The Ultimate Guide to Reward Point Stacking 2025

I love loyalty programmes and credit card rewards because they have transformed my travel experiences. If you follow MuslimTravelGirl, you will know I always encourage you to make a habit of using reward points in your daily life to maximise your savings and travel more.

Here is exactly how I use reward point stacking in the UK, a market that, unfortunately, is not as generous as that in the USA but still provides a fantastic way to earn points daily. After all, every little helps. (It really does sound like a Tesco advertisement)

I am currently running a free 5-day miles and points class for Muslim travellers (more information below) on how to get started, and one of the questions is what are exactly reward portals and how they work. Because once you know, your shopping will change for the better. 

It is not hard to earn rewards once you know how and where to look for them.

This post is for those totally new to this travel hacking game, so skip it if you already know it.

Why Reward Stacking Matters

If you’ve ever doubted that loyalty rewards programmes in the UK can be game-changing for saving and travelling affordably, think again. While the UK market may not be as reward-rich as the USA, there are still plenty of opportunities to earn Avios points, save on everyday purchases, and plan cost-effective travel.

As a single mother and now officially on a single income, I can earn enough points through my daily spending for at least one trip per year. Given that I am currently saving money, this is a great achievement. 

As Muslim travellers, one of the best ways to accumulate points is through our daily spending. Although miles and reward programmes are halal, many Muslims are still missing out. 

I don’t recommend credit churning as a Muslim traveller because this can lead to debt, but steadily increasing your point accumulation via portals and stacking points while using cards responsibly is my secret weapon. 

If you are a family, you can quickly accumulate more points. This applies to readers in the US and UK. If you live in another country, check your own programmes; even Saudi Arabia for example, has them. 

I’ve employed these strategies to save thousands on trips, hotel stays, and even daily purchases. Below, you will see an example for Nespresso; however, just yesterday (as I write this), I accumulated more points at Boots. 

What Is Reward Point Stacking?

Reward point stacking refers to the technique of layering multiple rewards systems——such as credit card points, shopping portal bonuses, and retailer discounts—on top of one another to maximise yearnings. This approach works in the US and UK, though the specific tools and offers may differ by region.

For instance, credit card bonuses and loyalty programmes are more generous in the US. Meanwhile, in the UK, programmes may be smaller in scale, but with careful planning, you can still earn meaningful rewards at lower costs.

Step-by-Step Breakdown: How to Stack Rewards in the UK

1. Earn Cashback with Credit Card Offers

Nowadays, many credit cards, debit cards, and even the Revolut card I use for travelling offer cashback options 

I always check which card gives me the most cashback return. I use this in restaurants or even like the example below for my coffee. My American Express Platinum had an offer of spending £60 and getting £20 back; this is a good return for sure. It gives you 33% back on your shopping.

One of the best tools in your reward-stacking arsenal is a rewards credit card, particularly American Express Platinum or Amex Gold. These cards frequently offer rewards that transform everyday purchases into savings and points opportunities.

In the last few years, my Amex offers have saved me over £1400, and this doesn’t count the unlimited lounge access, insurance claims, spending abroad, or the benefits of my platinum card.

💡 Pro Tip: Interested in starting with American Express? Check out the Amex Gold card, which is free for the first year and offers rewarding sign-up bonuses.

2. Leverage Retailer Promotions

Every few months, Nespresso sends me an email with offers for pods and discounts. 

Typically, it involves buying a certain quantity to receive an equal amount for free. It is also essential to subscribe to emails and rewards from retailers you like.

In this offer, they had to buy 100 pods and get 20 free. Since I was running low on coffee pods and could stock up for a few months, I decided it was time to combine the offers.

Many retailers frequently offer discounts or rewards for loyal customers. Subscribing to retailer emails guarantees that you won’t miss such offers opportunities.

You can go direct and buy the offer, but you will be missing a vital piece of the puzzle.

3. Use Shopping Portals for Bonus Points

If you have read this article, you know I pretty much always shop via a shopping portal, whether it is Topcashback, Virgin Atlantic or my beloved BA shopping portal.

I do not make an online purchase without checking these websites to see who offers the best rewards.

This all comes down to strategy and your plan for those rewards. For example, if I am looking to top up my Avios account, I will use the Avios portal to stack the rewards.

Usually, Topcashback will be for very big purchases for example, on insurance, where I can get more cash back. If you are not signed up to Topcashback then make sure you do here.

Shopping portals such as the BA (British Airways) portal, Topcashback, or Virgin Atlantic provide bonus points or cashback for purchases made through their service platforms.

For this example, I used the BA Shopping Portal, which gave me 6 Avios per £1 spent—100% more than the normal rate of 3 Avios.

💡 Important: Think strategically about your target rewards goal. For instance, if you’re saving miles for a trip, focus on portals that offer points toward that specific loyalty programme.

This way, you can combine all the rewards when making a purchase.

4. Promo Codes and Plugins

I have downloaded plug-ins like Rakuten,  Honey and Coupert to automatically scan the internet for extra rewards and coupons. This has saved me a few hundred dollars/pounds over the past year. Sometimes, they do find coupons, and others don’t. It’s okay. It is just an extra saving, which is always welcome.

