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 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership. Additionally, enjoy a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $150 (see rates and fees).
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 up to 90,000 bonus miles: Earn 80,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Plus, earn 10,000 bonus miles after adding an authorized user 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.
For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors Surpass, click here.
Related reading:
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| 4X | 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. |
| 4X | 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. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
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 $8,000 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.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.