How to Earn Points and Miles on Pet Purchases (Chewy, Petco, PetSmart & More)
We are the proud parents of two wonderful yellow Labrador Retrievers. They are a big part of our lives, and we love traveling with them. If you have a cat, dog, bunny, guinea pig, or any other furry family member at home, you probably spend a fair amount spoiling them.
Between food, treats, flea and tick prevention, medications, toys, grooming supplies, poop bags, and other recurring expenses, pet ownership isn’t cheap. The good news? Those expenses can help fund your next vacation.
Whether you shop at Chewy, Petco, PetSmart, Amazon, or your local grocery store, there are several easy ways to earn points and miles on pet purchases. By using the right credit card, a shopping portal, rewards app, or gift card strategy, you can turn everyday pet expenses into free flights, hotel stays, and travel rewards.
Here are our favorite ways to maximize points and miles on pet purchases.
How to Earn Points and Miles at Chewy
Known for their spectacular customer service, Chewy is our go-to for many pet products. We have our dogs’ food delivered automatically so we never have to worry about running low.
Here’s how we maximize our Chewy purchases (and you can too).
United MileagePlus X App
Chewy is available through the United MileagePlus X app for 2 miles per dollar. If you hold any United credit card, you’re eligible to earn an additional 25% bonus miles through the app regardless of which credit card you use to purchase the gift card.
Every so often, we will purchase a Chewy gift card and load it onto our account. The amount of our food shipment is withdrawn automatically from the gift card when it’s time to ship. When the gift card amount gets low, we simply purchase another gift card for future orders.
Since pet products are not an elevated category on any card, we use our Freedom Unlimited to purchase these gift cards for 1.5x Ultimate Rewards points.
Shopping Portals
We have previously shared that we’re loyal to United, so the United Shopping Portal is installed on our browsers to alert us if we can earn miles before making an online purchase.
Chewy is typically available for 1 mile per dollar through United, though we’ve seen promotions as high as 5 miles per dollar. Our most recent order earned 5x miles, making it one of the better portal opportunities we’ve seen.
If United isn’t your preferred airline, Chewy is also frequently available through the American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and Southwest Airlines shopping portals.
Chewy is also usually 2x points on Rakuten, giving us the option to earn American Express Membership Rewards points if we choose.
Note that shopping portals cannot earn on auto-ship orders, so using Rakuten or an airline shopping portal can only earn points or miles on one-off orders.
One important thing to note: Rakuten and airline shopping portals often do not award rewards when a purchase is paid entirely with a gift card. If you value American Express Membership Rewards more than United miles, you may want to skip the MileagePlus X gift card and simply click through the portal if the terms & conditions state you cannot earn on purchases made with a gift card.
How to Earn Points and Miles at Petco
Petco offers many of the same opportunities as Chewy, with a few differences.
United MileagePlus X App
Petco currently earns 5 miles per dollar through the United MileagePlus X app, which is a pretty strong rate for MPX.
Rakuten
Petco is also available on Rakuten. If you have an eligible American Express card linked to your Rakuten account, you can choose to earn Membership Rewards points instead of cash back.
Airline Shopping Portals
Petco is commonly available through airline shopping portals:
- United Airlines: 1 mile per dollar
- American Airlines: 1 mile per dollar
- Delta Air Lines: 0.5 miles per dollar
- Southwest Airlines: 0.5 miles per dollar
Historically, we’ve successfully stacked a United MileagePlus X gift card purchase with the United Shopping Portal. When available, that combination can generate 6 miles per dollar at Petco.
How to Earn Points and Miles at PetSmart
PetSmart is another option for earning travel rewards on pet purchases.
Rakuten frequently offers elevated earnings at PetSmart, often around 4% cash back or 4 Membership Rewards points per dollar if you’ve selected the AmEx points option.
Airline shopping portal rates are typically:
- United Airlines: 1 mile per dollar
- American Airlines: 1 mile per dollar
- Delta Air Lines: 0.5 miles per dollar
- Southwest Airlines: 0.5 miles per dollar
Unlike Petco, PetSmart is not currently available through the United MileagePlus X app, so shopping portals and credit card rewards are your best options.
