Did you know that you can earn travel rewards just by doing your normal online shopping?

Whether you are buying clothes, electronics, pet supplies, or last-minute gifts, there is a simple way to turn every purchase into points or miles.

The secret is using a shopping portal – and it costs nothing to use.

A shopping portal is a free website that gives you extra rewards, like airline miles or credit card points, when you click through their links before making a purchase. Think of it as a digital shortcut to earning more.

Most portals partner with hundreds of popular stores – such as Walmart, Target, Best Buy, and even flower delivery services – and reward you for shopping as you normally would.

We are always looking for the easiest ways to earn points and miles without changing your everyday habits. One of the most powerful strategies is to set up simple systems that make earning rewards automatic.

Starting every online shopping trip with a rewards portal is one of those systems.

When you stack portal earnings with the points from your rewards credit card, your return on spending increases fast.

For example, if your credit card earns two points per dollar and the shopping portal offers five points per dollar, you will earn seven points per dollar – all from a single purchase.

This guide will walk you through the best shopping portals to earn points and miles, how to use them effectively, and how to build a system that helps you earn travel rewards faster.

Whether you are new to points or already deep into travel hacking, this is one strategy that should be part of your routine.

What Is A Shopping Portal

A shopping portal is a free website that rewards you with points, miles, or cash back just for starting your online shopping through their platform.

It is one of the easiest ways to earn extra travel rewards without spending any extra money.

How Do Shopping Portals Work

You visit a shopping portal website, search for the store where you plan to shop, and click through to that store using the special link in the portal. Once you complete your purchase, the portal tracks your visit and rewards you with points or miles based on how much you spent.

That is it.

You shop as usual, but now you are earning extra rewards for the same purchase.

Most portals work with hundreds of well-known retailers, including Apple, Macy’s, Home Depot, Sephora, and Nike. Whether you are shopping for clothes, home goods, electronics, or gifts, chances are your favorite stores are already listed.

The biggest benefit of using a shopping portal is that you earn free points or miles on purchases you were going to make anyway.

Even better, these rewards are on top of what you earn from your rewards credit card.

That means you can double or even triple dip on rewards when you also apply a store promotion or use a shopping app extension.

Why Shopping Portals Work

Shopping portals earn a small commission from the retailer every time you make a purchase through their site. To encourage you to use their link, they share part of that commission with you in the form of points or miles.

It is a win-win-win: retailers get more traffic, the portal gets a cut, and you get rewarded.

Because this system is so simple, it makes sense to always check for portal offers before clicking “buy.”

You will not pay more for your purchase, but you will get more out of it.

Top Shopping Portals To Maximize Rewards

There are many shopping portals available, but some stand out for their high earning potential, ease of use, and valuable reward currencies.

Below are some of the top portals that offer the best opportunities to maximize your points and miles.

Rakuten

Rakuten is one of the most rewarding shopping portals for travelers who want to earn valuable points from their everyday online purchases.

Originally known for offering cash back, Rakuten now gives users the option to earn American Express Membership Rewards points instead. By simply clicking through Rakuten before shopping, you can rack up points with thousands of popular retailers – all at no extra cost.

Main Features

• Earn Amex Membership Rewards points OR cash back
• Access to over 3,500 retailers, including major brands like Nike, Walmart, Best Buy, and Sephora
• Free to join with a simple, user-friendly interface
• Generous sign-up bonus (often $30 or more after your first purchase)
• Seasonal promotions with increased earning rates (sometimes up to 20x)
• Browser extension that activates offers automatically
• In-store shopping option through the Rakuten app, allowing you to earn rewards at physical stores by linking your credit card
• Activate offers in the app as you walk into a store to stack portal rewards with your credit card points

What Makes Rakuten Special

What sets Rakuten apart from other shopping portals is its unique ability to earn either American Express Membership Rewards points or cash back.

This is a major advantage for anyone looking to boost their travel rewards, as American Express Membership Rewards points can be transferred to over 20 airline and hotel partners.

Unlike portals that are tied to a single loyalty program, Rakuten provides flexibility – allowing you to use your points for flights, hotels, or even premium cabin upgrades.

It also offers one of the largest selections of partner stores in the industry, making it easy to earn points on almost every online purchase.

With frequent bonus events, no hidden fees, and a seamless user experience, Rakuten is a top choice for travelers who want to maximize value on every dollar they spend.

