In episode 28 of Miles Ahead: The Canadian Points Podcast, Daniel, Jeff, and Josh from FrugalFlyer.ca discuss how to maximize travel rewards by stacking shopping portals and card-linked offers.
They explain the basics of shopping portals, including popular ones in Canada and the US, and how to use them effectively to earn multiple rewards. The episode also covers card-linked offers from major Canadian banks and the best practices for integrating these offers with shopping portals for optimal returns.
They share personal success stories of quadruple-dipping rewards and highlight platforms like Capital One Shopping and Rove Miles that enhance this process.
(01:09) The Basics of Shopping Portals
Shopping portals are intermediaries that consumers can use to earn additional cash back, miles, or points on their online purchases.
(02:51) Maximizing Rewards with Shopping Portals
Unless you are dead-set on earning one type of reward, comparing rates of return between shopping portals is an easy way to maximize the value you receive from your purchases.
(05:14) Be Aware: Tracking Via Shopping Portals Isn’t Perfect
Purchases are tracked and passed back to the shopping portal via various browser parameters. Ensure you have cookies enabled, ad blockers turned off, and know the resolution process if you need to submit a missing transaction claim with the portal.
- Learn More: Aeroplan Everyday Status Qualification Program
(08:37) Canadian Shopping Portals: Rakuten and the Aeroplan eStore
The most prominent shopping portals in Canada include Rakuten and the Aeroplan eStore. But the Aeroplan eStore is usually the best choice, due to the wide range of retailers, excellent bonus points promotions, and the fact that you earn valuable Aeroplan points.
- See More: Aeroplan eStore Guide
(16:07) US Shopping Portals: Many More Options Available
There are far more shopping portals available in the United States, with some unique transfer and earning options. General shopping portals, airline shopping portals, and bank-affiliated shopping portals are all prominent in the United States. The usefulness for Canadians may vary, as you might not be eligible to purchase through certain retailers.
(22:40) Maximizing Rewards with Capital One Shopping Portal
The Capital One Shopping Portal is publicly available and offers up to 80% cash back in the form of gift cards at certain retailers, which can result in massive savings. Danny recently redeemed an offer that was up to 30% back on Hilton stays.
(25:33) Rove Miles: A New & Unique Shopping Portal
Completing purchases and bookings via the Rove Miles shopping portal earns miles that can be transferred to various loyalty programs. As a startup, earning rates are very high at the moment and present excellent value for consumers. Plus, hotel bookings still earn hotel loyalty points and elite nights towards status.
(30:52) The Value of Card-Linked Offers
Card-linked offers can be added to your credit card, and you receive bonus cash or points when you meet the offer’s requirements (for example, spend $100 at a certain retailer and get $20 back). These offers are independent and can be stacked with shopping portals for even greater rewards.
(32:04) Card-Linked Offers in Canada
Some of the more popular card-linked offer platforms in Canada include Amex Offers (and Scotiabank Amex Offers), TD Offers, RBC Offers, and AIR MILES Offers.
- Learn More: Earning Rewards with Amex Offers
(35:21) Card-Linked Offers in the United States
Card-linked offers are offered by all major banks in the United States, and have far more offers available with a greater potential for rewards.
(38:24) CardPointers & US Amex Offers
CardPointers is a tool that interacts with card-lined offers in the United States, offering even more value through the ability to better track and optimize offers, add the same offer to multiple American Express cards, and more.
- Sign up for CardPointers here with a discount from Frugal Flyer
(39:59) Exploring PayPal Rewards
PayPal Rewards also presents a unique stacking opportunity with shopping portals, as you can earn additional cash back when checking out with PayPal.
(42:24) Favorite Shopping Portal & Stacking Wins
The Frugal Flyer team shares their favorite shopping portal and stacking wins, with some incredible returns on their past purchases.
(47:00) Conclusion
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Join us for the next episode, where the Frugal Flyer team takes a look back at everything 2025 offered for miles and points, and sets their sights ahead to 2026.
Listen to Miles Ahead: Episode 29 – 2025 Year In Review & Looking Forward.
Love the podcast guys! Two quick questions:
1) You said there was no fee for an authorized secondary user on the Scotiabank Gold Amex? I went to sign up my partner but I could only find an option to do so with a $29 annual fee.
2) For the PayPal Offers that you talked about having to manually add, are they available on PayPal’s website or only on their app? I don’t have the latter and couldn’t see what you were talking about when I looked at their “Rewards” section on the former. I guess I’m missing something?
Hi Dane,
Glad you enjoy it! The Scotiabank card with no fee for authorized users is the Scotiabank American Express Card. That being said, if you get value out of it, the $29/per supplementary card on the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card can be good value (I currently have a couple set up).
PayPal Rewards might be US only, but you can set up secondary US PayPal account as a Canadian as long as you have a US address (easy to do if you have any US cards). I haven’t dug too deep into that, but I know I hear a lot about there being value in the US community with this program.
The Airbnb at Rove Miles trick unfortunately does not work for Canadians. Those GCs are redeemable only if you have a US based Airbnb account. I did a trial run with a $25 GC (the minimum) and could not figure out an easy way to redeem the GC after Googling and following multiple tips. It is like an Amazon.com vs. an Amazon.ca GC, you can’t redeem one on the other…