While maximizing points and miles for your family, there’s no reason to keep the funniest family members out of the fun.
Whether you have a point pup or a first-class feline, there are plenty of ways to replace monthly orders for food, toys, pet supplies, and more on your next vacation (we’re not responsible for what your pets might do when they see your suitcase coming out. is — again).
Earn maximum points and miles on pet food purchases
One of the best shopping revolutions of the 21st century is getting 40-pound bags of pet food delivered to our door. Online shopping (and strong delivery people). Fortunately, when you order pet food and other supplies online, you can easily earn rewards just as you do with most other online purchases.
Buy through online portal
The fastest way to find out how many points or miles you can earn per dollar for your online pet food orders cashbackmonitor.com And find the online shopping portal that offers the most points, miles or cash back per dollar where you want to shop. These rates can and do change, so check each time, but some current examples include:
- Petco: 1 mile per dollar spent through American Airlines AAdvantage and United Airlines MileagePlus
- Walmart: Up to 3.5 miles per dollar spent with American AA Advantage
- Chewy: 1 mile per dollar spent through United MileagePlus, Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan, Delta Air Lines SkyMiles, American AA Advantage and Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards.
Related: Guide to Maximizing Online Shopping Portals
Maximum cash back and 0% APR on pet purchases
To maximize her pet-related purchases, she makes a habit of checking current offers on them Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express and Chase Sapphire Reserve® to earn cash back and points every time she buys something.
On top of this, she also shops through Rakuten, a cash-back shopping portal that offers solid reward rates. During Christmas 2023, Rakuten featured 20% cashback on all purchases made with PetSmart. So, she bought $80 worth of goodies for her pup and got $16 cash back.
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Unfortunately, emergencies can happen to your pets, and if you don’t have pet insurance, this can create a hefty vet bill. However, credit cards can play an important role here, as many offer an initial 0% annual percentage rate on purchases for a period after opening.
Nick Ewen, director of content at TPG, used this exact strategy with his dog Winston, who underwent emergency surgery to remove a mass on his spleen:
Winston is part of our family, so there is no question that we will do everything we can to help him. However, rather than dip into our savings to cover the cost of the procedure and its recovery (which is expected to be close to $5,000), I used my new Chase Freedom Unlimited®, which offers 0% APR on purchases for the first 15 months. is (Variable APR of 19.99%-28.74% then applies). This allows me to fit a manageable monthly payment into my budget and still earn valuable rewards in the process.
Check out the United MileagePlus X app
You can earn United miles by purchasing electronic gift cards instantly in the United MileagePlus X app. For example, if you’re shopping at Petco and your total is $85.84, you can open your app and instantly purchase a Petco gift card for that exact amount and bonus miles by paying at the register with your new gift card. can earn This also works when paying for online orders.
In addition to Petco, you’ll often find opportunities to earn bonus miles at pet-friendly shopping destinations like Walmart, Sam’s Club and more in the app. Holders of a United Airlines credit card, such as the United℠ Explorer Card, receive a 25% bonus on miles earned through the app.
Stack and save on Amazon
If you order your pet supplies through Amazon, there are many ways to save money and save money. First, set up Amazon Subscription For discounts on things like dog or cat food, treats and more.
Next, you’ll want to stock up on Amazon gift cards to really maximize your earnings. You can buy Amazon gift cards at US supermarkets American Express® Gold Card To earn 4 Membership Rewards points per dollar spent on those purchases (on purchases up to $25,000 per calendar year, 1 point per dollar thereafter).
Alternatively, you can use the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card to purchase Amazon Gift Cards at an office supply store and earn 5% cash back (on the first $25,000 in combined purchases each account anniversary year). The Prime Visa card is also an option that offers 5% back on Amazon purchases.
Related: Best Credit Cards to Use for Amazon Purchases
Save money on pet supplies
In addition to earning points or miles, your Rewards credit cards can help you save money on pet expenses. Two main ways to save money thanks to your card are Amex offers and Chase offers. To check what offers are available on your cards, log into your account and find the offers section. Some offers are targeted.
Once you add an offer to your card, you can use your card to automatically save money or earn bonus points. Certain pet-related offers come and go; Previous offers TPG employees have seen include:
- Barkbox: 10% Cashback (via Chase Offers)
- Kriser’s natural pet: 10% Cashback (via Chase Offers)
The best credit cards for pet expenses
For everything from vet visits and boarding to supplies and medications, owning a pet can easily cost tens of thousands, if not thousands, of dollars per year. It pays to use an eligible credit card for pet expenses. For charges that fall outside the regular credit card bonus categories, such as vet checkups and grooming appointments, a A solid everyday credit card is probably your best choice for pet expenses. Some of our suggestions include:
For online purchases, may be the best choice Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Credit CardWhich offers 3% returns on your choice of rotating categories, one of which is online shopping (up to $2,500 per quarter, then 1%).
The bottom line
This TPG Points Pups (or, at least, their “paverants”) stack many of these opportunities to turn dog treats into beach retreats. Once your pups are helping to earn all those points and miles, it’s only fair to figure out how to take them along on your next vacation.