How to Earn Points and Miles on Amazon Pet Purchases
We use Amazon for certain pet purchases, particularly poop bags and our dogs’ favorite treats.
Most of the time, we simply use our Chase Freedom Unlimited to earn 1.5x Ultimate Rewards points on these purchases.
However, when Amazon appears as a bonus category on cards like the Chase Freedom Flex or Chase Freedom, we’re able to earn 5x points.
Another strategy is purchasing Amazon gift cards at office supply stores with the Chase Ink Cash. Since the Ink Cash earns 5x Ultimate Rewards points at office supply stores, this can be an easy way to earn more rewards on Amazon pet purchases year-round.
How to Earn Points and Miles on Pet Supplies from Grocery Stores
Many pet owners purchase food, treats, and supplies from grocery stores.
If that’s your preferred shopping method, make sure you’re using a card that rewards grocery spending. One of our favorites is the American Express Gold Card, which earns 4 Membership Rewards points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets.
You can also purchase gift cards for Amazon, Target, and other retailers while grocery shopping, allowing you to earn bonus extra points before making your pet purchases elsewhere.
Best Credit Cards for Pet Purchases
Most pet stores don’t fall into traditional bonus spending categories, so choosing the right everyday spending card is important.
Some of our favorite cards for pet purchases include:
- Chase Freedom Unlimited – 1.5x Ultimate Rewards points on everyday purchases
- Capital One Venture X – 2x miles on every purchase
- Chase Freedom Flex – 5x points when pet purchases or Amazon are a bonus category. While we haven’t seen it often, pet products were a 5x category in Q4 2024.
- American Express Gold Card – 4x Membership Rewards points on pet purchases made at grocery stores
- Chase Ink Cash – 5x points on Amazon gift cards purchased at office supply stores
The best card depends on where you shop and which rewards currency you value most.
Additional Ways to Earn Rewards on Pet Expenses
Regardless of where you purchase your pet supplies, always use a credit card that earns your preferred points or miles.
We personally use the Chase Freedom Unlimited for the majority of pet purchases because it earns at least 1.5x Ultimate Rewards points on everything.
We also upload every receipt to Fetch. While Fetch doesn’t directly earn miles or points, it’s a simple way to earn gift cards for purchases you’re already making. Every receipt earns points, and Fetch frequently offers bonus promotions with pet brands.
For example, we recently earned nearly 9,000 bonus points after purchasing Greenies through Chewy. Since Greenies are already a regular purchase in our household, those bonus points were easy to earn.
More gift cards for regular expenses means more money for travel, which works for us!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you earn points and miles on pet purchases?
Absolutely. Pet purchases can earn travel rewards through shopping portals, rewards credit cards, gift card strategies, and programs like the United MileagePlus X app.
Does Chewy earn airline miles?
Yes. Chewy is frequently available through airline shopping portals including United, American, Delta, and Southwest.
What is the best credit card for pet purchases?
For general pet spending, cards like the Chase Freedom Unlimited and Capital One Venture X are strong options because they earn elevated rewards on everyday purchases.
Can I earn points on dog food purchases?
Yes. Dog food purchased through Chewy, Petco, PetSmart, Amazon, and grocery stores can all earn points and miles when paired with the right rewards strategy.
Is the United MileagePlus X app worth using for pet purchases?
If your preferred airline is United, absolutely. The app allows you to earn additional miles by purchasing gift cards before making purchases at participating retailers. And even if United isn’t your preferred airline, you can find flights with Star Alliance partners that are bookable with your United miles, which means it’s still worthwhile to use.
Summary
Pet ownership comes with plenty of recurring expenses, but those purchases can help fund your future travels.
Whether you’re shopping at Chewy, Petco, PetSmart, Amazon, or your local grocery store, there are numerous opportunities to earn points and miles on pet purchases. By combining shopping portals, rewards credit cards, gift cards, and receipt rewards apps, you can easily earn far more than one point per dollar on purchases you’re already making.
After all, every extra point earned on dog food, treats, and toys gets you one step closer to your next trip.