Gilt City Offering up to 20 Miles per Dollar Spent Through April 7
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available – View the current offers here.
There are many things you can do to maximize your points and miles earning potential on everyday activities. One of my personal favorites is always going through online shopping portals to earn additional bonus points or miles when making online purchases. I always check portal deals when I shop on major retailers' websites, and many will occasionally offer limited-time bonuses. Today I want to share one in particular, allowing you to earn up to 20 miles per dollar spent at Gilt City now through April 7.
TPG has written about Gilt in the past, and we actually highlighted a similar promotion back in 2015. Gilt City is actually just one part of the Gilt Groupe and was launched in 2010 as a competitor to sites like Groupon and Living Social, offering access to a variety of discounts for goods, services and experiences across 13 major metropolitan areas. If you don't reside in one of these cities, you can still check out the national site for deals available to anyone. You'll typically see discounts of at least 25% through the site, though a quick scan of the available promotions at the time of writing show some at more than 50%, a great way to enjoy a nice meal or a high-end product at a lower price.
However, through this Friday, April 7, the deal gets even sweeter, as four major airline shopping portals are offering increased bonuses for purchases made at Gilt City:
- Delta: 10 miles per dollar
- United: 20 miles per dollar
- American: 15 miles per dollar
- Southwest: 9 points per dollar
These portals typically offer just 2 miles or points per dollar spent, which is still a solid bonus for simply shopping online. However, these enhanced earning rates are all more than four times higher for the next four days.
Here's a sample of what you'd earn (along with the return on your purchase) by spending $100 through the portal, with all calculations based on TPG's most recent valuations:
| Program | Miles/Points | Value | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delta | 1,000 | $12 | 12% |
| United | 2,000 | $30 | 30% |
| American | 1,500 | $22.50 | 22.5% |
| Southwest | 900 | $13.50 | 13.5% |
As you can see, these numbers are quite impressive, and the value will only increase as you spend more (though your rate of return remains constant). If you can pull in a nice haul of miles and enjoy a discounted meal or beauty product in the process, that's a win in my book!
Here's a sampling of some of the deals available during this promotion, including how many miles you'd earn in the process:
Chicago
- bellyQ: Three-course grill feast for four at this Michelin Bib Gourmand winner for $156 (35% off), earn up to 2,340 miles
- Theatre: A tier two ticket to "Linda Vista" and a drink at the Steppenwolf Theatre for $50 (46% off), earn up to 750 miles
Los Angeles
- The Larchmont: Bottomless brunch for 2 for $59 (26% off), earn up to 885 miles
- Bespoke Premium Cycling Studio: One month of unlimited classes for $145 (51% off), earn up to 2,175 miles
Miami
- Sip Tales: Admission for one to a BYOB painting party for $25 (34% off), earn up to 375 miles
- Bentley Beach Club: A full beach day with lunch, valet parking and chair/umbrella rentals for $99 (48% off), earn up to 1,485 miles
New York
- Switch Playground: A year's worth of 60-minute exercise classes for $2,100 (50% off), earn up to 31,500 miles
- Big Apple Craft Brew Fest: General admission ticket for $54 (28% off), earn up to 810 miles
Washington, D.C.
- Range: Pix-fixe dinner for two with drinks for $85 (43% off), earn up to 1,275 miles
Just remember that you must click through your desired airline's shopping portal first in order to earn the bonus miles. You can find a list of all portals here, though only Delta, American, United and Southwest are offering increased bonuses through this promotion.
Keep in mind too that these bonus points or miles are in addition to those you'd earn on the credit card you use to make the purchase. I'd recommend using a card that offers solid return on non-bonus category spending like the Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express or the Chase Freedom Unlimited.
Bottom Line
Making purchases through online shopping portals is a great way to maximize your earning rates on every day activity, and this limited-time offer through Gilt City is a great way to try some new experiences and earn a nice haul of miles. Just be sure to act quickly, as these increased rates are only valid through Friday April 7!
Will you be taking advantage of any Gilt City deals this week?