Save Today: Double Cash Back on Travel at Ebates
This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here – American Express® Gold Card
Every savvy traveler should take the extra 15 seconds to book online travel by first clicking through a cash-back or mileage-earning site. It doesn’t prevent you from earning points, getting deals and booking directly with the travel provider. If you aren’t doing this, you’re likely leaving miles, points or actual cash in someone else’s pocket.
One of these cash-back sites is Ebates (now known as Rakuten), and today they’re offering double cash back at select travel providers. For example, if you book a Choice Hotels property today by first clicking through Ebates/Rakuten, you’ll get 10% cash back in your Ebates account on the reservation amount. Make a $200 booking, get $20 cash back. It’s that simple.
Some travel sites offering up to double the typical cash back amount on Ebates today include:
- Travelocity: Up to 10% back
- Priceline: Up to 12% back
- IHG Hotels: Up to 8% back
- Hilton Hotels: Up to 7.5% back
- Hertz: Up to 5% back
- Hotwire: Up to 8% back
- Cheap Tickets: Up to 10% back
- Orbitz: Up to 10% back
- Choice Hotels: Up to 10% back
Your elite status, the type of purchase you make and so on will determine how much cash you get back from some of these providers.
Bonus for New Ebates Members
If you’re a new Ebates member, you have fun choices to make. You can get $10 in bonus cash back with your first purchase of $25. Or if you have an Amex Membership Rewards earning card, such as the American Express® Gold Card, you can get 1,500 bonus Membership Rewards points after you spend $25, if you choose to earn points instead of cash back on your purchases.
Since TPG values Membership Rewards points at 2 cents each, that’s like earning $30 in points with a $25 purchase, which is the better deal. Additionally, your ongoing Ebates earnings can become more valuable if you choose Membership Rewards points instead of cash, since 10% cash back would be the same as earning 10 valuable Membership Rewards points per dollar.
Stack Your Savings
If you want to earn hotel points, get cash back from Ebates and stack extra savings, be sure to check your American Express cards for Amex Offers and Chase cards for Chase Offers. If a relevant one is available, you can add the offer to the card you intend to pay with and stack on the savings. If you don’t have any offers, use a card that maximizes your spending on travel (return based on TPG valuations):
- Chase Sapphire Reserve (3x on travel, 6% return)
- Citi Prestige Card (3x on hotels, 5.1% return)
- Citi Premier® Card (3x on hotels, 5.1% return)
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2x on travel, 4% return)
Featured image courtesy of the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort
Sign-up Successful!
Welcome to The Points Guy!
WELCOME OFFER: $300 Cash Back Terms Apply.
TPG'S BONUS VALUATION: $300
CARD HIGHLIGHTS: New! Earn 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming services and 3% cash back on transit. Plus earn 6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%) and 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations
- Earn a $300 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
- $0 introductory annual fee for one year, then $95.
- 6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%).
- 6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions.
- 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations and on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more).
- 1% Cash Back on other purchases.
- Plan It® gives the option to select purchases of $100 or more to split up into monthly payments with a fixed fee.
- Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
Disclaimer: The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.