Spring is blooming, meaning Mother’s Day is right around the corner. It’s this Sunday — so if you haven’t ordered your flowers or picked out a gift yet, time is running short.
While it’s obviously not the main priority, you can even earn bonus points or cash back if you play your cards right. Here are four strategies to maximize your Mother’s Day purchases.
Earn up to 25 miles per dollar on flowers
If you’re ordering flowers online and can secure a last-minute delivery slot, you can earn a hefty haul of bonus miles on your purchase. All you need to do is click through the major flower websites via the following links to place your order:
- 1-800-Flowers: Earn 7 Alaska Airlines miles per dollar
- 1-800-Flowers: Earn 8 American Airlines miles per dollar
- 1-800-Flowers: Earn 20 American Express Membership Rewards points (or 20% cash back) per dollar via Rakuten
- 1-800-Flowers: Earn 7 Southwest Airlines points per dollar
- FTD: Earn 10 Alaska Airlines miles per dollar
- FTD: Earn 12 American Airlines miles per dollar
- FTD: Earn 20 Membership Rewards points (or 20% cash back) per dollar via Rakuten
- FTD: Earn 25 United Airlines miles per dollar
- ProFlowers: Earn 10 Alaska Airlines miles per dollar
- ProFlowers: Earn 12 American Airlines miles per dollar
- ProFlowers: Earn 8 Delta Air Lines miles per dollar
- ProFlowers: Earn 25 Membership Rewards points (or 25% cash back) per dollar via Rakuten
- ProFlowers: Earn 7 United Airlines miles per dollar
- Teleflora Flowers: Earn 3 Alaska Airlines miles per dollar
- Teleflora Flowers: Earn 3.5 American Airlines miles per dollar
- Teleflora Flowers: Earn 15 Membership Rewards points (or 15% cash back) per dollar via Rakuten
- UrbanStems: Earn 7 Alaska Airlines miles per dollar
- UrbanStems: Earn 8 American Airlines miles per dollar
- UrbanStems: Earn 15 Membership Rewards points (or 15% cash back) per dollar via Rakuten
- UrbanStems: Earn 5 United Airlines miles per dollar
Note that flower purchases don’t trigger common category bonuses, so you’ll want to pay with a card that offers the best return for everyday spending, such as the Chase Freedom Unlimited® or Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card.
Related: You can still book these Mother’s Day hotel packages for a relaxing getaway
Earn miles shopping for gifts
Flowers aren’t your only opportunity to pick up some extra points or miles. You can also use online shopping portals to earn bonus rewards on other gifts. Remember that the miles you earn here are in addition to the points and miles you earn for paying with a rewards credit card.
Several popular retailers are offering boosted earning rates in honor of the holiday, including:
Macy’s
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Adidas
Under Armour
Saks Fifth Avenue
Remember, if you have The Platinum Card® from American Express, use the up-to-$50 statement credit to save even more money. Enrollment is required for select benefits.
Bloomingdale’s
Bed Bath & Beyond
Your best bet would be to use a shopping portal aggregator site like Cashback Monitor to compare returns and help determine which portal to use for a particular retailer.
Some shopping programs even allow you to earn bonus points and miles for in-store shopping — like this set of retailers through Alaska’s portal. You’ll need to link your credit card and activate offers individually to earn rewards for in-store shopping.
Related: The best travel gifts to buy for Mother’s Day
Earn points on brunch
If you plan on treating your mother to brunch — whether it be dining out or ordering in — make sure to pay with a credit card that will award you bonus points on dining. Here are some of the best cards to consider:
The information for the Amex Green Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
You can double dip on these meals and earn even more miles if the restaurant participates in a dining rewards network.
In addition to the rewards listed above, dining credit cards could help you get exclusive access to reservations at certain restaurants and free or discounted food delivery.
Save with promo codes and offers
Several retailers participating in online shopping portals are also currently featured in some Amex Offers and Chase Offers. So, you may be able to save on your Mother’s Day purchases and still earn bonus miles.
For instance, there is currently an Amex Offer on my Amex Platinum for 1-800-Flowers purchases. If I spend $50 or more, I get $15 back. Therefore, I could potentially stack this card offer with a shopping portal to earn even more Membership Rewards points.
My Chase Sapphire Reserve card also offers a cash-back deal at 1-800-Flowers. So, be sure to check your credit card deals to help save money when shopping.
However, always make sure to read the fine print. Sometimes certain promo codes may disqualify your order from earning extra rewards through Amex Offers or an online shopping portal.
Related: Points and miles travel deals for May
Bottom line
There are many ways to earn valuable points and miles when you make your Mother’s Day purchases. If you’re strategic, you can potentially double or even triple dip your rewards. Just be sure to order your gifts soon so they arrive in time!
