Rakuten is offering triple cash back on brands like Samsonite, IHG and Sixt this Labor Day weekend
Many companies offer discounts and deals over Labor Day weekend, and shopping portals are no exception.
Perennial favorite Rakuten is celebrating the end of summer with three days of triple cash back (or American Express Membership Rewards points) at a variety of travel brands and other retailers.
Here’s the lowdown on Rakuten’s Labor Day deals so you can start planning your purchases.
Related: How to earn bonus cash back or Amex points on your online shopping purchases with Rakuten
Rakuten’s Labor Day deals
From Aug. 30 through Sept. 1, you can earn triple cash back or Amex points at many popular brands when you shop through Rakuten.
Several travel brands are participating, including:
- Hotel Collection: 22.5% cash back or 22.5 Amex points per dollar spent
- Tripadvisor: up to 12% cash back or 12 Amex points per dollar spent
- Sixt: 12% cash back or 12 Amex points per dollar spent
- Choice Hotels: 10.5% cash back or 10.5 Amex points per dollar spent
- InterContinental Hotels Group: 9% cash back or 9 Amex points per dollar spent
- Samsonite: 7.5% cash back or 7.5 Amex points per dollar spent
- Viator: 6% cash back or 6 Amex points per dollar spent
And the Labor Day promotion isn’t just for travel brands. Here are some other retailers where you can earn triple cash back (or Amex points) between Aug. 30 and Sept. 1:
- Beauty: Tatcha, Fenty Beauty and ELF Cosmetics
- Fashion: The North Face, Converse, Hollister, Nike and Birkenstock
- Lifestyle: Brooklinen, PetSmart, Temu and Petco
If you're new to Rakuten, consider signing up using a friend's referral link — and if you're already a Rakuten devotee, refer your loved ones. Either way, you can both earn a $30 cash-back bonus when the referee joins Rakuten and makes $30 of qualifying purchases within the first 90 days.
Maximize your purchase
Don’t forget that you can stack your Rakuten earnings with discounts offered by the merchant — and many retailers run deals over Labor Day weekend. Just be sure to only apply coupon codes that you find on Rakuten, as others may void your rewards.
You can also stack Rakuten earnings with rental car and hotel rewards programs as long as you book directly. For example, if you plan to click through Rakuten to book a Choice hotel stay, be sure to add your Choice Privileges loyalty program number to your booking to earn rewards through the hotel in addition to your Rakuten earnings.
That’s not the only way to maximize your purchase. After clicking through Rakuten to the merchant’s page, supercharge your earnings by paying with the right credit card.
For travel sites, this means a card that earns bonus points on travel purchases, like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees) or the Wells Fargo Autograph® Card (see rates and fees). The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, which earns 2 miles per dollar spent on all purchases, would also serve you well. Or, if you've already added the new Rakuten American Express® Card to your wallet, you can earn an additional 4% cash back (or 4 Amex points per dollar spent) on all Rakuten purchases when you pay with the card.
The information for the Rakuten American Express Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Lastly, check your Amex Offers and other credit card offers — you just might find a targeted offer that lines up with your purchase.
For instance, I currently have an offer on my Chase Sapphire Preferred for 15% back at Sixt when I spend $500 or more by Sept. 30. If I clicked through Rakuten to Sixt over Labor Day weekend and used my Sapphire Preferred to prepay for my rental, I’d get $60 in rewards (or 6,000 Amex Membership Rewards points) from Rakuten and $75 as a statement credit thanks to my Chase offer, plus 2 Chase Ultimate Rewards points per dollar spent on my travel purchase.
However, be sure to check Rakuten’s terms for your specific merchant. For example, at the time of writing, Rakuten’s Viator terms state that “Cash Back is not available if card-linked offers, discount codes, or staff and student discount codes are used.” Sixt’s exclusions, however, do not mention card-linked offers.
Bottom line
Shopping portals are a great way to earn cash back or valuable points on purchases you would be making anyway, and Rakuten’s Labor Day deals can make your online shopping trip even more rewarding. If you’re mulling over a travel booking or other purchase at one of the above retailers, it could be worth timing your purchase between Aug. 30 and Sept. 1 to maximize your rewards.
Other shopping portals may run Labor Day or back-to-school specials as well, so it’s worth checking a shopping portal aggregator to be sure you’re getting to best deal possible.
Related reading:
TPG featured card
Rewards
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® 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 Rewards® 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 Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro offer
Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll 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 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t 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 Rewards® 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 you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® 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 Rewards® 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 Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® 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. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® 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 Express® 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 Express® 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 Express® 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 Rewards® 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 Rewards® 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 Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® 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 FICO® 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
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll 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 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t 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 Rewards® 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 you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® 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 Rewards® 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 Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® 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. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® 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 Express® 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 Express® 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 Express® 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.