How to earn over 300,000 points in 2025
Editor's Note
When it comes to points and miles, it pays to have an abundance mindset. No matter where your points balances are at the beginning of 2025, you can earn thousands — and even hundreds of thousands — of points this year.
Sound too good to be true? Don't worry. We're here to help you make a plan to get the points and miles you need to book your next dream vacation, no matter what it is.
Here are our top tips for racking up some major miles this year.
Earning points and miles
Welcome bonuses
The easiest way to get a good stash of points or miles is by earning a welcome bonus on a new card. Often, you can earn more than 100,000 points from one welcome bonus alone.
Right now, for instance, with the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card, you can earn 130,000 Hilton Honors bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership.
JLCO-JULIA AMARAL/GETTY IMAGES
Or, if you want to start with a stash of airline miles, you could get the United Club℠ Card (see rates and fees) and take advantage of its welcome offer of 90,000 United MileagePlus bonus miles that are earned after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
And, of course, you aren't limited to just one welcome bonus over the course of a year. If you open two or three new cards and meet their welcome bonuses, you'll have a solid stash of rewards to use.
For some ideas, check out our list of this month's best welcome offers.
Spending
Beyond earning welcome bonuses, strategically using your credit cards can earn you thousands of points throughout the year. We recommend using a rewards credit card for as many purchases as possible so you're earning whenever you spend.
Most credit cards earn at least 1 point per dollar on all purchases. This means that if you put $25,000 on credit cards this year, you should get at least 25,000 points.
Also, if you have a few cards in your strategy that allow you to maximize your spending, you'll earn much more. For example, if you put your grocery and dining spending on the American Express® Gold Card, you'll earn 4 points per dollar on those purchases (on up to $25,000 in spending at U.S. supermarkets and up to $50,000 in spending at restaurants worldwide, then 1 point per dollar).
If you put your travel spending on the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees), you can earn 8 points per dollar spent on purchases through Chase Travel℠, and 4 points per dollar spent on flights and hotels booked direct. Also, if you put your nonbonus purchases on a card with a strong, consistent earning rate, like the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, you can earn more than one mile per dollar on these other purchases as well.
If you split your $25,000 in spending between these three cards, you could earn between 50,000 and 100,000 points over the course of the year.
Obviously, the precise number of points you'll earn on purchases throughout the year will vary widely based on your spending habits, but creating a strategy that maximizes your spending can earn you a staggering amount of rewards this year.
Shopping portals
Shopping portals are less glamorous than big, shiny welcome bonuses, but using them is an easy way to increase your rewards earnings this year. By purchasing through a shopping portal when you shop online, you'll earn extra rewards on top of what you earn by paying with a credit card.
One of our favorite portals, Rakuten, allows you to earn your rewards in the form of cash-back or American Express Membership Rewards points. Often, you'll earn an additional 2% back (or 2 points per dollar) on your purchase, but you'll find larger earning rates for different stores that change daily. During Black Friday, I was able to earn a whopping 15 Membership Rewards points per dollar on my purchases at some stores — on top of the rewards I earned on my credit card.
If you spend $5,000 online through shopping portals this year, you'll likely earn an additional 5,000 to 75,000 points by the time we ring in 2026.
Related: How to maximize shopping portals
Set your goal
Identify the types of rewards you want
Of course, it helps to have a plan before you set out to earn hundreds of thousands of points this year. Keep in mind that rewards currencies have different values, so the type of rewards you earn matters as much as the number of points in your balance.
Take a moment to consider your reward goals for the year. If there's a specific trip you want to go on, choose the type of rewards you want to earn to make that trip a reality and use that goal to drive your plan. If, however, you just want to have some rewards stashed away for when a trip strikes your fancy, focus on earning transferable rewards for maximum flexibility.
Make a credit card strategy tailored to your goal
Once you've settled on your goal, it's time to make a plan. Look at your current credit card portfolio and identify any holes you can fill with your next credit card. For instance, if you already have a hotel cobranded credit card, you might want to go for a card that earns transferable rewards next. Or, if you have a card with a solid flat earning rate for your general purchases, you might want to get a card that earns bonus points in one of your highest spending categories.
Focus on one card you want to get next and jot down some ideas of what you might want to add later in the year. If you're adding a transferable rewards card first, you'll likely want to watch for a good welcome offer on a cobranded airline or hotel card later in the year. (Don't worry — we'll keep you posted.)
Treat yourself
Of course, earning credit card rewards is only fun if you can turn them into something you want.
Whether your next trip is to the Maldives or Walt Disney World, you can use your rewards to make your travel dream a reality.
Bottom line
With the right strategy in place, you can easily earn hundreds of thousands of points in 2025. Set your goal for the year, and then get to work earning welcome bonuses and maximizing your spending to earn the rewards you want. If you play your cards right, 2025 can be your most rewarding year yet.
Related reading:
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Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Delta SkyClub access when flying Delta
- Annual companion ticket for travel on Delta (upon renewal)
- Ability to earn MQDs through spending
- Various statement credits for eligible purchases
Cons
- Steep annual fee of $650
- Other Delta cobranded cards offer superior earning categories
- Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 or more in purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership and an additional 25,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $3,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months, starting from the date that your account is opened. Offer Ends 04/01/2026.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members receive 15 Visits per Medallion® Year to the Delta Sky Club® when flying Delta and can unlock an unlimited number of Visits after spending $75,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Plus, you’ll receive four One-Time Guest Passes each Medallion Year so you can share the experience with family and friends when traveling Delta together.
- Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. and select international locations (as set forth on the Centurion Lounge Website), Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. (see the Centurion Lounge Website for more information on Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge availability), and Escape Lounges when flying on a Delta flight booked with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. § To access Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 90 minutes of their departing flight (including layovers). To access The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 3 hours of their departing flight. Effective July 8, 2026, during a layover, Card Members must arrive within 5 hours of the connecting flight.
- Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.
- Enjoy a Companion Certificate on a Delta First, Delta Comfort, or Delta Main round-trip flight to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. Delta Basic experiences are not eligible for this benefit.
- $240 Resy Credit: When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $20 each month in statement credits. Enrollment required.
- $120 Rideshare Credit: Earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month after you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to pay for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- With your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, receive upgrade priority over others with the same Medallion tier, product and fare experience purchased, and Million Miler milestone when you fly with Delta.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- $650 Annual Fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees