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The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives, helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach. That's why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality.
Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Guides
How to earn the maximum points for alcohol purchases
Benji Stawski is a former reporter for the site, covering all things points, miles, credit cards, travel and aviation.
June 16, 2020 • 7 min read
The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don't cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
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Quick summary
Alcohol purchases can earn bonus rewards depending on where you buy, such as restaurants, grocery stores or gas stations.
No credit card offers a specific bonus category for alcohol, but you can maximize returns by understanding merchant coding and using the right card for each type of vendor.
Online wine purchases can be optimized through shopping portals, which offer varying extra rewards depending on the portal and timing.
Some card-linked offers may provide additional statement credits or points for alcohol-related merchants, but availability varies.
What to consider
Alcohol purchases may code differently depending on the merchant, affecting which rewards you earn.
Shopping portal payouts and card-linked offers change frequently, so it's important to check current rates and eligibility before making a purchase.
Pairing certain cards can unlock the ability to convert cash back into transferable points, increasing potential value.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed breakdown of how different merchant types and shopping strategies can help you maximize rewards on alcohol purchases.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the average American spends 1% of their budget annually on alcoholic beverages, and that number is probably higher with so many people in quarantine. So it’s important to take advantage of loyalty programs and credit cards that reward you with bonus points for alcohol purchases.
Unlike categories like dining and entertainment, there is no credit card that offers extra points specifically for buying alcohol. Still, that doesn’t mean you can't earn more than 1 point per dollar on these purchases. Continue reading to learn how you can maximize your alcohol purchases.
Alcohol is a broad spending category. Besides liquor stores, bars and restaurants, you can also buy booze from grocery stores, drug stores and gas stations — even online. As such, purchases could fall under the categories of dining, groceries, gas or general non-bonus spending. So the number-one factor to consider is what type of vendor you're purchasing from.
Beyond that, it could be worth familiarizing yourself with the merchant codes of the vendors you frequent most. For instance, some gas stations have different coding for their pumps and the convenience stores attached to them. Likewise, bars don't always code as restaurants.
If you're ordering wine online, you'll want to go through a cash-back or shopping portal. These are online hubs that allow you to earn extra rewards for shopping at various merchants by clicking through them to the retailer’s site. Payouts change frequently and vary between programs. Your best bet is to use a shopping portal aggregator like CashBackMonitor or EVReward to find the best bonuses
Below are the current offers for purchasing through Wine.com on CashBackMonitor. After comparing the value of the points with the cash back value, we can tell that the best option would be to shop through Top Cashback. Just beware that the payouts change from time to time, so you'll want to check CashBackMonitor again before placing your order.
(Screenshot courtesy of CashBack Monitor)
Activate Amex and Chase Offers
If you’re an American Express or Chase cardholder, be sure to check which Amex Offers and Chase Offers you are eligible for and add them to your card. These programs offer bonuses for spending with certain merchants. It doesn't matter if you have a premium card like the Chase Sapphire Reserve or a no-annual-fee one like the Chase Freedom (No longer open to new applicants). As long as you have a card from these issuers, you'll have access to offers.
You’ll need to log in to your online accounts to see which offers you are eligible for (offers tend to vary by cardholder and credit card), but some Amex Offers we've seen before include:
Chateau St. Jean Winery: Spend $125+, receive a $25 statement credit
MarthaStewartWine.com: Spend $100, receive 2,000 Membership Rewards points, up to three times
Sterling Vineyards: Spend $125+, receive a $25 statement credit
Vinfolio Fine Wines: Spend $250+, receive 5,000 Membership Rewards points
Wine Country Gift Baskets: Spend $75+, receive a $20 statement credit
WineInsiders.com: Spend $20_, receive a $20 statement credit, up to three times
Wine.com: Spend $100+, receive a $30 statement credit
Wineaccess.com: Spend $150+, receive a $50 statement credit
Winc Wines: Spend $50+, receive a $15 statement credit, up to three times
Choosing the right credit card
Given all the types of vendors you could buy booze from, the best credit card will ultimately depend on where you're purchasing it and what type of rewards you're after. In general, bars typically code as restaurants, while liquor stores code as grocery stores and gas station convenience stores code as gas stations. Below are some examples of how you can maximize points at different establishments.
4x points / 8% on up to $25,000 per calendar year (then 1x) at U.S. supermarkets
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
6% on the first $6,000 per calendar year (then 1%) at U.S. supermarkets. Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed for statement credits.
Gas Station
Citi Premier® Card
3x points / 7.0%
Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi
4% on the first $7,000 in eligible gas per year (then 1%); requires Costco membership
Target
n/a
n/a
Target REDcard
5%
Convenience Store / Other Non-Bonus Merchant
Chase Freedom Unlimited
1.5% cash back (1.5x points) / 3% (if you have a card that earns Ultimate Rewards points)
Citi® Double Cash Card
2% ( 1% when you buy plus 1% as you pay)
The information for the Chase Freedom, Citi Prestige, Capital One Savor card, TargetRed, has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
As you can see in the table above, there's no one card that's perfect for all alcohol purchases. Fortunately, each card listed is good for more than just buying booze so there's a good chance you'll want one for each category. However, if you'd rather keep things simple, then there's one card in particular that stands out.
The Freedom Unlimited doesn't have an annual fee, though you'll need to pair it with a premium Chase Ultimate Rewards earning card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve or Ink Business Preferred Credit Card to get the maximum value from your points. This way, you’ll be able to convert your cash back into full-fledged transferable Ultimate Rewards points. Plus, new cardholders can currently get a $200/20,000-point sign-up bonus by spending $500 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.
Another solid option is the Citi Double Cash Card. Similar to the Freedom Unlimited, as of late 2019, cash back earned with the Citi Double Cash Card could be converted to transferrable Citi ThankYou Rewards points when paired with the Citi Premier® Card or the Citi Prestige® Card. This gives you the ability to transfer your points to airline partners and redeem for flights.
TPG values ThankYou points at 1.7 cents each, meaning this card could effectively get at 3.4% return on alcohol and all other purchases.
Bottom line
There are many ways to make the most of your alcohol purchases. You'll need to carry multiple credit cards and familiarize yourself with merchant codes to fully maximize your expenditures. Taking the easy road and sticking to one card that offers a solid overall return on everyday spending isn't a bad option either.
Comments
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
