Alaska Airlines has added the ability to earn miles for purchases made in store at some select retailers when using a linked credit or debit card. Traditionally shopping portals have only worked on online purchases, but recently United added this same functionality and Ebates has offered it for some time. Ebates now owns most of the major airline shopping portals after acquiring Cartera so I suspect these airline portals will also add this functionality in the near future:
- American Airlines
- Delta
- Southwest
- USAA
Some important things to keep in mind. You need to save each offer individually, linking your card is not enough. You also have to save it each time you want to use it, so no setting and forgetting as you’d do with a dining program. This program is run via Rakuten Card Link Offer Network, Inc. (RCLON). Previously it was possible to link both United & Ebates, but I don’t think triple dipping will continue to work. I’ll add this to the complete list of card linked rewards programs.
Hat tip to reader AS
View Comments (2)
I linked a Claim Jumper offer to the same card in BOTH United and Ebates, and I think I linked the United offer first (I think) BUT the Ebates linking superseded the United linking as far as I can tell because I received Ebates Cash Back but no United miles. I would imagine the same will be true of Alaska too.
Specifically for Claim Jumper, I'd earn 6 United miles/$ or 10% on Ebates. I'd rather have the United miles on a purely % return but also I'm way over 5/24 so no United card bonuses in my future.
And as for the Alaska In-store offers, there's no Claim Jumper (yet) so I can't check the triple dip there or even find out which airline gives a better return, bahh.
Got that email from AS and linked a card to a few stores. It's only possible to link V or AX. Another curious feature is the link working only for 1 shopping trip, which may contain multiple purchases (guess they imply a limited duration). After one use, the link will need to be repeated, if it's still available.