Overview
It’s looming…
Sure, Thanksgiving is fun and all, but all across America, families are fidgeting with their dinner forks, playing with their last slice of turkey, and making mountains from their third helping of mashed potatoes. It’s not that their appetite for their aunt’s sub-par stuffing has disappeared (it was never there to begin with), it’s the nervous anticipation building until they can violently scratch the capitalist itch that is Black Friday.
Let’s face it, Black Friday and its digital counterpart Cyber Monday have become holidays unto themselves. Whatever your view on it, it’s the weekend to grab a bargain. It’s a big enough deal for cash-only buyers, but for those with an eye on points and miles, it’s an immense opportunity to save, earn, and even redeem points in immense ways.
Coming into the Black Friday weekend with a little strategy can pay huge dividends. From the card you use or open to what you’re purchasing and where you opt to purchase them, it all matters if you’re serious about your loyalty points. Let’s take a deep dive into the best ways to maximize your points on Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
Pre-Planning Your Purchases
There’s fun to be had in diving into the Black Friday chaos blind. You might stumble across the deal of a lifetime or an absurd impulse buy you’ll remember forever. But for those with points and miles in mind (and honestly, everyone else too), it pays to plan ahead.
There are a few reasons for this, which all tie in to some of the tips coming later in the article. But, put simply, knowing what you need can help you maximize your points in a way that spontaneity can’t.
If you’re a big planner, you may already have a list of things you’ve held off on buying until Black Friday. If you haven’t, look ahead. Are you needing a new laptop, TV, fridge, or headphones? Have you been in dire need of a wardrobe overhaul?
If the answer is yes to any of those, get an idea of what your price range is, add it all up, and get to grips with how much you’ll need to spend. Knowing that figure can help you navigate your next steps regarding your miles. You get extra brownie points (non-redeemable) for taking note of the stores, both online and physical, where you may get them. Again, this could be helpful information later on.
- Best for: Regular Amazon customers
- Annual Fee: $0
- APR: 19.24% - 27.99% Variable
- Reward Rate: 1%-10%
- Recommended Credit: 670-850
Prime Visa
Limited-time offer! $250 Amazon Gift Card
Offer Details:
Limited-Time Offer: Get a $250 Amazon Gift Card instantly upon approval exclusively for Prime members
Why we like it
The Prime Visa is one of the few store cards that pulls it weight. With a whopping 5% cashback on Amazon purchases, those with an itchy trigger finger when it comes to online shopping can reap some serious rewards. It may not be a points-earning product, but few other cards can come close to the value offered on Amazon spending. Its introductory offer of a $250 Amazon gift card is a nice addition, considering it has no spending requirement.
Reward details
Prime Card Bonus: Earn 10% back or more on a rotating selection of items and categories on Amazon.com with an eligible Prime membership
Earn unlimited 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market, and on Chase Travel℠ purchases with an eligible Prime membership
Earn unlimited 2% back at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare)
Earn unlimited 1% back on all other purchases
Pros & Cons
Pros
High cashback rate on Amazon
Strong intro offer with no spending requirement
No annual fee
Cons
Need an Amazon Prime membership to earn rewards
Few perks
Less useful beyond Amazon
Terms Apply
Open a Card Especially for the Holidays
This tip should only be applicable if you’ve got some serious spending to do. Don’t just look at Thanksgiving — look forward to your Christmas and New Year plans, too. Gifts, travel, dinners, and other expenses add up quickly at this time of year.
Whatever it looks like for you, this sudden bout of higher spending should be capitalized on. Opening a new card with a solid introductory bonus is the best way to do this. If you’re looking solely at points and miles, look at elevated offers and see if there are any you could reasonably hit within the Black Friday to Christmas period. Some have offers with spending thresholds as low as $3,000. While that’s still not exactly a small number, someone with some big purchases coming up (hence the advice in point one) could spend their way to a bonus very quickly in these circumstances.