Chase Ultimate Rewards® Shopping Portal

The Chase Ultimate Rewards® shopping portal is a must-use tool for anyone who holds a Chase credit card that earns Ultimate Rewards points. By starting your online shopping through the Chase portal, you can earn bonus points at popular retailers.

These points are in addition to the points earned with your credit card, making it easy to grow your rewards balance faster.

Note: From the Chase Ultimate Rewards® home page, select “Shopping & Experience” in the header navigation, then “shop & earn bonus points” to access the Chase shopping portal.

Main Features

• Earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points on purchases from hundreds of top retailers
• Available to cardholders with Chase cards that earn Ultimate Rewards, such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve®, Chase Freedom Flex®, and Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
• Easy-to-navigate portal through your Chase account
• Retailers include Apple, Nike, Walmart, Adidas, Staples, and more
• Offers often range from 1x to 15x bonus points, with higher rates during promotions
• Portal points stack with the points earned from your Chase card for double rewards

What Makes Chase Ultimate Rewards Special

What makes this portal stand out is the value and flexibility of Ultimate Rewards points.

These points can be redeemed for travel, cash back, gift cards, or transferred to airline and hotel partners.

When paired with premium cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve®, points can be worth up to 50% more when redeemed through the Chase travel portal.

Unlike portals that earn airline miles tied to a single program, Chase points can be moved to travel partners like United Airlines, Southwest, Hyatt, and Air Canada Aeroplan, giving you access to a wide variety of redemptions.

This flexibility makes Ultimate Rewards one of the most valuable point currencies in the travel space.

Chase also regularly rotates its list of featured stores and bonus rates, so checking in often can help you catch some high-value opportunities – especially around the holidays or major sale events.

American Airlines AAdvantage eShopping

The American Airlines AAdvantage eShopping portal is a fantastic way to boost your AAdvantage miles without flying. By starting your online purchases through this portal, you earn American Airlines miles on top of the miles or points you already earn from your credit card.

It is a simple way to keep your AAdvantage account active and build toward your next award flight.

Main Features

• Earn AAdvantage miles on purchases from over 1,200 online stores
• Works with well-known retailers like Macy’s, Samsung, Home Depot, Booking.com, and Lululemon
• Free to join with no cost to use
• Sign-up bonuses are available for new users (often 500–1,000 bonus miles after your first purchase)
• Frequent promotional offers and seasonal spending bonuses
• Easily track your mileage earnings and progress toward bonus offers in your account dashboard

What Makes AAdvantage eShopping Special

What sets the AAdvantage eShopping portal apart is its direct link to one of the most robust airline loyalty programs in the U.S.

The portal often features limited-time promotions, such as earning bonus miles after spending a certain amount in a set period. These promos can add up quickly and are especially useful if you are working toward elite status or want to top off your AAdvantage balance.

Another major benefit is that miles earned through the AAdvantage eShopping portal also count as Loyalty Points, which are used to qualify for AAdvantage elite status.

This means that your online shopping can not only earn miles for flights but also help you unlock elite benefits like free upgrades, preferred seating, and priority boarding. For frequent shoppers, this can be an easy way to climb the status ladder without stepping on a plane.

Additionally, the portal can help you extend the life of your AAdvantage miles.

Making a small purchase through the portal resets the expiration clock (currently 24 months), which is helpful for keeping your balance active.

With American Airlines being part of the Oneworld alliance, the miles earned through this portal can be used for award flights on international partners like Qatar Airways, British Airways, and Japan Airlines.

That opens the door to some high-value redemptions, especially in Business Class cabins

United MileagePlus® Shopping

The United MileagePlus® Shopping portal is a great way to earn United Airlines miles on everyday online purchases. By clicking through this free portal before you shop, you earn bonus miles at a wide range of retailers.

It is one of the easiest ways to build your United balance without stepping foot on a plane.

Main Features

• Earn United MileagePlus miles at over 1,100 online retailers
• Popular partner stores include Apple, Nike, Kohl’s, Expedia, and Ulta
• Free to sign up and easy to use
• Regular bonus mile promotions, such as earning extra miles after spending a set amount
• Useful for keeping your MileagePlus miles active (miles do not expire for most members, but shopping can still help maintain activity)
• Simple dashboard for tracking earnings and promotional progress

What Makes United MileagePlus Shopping Special

What makes this portal especially valuable is its strong tie to the Star Alliance network, giving you access to dozens of global airline partners through your United miles.

That means the miles you earn by buying clothes or electronics can eventually be redeemed for flights across Europe, Asia, South America, and more.

