Almost every major hotel and airline loyalty program has a dining rewards option that offers extra points at participating restaurants. It’s a low-effort way to earn additional rewards on top of credit card points. In the case of American Airlines, the points you earn count toward elite status. So you could theoretically dine your way to top-tier AAdvantage status.
All of the dining rewards programs are part of the Rewards Network. This means that while you’re free to join as many of them as you want, you can’t register the same credit card with multiple programs.
While the rewards from these dining programs don’t seem like much, they can add up, especially when stacked with other points-earning methods.
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Current Airline Dining Rewards Bonuses
Every major U.S. airline has a dining rewards program where members can earn a welcome bonus of up to 500 bonus miles. Outside of this bonus, members earn 0.5 to 5 miles per dollar spent. You can join as many of these programs as you want, but there is a good reason to focus on one specific program: the possibility of elite status.
American Airlines, for example, switched to a Loyalty Point metric whereby every dollar you spend counts toward status. This includes AAdvantage dining activity, which can help you fast-track your way to the next elite status tier. The qualification period runs from March 1 through March 31 of the following year.
But American Airlines isn’t the only program offering an additional incentive. Southwest Rapid Rewards issues a Companion Pass after earning 135,000 Rapid Rewards points in a calendar year. You can use this pass to book a seat for a companion free of charge (except for taxes). The points earned through Rapid Rewards Dining can help you reach the 135,000 points threshold faster.
Here are the other airlines currently offering bonuses when you sign up for dining rewards:
- 500 SkyMiles after you spend $30 or more within 30 days of joining and writing a review
- 0.5 to 5 SkyMiles per $1 at participating restaurants
- 500 MileagePlus miles after you spend $25 within 30 days of joining and writing a review
- 0.5 to 5 miles per $1 at participating restaurants
- 500 AAdvantage miles after you spend $25 within 30 days of registering and writing a review
- 1 to 5 miles per $1 at participating restaurants
Spirit Airlines Free Spirit Dining
- 500 Free Spirit bonus points after you spend $30 within 30 days of joining and writing a review
- 0.5 to 5 points per $1 at participating restaurants
- 500 Mileage Plan miles after you spend $30 and write a review within 30 days
- 0.5 to 5 miles per $1 at participating restaurants
Southwest Rapid Rewards Dining
- 500 Rapid Rewards points after you spend $25 within 30 days and writing a review
- 0.5 to 3 points per $1 at participating restaurants and an additional 10 miles for each completed dining review
Current Hotel Loyalty Dining Rewards Bonuses
Three of the largest hotel loyalty programs offer dining rewards paths that let you translate meals into free hotel nights. Marriott is the most generous with a welcome offer of 6,000 points plus its standard earn rate.
However, Hilton has a lower spending requirement for earning the initial bonus and a higher earning potential per dollar spent. You can sign up for all three programs if you can’t make up your mind or want to diversify your points portfolio.
- Get up to 6,000 Bonvoy points after you spend $90 over three visits within 60 days of joining
- 4 to 6 points per $1 at participating restaurants
- 500 Hilton points after you spend $25 within 30 days of joining and writing a review
- 2 to 8 points per $1 at participating restaurants
- 1,000 IHG One Rewards points after you spend $30 within 30 days of joining and writing a review
- 1 to 8 points per $1 at participating restaurants
Which Credit Cards to Use
To earn points with an airline or hotel dining rewards program, you must register your credit card with the respective program, and then use it at participating restaurants. You can register as many cards with each program as you want, but keep in mind that you can’t register the same card with more than one program.
The best credit cards to use are ones that earn bonus points on dining. You can earn up to 4 points or 5% cash back from these cards. That’s in addition to the program’s 0.5 to 8 points per $1. Here’s a look at Forbes’ picks for the best credit cards for dining at restaurants:
- Citi Custom Cash® Card: 5% cash back on up to $500 in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle; then 1% thereafter
- American Express® