Earning Extra Points & Miles on Airbnb

While points can be used for flights and hotels, hotel redemptions are often impractical and restrictive. If you prefer staying with Airbnbs, take the opportunity to generate extra points - combining methods, you’ll get an extra 2 to 5 points per dollar spent, or savings off the cash rate via discounted gift cards.

British Airways Portal

The best and easiest way to earn extra points on Airbnb transactions is the British Airways Airbnb portal. Simply click through and provide your British Airways member number, and book an Airbnb as you normally would. Once you're on the Airbnb site, you'll see a banner at the top signifying that you've connected through British Airways.

This portal grants 2 points per dollar spent. With the ease of transferring Avios between Iberia, Finnair, and Qatar, British Airways Avios are a great currency to passively gain from your Airbnb transaction.

Delta Portal

If you're a Delta loyalist, try the Delta Airbnb portal, which grants one mile per dollar spent. Similarly to the British Airways portal, you'll need your Delta membership number to connect your account to the transaction.

Note that whichever portal you choose, you'll need to navigate through it for each transaction, as your account isn't permanently linked.

Buying Gift Cards

This option is stackable with travel portals. However, with the exception of the United method, gift cards are not stackable with earning additional credit card points, which are covered below.

Stores like Costco, Sam's Club, and more often have sales on Airbnb gift cards, up to about 10% off. These promotions are difficult to predict, but most often occur on big discount days like Black Friday, so if you a discount and have expected Airbnb expenses coming up, you can speculatively purchase gift cards.

You can also purchase Airbnb gift cards when not on sale through GiftCards.com and stack with you choice of a cash back portal. Cashback Monitor will provide the rate for each portal, and the standard rate is 1-2x points per dollar.

If you'd like extra United miles, you can use the United Mileageplus X app to buy gift cards, including Airbnb gift cards. You'll earn an additional 2 miles per dollar, and if you have a United credit card, 2.5 miles per dollar. Buying through the United card, the transaction also codes as travel, providing an additional 2 miles per dollar, bringing the total to 4.5 miles per dollar. If you don't have a United card, you can still make purchases via the Mileageplus X app for the bonus 2 miles per dollar, plus whatever travel multiplier your credit card has.

Credit Cards with Travel Multipliers

If you'd like to make your purchase outright on your credit card, check which has the highest travel multiplier. For example, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers 2x points on travel, while the Reserve offers 3x points. The Capital One Venture X has a base earn of 2x points per dollar, including travel transactions, while the American Express Platinum only offers 1x on travel aside from its portal and airline purchases. If your credit card only offers 1x points on travel transactions, your best bet will be to purchase a gift card with a cash back portal or discounted gift card.

Your credit card points will stack with the Delta or British Airways portal, but you're unable to stack your credit card travel multiplier with gift cards, except for via the United Mileageplus X app.

Possible Combinations

Delta portal + card that earns 1x points on travel = 2x points

British Airways portal + card that earns 1x points on travel = 3x points

British Airways portal + card that earns 2x points on travel = 4x points

British Airways portal + United MileagePlus X + card that earns 2x points on travel = 6x points

Choose whichever method works best for your travels, but don't leave free points on the table with Airbnb purchases.