and US Airways, who move to MCIWorldCom (800-359-3733) earn 2,000 miles and then five miles for every $1 spent on calls. Sprint (800-308-2011) lures Alaska, America West, Northwest and TWA fliers with 7,500 miles after the first six bills and five miles for every $1 of calls.

--BUY A CAR. With United's MileagePlus Odometer Miles program (800-733-2062; www.odometermiles.com), you pick up 10,000 miles when you buy from a participating dealer. You earn one American mile for every $4 spent on a car with the airline's Buy to Fly program (800-882-8880).

--PRICE INSURANCE. United members can earn 250 miles for getting an online auto insurance quote from Kemper Insurance (www.ekemper.com/ual).

--SHOP ONLINE. For every $1 you spend at ClickRewards (www.clickrewards.com)--where you can buy from sites such as Gap Online and barnesandnoble.com--you'll earn a point good at one of eight airlines.

--MAKE SOMEONE'S DAY. Order from the Flower Club (800-800-7363; www.flowerclub.com) and earn 500 Northwest miles for the first $29.99 you spend, then 100 for every $10 over that.

--KYRA ALFORD