Father’s Day gifts: Tips for maximizing your points and miles on purchases

Father's Day is just around the corner—mark your calendars for June 16! If you haven't yet ordered gifts or made dining reservations, time is running out.

If you've already taken care of everything, congratulations on being more organized than most! But if you’re still getting started, there are excellent opportunities to earn points and miles while shopping for gifts or dining out with your dad.

Here are some effective strategies to help you make the most of your generous spending.

Earn rewards while shopping for gifts

Online shopping portals are incredibly effective tools for earning travel rewards and cash back. By starting your shopping journey with a portal, you'll be directed to the retailer's website, providing the same experience as shopping directly—only you'll earn additional rewards in the process.

The best part is that the rewards you gain through a shopping portal are in addition to the rewards earned from your credit card spending.

Here are some great shopping portal offers for potential Father's Day gifts that are currently available as of this publication date.

Bass Pro Shops

• Earn 6 JetBlue points for every dollar spent
• Receive 6% cash back through Active Junky
• Get 5% cash back via Mr. Rebates

Cabela's

• Earn 2 American Airlines miles for each dollar spent
• Receive 2 Southwest Airlines points per dollar
• Get 2.5 JetBlue points for every dollar spent
• Enjoy 8% cash back with Active Junky
• Receive 5% cash back through Mr. Rebates
• Get 4% cash back via TopCashback

Uncommon Goods

• Earn 2 Alaska Airlines miles for every dollar spent
• Receive 2 American Airlines miles per dollar
• Get 2 Southwest Airlines points for each dollar spent
• Earn 2 Ultimate Rewards points per dollar when shopping through Chase

Macy's

• Earn 8 Alaska Airlines miles for each dollar spent
• Get 6 American Airlines miles per dollar
• Receive 2 JetBlue points for every dollar spent
• Earn up to 3 Ultimate Rewards points per dollar at Shop Through Chase

Saks Fifth Avenue

• Receive 2 Membership Rewards points (or 2% cash back) per dollar through Rakuten
• Get 2% cash back with TopCashback
• Don’t forget to use the up-to-$50 bi-annual statement credit from your The Platinum Card® from American Express. Enrollment is required for select benefits.

Hugo Boss

• Earn 10 Membership Rewards points (or 10% cash back) via Rakuten
• Receive 7% cash back with Capital One Shopping
• Get 3 Ultimate Rewards points per dollar at Shop Through Chase
• Earn 3 Alaska Airlines miles for every dollar spent
• Receive 4 American Airlines miles per dollar
• Get 5 JetBlue points for each dollar spent
• Enjoy 10.5% cash back at FatCoupon
• Receive 8% cash back with TopCashback

Ace Hardware

• Get % cash back with Capital One Shopping
• Earn 9% cash back through BeFrugal
• Receive 2 Membership Rewards points (or 2% cash back) via Rakuten
• Get 1 Ultimate Rewards point per dollar at Shop Through Chase
• Earn 2 JetBlue points for each dollar spent

Since offers from shopping portals can change frequently, consider using a shopping portal aggregator like Cashback Monitor to compare returns and find the best portal for your gift purchases from specific retailers.

Earn rewards by attending sporting events and concerts

Tickets for sporting events and concerts can be purchased from various websites, each offering widely differing return rates. The returns listed below were accurate at the time of publication.

Vivid Seats

• Earn 3% cash back through Active Junky
• Get up to 4% cash back with TopCashback
• Receive up to 2 Membership Rewards points (or 2% cash back) via Rakuten

StubHub

• Earn 2 Ultimate Rewards points for every dollar spent at Shop Through Chase
• Receive up to 2 Membership Rewards points (or 2% cash back) via Rakuten
• Get 3% cash back with Capital One Shopping
• Enjoy 8% cash back through TopCashback
• Receive 8% cash back via Active Junky

Ticketmaster

• Earn up to 5% cash back with TopCashback
• Get up to 3 Membership Rewards points (or 3% cash back) through Rakuten

I also suggest utilizing a shopping portal aggregator to compare the latest offers from your chosen merchants.

Earn rewards when dining out

Whether you plan to brave the crowds for a Father's Day dinner or prefer to stay in and order takeout, ensure you're using the right credit card for your purchase. Many rewards cards provide bonus points on dining expenditures, such as:

• American Express® Gold Card: 4 points for every dollar spent at restaurants worldwide (up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar).
• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: 3 points per dollar spent on dining, which includes eligible delivery services and takeout.
• Chase Sapphire Reserve®: 10 points per dollar on Chase Dining purchases through Chase Ultimate Rewards when making prepaid restaurant reservations, ordering takeout, or participating in virtual cooking events; 3 points per dollar on other dining, including eligible delivery services and takeout.
• Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card: 6 points per dollar spent at U.S. restaurants, covering takeout and delivery.

If you hold the Chase Freedom Flex®, remember that dining is one of the bonus categories this quarter. Instead of the standard 3% cash back on dining, you'll earn 7% cash back (or 7 points per dollar) through the end of June on up to $1,500 in combined purchases (activation needed).

If your selected restaurant is part of any airline or hotel dining rewards programs, you can accumulate even more points or miles by using a card linked to your account.

Save with promotional codes and credit card deals

Certain rewards cards provide exclusive statement credits and bonus rewards on various purchases, from retail and dining to travel and events. It’s a good idea to check for any beneficial offers that might apply to your Father's Day shopping.

These offers can often be combined with a shopping portal, providing an excellent opportunity to gain additional savings or bonus rewards.

For instance, here are some of my current Chase offers that could be useful for Father's Day.

I also have a selection of Amex Offers that may assist me in saving money or earning extra points on Father's Day gifts.

These offers have limited eligibility. You must enroll in the Amex Offers section of your account before you can redeem them.

Additionally, consider exploring apps like DoorDash and Uber Eats, which now deliver a variety of nonfood items. For instance, the Office Depot section on DoorDash features products from office chairs to desk lamps. Check the "Deals" page to see current discounts.

It's important to keep in mind that using promotional codes may sometimes prevent you from earning bonus rewards through shopping portals. In some cases, a promo code can negate the bonus rewards that a shopping portal would typically offer. Always check the fine print on the shopping portal before completing your purchase.

Conclusion

There are numerous ways to turn your Father's Day gift-giving into an opportunity for your next getaway. With the help of online shopping portals, targeted offers like Amex Offers, and credit card bonus categories, shopping for gifts and experiences can be more rewarding than you might think.

Alternatively, if you're on a budget this year, take a look at our guide on using points and miles to give gifts at no extra cost.