Airline Shopping Portals
Shop through an airline's own portal and the rebate arrives as frequent flyer miles rather than cash. For anyone saving toward a specific award seat, miles can beat the equivalent percentage back, and rates climb during promotions. Hotel chains once ran the same thing and nearly all of them closed their malls years ago, so in practice this category is airlines plus one hotel booking site. Each portal covers a few hundred US retailers with overlapping but not identical rates, which is why it pays to check two before clicking. Retailer count and typical miles per dollar at everyday stores lead the ranking, with how quickly miles post as the tiebreak.
- 1
A hotel booking platform where travelers choose their airline loyalty program and earn airline miles or points on hotel stays based on the nightly rate.
- 2
A unified shopping portal for Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines members where clicking through to over 1,100 online stores earns Atmos points.
- 3
An online shopping portal where Delta SkyMiles members earn miles by clicking through to over 1,000 retail partners before making purchases.
- 4
Southwest's online shopping portal where Rapid Rewards members accumulate points by clicking through to over 1,100 retail merchants before making purchases.
- 5
United Airlines' shopping portal with 1,100+ retail partners where MileagePlus members earn bonus award miles on purchases by shopping through the portal.
- 6
American Airlines' online shopping portal connecting over 1,200 retail partners where AAdvantage members earn bonus miles on purchases by clicking through before shopping.
- 7
JetBlue's online shopping portal where TrueBlue members earn points by clicking through to many retail partners and making purchases.
Frequently asked questions
How do airline shopping portals differ from standard cashback sites?
Instead of receiving cash back, you earn frequent flyer miles or loyalty points toward award seats. This is often more valuable for travelers working toward a specific flight redemption.
Can I earn airline miles by booking a hotel stay?
Yes. Platforms like Rocketmiles allow you to choose your specific airline loyalty program to earn miles based on your hotel nightly rate.
Do I need to be a member of an airline to use these portals?
Yes, most of these services are designed for existing members of specific loyalty programs like Delta SkyMiles, AAdvantage, or TrueBlue. You use your membership to accumulate points or miles on your purchases.
How many retailers can I shop with through these portals?
The variety is quite large, with most portals offering access to over 1,000 or 1,100 different online stores. Some options, like AAdvantage eShopping, connect you to more than 1,200 retail partners.
Is there a specific way I must shop to ensure I get my points?
You must click through the specific airline shopping portal to reach the retailer before you make your purchase. This ensures the transaction is tracked so your miles or points are credited to your account.