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.

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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.