How to Earn Credit Card Points Fast: 10 Certified Ways

1. Hit Minimum Spend Requirement on Credit Card Sign-up Bonuses

The quickest way to earn a ton of points is through credit card sign-up bonuses. Travel cards, especially the good ones, offer these bonuses where you can score a large chunk of points just for signing up. But there’s a catch—you usually need to hit a minimum spending requirement within a set time frame, usually 3 to 6 months, to actually get those points.

If you’re going for this strategy, I recommend timing it around a big purchase so you know you’ll meet that spending requirement. Also, put everything on your new card during that time—groceries, gas, whatever. Trust me, the last thing you want is to get stuck with a new credit card and annual fees without those sweet bonus points.

Pro tip: When searching for a credit card sign-up bonus, try checking in different browsers. Sometimes, you’ll see different point offers depending on where you’re looking. And if you see a great bonus, snatch it up, because it might not pop up again.

For example, when I was signing up for my American Express Gold Card, I searched on my laptop, phone, both in regular and incognito browsers. I ended up snagging a 90,000-point bonus! So don’t skip this step—you could be leaving a ton of points on the table.

2. Credit Card Referral Bonus

Referrals are another super easy way to rack up credit card points fast. Basically, if you recommend someone to sign up for a card, the bank rewards you with points because you’re sending them new business.

It’s as simple as sending your friend or family member your unique referral link. If they sign up using your link, you’ll get a nice chunk of credit card bonus points—sometimes anywhere from 10,000 to 30,000 points. For example, I once got a bonus of 30,000 points for referring for my American Express Gold Card, but now it’s dropped to 15,000. So, these offers can fluctuate depending on the card company.

Pro tip: If you have a travel buddy, refer them to the same card. They’ll get the sign-up bonus, and you’ll score the referral points. It’s a win-win!

3. Add an Authorized User

Adding an authorized user to your credit card account is another fast way to earn credit card points. An authorized user is someone you allow to use your card for their purchases. Some credit card companies will reward you with bonus points just for adding someone, making it an easy boost to your points balance.

For example, American Express has run promotions offering targeted bonuses of 10,000 points for adding an authorized user. But remember, these “targeted” offers aren’t available to everyone, so if you get one, it’s a golden opportunity to snag some extra points.

Heads-up: some cards might charge an extra fee for adding an authorized user, and you might need to meet a minimum spending requirement to earn the bonus. So, it’s worth weighing these factors to see if the points are worth the potential cost.

4. Credit Card Retention Offers

A credit card retention offer is basically the bank’s way of sweetening the deal to keep you as a customer. They might offer you bonus points or waive your annual fee to keep you around. Both are pretty awesome perks, if you ask me!

To score one of these offers, just give your bank a call and say something like, “Hey, I’m thinking about canceling my credit card. Do you have any retention offers for me?” If talking on the phone isn’t your jam, many banks also offer live chat where you can ask for a retention deal. Check out Going for a script you can use if you plan to use this strategy.

Keep in mind that sometimes there might not be any offers available on your account. If you’re not ready to make a decision yet, just let the bank know you need more time to think about it. Banks don’t want to lose you as a customer, so they’re often willing to make a deal to keep you around.

5. Utilize Co-branded Tavel Credit Cards

A co-branded travel credit card is like a partnership between a bank and an airline or hotel chain. For instance, the Alaska Airlines credit card is co-branded with Bank of America. If you’re looking to earn credit card points fast for a specific airline or hotel, a co-branded card could be a great option.

These cards often come with a sign-up bonus, but you’ll need to hit certain spending targets within a set timeframe to earn those points. Just remember, the points you earn are typically tied to that specific airline or hotel chain. So, if you have an American Airlines Visa, you’ll use your points exclusively for American Airlines flights.

List of popular co-branded credit cards:

• Alaska Airlines/Bank of America
• American Airlines/CitiBank
• Delta Airlines/American Express
• Hilton Honors/American Express
• Hyatt Hotels/Chase Bank
• Mariott Hotels/Chase Bank & American Express
• Southwest Airlines/Chase bank
• United Airlines/Chase Bank

6. Use Online Shopping Portals

Another great way to earn extra credit card points is by shopping through online portals provided by banks and airlines. These portals feature major retailers, and the point bonuses can range from 2% to a whopping 40% on your purchases. It’s a win because you’re earning extra points on stuff you were going to buy anyway.

Another cool trick is using the app Rakuten. While Rakuten is known for cash-back, you can tweak your settings to earn American Express points instead, which can be even more valuable. For example, let’s say you’re buying a $30 face toner from Sephora, and Rakuten is offering 5% cash-back. You’d earn $1.50 in cash-back. But if you switch your settings to earn Amex points, you’ll get 150 points instead.

Pro Tip: Once you switch from earning Amex points to cash-back on Rakuten you cannot go back to earning points, so make sure it’s what you want.

I also recommend using Cashback Monitor. It’s a handy site where you can type in the store you’re shopping from and see a list of cash-back offers from various apps, credit cards, and shopping portals. It’s a great way to make sure you’re getting the best deal on your purchases!

7. Maximize Daily Credit Card Spend

When I say, “maximize daily credit card spend,” I’m talking about making the most of your credit cards to accumulate points quickly. The idea is to use the card that offers the best point valuation for each type of purchase.

For example, if you need to buy groceries, gas, and book a hotel today, here’s how you might do it: use your American Express Gold card for groceries to earn 4x points, your Alaska Airlines card for gas to get 2x points, and your Chase Sapphire Preferred for booking the hotel to earn 3x points. By strategically choosing which card to use for each type of spending, you’ll maximize your points and get the most value from your credit cards.

8. Get Reimbursed by Friends

Another way to quickly earn credit card points fast is by getting reimbursed by friends. If your friends aren’t into points and miles yet, this can be a great strategy. For example, if you’re going on a group vacation or out for a big dinner, you can offer to pay with your credit card. This way, you earn all the points while your friends pay you back.

A Heads-up: this method might not be ideal if you’re worried about losing money. If it’s tough to track down your friends to get reimbursed, you could end up paying out of pocket. And honestly, that’s not worth the points.

9. Credit Card Points for Paying Rent

Some credit cards, like the BILT Mastercard, let you pay your rent with them. Since rent is a major expense, it’s a fantastic opportunity to earn points. If your rent is $2,500 per month, using a card that allows rent payments could potentially earn up to 30,000 points annually just from paying your rent. It’s a no-brainer way to earn your points quickly and make the most of your everyday expenses.

10. Credit Card Points Transfer Bonus

A credit card transfer bonus is a sweet deal where an airline or bank gives you extra points if you transfer your points to their program. For instance, KLM’s Flying Blue program once offered a 25% bonus for transferring points from Capital One. So, if you transferred 100,000 points, you’d get an additional 25,000 points—pretty awesome!

Wondering where to find these transfer bonuses? I recommend checking out Doctor of Credit’s Deal Calendar, where the deals for the month are posted. They keep a list of current transfer bonuses and deals for the entire month. It’s an awesome resource to help you make the most of your points and maximize your credit card rewards quickly.