How to Earn Tons of Extra Points & Miles with Online Shopping Portals

When it comes to getting the most out of your online shopping, one of the best secret weapons savvy shoppers use to maximize their rewards: shopping portals.  They’re one of the easiest ways to boost the rewards you earn on the things you buy online.  We all shop online so you might as well get some extra value back, right??

If you haven’t heard of these, buckle up because you’re about to embark on a journey to elevate your shopping game and earn rewards faster than you can say “frequent flyer miles.”

What are Shopping Portals?

Shopping portals are online platforms run by rewards programs (think airlines, cashback platforms like Rakuten and credit card companies) that aggregate tons of stores and offer extra rewards just for shopping through their links.  There are essentially three different kinds:

Airline Shopping Portals

Cashback Portals

Credit Card Shopping Portals

The extra rewards you get by shopping through these programs is in addition to whatever rewards you already get from using your credit cards.  It’s basically double dipping (aka “stacking”) and surprisingly easy to do. 

We’ll walk you through how the various shopping portals work and how to utilize Kiwii to ensure you maximize the rewards from your online purchases. 

Airline Shopping Portals

Imagine if your online shopping habit could not only get you the goods you were already going to purchase but also bring you closer to your next vacation. That’s what airline shopping portals do. These portals are like virtual malls that allow you to earn frequent flyer miles every time you make a purchase through their links. Think of it as a reward for rewarding yourself.

For example, if you’re a member of United MileagePlus or Delta SkyMiles, you can log into their shopping portals, find your favorite retailers, and shop as you normally would.

The catch?  There is no catch!

You earn miles for every dollar spent. It’s that simple. No extra cost, just extra miles.  Here’s a list of airlines with available shopping portals:

Alaska Airlines
American Airlines
Delta
jetBlue
Southwest
United

Deals can be lucrative too, like 10x or more per dollar spent.  Think of a $200 purchase getting you an extra 2,000 Delta SkyMiles just for an exta click.  That’s a lot easier than flying from Atlanta to Los Angeles for those miles! 

How Airline Shopping Portals Work

Navigating airline shopping portals is fairly straightforward (once you get there…).  The biggest difference is instead of going straight to Apple, for example, you’d pull up your airline’s shopping portal and click through the Apple link.  Then you’d be routed to Apple’s website with the extra rewards activated and on your way. 

But that’s kind of annoying right?  We didn’t like it either…it’s easy to forget (we’re all busy right?) and can be a pain when you’re in a hurry.  

That’s where Kiwii can help.  When you have the Kiwii browser extension installed, you can just shop like normal and go straight to Apple.  Kiwii pops up automatically to show you what relevant portal deals are available.  You can click the activation link straight from there for the deal you want and get right back to shopping.  Here’s what it looks like in action:

You can earn miles for every dollar you spend by doing this, turning your regular purchases into points that can take you places. Literally. 

Benefits of Using Airline Shopping Portals

Using these portals is a no-brainer for frequent travelers. Here’s why:

– Accumulate Miles Faster: Regular shopping turns into opportunities to earn miles without stepping onto a plane.

– Exclusive Deals and Promotions: Many portals offer special deals or bonus miles during certain times, like holidays for example.

– Boost your Airline Status: Extra points or miles can contribute to your status with airlines, helping you reach the coveted elite status much quicker. 

– Complementing Other Rewards: You can stack these rewards with your credit card points for maximum benefit.

 

Cashback Portals: A Comparison

Now, let’s talk about the sibling rivalry in the rewards family: cashback portals. These portals, Rakuten being the most popular, work similarly to airline shopping portals but reward you with cash instead of miles.

 

How Cashback Portals Work

Cashback portals operate the same way as airline shopping portals.  You sign up for an account and then browse the list of stores and deals.  But instead of extra miles, you earn a percentage back in cash which then typically gets paid out every three months or so by check.

**Pro Tip: For Amex cardholders, you also have the option with Rakuten to receive Amex Membership points in lieu of cash.  This is usually a great way to boost the value of Rakuten deals since your Amex points can be transferred to several travel partners where you can redeem them for flights or hotels instead (a topic for another day…). 

 

Comparison of Rewards: Miles/Points vs. Cashback

Choosing between miles/points and cashback can be tricky and all depends on your preferences. Here’s a quick comparison:

 – Miles / Points: Ideal if you travel frequently and want to save on flights or hotel stays. The value can be higher, especially with premium travel rewards.

– Cashback: Perfect for those who prefer straightforward cash rewards they can spend anywhere.

 Both have their perks, and sometimes it’s worth mixing and matching based on your spending habits and reward goals.

 

Credit Card Shopping Portals

 Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, enter credit card shopping portals. Credit card companies like Barclays, Chase and Citi have their own shopping portals, offering additional rewards on top of your regular credit card points.  This is a great way to stack on top of what your credit cards are already earning to boost your points balance significantly. 

How Credit Card Shopping Portals Work

Credit card portals operate essentially the same way as airline portals, but instead of airline miles, you’re getting extra credit card points.  The biggest difference with credit card shopping portals is that you typically need to have a specific credit card to earn the extra points.  For example, Chase has two separate portals, one for the Freedom family of cards and the other for the Sapphire family, which caters more to travelers. 

 

Benefits of Using Credit Card Shopping Portals

– Extra Points or Cashback: Earn additional rewards on top of your credit card’s usual points or cashback rates.

– Exclusive Offers: Access to unique discounts and deals not available elsewhere.

– Integration with Rewards Programs: Seamlessly add to your existing rewards balance.

 

Tips for Maximizing Rewards

Incorporating shopping portals into your regular routine can go a long way. Here are some quick tips to maximize your rewards of choice:

– Combine Purchases with Credit Card Rewards: Use a rewards credit card when shopping through these portals to double-dip on points.

– Watch for Big Deals: Join the Newsletter to see the best portal deals each day. 

– Use the Kiwii Browser Extension : Some of the portals offer their own browser extensions, but with Kiwii you can see everything in one spot without ever thinking about it.  

– Choose the Right Portal for Each Purchase: If you’re using Kiwii, you’ll see the best portal deals for the programs you care about ranked in order of their actual value (all points & miles are NOT created equal). 

Join the Kiwii Daily Drop Newsletter

 

Shop with Confidence

In the world of online shopping, shopping portals are your golden ticket to extra miles, points, or cashback. Whether you’re a frequent flyer, a cashback enthusiast, or a credit card rewards junkie, there’s a portal out there that can help you maximize your rewards and Kiwii is there to make it easy. 

Happy shopping, now get out there and rack up those rewards!