Most of us enjoy dining out from time to time. Whether through online booking services or high-earning credit cards, there are numerous opportunities to earn Airpoints Dollars, points and miles when you dine out – at home and overseas. It’s even possible to earn multiple times through the one booking!
Below are our tips on maximising your returns with loyalty schemes when you next visit a restaurant.
Earn Airpoints Dollars when you dine out with The Nourish Group
Air New Zealand’s partnership with The Nourish Group means that Airpoints members can earn 2 Airpoints Dollars for every $100 spent. There is no minimum spend required, you simply need to present your Airpoints card at the end of your meal. You’ll find a full list of The Nourish Group restaurants here.
Earn Qantas Frequent Flyer points with Qantas Restaurants (Australia only)
If you’re visiting Australia, chances are that you’ll be enjoying a few meals out during the course of your trip. You’ll earn an easy 100 points per diner by booking one of over 3,000 restaurants via the Qantas Restaurants portal powered by Dimmi, and linking your Qantas Frequent Flyer number.
Over 4,000 restaurants are on offer across Australia. With points awarded on a ‘per head’ basis, Qantas Restaurants is great for booking large gatherings. Points can take around 6 to 8 weeks to post.
Earn Velocity Frequent Flyer points with OpenTable (Australia only)
Velocity Frequent Flyer has teamed up with global restaurant booking service OpenTable to offer points for restaurants across Australia. You can search and book hundreds of restaurants across Australia.
Users are credited with 300 Velocity Points for every honoured booking – regardless of the number of people attending. This makes it a good option for solo diners. The choice of restaurants is varied and arguably offers a greater choice of higher-end venues than Qantas Restaurants. Top-end dining destinations like Dinner by Heston Blumenthal and Vue De Monde are on offer.
Tip: Neither of these restaurant booking platforms requires a minimum spend when dining. Technically you could use them to book in your breakfast or morning coffee fix before work – though not advisable.
Earn points and miles with other international restaurant booking services
If you’re heading further afield, chances are that you’ll eat out multiple times. This provides you with an opportunity to ratchet up points quickly. The following platforms offer perks in the form of frequent flyer points:
Cathay Pacific’s loyalty scheme, Asia Miles, offers points for dining over 300 partner restaurants in Asia. Locations include Hong Kong, China and Singapore. You need to be enrolled in Asia Miles, and you simply provide your membership card when paying the bill to earn points. You can search for restaurants that participate in the scheme here.
The American Airlines AAdvantage Dining scheme allows you to book at over 11,000 restaurants in the USA. You’ll earn a generous 1,500 bonus points when you spend $25 or more on your first participating restaurant visit. A further 500 points are on offer for each of your three subsequent visits within 30 days.
Tip: If you’re staying at a hotel which has a restaurant offered on an online booking platform, consider making a booking for your breakfast or another meal, even if it’s free or included in the room rate – you’ll still earn points.
Stack with discounted dining offers
With your online booking in place, look to stack with a dining discount where you can. For example, many The Nourish Group venues that earn bonus Airpoints Dollars are also featured in the Entertainment Book, which offers either 25% off your bill, or a 1 for 1 main course offer. There’s no need to pre-book with your Entertainment Book – so you can use it in conjunction with an online restaurant booking platform. You can find out more about purchasing the Entertainment Book here.
Choose a credit card that provides maximum Airpoints Dollars for your purchase
Once your dining experience has concluded (and you’ve convinced your friends, family or work colleagues that you get to pay for the meal on your card!) it’s time to ensure that your spend earns you maximum points. Our go-to card for restaurant spend is the top-earning American Express Airpoints Platinum Card. It offers a very high earn rate of 1 point per $59 spent.
Final words on earning Airpoints dollars, points and miles when you dine out
Whether through online booking services, dining offers and high-earning credit cards, there are numerous opportunities to earn Airpoints Dollars, points and saving money through dining. You can use these for incredible travel experiences. Next time you dine out, consider how you can maximise value from the experience.
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Adele