Maximize your points and miles with Amazon
The ease and convenience of Amazon cannot be overstated. Place an order on your phone, and in a lot of cases, have what you need within 24 hours. Because of this, Amazon orders are a staple in many households. It also can be one of the trickiest places to earn more than the basic 1x or 1.5x points when making purchases.
The vast majority of tips that we share in this article can be used at any point during the year, but for those who don’t know, Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days is coming up on October 10th and 11th. When you’re shopping for deals, why not earn more points and miles for future travel?
American Express Gold
The highest earning categories for the AmEx gold are dining and groceries at 4x points. Purchase an Amazon gift card at your local grocery store for 4x and then load the card to your Amazon account.
Ink Business Cash
If you have this specific Chase business card, you can purchase an Amazon gift card at an office supply store like Office Depot or Staples for 5x points. You can then transfer your points to Ultimate Rewards (assuming you have a Chase Sapphire, our number one recommendation for travel-hacking starter card).
Chase Freedom or Freedom Flex
The Chase Freedom or Freedom Flex are most valuable when you are using the 5x categories. Neither has a significant sign-up bonus, so we’d recommend downgrading to these no-fee cards for the perks. PayPal is a Q4 category that earns 5x, so look to purchase an Amazon gift card from a variety of sites using PayPal for 5x points to transfer to Ultimate Rewards.
Amazon Prime Visa
If you have an Amazon Prime Visa, using it will earn you 5x on purchases. It is important to note that these points cannot be transferred to Ultimate Rewards to be redeemed for travel.
Freedom Unlimited
An additional option is the Freedom Unlimited. Use it directly on Amazon for 1.5x points on all purchases outside of their special designations. When I am making a purchase that I am not able to get elevated points on due to the category, this is the card I use because 1.5x points is better than 1x points.
Alternatively, you can purchase an Amazon gift card at a CVS or a Walgreen’s for 3x on drugstore purchases.
Best Buy
BestBuy.com takes PayPal for checkout, and they also offer Amazon gift cards. Use PayPal for 5x points on the Freedom or Freedom Flex.
In addition, Best Buy is on Rakuten for 1% cash back or the United portal for 2 miles / dollar for a simple stack. Best Buy is on the American Airlines portal for 0.5 miles – 2 miles per dollar based on the category. If Southwest is your preferred airline, you can use the shopping portal for 1 mile per dollar spent at Best Buy.
Conclusion
Earning points and miles doesn’t have to be complicated or confusing. It also doesn’t require opening credit cards every 30 days. By maximizing your existing cards on frequent purchases, you can earn more to travel more!
Got an idea of something you want us to cover? Got a question? Email us at points.postcards@gmail.com – we’d love to hear from you!
