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This implies that most of us, whether we like it or not, are shelling out significant amounts for gifts for our loved ones, in addition to the rising costs of holiday travel, whether that involves a road trip, an overseas flight, or gathering with family.
If you’ve budgeted for these expenses throughout the year, this may not disrupt your financial plans too much. However, it would be prudent to take full advantage of the additional spending you’ll incur, particularly since holiday expenses can be a gateway to earning more points and travel miles.
Maximize holiday spending to collect points
Utilizing a rewards credit card for all your purchases is one of the most effective ways to earn extra cash back or travel rewards. Leading rewards and travel cards typically offer one to three points for each dollar spent, making it relatively straightforward to accumulate points with significant upcoming costs like those during the holiday season.
Moreover, consider applying for a new credit card during the holidays to earn a substantial sign-up bonus. Many premium cards offer 50,000 points or more if you can reach a spending target in the first few months, and holiday expenditures can help you meet that requirement.
Additionally, if you’re looking to diversify, use your holiday travel expenses to start earning other types of rewards. Consider enrolling in an airline credit card for airline miles, a hotel card, or a flexible travel credit card.
Boost points through holiday dining
The holiday season often leads to increased dining out, which presents an opportunity to earn rewards. You can join dining programs associated with airlines, such as Delta SkyMiles Dining or Southwest Rapid Rewards Dining.
Participating in these airline dining programs allows you to earn miles when you eat at select restaurants and pay with a linked credit card. Some programs even offer “sign-up bonuses.” For example, Delta SkyMiles Dining has a bonus offer of 3,000 miles if you spend at least $30 at three restaurants and submit reviews online within a month.
Utilize shopping portals for your holiday purchases
If you prefer online shopping, it’s beneficial to identify which portals can maximize your points or miles—preferably the kind that align with your goals. Most major airlines provide shopping portals, and so do hotel chains and bank loyalty programs.
Typically, you can earn miles or points through these portals, even if you don’t possess a co-branded credit card. However, to obtain bank-related rewards, you’ll often need the appropriate type of credit card.
The functionality of shopping portals is straightforward: log into your account, navigate through the portal to shop at a partner retailer online, and earn bonus points. Common participating stores include Kohl’s, Macy’s, Home Depot, and Best Buy. Don’t forget that the points you acquire from shopping this way stack on top of the rewards you earn by making purchases with your rewards credit card.
Leverage category bonuses
Make sure to review if your rewards cards have any bonus categories that coincide with your holiday shopping or travel activities. Cards with rotating categories often include popular retailers for their bonuses in the fourth quarter.
Use portals for holiday travel bookings
It’s important to remember that you can also earn additional points and miles when booking holiday travel for yourself and your family. A little creativity and research can help you maximize your rewards.
For instance, if you’re aiming to enhance your Southwest Rapid Rewards points, you’ll be pleased to find that using their portal lets you earn points when booking rental cars, vacation packages, hotels, and beyond. Most airlines offer similar mileage benefits for registering accommodations, so it’s wise to check with your preferred program.
Additionally, various hotel booking platforms allow you to earn airline miles when reserving your stay. Services like PointsHound and Rocketmiles are quite recognized, permitting users to rack up thousands of miles per night within programs such as Etihad Guest, Air France/Flying Blue, and Southwest Rapid Rewards.
Lastly, if you’re planning a road trip during the holidays, ensure you have a rewards card that provides extra points on gas purchases, as some cash-back credit cards offer those bonuses each year without an annual fee—making them a great option for holiday travel.
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