Rakuten Amex Points - Shopping Portal Travel Hacking Guide
What Are Rakuten Amex Points?
Rakuten is a free shopping portal that partners with thousands of retailers—think Target, Sephora, Booking.com, and Walmart. When you start your shopping journey at Rakuten, you earn rewards just for clicking through their site before making a purchase.
This post contains affiliate links. If you click through a link and make a purchase, I get a small commission at no cost to you. (PS: I only recommend things I really use)
Most people choose cash back, but travel hackers know the real magic happens when you link Rakuten to your American Express account and earn Membership Rewards points instead. Last quarter I received over 10,000 american membership rewards from Rakuten. If I had cash back, it would have been around $100. In travel hacking world, those points will easily be worth way more than $100.
How to Set Up Rakuten for Amex Points
Create a Rakuten account at rakuten.com.
In your account settings, switch your payout method from cash back to Membership Rewards.
Link your Amex account using your login credentials.
Shop through Rakuten and earn Amex points instead of cash.
How Rakuten Works
Let’s say you’re booking a hotel through Expedia:
Start at Rakuten and search for Expedia.
Click through to activate the reward (e.g., 4% back or 4x points).
Pay with your Amex card.
Earn Amex points from Rakuten and from your card.
It’s a simple extra step that can add thousands of points to your stash over time.
Travel Hacker Tips
Use the Rakuten browser extension so you never forget to activate rewards.
Watch for bonus days—Rakuten often runs promos like 10x points at select stores.
Refer friends for extra points (Rakuten offers $30–$40 bonuses). If you want to support No Point Left Behind, use my referral link
Stack with Amex /Chase/Citi Offers for triple rewards.
Why Rakuten Is a Must for Travel Hackers
No credit card required to earn cash back
Flexible rewards when linked to Amex
Works for everyday purchases—not just travel
Perfect for beginners and families building points without premium cards
Final Thoughts
Rakuten is one of the easiest ways to earn travel rewards passively. Whether you’re shopping for cruise outfits, booking hotels, or grabbing last-minute travel gear, Rakuten helps you leave no point left behind. Set it up once, use it often, and watch your points pile up.
Let’s Travel Hack Together!
If you enjoy learning how we travel as a family using points, miles, and smart credit card strategies, I’d love for you to follow along:
