The season of giving is upon on us and we are all trying to find that perfect gift for the holidays. The TripHackr 2012 Travel gift guide is available to help point you in the right direction but are you earning miles for your gifts? Why not give a little and get a little in return.
This shopping season be sure to use all of the available online shopping portals from airlines and credit cards. You will earn anywhere from 1-30 miles per dollar(or more) on purchases you are already making for the holidays. Let’s say you budget is $500 this year. You find online retailers offering 5 miles per dollar on all your gifts. That is an easy 2,500 miles for purchasing something you already planned to buy.
There are some great deals out there but you have to look. Shop through your favorite airline to help earn miles towards free flights. I shop through the Delta portal because that is what I fly most.
Be sure to sign-in at each portal to get credit for the purchase. Use your frequent flyer number or email address to login at most portals. You will be redirected to the regular online retailer from the portal and check-out like you normally would. The miles will be automatically added to your frequent flyer account in a week or two. There is nothing you need to do besides simply accessing the retailer through the online shopping portal to earn the miles.
Keep in mind miles per dollar can fluctuate. For example, Apple is usually 1 mile per dollar but I have seen it as high as 8. Online flower sites always have deals around holidays. They might offer 8 miles today but 20 or even 30 miles per dollar next week. For the most part retailers are consistent throughout the year with a slight bump in miles per dollar occasionally.
Here are the top online shopping portals:
Air Canada- Aeroplan EStore
American Airlines- AAdvantageEshopping.com
American Express- Bonus Points Mall
Chase- Ultimate Rewards Shopping
Delta- Skymilesshopping.com
US Airways- Dividend Miles Shopping Mall
United- Mileageplusshopping.com
SomeTop Offers from Airlines
Nike- 4 miles per dollar
Brookstone- 4 miles per dollar
FTD- 7 miles per dollar
Under Armor- 8 miles per dollar
Lands’ End- 3 miles per dollar
Sears- 5 miles per dollar
Neiman Marcus- 3 miles per dollar
Lands’ End- 4 miles per dollar
Origins- 9 milers per dollar
GNC- 3 miles per dollar
Sears- 6 miles per dollar
Snapfish- 6 miles per dollar
Rosetta Stone- 12 miles per dollar
Magazines.com 15 miles per dollar
Under Armor- 6 miles per dollar
WildTangent- 5 miles per dollar
Sears- 6 miles per dollar
Bloomingdales- 2 miles per dollar
Wine.com- 6 miles per dollar
You may notice miles per dollar vary at each airline portal but I still recommend buying through the one you fly most. The extra 25 miles you would earn aren’t worth it if one is 5 and one is 6 miles per dollar. There are thousands of retailers at each portal so just search for the item you need and find the best deal.
Now you will be earning miles for every gift you give this holiday season.