Mid-range co-branded cards tend to have slightly lower spending thresholds, so check out products like the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card, which could currently grab you 85,000 points after $3,000 worth of spending, or the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card, which offers 155,000 points after the same $3,000 in spend.
If you’re not going as crazy as that, there are still options to help maximize things. The Prime Visa from Chase is the perfect way to get some immediate savings. Successfully applying for the card, which has no annual fee by the way, grants you the limited-time offer of a $250 Amazon e-gift card. You can use it immediately, making Cyber Monday a…prime target (sorry), for new cardholders. It’s not points, but the easiest $250 you’ll ever earn isn’t something to turn your nose up at.
- Best for: Beginner Southwest Points
- Annual Fee: $99
- APR: 19.74% - 28.24% Variable
- Reward Rate: 1X - 2X
- Recommended Credit: 670-850
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card
85,000 bonus points
Offer Details:
Earn 85,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Why we like it
The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card is the popular airline’s entry-level card and offers solid value for those who fly with the carrier at least once a year. It comes with a few easy-to-use perks like 3,000 Southwest points every year after your first cardmember anniversary and two EarlyBird check-ins per year (ends December 31st, 2025). It’s a good option for those who want to earn Southwest points on an ongoing basis and not have to pay a high annual fee.
Reward details
2 points per $1 spent on Southwest Airlines® purchases
2 points for every $1 you spend at gas stations and grocery stores on the first $5,000 in combined purchases per anniversary year
1X points on all other purchases.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Select a Standard seat within 48 hours prior to departure, when available.
The 3,000 annual bonus points are worth around $40 towards travel on Southwest.
25% discount on Southwest in-flight purchases when paying with the card
The intro bonus can be used for collecting points for the Companion Pass benefits
Elite status can be earned with day-to-day spending, and not just flights.
Cons
Southwest points cannot be transferred or used with any airline partners.
Terms Apply
Use Shopping Portals
Now that we’ve got the big moves out of the way, let’s look at some of the other ways you can maximize your shopping. You can use these strategies throughout the year, too, but obviously Black Friday is the perfect time to give it a go.
Shopping portals are an overlooked source of points that can rack up points quickly. In case you’re not sure what they are, different credit card issuers, airlines, and hotel brands have their own shopping portals. These sites come in different formats but, on the whole, are filled with special offers for specific vendors and businesses, incentivizing customers to spend.
For example, if you were intending to shop at Lululemon on Cyber Monday, you could log into the Chase shopping portal and skim the current offers. You might find an offer specifically for Lululemon. To make use of it, you’d need to visit the Lululemon website via the link in the Chase Shopping portal. The offers will vary, with some offering bonus points for every dollar spent, while others may have a set figure, like an extra 1,500 points when you spend $250.
Some platforms, like American Express, don’t have a shopping portal, but still offer similar deals. In these instances, you need to activate the offer, then spend at the store to receive the points or cashback. One way around this for Amex is to use Rakuten, which is a platform designed specifically for this. While it generally offers cashback, it has features that allow you to earn American Express Membership Rewards.
Of course, you’ll need an account with whatever issuer or program you’re using. If you have multiple accounts, scan through the offers on each, see which is best, and then decide which type of point makes the most sense for you.
Airline Shopping Portals
American Airlines AAdvantage eShopping
Delta SkyMiles Shopping
United MileagePlus Shopping
Southwest Rapid Rewards Shopping
Alaska Mileage Plan Shopping
Aeroplan eStore (Air Canada)
British Airways Avios eStore
Virgin Atlantic Shops Away
Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Spree
Qatar Airways Privilege Club Shopping
U.S. Credit-Card Shopping Portals
Chase Ultimate Rewards – Shop Through Chase
Citi ThankYou Rewards – Bonus Cash Center
American Express – Amex Offers (technically not a portal but functions similarly)
Bank of America – BankAmeriDeals
- Best for: Travelers who want to keep it simple
- Annual Fee: $95
- APR: 19.99% - 28.99% (Variable)
- Reward Rate: 2X-5X
- Recommended Credit: 660-850
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
75,000 Bonus Miles
Offer Details:
Earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening - that’s equal to $750 in travel
Why we like it
The Capital One Venture is an excellent go-to card for any traveler, thanks to its easy to navigate 2 miles per dollar on every purchase. With no bonus categories to consider, a reasonable $95 annual fee, and a strong intro offer worth at least $750 in travel rewards.
