Maximizing Points For Buying the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
The wait is finally over for us Apple fans, and the new iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c went on sale this morning - to huge lines and excitement at Apple stores all over the world. While I didn't camp out on the sidewalk overnight to pick mine up, I know a lot of readers are technophiles like me and are considering an upgrade to the newest model - especially because it comes in a whole range of Technicolor-bright hues.
Thereās been quite a craze around the new model lately, especially with the release of iOS 7 this week. As a lover of all Apple products, Iāve had the iPhone 5 for quite a while now but it has been on the fritz lately randomly shutting off and draining the battery within just a few hours.
Since I had to be on a flight back to NY early this morning I was able to recruit TPG Director of Ops Kate to go to her local Verizon store and pick up a phone for me. Retail stores opened up at 8am and Kate arrived at Verizon around 7:45 to a line of about 20 people ā not too bad compared to the people who went to Apple retail stores and were waiting since 3:30am! Although she had to wait for about 45 minutes they were letting customers in at a pretty steady rate.
Of course the real wait is when you get in there since it always takes forever to get everything situated on the account and activate the new device. In all she was there for about an hour and a half but left with a beautiful 64gb silver iPhone 5s (unfortunately they didnāt have the gray which I would have preferred, but Iāll take what I can get!) for a grand total of $466.
That's why, before you go out and purchase one of these beauties, it's important to have a strategy to maximize your purchase and earn the most points possible. Just beware that for the first few weeks or months a new product like the iPhone is out, Apple tends to restrict shopping portal bonuses on it, so you might not get the most bonus points by purchasing right away. Still, for those of you that can't wait (like me!) there are ways to earn a lot of extra points on your purchase.
The company releases its iPhones for sale through its own online and physical stores, and the stores/sites of its telecommunications partners, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon - but luckily, you can also buy them at Best Buy by purchasing them with a new phone plan from AT&T, Sprint or Verizon so can get a category or merchant spending bonus there as well.
So here are a few different ways to consider maximizing your points on an iPhone 5c purchase.
Recently, Amex announced that its Business Gold Rewards card would earn 2X points on purchases from computer stores, including Apple, so you can earn double points right off the bat if you carry this card. Currently, the card is offering a limited-time bonus of 50,000 Membership Rewards points when you spend $5,000 in 3 months and the annual fee of $175 is waived the first year.
However, before you simply go to an Apple store or apple.com to purchase, take a look at some online shopping portals to see what other bonuses are being offered so you can double dip on your points by clicking through one of them and then using your Business Gold Rewards card. By taking a quick look at EVReward.com and searching for Apple, it looks like most of the airline and hotel shopping portals are earning just 1 extra mile/point per $1 at Apple, but still that's at least a few more for double dipping on this purchase.
ShopDiscover is actually offering 5% cash back at Apple this quarter, so that's a pretty good chunk of change back on your purchase as well if you have a Discover card account.
You could also consider using a Chase Ink card for your purchase since the Ink Bold, Ink Plus, Ink Classic and Ink Cash all earn 5X points per $1 spent on telecommunications expenses, so if you use them to purchase the phone along with a new plan at your wireless carrier, you could earn 5X points per $1. However, the Ultimate Rewards shopping portal is also offering a bonus of 1 extra point per $1 for purchases at Apple and Best Buy, so if you click through there first, you can earn a total of 6 Ultimate Rewards points per $1 at Best Buy when purchasing an iPhone 5c with a new phone plan - or you could double dip with another shopping portal, many of which are offering 1 extra point per $1 at Best Buy as well, and then still use your Ink card to earn the 5X bonus.
Another strategy could be to use the Ink Bold or Ink Plus buy Visa or Best Buys gift cards at a store like Office Max to earn the 5x points bonus on that purchase, then click through the Ultimate Rewards portal and use the gift cards to buy Apple products to earn a total of 6X points per $1.
Purchasing the iPhone through your wireless carrier could be a good way to double dip since Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint are also offering one-off point bonuses for purchases and new services through airline and hotel programsā online shopping portals.
Verizon Wireless
- 2,800 American Airlines miles
- 1,800 Delta SkyMiles
- 2,300 Southwest Rapid Reward points
- 1,800 US Airways miles
- 1,700 United Airlines miles
AT&T:
- 2000 American Airlines miles
- 1,790 Amtrak points
- 5,500 Marriott Rewards points
T-Mobile:
- 650 American Airlines miles
- 1,167 Choice Privileges
- 400 Delta SkyMiles
- 550 Southwest Rapid Rewards points
- 400 US Airways miles
- 400 United Airlines miles
Sprint:
- 3,500 American Airlines miles
- 2,200 Delta SkyMiles
- 2,999 Hilton HHonors points
- 2,900 Southwest points
- 2,200 US Airways miles
- 2,100 United Airlines miles
Personally I can't wait to use my new iPhone 5c, and if any of you buy yours today as well, comment on your experience below!
TPG featured card
Rewards
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership RewardsĀ® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership RewardsĀ® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership RewardsĀ® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership RewardsĀ® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership RewardsĀ® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro offer
Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
Why We Chose It
Thereās a lot to love about the Amex Gold. Itās a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If youāre hitting the skies soon, youāll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkinā credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, thereās no reason that foodies shouldnāt add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership RewardsĀ® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if youāre approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount ā all with no credit score impact. If youāre approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership RewardsĀ® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership RewardsĀ® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership RewardsĀ® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership RewardsĀ® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership RewardsĀ® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. Thatās up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership RewardsĀ® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American ExpressĀ® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American ExpressĀ® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American ExpressĀ® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership RewardsĀ® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership RewardsĀ® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership RewardsĀ® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership RewardsĀ® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership RewardsĀ® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership RewardsĀ® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICOĀ® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
Thereās a lot to love about the Amex Gold. Itās a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If youāre hitting the skies soon, youāll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkinā credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, thereās no reason that foodies shouldnāt add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership RewardsĀ® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if youāre approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount ā all with no credit score impact. If youāre approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership RewardsĀ® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership RewardsĀ® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership RewardsĀ® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership RewardsĀ® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership RewardsĀ® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. Thatās up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership RewardsĀ® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American ExpressĀ® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American ExpressĀ® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American ExpressĀ® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.