Tip: Earn Bonus Miles With Airline Dining Programs
This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
Most airlines have dining rewards programs, and joining can be an easy strategy for earning more points and miles. You may already hold a card that gives you bonus points on dining, like the Chase Sapphire Preferred (2x) or Chase Sapphire Reserve (3x), but it’s also possible to double-dip by enrolling in an airline’s dining program and paying with your registered card.
Enrolling is easy — just create an account with your preferred program, register your card and you’ll earn points and miles when you eat at participating restaurants. Sign-up bonuses are also available and vary by program.
Right now, the American Airlines AAdvantage Dining program allows you to earn between one and five miles per dollar spent with a bonus of up to 2,000 AAdvantage miles if you dine three times within the first 30 days of joining. The Delta SkyMiles Dining program also allows you to earn between one and five miles per dollar spent with a bonus of 3,000 SkyMiles if you dine three times within the first 30 days of joining. To round out the three major US carriers, the United MileagePlus Dining program allows you to earn between one and five miles per dollar spent with a bonus of up to 1,000 MileagePlus miles if you spend $25 within the first 30 days of joining.
As you may have noticed, these programs are similarly designed, and each of the memberships offer three tiers. In order to reach the top tier and earn five miles per dollar, you’ll have to sign-up to receive emails from the service and have 12 or more qualified transactions within a calendar year. Opting in to emails will get you three miles per dollar and you’ll earn one point per dollar if you don’t add your email. There’s no reason to not earn bonus points and miles when you eat out.
To find participating restaurants, just add in your zip code and click search. Bon appétit!
Featured image courtesy of Dan Dalton via Getty Images.
Sign-up Successful!
Welcome to The Points Guy!
WELCOME OFFER: 80,000 Points
TPG'S BONUS VALUATION*: $1,600
CARD HIGHLIGHTS: 3X points on dining and 2x points on travel, points transferrable to over a dozen travel partners
*Bonus value is an estimated value calculated by TPG and not the card issuer. View our latest valuations here.
- Earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,000 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
- Enjoy benefits such as a $50 annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit, 5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3x on dining and 2x on all other travel purchases, plus more.
- Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. For example, 80,000 points are worth $1,000 toward travel.
- With Pay Yourself Back℠, your points are worth 25% more during the current offer when you redeem them for statement credits against existing purchases in select, rotating categories
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
Disclaimer: The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.