How To Keep Earning Lots Of Points Beyond Your Card’s Welcome Bonus

Credit card welcome bonuses can give your points balance a big boost — especially when you hit a high bonus like 50,000 points or more. But that excitement can fade once the annual fee kicks in, making you question if the card is still worth it. By using the card strategically and maximizing ongoing rewards, you may find it still pays off.

Check out six ways to keep earning lots of points beyond the welcome bonus.

1. Maximize credit card category bonuses

Category bonuses are a powerful way to earn more points on everyday spending — especially when earning 2 to 5 points per dollar spent on major expenses like groceries, gas and dining. However, not all points have equal value, so it’s important to choose a rewards program that offers you the best value.

Usually, when it comes to category spending bonuses, cash back cards offer predictable value, and cards with transferable points — like Citi ThankYou — can be even more rewarding if you leverage travel partners. Below are some of the top cards offering high rewards in popular spending categories.

• Gas
  

  Using one of the best credit cards for gas spending will translate to more points earned at the pump. Here are some cards to consider if you put a lot of miles on your vehicle:

• Grocery
  

  Grocery spending is a significant expense for most people, and credit card issuers know it. That’s why you can find boosted earnings for grocery spending on many cards that earn points, miles and cash back. American Express typically dominates this category with generous rewards rates, but other cards are worth considering, too.

• Dining
  

  Whether you’re living on takeout or treating yourself to a nice restaurant every few months, dining can be a lucrative spending category for earning bonus points. Some of the best credit cards for dining offer up to 6X points when you swipe your card at restaurants, drive-thrus and other dining establishments.

  Here’s a look at some cards that let you earn big on restaurant spending:

  • Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card: Earn 6X Hilton Honors points per dollar spent at U.S. restaurants.
  • American Express® Gold Card: Earn 4X Membership Rewards points on dining, takeout and delivery. These points can be transferred to travel partners.
  • Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card: Earn 3 percent cash back on dining.
  • Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Earn 3X Chase Ultimate Rewards points on dining. These points can be transferred to travel partners.

2. Add an authorized user (or two)

Adding authorized users to your credit card can help you earn extra points beyond the welcome bonus. Issuers like American Express, Bank of America and Citi periodically offer bonus points for doing so. Citi, for instance, has previously targeted its Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®* cardholders with 2,500-point offers per authorized user.

To boost your chances of receiving these offers, make sure you’ve opted in to promotional emails from your issuer. It’s a smart way to earn thousands of additional points with minimal effort.

3. Spend money through shopping portals

Shopping online is convenient — and thanks to airline and hotel shopping portals, it can also earn you bonus points. Most major domestic airlines (and some hotels) offer portals where you’ll earn at least 1 point per dollar at popular retailers, and sometimes there are bonus incentives when you meet certain spending thresholds. These rewards are on top of your credit card earnings.

The best way to figure out which portals pay out the highest bonuses is to head to Cashback Monitor and enter the name of the merchant you want to shop with. Cashback Monitor will populate a list of all shopping portals and their current payouts at that merchant. Results include airline, hotel and cash back portals so you can decide which one is more lucrative.

Shopping portals can help you earn lots of miles and points beyond your credit card welcome bonus. They’re great for earning rewards on essential purchases and keeping miles from expiring if you don’t have an airline credit card.

4. Sign up for dining rewards

Dining rewards programs, like shopping portals, offer an easy way to earn extra points or miles beyond your welcome bonus. Many airlines and hotels offer these programs, allowing you to earn rewards simply by registering a credit card and dining at participating restaurants. Some may also require a brief post-meal survey.

Using a card that earns bonus points on dining can boost your rewards even more. Plus, many programs offer new member bonuses of 500 to 6,000 points after you spend a set amount within a certain timeframe.

Available programs and rewards rates

Here’s a breakdown of some airline and hotel dining programs currently available, along with their new member bonuses:

All dining rewards programs operate under the Rewards Network, which means you can’t register the same credit card with multiple programs. However, you can join several programs if you have multiple credit cards for dining out — just register each card for a different program. To maximize rewards, time your registration to coincide with bonus offers.

5. Earn the annual spending bonuses

While a credit card welcome bonus is the most significant points haul you’ll get from a single credit card, it’s not the only way to earn points in bulk. Some credit cards also allow you to earn an annual spending bonus. If you can manage to hit a certain spending threshold every year, you can earn thousands in bonus points or miles.

Here’s a look at some credit cards that offer an annual spending bonus:

6. Refer a friend or family member

Referring friends and family can pay off if you’re trying to earn more cash back, points or miles. Many issuers, such as Amex, Capital One, Chase and Discover, offer referral bonuses that typically range from $50 to 20,000 points per successful referral.

However, you may be targeted for higher offers depending on your credit card and standing with a particular bank. While limits apply, your total annual referral bonuses can rival a welcome offer. For details on current offers, check out our credit card referral bonus guide.

The bottom line

It can be tough to justify keeping a card after the welcome bonus, but before canceling, try maximizing its ongoing value — as you can still earn strong rewards with strategic use. If it still doesn’t meet your needs, consider using our CardMatch™ tool to find a card that better fits your lifestyle, rewards goals and spending habits.

*Information about the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® and IHG Rewards Premier Card has been collected independently by Bankrate.com. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.