TPG Readers Reveal Their Favorite Shopping Portals
With Mother's Day and Father's Day on the horizon, we've got shopping on the brain. And thanks to online shopping portals — from Chase, American Express, Ebates and airlines like American and United, among others — the gift of giving gets even sweeter when you end up earning points and miles as a result of your generosity.
With this in mind, we recently asked our TPG Lounge members to share their favorite shopping portals, the ones that they feel have the best offerings when it comes to scoring bonus points. Here's a look at some of our favorite answers. (Some responses have been lightly edited for style and clarity).
It's All About Airline Shopping Portals
If you're going to be shopping online anyway, you might as well make it worth your while and go through an airline's shopping portal rather than buying directly through the vendor's website. That way, you could earn, say, 30 miles per dollar spent at florists.com or 10 miles per dollar at Sephora via AAdvantage eShopping, instead of scoring just a few points for the purchase.
"AAdvantage eShopping has always been good to me — I've got more than 12,000 miles in 2019 already. Before I buy anything, I go to the portal, see what’s available and compare bonuses. For example, when ordering flowers for my wife, I discovered that florists.com had a 30-mile-per-dollar rate. I had never used them before but tried them out and earned 2,000 miles. I needed a new battery for my truck so found that Advance Auto gave you six miles per dollar (I normally go to AutoZone) and it was eligible for orders online and pick-ups in the store. 900 miles there and I had the battery installed the same day. There’s an option to view all the stores in a category and to sort by earn rate, which really helps maximize returns." — Kyle P.
"[The] American Airlines portal just had Marriott at six miles per dollar. I killed it with AAdvantage miles just by booking a lot of expensive Marriott stays." — Mike M.
"I've had good luck with the American Airlines portal lately. 10 points per dollar on Sephora and five points per dollar on Columbia. I also selected my regular stores so I get an alert from them when the earning rate goes up." — Patricia G.
"United MileagePlus shopping and stacking with MPX." — Timothy B.
"I’d vote Southwest out of the four main domestic [airlines]. Easiest points to use and compared to Delta, there are more points per dollar on competitive brands." — Zac C.
"MyPoints + Expedia + CSR + airline combo." — Tom R. W.
"I used the Alaska Airlines shopping portal with American Express offers." — Jason H.
"The British Airways portal often seems to have the highest earning rate among the airlines. I usually use the Delta portal anyway though, as that's where I have my main cache of airline miles." — Ross B.
"The Chase portal regularly has good redemptions. The American Airlines portal is always strong. Delta's is usually pretty weak but when it has extra miles specials, it can have a strong return as well." — Shea D.
"I compare when I am shopping online and would prefer to use Alaska Airlines, but almost always, the Chase portal is higher." — Christine P.S.
The Ebates and American Express MR Deal
Ebates and American Express recently teamed up to allow new users — that seems to be the only catch, that it's for new users only and they need to sign up through this link — to earn Membership Rewards points back instead of cash, a major perk for several readers.
"I'm a huge fan of Chase's [Ultimate Rewards Travel] portal, but I'm now trying out the Ebates and American Express deal. I just combined it with the Saks Fifth Avenue credit!" — Randall C.W.
"Their multipliers are often high, but earning MR points instead of a percentage of cashback is game-changing. I used it on Saturday for a $55 purchase and the 2,050 points (10 x 55 + 1,500 sign-up bonus) posted to my Ebates account today, though it says it will be May 15 before they post to my Amex account. I'll be using Ebates a lot more going forward." — Ross B.
"Chase has consistently been high in all my recent CashbackMonitor.com searches, but doesn't do promotions or email me daily bonus stores like airline portals. With the new Ebates and Amex deal, I may be switching to that as my new go-to!" — K.R.
More Tips to Keep in Mind
Some of our TPG Lounge members wrote in with special tips and tricks they employ when it comes to making the most of shopping portals. For even more advice, check out this page on our site with a list of all the big ones we'd recommend using.
"It varies, depending on several factors, not the least of which is your personal goal for today. Check CashbackMonitor.com each and every time." — Chris H.
"Another thing is you can track your favorite sites by hitting the heart button [within AAdvantage eShopping]. It'll email you when the earning rate goes up." — Jackie H.
"I have the button extension installed on my Chrome browser and it alerts me when a site I’m on has bonus miles. It even shows up in Google searches, too." — Kyle P.
"I added the Chrome extension for AAdvantage Shopping and this made a huge difference for me, as in the past I would forget to go through the AAdvantage portal. This way, any time I visit a site that is offering miles, my purchases are automatically tracked." — Lourdes O.L.
"I always check CashbackMonitor.com. Sometimes the info can be a bit out-of-date so it's still a good idea to double-check it, but that site is a great resource." — Ross B.
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.