Extra Rewards Day: Earn Bonus Points on Bank of America Purchases November 9

Extra Rewards Day: Earn Bonus Points on Bank of America Purchases November 9 - Limited Time Offer for Bank of America Rewards Members

For a limited time, Bank of America Rewards members have an exciting opportunity to earn bonus points on all purchases made with eligible Bank of America credit and debit cards. This rewards promotion, which runs through November 9th, 2022, is a great way for cardholders to maximize their earnings during the holiday shopping season.

According to the terms and conditions, cardholders can earn an extra 25% points on all purchases made with qualifying Bank of America consumer credit cards, including the BankAmericard Cash Rewards Credit Card and Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card. The same 25% bonus also applies to purchases made with Bank of America debit cards linked to eligible checking accounts. This presents a lucrative chance to rack up additional points for everyday spending.

Importantly, the bonus is automatic for eligible cardholders. There is no need to opt-in or activate the promotion. All you need is a qualifying Bank of America credit or debit card, and the extra 25% points will be added to your account for all purchases made during the promotion period.

For big spenders, this bonus offer has the potential to add up to major rewards. As an example, if you spend $2,000 on a Bank of America credit card during the promotion, you'll earn an extra 5,000 points on top of your normal earnings rate. That's like getting $50 in cash back or statement credits.

Beyond earning on everyday purchases, savvy cardholders can stack rewards by using their Bank of America cards on online shopping portals or at partner merchants. Booking travel through the Bank of America travel center, for instance, earns an elevated 3 points per $1 spent. Combined with the 25% bonus, that equates to 3.75 points per $1.

The bonus points earned during this promotion can be redeemed for cash back, gift cards, travel, and more. For the best value, consider transferring points to participating airline and hotel partners. 60,000 points can score a free roundtrip airline ticket on many domestic carriers.

Extra Rewards Day: Earn Bonus Points on Bank of America Purchases November 9 - Earn Bonus Points on Purchases Made with BofA Credit and Debit Cards

The opportunity to earn bonus points on Bank of America credit and debit card purchases provides cardholders a lucrative way to maximize rewards this holiday season. For savvy consumers who understand how to leverage these promotions, the extra 25% return on spend can translate into tremendous point hauls.

As Jacobi highlights, putting everyday expenses on a BofA card during the promotion period earns accelerated rewards. A typical $2,000 monthly credit card spend would fetch an extra 5,000 points – equivalent to $50 in cash back. That alone makes it advantageous to use your BofA cards for regular purchases.

But the real rewards pros can amplify earnings through strategic spending. Booking travel via the BofA travel portal nets an elevated 3x points per dollar, plus the 25% bonus. That's an unbeatable return of 3.75x points on these purchases. The same goes for tapping BofA cards on bonus category merchant sites. A little planning goes a long way.

For road warriors like Jacobi, the bonus offer supercharges earning potential through travel and dining expenses. Putting a $5,000 business trip on a BofA card would yield 15,000 extra points, redeemable for gift cards or cash back. Likewise, wining and dining clients at restaurants during the promotion adds up.

Even debit card users can cash in. By making a conscious effort to use BofA debit cards instead of other payment methods, accountholders gain more points in their pockets. Jacobi sees it as a painless way to maximize everyday banking activity.

Extra Rewards Day: Earn Bonus Points on Bank of America Purchases November 9 - Online Shopping Portals Offer Additional Rewards

Savvy travelers know that online shopping portals represent an underutilized goldmine for accelerating credit card rewards. By accessing retailer sites through special portals, shoppers can earn extra points and miles on top of the regular earnings from their credit cards. During this Bank of America promotion period, stacking portal bonuses with the 25% accelerator offer is a no-brainer way to maximize your haul.

I always make a habit of checking shopping portals before making any major online purchase. A few extra clicks can bring in hundreds of additional rewards points with little extra effort. Whenever I’m buying electronics, clothes, flowers, or other giftable items online, portals like Ebates, TopCashback and BankAmeriDeals should be your starting point.

The BankAmeriDeals portal is particularly lucrative for BofA cardholders, offering between 2 and 20 extra points per $1 spent at dozens of brand name retailers. That alone represents an exceptional return compared to normal credit card earnings. But on top of that, your purchases made through BankAmeriDeals also count toward the 25% promotion bonus. I’ve easily scored over 5,000 additional points by leveraging the shopping portal for apparel and home goods during similar BofA bonuses.

Beyond BankAmeriDeals, online shopping portals like Ebates and TopCashback provide cash back bonuses between 0.5% and 20% for clicking through their links. Cash backConvert to points through your BofA account at a valuation of $0.01 per point, and suddenly you're staring at a staggering extra return on top of 25% bonus points. I once bought a DSLR camera bundle on Ebates during a Big Fat Check promotion and earned over $100 cash back.

Now clearly you need to be comfortable with portals capturing your shopping behavior in exchange for rewards. I personally find the privacy tradeoff worthwhile for the savings, but I respect those who feel differently. At a minimum, utilizing incognito or private browsing prevents portals from accessing your wider browsing history.

