Shopping Portals
One of the easiest ways to earn extra points is through shopping portals. A shopping portal is simply a website you click through before shopping at the same stores you already plan to use. Many of these can be utilized using any credit card, you just have to sign up for an account.
Rapid Rewards Shopping (Southwest):
You can do a quick google search and sign up for this portal. You can even add a button/extension to your browser if you’d like. Basically, you will just go to the Rapid Rewards shopping website/portal. Then, type the store where you plan to shop. Click on the store and complete your purchase as normal.
You can earn anywhere from .5 to 10x points or more per dollar just by shopping online. This portal often runs bonuses too. If you spend a certain amount using the portal, you will get extra bonus points on top of your purchase points. These points will simply be added to your regular Southwest Rapid Rewards account. It’s a great way to get some extra Southwest points!
Favorite Bank Shopping Portal:
This one is great for earning more of our favorite flexible points. It’s a little trickier to get to, but great for earning those transferable points that can be used with several transfer partners. To access this shopping portal, you will need to have a card from our favorite bank. Simply log-in to your account and click in the rewards section. From there, click on “Shopping & Experiences.” Next, select “Shop & Earn Bonus Points.” Then, search the store where you plan to shop. The portal will tell you how many points you will earn per dollar spent. This is a great way to get those extra points!
Rakuten (formerly known as Ebates):
I have used this site for years! This shopping portal probably has the most stores available. It’s hard to find a store not on this one. Rakuten will usually earn you the highest percentage back. It is typically thought of as a cash back site, which is how I use it. They send out earnings quarterly in the form of a check or PayPal.
But, it can also be a points earning site. Many point travelers use it. Personally, I don’t have a card from the bank that earns these points, so I am not eligible to acquire points. But, I can use it for cash! One thing I like about using Rakuten for cash back is that I can save those quarterly earnings for travel expenses not covered by points (food, activities, excursions, gas, etc.)
Which should you start using?
Personally, I tend to always go with whatever earns the most cash/points back (which oftentimes is Rakuten, though not always.) But, if you are really trying to accrue more Rapid Rewards or flexible points, go with what works best for you!
Finally, there are a lot of other shopping portals out there. Many airlines have portals, so if you use another airline, do a quick google search. You may find one that fits your needs even better than the ones I listed.
Happy earning!
