Maximizing points on large purchases is one of the fastest ways to earn more points, but simply swiping your card isn’t enough. To truly maximize your earnings, you need a strategic approach. Whether you’re buying furniture, booking travel, or making business-related purchases, the right credit card strategy is key.
By leveraging tips and tricks, you can earn maximum points on large purchases while unlocking valuable perks like elite status, free nights, and more.
In this guide, we’ll explore the best ways to maximize your points when making significant purchases, including using cards with high category bonuses, leveraging welcome bonuses, and utilizing third-party services to pay expenses that normally wouldn’t earn points.
If you’re planning a large purchase in a specific category, here’s how to optimize your spending:
- Use a card that earns higher category bonuses
- Consider a card that offers bonuses for meeting spending thresholds (like free nights, elite status, companion awards, etc.)
- Leverage the opportunity to earn a new credit card welcome bonus
- Use a third-party site to earn points on things you normally wouldn’t
- Stack shopping portals for extra rewards
Related: Points and miles beginner’s guide
Use credit cards with high category bonuses
Not all credit cards are equal when it comes to earning maximum points on large purchases. That’s why choosing the right card is key to maximizing large purchases. Some cards offer high category bonuses, meaning you earn more points per dollar spent in specific spending categories like dining, travel, or groceries.
Others offer flat-rate rewards that might be better suited for purchases that don’t fall into a bonus category. Here are some examples of high-category bonus cards:
Examples of cards with high category bonuses
- Chase Sapphire Reserve (3X points on travel and dining)
- American Express® Gold Card (4X on dining and groceries, up to $25,000 per year). Terms apply.
- Chase Ink Business Cash (5X on office supply stores and internet bills)
- Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express (6% cash back at U.S. Supermarkets, on up to $6,000 spent annually, then 1%). Terms apply
- Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card (2X miles on all purchases)
To optimize your rewards, use a card that offers both category bonuses and spend-based rewards on your spending. Furthermore, check if your credit card is offering any temporary spending incentives. For example, Citi is known to target cardholders with 5X bonus rewards on grocery, gas, and drugstore spending. It’s worth keeping an eye out for these periodic incentives before deciding which card to use for a large purchase.
Use cards with spending threshold bonuses
Many credit cards reward high spenders with additional perks or bonus points for reaching spending milestones. If you’re planning a large purchase, check if your card offers spend-based bonuses. Here are some examples:
- Chase Sapphire Preferred: Earns a 10% anniversary bonus on all spending.
- World of Hyatt Credit Card: Earn a free night after spending $15,000 per year. Plus, earn two elite night credits for every $5,000 spent.
- Barclay Advantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard: Earn a Companion Certificate good for 1 guest at $99 (plus taxes and fees) if you spend $20,000 on purchases and your account remains open for 45 days after your anniversary date. Plus, earn 1 Loyalty Point towards AAdvantage elite status for every dollar spent.
By strategically timing your spending, you can earn extra rewards on top of your regular points.
Leverage sign-up bonuses for maximum points
One of the best ways to maximize rewards on large purchases is to open up a new credit card with a generous welcome bonus. Some of the best credit cards offer incentives of 50,000 or more points, which you can redeem towards travel purchases or even cash back if that’s your vibe.
The best credit cards have spending requirements of $5,000 or more, which can be challenging if you’re on a budget. But if you’re about to make a big purchase, then it’s the perfect time to leverage that expense towards earning a new sign-up bonus that would otherwise be out of reach.
Here are some of the best current credit card offers you might want to consider if you have a big purchase coming up:
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card: Earn 175,000 bonus points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases within the first six months of Card Membership.
- The Business Platinum Card® from American Express: Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $20,000 in eligible purchases within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
- Capital One Venture X Business: Earn 150,000 miles once you spend $30,000 in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card: Earn 90,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months after account opening
- Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
- Citi Strata Premier℠ Card: Earn 75,000 bonus ThankYou points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening.
Sign-up bonuses can be worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars in travel rewards, making them one of the best ways to earn points on large purchases quickly.
Use third-party services to earn points on non-traditional expenses
Some large expenses, like rent, mortgage payments, and taxes, typically cannot be paid with a credit card—but third-party services like Plastiq and PayPal Bill Pay can help you earn points by allowing you to use a credit card for these transactions. Here’s how it works:
- Plastiq charges a 2.9% fee for processing payments with a credit card.
- This service lets you pay rent, mortgage, tuition, or other large bills while earning rewards.
- Some credit cards don’t count these transactions towards sign-up bonuses.
You can also pay your tax bill through designated vendors listed on the IRS website. These platforms charge a 1.75-1.88% fee on credit card transactions, which can be worth it if you earn a substantial welcome bonus and put the rewards to good use.
You don’t always have to use third-party services to pay for large purchases with a credit card. Last year, I wrote a viral article for Business Insider about using my credit card to pay for a new car purchase. My sister negotiated the price and then asked the dealership if they would let her use a credit card without paying a fee – they agreed and I earned a ton of points, Hyatt elite night credits and a free night award as a result.
Keep in mind that this method is only worthwhile if you pay your balance in full at the end of the month. The last thing you want to do is incur interest fees that outweigh the value of your points.
Shop through online shopping portals
Credit card issuers and airlines have online shopping portals that offer extra points on purchases made through their links. This is an easy way to earn extra points on large purchases from brands you already shop with. To maximize your shopping portals, use an aggregator like Cashback Monitor to find the highest rates.
Simply enter the name of the merchant you want to shop with and Cashback Monitor will show you the highest-paying shopping portals, based on the type of rewards you can earn: cash back, points/miles, credit card points and “other” rewards.
Examples of high-earning shopping portals include Rakuten. I also like to use the AAdvantage eShopping portal, which not only earns miles but Loyalty Points towards elite status. Shopping portals are a great way to “double dip” and stack extra rewards when making large purchases.
Note: If you use my Rakuten referral link to sign up, we’ll both earn $30 after you spend at least $30 through the portal.
Maximize rewards with gift cards
If you’re making a large purchase at a retailer that doesn’t earn bonus points, buying gift cards from a merchant that qualifies for a category bonus can be a great workaround. Here’s an example of how you can do this:
- Buy a Best Buy gift card at an office supply store using a Chase Ink Business Cash card (earns 5X points).
- Use that gift card at Best Buy to make your large purchase while earning extra rewards.
Keep in mind that if you purchase expensive items with a gift card, you give up valuable protections offered by credit cards. So I personally wouldn’t use this strategy for high-priced electronics, appliances or anything that’s bound to break down (and is expensive to replace).
Also, some credit card issuers will claw back points earned via “cash equivalent” purchases. American Express is known to be stringent about this.
Conclusion
Earning maximum points on large purchases requires strategic card selection and spending. By using the right credit card and pairing it with lucrative welcome offers, third-party services, and shopping portals, you can earn thousands more points on a single transaction.
Before making a large purchase, take a moment to plan your payment method—it can make a significant difference in how many rewards you earn. Whether you’re earning free flights, hotel stays, or cashback, following these strategies will help you maximize your return on large purchases.
Featured image by Pavel Danilyuk via Pexels
