I earned 17,000 miles shopping online — reader success story
Today I want to share a story from TPG reader Andrew, whose patience before a large purchase paid off handsomely:
I am currently working toward a professional certificate that requires me to take a four-day course. The courses usually cost $1,800 to $2,000, which I am paying out of pocket. It's a great investment for my future, but it also turned out to be a great investment in miles!
Having located a course that fit my schedule and was in the right price range, I noticed through a Google search that the course is advertised and sold through Groupon. I checked out Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Shopping and saw that buying through the portal would earn me 3 miles per dollar spent. That wasn't bad considering I needed to purchase the course anyway, but I opted to wait a week and see if Alaska and Groupon would run some sort of bonus.
Well, I was in luck: over Labor Day weekend, the Mileage Plan Shopping portal advertised 9 miles per dollar spent on Groupon! For a class costing $1,895, I would be set to earn over 17,000 miles!
After about three weeks of waiting, the 17,055 miles finally posted to my Mileage Plan account. Using TPG's valuations, that's about $307 worth of miles! While I have no imminent plans to use them, I'm hoping to continue building my balance and eventually redeem for an international trip somewhere with an Alaska Airlines partner.
One of the easiest ways to boost your loyalty account balances is to use a shopping portal whenever you make purchases online. Shopping portals offer rewards in addition to what you earn from your credit card, with typical earning rates from popular retailers in the range of 1-3 points or miles per dollar. However, you'll often see higher promotional rates and spending bonuses around holidays and other peak shopping dates, and in those cases the returns can be staggering. If you're planning to make a large purchase and can afford to be patient, follow Andrew's lead and try to time it with a portal bonus to maximize your rewards.
Because earning rates vary and there are so many shopping portals to choose from, you should check an aggregator like CashbackMonitor.com to determine which portal offers the most rewards for your purchase. Keep in mind that the highest earning rate isn't necessarily the best fit — some rewards are worth more than others, so a portal with a lower rate may still yield the most value. You might also opt for a lower rate based on your upcoming travel plans. For example, Hawaiian Airlines miles aren't a strong choice for flights from the U.S. to Europe, so if you're booking a transatlantic trip, you'd be better off targeting another portal even if it offers nominally fewer miles.
Related: The beginners guide to airline shopping portals
I love this story and I want to hear more like it! In appreciation for sharing this experience (and for allowing me to post it online), I'm sending Andrew a gift card to enjoy on future travels, and I'd like to do the same for you. Please email your own award travel success stories to info@thepointsguy.com; be sure to include details about how you earned and redeemed your rewards, and put "Reader Success Story" in the subject line. Feel free to also submit your most woeful travel mistakes. If your story is published, we'll send you a gift to jump-start your next adventure. Due to the volume of submissions, we can't respond to each story individually, but we'll be in touch if yours is selected.
Safe and happy travels to all, and I look forward to hearing from you!
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
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