On a recent trip to the airport, I saved £16 using that method. 

Don’t miss out on an extra discount! Utilise browser extensions 

Tools to Try:

• Honey: Best for automatically applying codes
• Coupert: Finds cashback options too
• Rakuten UK: Cashback and coupons
• Topcashback: Best for cashback

In this option, I didn’t find any extra coupons to use.

How You Combine the Rewards

Now that you understand the individual parts let’s combine the steps into one seamless process:

1. Visit the Shopping Portal (e.g., BA Portal): Clear your cookies and log in. 
2. Activate the Retailer Offer: Ensure the promotional items are in your cart. 
3. Use American Express Offer (if you have one or another card): Pay with your card that has an active offer. 
4. Leverage Browser Plugins: Scan for any additional promo codes or perks.

In my Nespresso example, I went to the portal first,  I then signed up for my Nespresso account, which shows my offers of £ 100 with 20 complimentary pods. 

I had to reach the minimum spend required by American Express to trigger the offer of spending £ 60 and getting £20.

In the end, I received approximately 6×62 = 360 Avios. Not a large amount, but again, every little helps.

This also triggered my Amex offer, so I paid £42 out of pocket and received 42 Amex points as additional rewards on my card.

Final Result: You’ve earned 360 Avios, saved £20 thanks to Amex, and paid just £42 for £60 worth of goods.

In total, I bought 172 pods of Nespresso coffee for £42.

This is an example of how you can stack and accumulate loyalty rewards as part of your everyday life without making it a burden on yourself or stressing about it.

My USA Readers: Reward Point Stacking American Style

If you’re following MuslimTravelGirl from the USA, you’re in luck! The reward-stacking landscape in America is even more generous than in the UK, providing higher bonuses and greater opportunities to accumulate points quickly.

Here’s how to optimise reward stacking in the USA:

1. Premium Credit Cards with Major Bonuses

In the USA, the credit card landscape is significantly more rewarding with higher bonuses:

• Capital One / American Express: These cards offer massive sign-up bonuses (often 60,000+ points) and 3x-5x points on travel and dining purchases. The Chase Ultimate Rewards portal allows you to transfer points to multiple airlines and hotels or book travel directly at enhanced rates.
  
• American Express Platinum or Gold: These cards provide excellent Membership Rewards points that transfer to Delta, British Airways, and many other partners. Amex offers are also typically more generous in the US market.
  

💡 Pro Tip: Unlike the UK market, the US offers many more opportunities for credit card “churning” – signing up for new cards to earn bonuses. Just be sure to track application dates and manage your credit responsibly.

Many credit cards currently have high sign-up bonuses, so check them out.

2. Powerful Shopping Portals

US shopping portals typically offer higher rates than their UK counterparts:

• Airline-specific portals, such as Delta SkyMiles Shopping or American Airlines AAdvantage eShopping, allow you to earn up to 10x points per dollar spent at popular stores.
  
• Capital One portal offers cashback and a plug-in that you can use for travel as well as daily shopping. It not only offers bonus points but often features enhanced rates during promotions. They have many retailers, including Airbnb, which is frequently booked by many Muslim families and is not available on cashback sites
  
• Rakuten (formerly Ebates) offers the unique option to earn either cash back or American Express Membership Rewards points, giving you flexibility based on travel goals. I wish we had that Amex option in the UK.
  

Stacking Example: US Style

Let’s look at how this might work with a purchase at Apple:

1. Shop through the American Airlines portal, earning 3x miles per dollar
2. Pay with your reward-earning credit card for an additional x points
3. Check for additional credit card offers based on your cards like AmEx offers if you have an American Express card

Result: On a $1,000 laptop purchase, you could earn 3,000 American Airlines miles plus 1,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points, potentially worth $80-$100 in travel value, plus any promotional items.

This same approach works for everyday purchases like groceries, dining, and coffee pods!

💡 Important Note for Muslim Travelers: The abundance of credit card options in the US means more opportunities, but also requires more discipline. Always pay your balances in full to avoid interest (riba) and keep the rewards halal.

Slow and Steady Wins the Race

Sign-up bonuses are fantastic, particularly if you prefer not to switch between numerous credit cards. Additionally, as a Muslim, I favour a steady and gradual accumulation of rewards, as, by the end of the year, they contribute significantly, making it feasible to travel for less.

It is a lifestyle change, not a race! 

Reward stacking doesn’t have to be overwhelming or time-consuming. You can turn everyday purchases into meaningful savings and travel rewards by combining credit card offers, retailer loyalty programmes, shopping portals, and promo tools.

So next time you think that reward programmes do not work, consider how to maximise them for your own benefit and travel for less.

Whether you’re buying coffee pods, groceries, or bigger purchases, start stacking rewards today because every little helps (yes, like the Tesco ad)!

Call to Action: Make sure you sign up to my miles and points free course giving you tips you can actually implement. 

FAQs: Reward Stacking Basics

Want to learn more? Check out the articles below

Loyalty Programmes and how they work

The Avios Habit – How I have saved thousands redeeming Avios points

Step by Step Guide: How to Transfer Amex Points to Airlines

My Credit Card Strategy as a Muslim Traveller

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