United also frequently runs seasonal bonus events, where you can earn thousands of extra miles by spending a certain amount during a promotional window. These events are especially useful if you are planning several purchases, like during the holidays or back-to-school season.

Another perk is that you can stack these portal miles with Chase Ultimate Rewards points if you also hold a United Airlines co-branded credit card – a powerful combo for anyone focused on growing their United mileage balance.

Delta SkyMiles® Shopping

The Delta SkyMiles® Shopping portal gives you a simple and effective way to earn Delta miles on your everyday online purchases.

By clicking through the portal before you shop, you can collect extra miles from a large list of popular stores – all without spending anything extra.

Main Features

• Earn Delta SkyMiles from over 1,000 retailers
• Partners include stores like Best Buy, The Home Depot, Old Navy, Groupon, and Expedia
• Free to join with quick setup
• Sign-up bonuses often available for new users (typically 500 – 1,000 miles after your first purchase)
• Seasonal spending promotions and limited-time offers to earn even more miles
• Easy-to-use portal interface and earnings tracker

What Makes Delta SkyMiles Shopping Special

What makes this portal especially appealing is its integration with one of the most traveler-friendly mileage programs in the U.S.

Delta SkyMiles do not expire, which makes the miles you earn through shopping even more valuable over time. Whether you are planning a domestic getaway or a long-haul international trip, these miles can help reduce your out-of-pocket travel costs.

Delta often runs portal-wide promotions that reward you with bonus miles after hitting a spending threshold – usually during holiday shopping seasons or special events.

These offers are stackable with miles earned from individual stores and credit card purchases, which makes it easy to earn big in a short period.

Also, by using this portal consistently, you can earn enough SkyMiles to help with flight redemptions, seat upgrades, or even Delta gift cards.

It is a smart way to keep your SkyMiles balance growing in the background.

Tips To Maximize Your Earnings

Using a shopping portal is one of the easiest ways to earn extra points and miles, but a few smart habits can help you get even more value out of every purchase.

These tips will make sure you are not leaving any rewards on the table.

Compare Payout Rates Before You Shop

Before clicking through a portal, take a minute to check which one offers the best return. Different portals offer different payout rates for the same store.

A tool like Cashback Monitor lets you quickly compare rewards across multiple portals.

This small step can mean the difference between earning 2 miles per dollar or 8 miles per dollar.

Stack Rewards With A Points-Earning Credit Card

Always pay with a credit card that earns travel rewards to double up on your earnings.

For example, if you use a card that earns 3x points per dollar on online shopping, and you shop through a portal offering 5x points per dollar, you will earn 8 total points per dollar.

Choosing the right card for the purchase category can help you earn even more.

Use Browser Extensions To Stay Alert

Many portals offer browser extensions that remind you when rewards are available.

Extensions from Rakuten, United MileagePlus Shopping, American Airlines AAdvantage eShopping, and others pop up while you are browsing, so you do not miss an opportunity.

With one click, you can activate your rewards and stay on track.

Take Advantage Of Sign-Up Bonuses And Referrals

New users can often earn welcome bonuses just for signing up and making a qualifying purchase – sometimes 500 to 1,000 bonus miles or $30 worth of points (3,000 Amex Membership Rewards points) on Rakuten.

Some portals also offer referral bonuses when you invite friends to join.

These quick wins can give your rewards balance an immediate boost.

By following these simple tips, you can maximize every online purchase and move even faster toward your next free flight, hotel stay, or travel upgrade.

Final Thoughts

Earning travel rewards does not always require flying or staying at hotels.

With just a few extra clicks, shopping portals can help you collect valuable points, miles, or both from purchases you were planning to make anyway.

Whether you are loyal to Delta, United, or American Airlines, or prefer flexible rewards like Chase Ultimate Rewards or Amex Membership Rewards, there is a portal that fits your strategy.

The key is to build a simple habit – always start your online shopping through a rewards portal or leverage the browser extensions to never miss a deal.

Then, stack those rewards with a good travel credit card and look out for seasonal promotions to accelerate your earnings. Over time, this small shift in how you shop can lead to big rewards like free flights, hotel stays, and even upgrades.

If you have not already, sign up for a few of these portals now and bookmark them for easy access. Install the browser extensions, compare rates when shopping, and be on the lookout for bonus offers.

Every purchase is an opportunity to earn more.

With the right tools and habits, your next online order could bring you one step closer to your next trip.

But what have we missed on this list? Is there a shopping portal you always go to and use? Share your favorite in our free community of travel enthusiasts like yourself.

Hunter Threadgill