Reward details
5 Miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
2 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day
Pros & Cons
Pros
-
The Capital One Venture’s current intro bonus is worth $750 when spent on Capital One’s (recently revamped) travel portal or you can use your miles to cover your recent purchases.
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A steady 2 miles per dollar on all purchases makes earning simple and lucrative. You’ll also grab 5 miles per dollar when booking through Capital One’s travel portal.
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Its $95 annual fee is almost negligible, especially if the intro bonus is achieved.
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Flexible miles allow for a wide array of redemption options.
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You can enjoy two free visits to a Capital One Lounge each year.
Cons
-
Capital One lacks US-based airline and hotel transfer partners.
-
Not many major perks beyond its miles value.
Terms Apply
Using the Right Card
If you’ve already opened a card specifically for the bonus, focus on that one until you’ve hit the spending threshold. But if you haven’t and won’t, make sure you pick the right card to use in any given situation. This can mean a few things. For example, don’t activate an Amex offer, then forget and use your Chase card. I’d hope this was common sense, but honestly, I forget all the time, too.
In other situations, it’s about which gives you the most in any given transaction. If you’re focusing on the best return on your Amazon shopping, the Prime Visa, again, is the best option. You’re getting a 5% return on everything you spend on Amazon.
If you’re set on points and miles, your options for a super-high return are more limited unless you’re opening a card for the bonus. A card like the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is an excellent choice, granting you 2x miles per dollar on every purchase. Combine that with some strong shopping offers for the Capital One Shopping portal, and you could pull yourself a solid haul.
For immediate savings, check in with one of the big-name premium cards. The American Express Platinum Card® is packed with different shopping credits that can be utilized on Black Friday, while its main competitor, the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, boasts a similar array of offers. While these might not maximize your miles, as such, you will be enjoying direct savings, which is never bad. Just make sure to check if you need to activate the offer before you spend.
A Required Warning
As with any points and miles-related advice, it’s always worth reminding you that no number of rewards is worth debt. Don’t force spending because you want to earn a few extra points here and there. Only do so if you’re comfortable with the spend and have been strategic about how you do it. It’s always better to be safe than sorry, and it’s never a free flight if you’re five grand in the red.
- Best for: Luxury Perks
- Annual Fee: $895
- Pay Over Time APR
- Reward Rate: 5X
- Recommended Credit: Good to Excellent
American Express Platinum Card®
As high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® Points
Offer Details:
You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $8,000 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.
Why we like it
The Amex Platinum was once the sole dominating force in the luxury credit card space. While it now faces some stiff competition, it still offers unbeatable perks like unprecedented airport lounge access, elite status at Hilton and Marriott, and some outstanding statement credits making the mammoth $895 worth it for some.
Reward details
Get more for your travels with 5X Membership Rewards® points on all flights and prepaid hotel bookings through American Express Travel®, including Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection bookings.
You earn 5X points on flights purchased directly from airlines or through American Express Travel® on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.
Pros & Cons
Pros
-
Earn as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
-
Incredible lounge access
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Statement credits worth over $3,500 annually.
-
Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile.
Cons
-
The $895 annual fee is brutally high. Too high for many that can’t, or don’t want to take full advantage of its benefits.
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Points-earning rates are low unless spending directly on flights or with the Amex Portal.
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Some of the benefits, like travel credits, are more limited and are harder to use than competing cards’ offerings.
The Point
If you’re spending big this Black Friday, be strategic about how you do it. Opting to use the right card, a solid shopping portal, or even opening a new card can seriously kickstart your points and miles balances, while the many credits and bonuses offered can lend you some direct savings. Just don’t spend for the sake of spending.
by your friends at The Daily Navigator
