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How to Earn Bonus Points and Miles in Q1 of 2021

Disclosure: Basic Travel Couple, LLC has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Basic Travel Couple, LLC and CardRatings and MileValue may receive a commission from card issuers. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

Note: Some of the offers mentioned below may have changed or are no longer available. The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of our partner offers may have expired. You can view our current offers here.

Welcome to 2021! WE MADE IT “cue the fireworks”. It goes without saying that 2020 was a long, long year and I am certainly looking forward to rebounding over the next 12 months. A new year equates to new opportunities to earn bonus points and miles. I’ll break down how to maximize your earnings all down below in this basic guide!

In this Basic Guide

  • Quarter One Spending Promotions
  • Targeted Spending Promotions
  • Other Spending Promotions
  • Annual/Monthly Credits

Quarter One Spending Promotions

Quarter one spending promotions are broken down by bank and credit card categories. These promotions we make sure to max out each and every quarter to earn bonus points and miles when you spend in those categories. Our favorites are the Chase Quarterly Categories where you can get up to an extra $300 per year per card if you max out each category each quarter.

Chase Bank

Chase Freedom & Chase Freedom Flex – Cardholders can earn 5X/5% on up to $1,500 in spend at Wholesale Clubs, on Internet, Cable, & Phone Services, and on Select Streaming Services. Cardholders need to opt-in to this promotion in order to receive bonus points.

$200 Bonus
Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
$200 Bonus
Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening

Discover Bank

Discover It Cashback – Cardholders can earn 5% on up to $1,500 in spend at Grocery Stores, CVS, and Walgreens. Cardholders do need to activate this promotion via the online banking portal.

US Bank

US Bank Cash+ – Cardholders can earn 5% on up to $2,000 in spend at your chosen category. Cardholders do need to activate this promotion via the online banking portal.

Citi

Citi Dividend – Cardholders can earn 5% on up to $300 earned in cashback in bonus categories per year. The quarter one categories are Amazon and Select Streaming Services. Cardholders do need to activate this promotion via the online banking portal.

Targeted Spending Promotions

Chase

Many co-branded Chase credit cards have been targeted for a 5% bonus earning opportunity for quarter one of 2021. The targeted offers are for 5X/5% on up to $1,500 spent at Grocery Stores, Gas Stations, and Drugstores. To see if your co-branded credit has been targeted, use this link.

5X IHG Targeted Spending Offer in January 2021

Examples of Chase Co-Branded Credit Cards that have been targeted include:

  • Southwest
  • IHG
  • Hyatt
  • Marriott
  • United
  • British Airways

Barclays

Barclays cardholders received targeted emails in November 2020 for a very generous spending offer. Targeted customers have the opportunity to earn up to $600/60,000 Miles via mixed spending.

  • 10X on up to $1,000 spend at Grocery Stores
  • 50,000 Points/Miles after spending $3,000
Earn $600 in cash rewards via Barclays Spending Offer – Ends January 2021

This offer ends on January 31st and does not require activation. In our basic household, my Cash Rewards and Lisa’s Arrival Plus card were both targeted for this offer. Many users of the Basic Travel Facebook Group reported that their Wyndham and American Airlines cards were targeted as well.

It’s important to note that this email can be lost easily. I was recently talking to my sister who was debating about product changing her Arrival Plus card and asked if she received the offer. She said no and I suggested that she do an email search. Sure enough, the email was there in her spam folder. That could have been a $600 mistake!

Citi

Citi has been sending out targeted spending offers over the last few months for online purchases. The ones that I have received are to earn 5% cashback on up to $500 spent at an online retailer. I suggest searching through your email (and spam) folder for these offers if you are a Citi credit cardholder.

Earn $25 cashback via Citi’s Targeted Spending Offer – January 2021

American Express

The Platinum Card® from American Express holders have received some tremendous spending offers via American Express Offers. Enrollment Required. There have been a wide variety of these offers being sent out and it appears that the users who have been targeted opened the Platinum Card prior to November 1st, 2020. The Amex Offers listed below expire on June 30th, 2021.

  • Best Buy (Earn up to $100)
  • Avis (Earn up to $150)
  • Home Depot (Earn up to $100)
  • Insta Card (Earn up to $100)
  • Home Chef (Earn up to $150)

Many The Business Platinum® Card from American Express holders have received a bonus spending offer if they opened the card prior to November 1st, 2020. This offer includes 4X bonus Membership Rewards points on up to $20,000 spend on the categories listed below. This spending offer also expires on June 30th, 2021. This offer has ended.

  • Gas
  • Office Supplies
  • Advertising
  • Shipping
  • Wireless
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Other Spending Promotions

Chase

Chase Sapphire Cards – The Chase Sapphire Reserve Card card will earn 3X on grocery purchases up to $1,000 spent per month through April 30th, 2021. The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card card will earn 2X on grocery purchases up to $1,000 spent per month through April 30th, 2021.

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2021 Credits

  • Chase Sapphire Reserve Card
    • Doordash – $60 Credit
  • Amex Platinum
    • Uber/Ubereats – you’ll receive $15 in Uber Cash to use on eligible orders with Uber Eats and rides with Uber in the US every month plus a bonus $20 in December, delivered through an exclusive Uber app experience. That’s up to $200 for Uber orders with Uber Eats and rides with Uber annually. 
    • Saks Credits – $50 twice per year. January through June and July through December for purchases at Saks Fifth Avenue or saks.com on your Platinum Card.®
    • $200 Airline Incidental Fee
    • Terms Apply
  • Amex Business Platinum
    • Dell Credits – Enroll and get up to $200 in statement credits semi-annually on U.S. purchases with Dell Technologies on the Business Platinum Card through 12/31/24. That’s up to $400 back.
    • $200 Airline Incidental Fee
    • Terms Apply
  • Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
    • $250 Airline Incidental Fee Enrollment Required
    • $250 Resort Credit
    • All information about Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card has been collected independently by basictravelcouple.com
  • Citi Prestige
    • $250 Travel Credit *Grocery and Dining charges count towards this credit during covid-19 as a temporary change

Basic Breakdown

When it comes to earning bonus points & miles, spending offers can be a lucrative option for padding your account. I am very much looking forward to planning 2021 travel and will certainly be subsidizing those future trips with the points & miles that I’ll be earning thanks to all of the generous offers I’ve received in 2021.

Let us know!

What is your favorite spending offer so far in 2021? 

I’d love to hear in the comments below or over in our 8,700+ Member Basic Travel Facebook Group!

More Basic Reading

For rates and fees for American Express cards mentioned in this post, please see the following links: The Platinum Card® from American Express (See Rates & Fees; terms apply); American Express® Gold Card (See Rates & Fees; terms apply); The Business Platinum® Card from American Express (See Rates & Fees; terms apply)

Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.

Disclosure: Basic Travel Couple, LLC has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Basic Travel Couple, LLC and CardRatings and MileValue may receive a commission from card issuers. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

The comments section below responses are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

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Top Credit Card Offers

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Chase Freedom Flexâ„ 

5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Enjoy new 5% categories each quarter! 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases. 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 19.74% - 28.49%.
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An easy-going, fun-loving couple who have a passion for adventure and exploring the world! Our strategies have saved us over $100,000 in travel over the last four years, and our goal is to help you do the same.

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