Launched in 2002, Points.com is a way for consumers to buy, trade and redeem their points and miles earned from their credit cards. Later in 2012, they teamed up with PayPal to grant their customers a chance to redeem their points for PayPal credit and other gift cards as well as trade between programs.
Whenever you purchase points or miles you pay actually be doing it through Points.com than directly with the airlines. The prices you’re charged for buying miles and points can be high relative to the value you can get from them, so you want to be sure you have all the necessary info before purchasing with one of the Points.com partners.
However, is Points.com legit or a scam? Continue reading below to learn more about Points.com.
Partners
Points.com is partnered with a number of hotel and airline programs.
These programs buy or sell points to the customers.
Airline Partners
- Aeroplan
- American Airlines
- Air France/KLM
- Alaska
- British Airways
- Delta Airlines
- Frontier Airlines
- Hainan Airlines
- Hawaiian Airlines
- Icelandair
- JetBlue
- Virgin Atlantic
Hotel Partners
Best Credit Card to Use
If you’re going to use Points.com, it’s best to use a credit card that will help you get maximum points from your purchases at Points.com.
For example, if you were to buy miles directly from the airliners, it may count as a travel purchase to your card company. However, purchasing your points from Points.com may not count. Be careful not to mix up your cards and make the right decision when choosing a card.
If you want to earn Chase Ultimate Rewards when buying miles or points through Points.com, check out the Chase Freedom Unlimited® Card that earns 1.5X points per dollar on all purchases.
If you are buying directly from an airline, though, this would not be the best choice. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card can earn you 2X points.
If you want to earn American Express Membership Rewards, there isn’t a better option than The Blue Business? Plus Credit Card from American Express, which earns 2X points on all purchases up to $50,000 in spending every calendar year. When buying miles or points through Points.com, this card will earn more points than any other card on the market.
If you want to earn points from direct purchases from your airliner, it’s good to change your approach and switch up which cards you use.
You could earn 3X points per dollar with Premier Rewards Gold Card from American Express, but if you really want to maximize your return, there is no better option than The Platinum Card® from American Express. This card will earn 5X points per dollar on purchases directly from airlines.
When Should You Buy Points/Miles
This all depends on your personal situation. Below will be a few examples on situations where it would be good to buy points/miles.
Prevent Points/Miles from Expiring
- Many loyalty programs offer points that expire within 12 or 24 months. If you wish to store and build up your points over the course of a couple years, Points.com is your best bet. It would suck to lose your hard earned points just because they expire.Often an account can be kept active by something as simple as earning or redeeming miles or points. With that in mind, buying miles or points can get you the account activity you need very quickly to ensure your miles or points don’t expire.
Top Off An Account For A Specific Reward
- If you’re running short on time for a specific reward redemption and you’re just a tiny bit off on the amount of points you need, purchasing points from Points.com may be your best bet.
Lets say that you’re saving up for a first class flight upgrade and your flight date is coming up, but you’re barely just below the amount of points you need. It may pay off just to purchase some extra points from Points.com to reach your goal.
Limited Access to Credit Cards that Earn Points
- In the U.S., many people have access to credit cards that earn miles and points. These credit cards often come with sign-up bonuses that go a long way toward helping you book award flights. However, in other parts of the world, there often aren’t as many credit card options.
If this is the case for you, purchasing points from points.com may be the best option for you.
Bottom Line
Purchasing points and/or miles from Points.com depends entirely on your situation. Purchasing a few miles here and there when you really need it will benefit you greatly, but purchasing big bulks of miles may cost you greatly. Be strategic with your purchases and you’ll benefit and enjoy the practicality of Points.com.
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