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Tip: Triple Dip Your Mileage Earnings With MileagePlus X and Shopping Portals

Feb. 18, 2017
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2 min read
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Tip: Triple Dip Your Mileage Earnings With MileagePlus X and Shopping Portals
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We've talked about how the MileagePlus X app is a great tool to earn extra United miles. Working somewhat like a traditional shopping portal, you buy electronic gift cards from retailers and get 1 to 5 bonus miles for each dollar spent on a gift card (occasionally, the bonus can be as high as 10 miles per dollar). Plus, you'll receive a 25% bonus if you're a United MileagePlus Explorer Card holder.

Earn 5 miles per dollar at Nike through the MileagePlus X app.

But what many don't know is that you can actually do some significant triple dipping by using the MileagePlus X app in conjunction with a shopping portal. For example, you can buy a Nike gift card through the app and receive 5 miles per dollar spent.

The second dip is the miles you'll get from using your credit card to buy the e-gift card. The third dip is by using your e-gift card to shop at Nike.com through an online shopping portal, therefore earning you even more miles.

Earn two miles per dollar at Nike through United Mileage Plus Shopping.

Potentially, if you wanted to make a $100 purchase at Nike today, a triple dip would look something like this:

  1. Dip 1: 625 United miles through MileagePlus X (5x plus 25% bonus )
  2. Dip 2: 100 miles for the purchase of the e-gift card with your credit card (1x)
  3. Dip 3: 200 United miles through the United MileagePlus Shopping portal (2x)

So, on a $100 purchase, you could earn 925 miles. And if you wait, many shopping portals have big bonuses, like a couple of weeks ago you could earn 15 miles per dollar at Nike and many other retailers. With triple dipping, you could have earned 2,225 miles on a $100 purchase! Make sure to use a shopping portal aggregator to find which portal has the biggest bonus.

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Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.