How I earned almost 30,000 Amex Membership Rewards points with help from Rakuten
It isn't often that opportunities to earn a large number of points in one transaction arise. That's why I was ecstatic when I looked at Rakuten's Cash Back Unwrap calendar for 2024 and saw it aligned with a TV purchase I had planned. On Nov. 20, 2024, Rakuten offered a bonus of 20% cash back (or 20 American Express Membership Rewards points per dollar spent) on LG purchases.
Here's how I made the most out of this opportunity and how you can find chances to earn thousands of bonus Membership Rewards points yourself.
The Rakuten offer
Receiving 20% cash back on anything is nothing short of extraordinary, but since I was in the market for a new TV, I knew I was in a really good spot to get tons of rewards. The TV I was looking at was a 65-inch LG C3 that was marked down to $1,299.99 for Black Friday.
Since Rakuten's special LG deal only ran for one day, I had to be mindful of timing my purchase right. I charged my new TV to The Platinum Card® from American Express, a card I recently opened and am working to earn a welcome offer.
Through the Rakuten offer, I earned 26,000 Membership Rewards points. According to TPG's December 2024 valuations, Membership Rewards points are worth 2 cents per point. That means those 26,000 points are worth $520 when used with Amex's hotel and airline transfer partners.
If you want to take advantage of a Rakuten offer, ensure you begin your shopping trip at Rakuten's site and click through to your desired merchant. Alternatively, download the Rakuten Chrome extension and activate the applicable offer when prompted by the merchant.
By default, you'll receive rewards from Rakuten as cash back. If you're like me and prefer to earn Membership Rewards points, you must connect your Amex Membership Rewards account.
Keep in mind that Membership Rewards points will not be instantly available from Rakuten. In fact, it can take up to 100 days for your rewards to be confirmed. Also remember that Rakuten only pays points out every three months.
Points from my Amex Platinum
On top of the 26,000 points earned through the Rakuten offer, I also earned points from my Amex Platinum. My TV purchase didn't fall under any of the Amex Platinum's bonus categories, so I earned just 1 point per dollar. I can't complain about that in this instance, though.
Since the purchase totaled $1,299.99, I earned 1,300 points from my Amex Platinum. That brings my grand total of Membership Rewards points up to 27,300, worth $546 according to TPG's December 2024 valuations. That certainly eased the pain in my wallet.
It's worth noting that you don't need to use a Membership Rewards-earning card to receive bonus points from Rakuten. You can use any card you want, even a cash-back card. Regardless of what card you use, your Rakuten rewards can only be received as cash back or Membership Rewards points.
You don't need to worry about linking your card to Rakuten, either, unless you're taking advantage of one of its in-store offers.
How you can find great offers
For starters, make sure you've signed up for Rakuten. In fact, new members can earn a one-time bonus of $30 after joining via this link and spending at least $30 at eligible merchants in the first 90 days. This initial bonus will be paid out in cash back, but you can change your earning preference to Membership Rewards points to ensure additional rewards are delivered as points.
After setting up your account, don't worry if you missed out on previous deals. Rakuten has dozens of amazing offers throughout the year. I've seen offers like 10% back on PetSmart and Lululemon purchases, while many merchants went up to 15% (or even higher) during Rakuten's Black Friday and Cyber Monday promotion.
Very few cards offer more than 5% to 6% back on purchases, so I definitely try to take advantage of Rakuten offers whenever I see them. I also strongly recommend installing the Rakuten Chrome extension. It will automatically alert you with a pop-up whenever a bonus offer is available.
Rakuten even provides in-store offers for select merchants. Simply activate them online (or via the Rakuten app), and then link the card you plan to use for the purchase. Popular stores eligible for in-store rewards include CVS, Petco and Carter's.
Aside from Rakuten, keep an eye out for special offers from your credit cards. I check my Amex Offers two to three times a week since they often fit my lifestyle and spending habits. If you have an eligible Chase card, utilize Chase Offers as well. Since these typically require purchases directly with a merchant, they're usually stackable with shopping portals like Rakuten.
Finally, check other online shopping portals before purchasing. You'll sometimes find better offers for the same merchant on different sites, though you can only earn rewards with a single portal. Other popular options include:
- Shop Through Chase
- Capital One Shopping
- American AAdvantage eShopping
- Delta SkyMiles Shopping
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Shopping
- TopCashback
A shopping portal aggregator is a great way to see all the offers for a single store and ensure you're picking the best one.
Related: The beginners guide to airline shopping portals: How to earn bonus points and miles
Bottom line
It definitely put a smile on my face to see so many Membership Rewards points come into my possession. It made all the time I've spent scrolling through Rakuten looking for deals worth it. Whether you're a points and miles beginner or a pro, using shopping portals is one of the best ways to get the points you need for your next dream vacation.
Don't have a Membership Rewards-earning card yet? Check out our picks for the best American Express cards to help you make your choice — and be sure to join Rakuten today for the chance to earn a one-time bonus of $30.
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