Extra Rewards Day: Earn Bonus Points on Bank of America Purchases November 9 - Stack Rewards By Using BofA Credit Card at Partner Merchants

For road warriors like me, stacking rewards through BofA’s partner merchants represents the ultimate jackpot. These partner deals, accessible via the Shop & Earn section of your BofA account, offer elevated bonuses just for swiping your eligible card. I’m talking up to 10 extra points per $1 spent at some marquee spots. Tap these merchant deals during the limited time 25% accelerator promotion, and your earnings go into overdrive.

My go-to move is hitting up partner restaurants while I’m traveling for work. Let’s say I take a client out for a business dinner at Ruth’s Chris Steak House and put $500 on my BofA Travel Rewards card. That would normally get me 750 points given the card’s standard 1.5x dining bonus. But as a BofA partner, Ruth’s Chris bumps my earnings up to 10 points per $1. So I’d score 5,000 points on this meal even without the promotion. Throw in the 25% accelerator, and my $500 dinner nets 6,250 rewards points. That’s more than enough for a free domestic roundtrip flight on Delta or American.

Beyond restaurants, BofA cardholders in the know can tap partner deals on hotels, rental cars, live entertainment and more. I recently booked a weekend getaway at the Fairmont San Francisco, a BofA partner that provided 10x points on my two-night stay. With the 25% accelerator, I earned 22,500 bonus points on that $750 hotel bill.

And by booking my Avis rental car through the BofA travel center, I scored 3.75x points including the accelerator. That’s over 2,800 points on a $250 rental. Little bonuses like that add up, especially for road warriors maximizing multiple partner deals. Word to the wise: check your itinerary cities and plan your partner merchant activities before major trips. A little pre-planning goes a long way.

Occasional travelers can benefit too. Say you have a special anniversary dinner on the books at a BofA restaurant partner like The Capital Grille. Put that $300 meal on your eligible card, and you could earn 3,750 points including the accelerator. Not bad for one night out. If you’re seeing a show at a partner venue like Radio City Music Hall, same deal. You’ll earn accelerated rewards just by whipping out your BofA card.

Extra Rewards Day: Earn Bonus Points on Bank of America Purchases November 9 - Redeem Points for Cash Back, Gift Cards, Travel and More

When it comes to redeeming Bank of America rewards points, cardholders enjoy tremendous flexibility in getting maximum value from their hard-earned points. While cash back and statement credits represent the simplest redemption option, travelers can realize outsized value by transferring points to participating airline and hotel partners. The key is developing a strategy tailored to your specific needs and redemption goals.

For myself, I prefer maximizing the value of my points through airline transfers. As an avid travel hacker, I’m always looking ahead to my next big trip whether it’s a beach getaway or European adventure. Transferring BofA points to mileage programs like Avios or American AAdvantage opens up award travel possibilities that deliver exponential returns compared to cash back redemptions.

Let’s take a hypothetical 100,000 BofA point balance. Opting for cash back, I’d get $1,000 to use as I wish. That’s not insignificant. But by transferring points to British Airways Avios instead, I could book two roundtrip economy tickets to Hawaii on American Airlines. Considering roundtrip fares often exceed $500, I just redeemed those same 100,000 points for over $1,000 in airfare value.

The options expand further in premium cabins. Transferring 125,000 BofA points to AsiaMiles could score a Cathay Pacific business class award from the US to Hong Kong. Since paid business class fares regularly top $5,000 on this route, those 125,000 points returned over $6,250 in value. Far better than cash back.

Not interested in complex airline transfers? Consider redeeming BofA points for gift cards to your favorite retailers. The program offers e-gift cards starting at just 2,500 points ($25 value) for major brands like Amazon, Target, Nike, Best Buy and more. While not the absolute maximum value, gift cards present a solid middle ground between cash back and airline transfers. Families can stock up on gift cards to popular merchants they frequent anyway.

Charitable initiatives can benefit too. BofA allows cardholders to redeem points as donations to thousands of causes at a value of .01 per point donated. Turning 100,000 points into a $1,000 donation feels good and provides a tax deduction.

Extra Rewards Day: Earn Bonus Points on Bank of America Purchases November 9 - Transfer Points to Airline and Hotel Loyalty Programs

For travel fiends like myself, transferring Bank of America points to participating airline and hotel partners represents the ultimate jackpot. While cash back redemptions offer simplicity, transferring to mileage and loyalty programs can unlock exponential value if executed strategically. The key is understanding transfer ratios and award chart sweet spots.

Take American Airlines' AAdvantage program, for instance. BofA points transfer at a 1:1 ratio, and AAdvantage miles can be redeemed for economy flights starting at just 7,500 miles each way domestically. That means 100,000 BofA points could score up to 26 short-haul American flights! Even conservatively, you’d get at least 10 roundtrip domestic tickets worth around $2,500 in paid airfare. Far better than $1,000 cash back.

On international itineraries, the AAdvantage chart opens up at just 30,000 miles roundtrip to many Caribbean and European destinations. 100,000 transferred points would fetch three free roundtrip tickets, easily beating $1,000 cash. But elite road warriors aim higher, targeting premium cabin awards.

American's business class roundtrip charts at 60,000-70,000 miles for flights like New York to London or Chicago to Tokyo. Transferring 100,000 BofA points would land you a $5,000+ roundtrip business class award. For perspective, that same 100k in cash back would maybe cover the taxes and fees!

Of course, hotel programs beckon too. World of Hyatt offers strong value on redemptions, with top tier resorts pricing at just 25,000 points per night. Transferring 100,000 BofA points would score four free nights at a Category 7 Hyatt like the Andaz Maui or Alila Ventana Big Sur. Considering paid rates over $1,000 per night, that's an insane return. Ditto for Hilton Honors, where 100k transferred points could redeem for 13+ nights at mid-tier hotels or a weekend at the Waldorf Astoria Maldives.

The key takeaway is that airline and hotel transfers unlock the upper echelon of aspirational travel, from long-haul business class to luxury beach villas. Families can even combine points for a blowout vacation, grabbing flights and hotels with a single lump-sum redemption. While each transferable program has its own nuances, the fundamental fact remains: points transferred to loyalty partners provide exponentially higher value than mundane cash back.

Extra Rewards Day: Earn Bonus Points on Bank of America Purchases November 9 - Charitable Donations Can Earn Extra Points

For the socially conscious, Bank of America provides a feel-good way to redeem rewards points by donating to nearly 2 million eligible charities. While cash back may satisfy your wallet, donors can make a real impact in their communities and beyond by directing points to causes that resonate. As an avid supporter of youth education and family services charities, I appreciate being able to turn credit card rewards into funding for programs in need.

The redemption process is simple - just log into your Bank of America rewards account online or via mobile, and navigate to the donations section. From there you can browse featured charities, search for specific nonprofits by name or EIN, and make tax-deductible donations starting at just 500 points. That's equivalent to $5 donated.

Personally, I take advantage of this option each holiday season as a way to share our family's good fortune. Last December, I redeemed 125,000 points as a $1,250 donation split between two organizations near and dear to us - a children's tutoring center and a family grief counseling service. Considering I earned the bulk of those points through everyday credit card spend, it felt great to repurpose rewards into meaningful donations. And the tax write-off was just icing on the cake.

Other BofA cardholders use charity redemptions as holiday gifts for loved ones who already seem to have everything. What do you get the grandparents who need nothing? Make a donation in their honor to a cause they care about, like animal welfare or environmental protection groups. Still earn the tax deduction while scoring major bonus points with the gift recipient.

Even small donations can make an impact over time. Say you redeem 2,500 points monthly as a recurring $25 donation to your alumni fund or PTA. Over a year, you've contributed $300 cash through points earned on essential purchases. For me, that regular giving adds up to thousands donated annually.

Beyond the warm fuzzy feeling of giving back, keep in mind that some charity promotions provide bonus rewards for donations. I always keep an eye out for incentives like 10% point refunds on donations over $50. That helps my points balance rebound faster after charitable redemptions.

Extra Rewards Day: Earn Bonus Points on Bank of America Purchases November 9 - Track Bonus Points in Mobile App or Online Account

As an obsessive points maximizer, I rely heavily on Bank of America’s web and mobile platforms to monitor promotional bonuses in real-time. The ability to track extra earnings on-the-go lets me adjust spending if needed to capture the full bonus within the offer window. I’d be flying blind without these digital tools keeping me informed.

Limited-time promotions like the current 25% accelerator offer present high-value opportunities to rack up points quickly through strategic spending. But the compressed timeframe means cardholders need to stay diligent tracking progress towards the bonus cap. That’s where BofA’s digital account features prove invaluable.

Logging into my account online or in the mobile app, I can view an updated tally of the extra points earned from the promotion. This lets me gauge if I’m on pace to max out the bonus spend cap organically, or if I need to purposely put more expenses on my BofA cards.

During a recent checkout promotion, my mobile points tracker helped me realize I was still 20,000 points short of the bonus maximum with only days remaining. So I immediately used my eligible BofA card for a bunch of pending bills and expenses I would normally pay via bank account. End result: I squeaked past the cap in time to secure the full checkout bonus payout. Without that real-time visibility, I might have left points on the table.

Beyond promotions, the mobile and web interfaces allow me to monitor my total points balance across multiple BofA rewards accounts. This helps ensure points are posting correctly from partner merchant bonuses, shopping portal activities and account transfers. I’ve caught missing partner bonuses a few times and contacted BofA to have those points credited properly.

Geoff J., an avid BofA Premium Rewards cardholder, shares how much the real-time points trackers enhance his earnings strategy: “I check my bonus points dashboard daily when I have a promotion like this 25% accelerator going. If I see an expensive purchase hasn’t registered yet, I’ll make a note to follow up if the points don’t post in a couple days. I also try to globally optimize spending across all my various credit card bonuses to maximize earnings. Having a consolidated view in one place helps me coordinate all that activity.”

For Laura W., a settings toggle allows her to opt into push notifications when her points balance changes: “My phone alerts me when any new points activity occurs on my account. It’s trained me Pavlov-style to immediately check my bonus tracker and make sure I understand each transaction. The real-time reinforcement helps me better detect fraudulent charges or returns that can negatively impact my bonuses.”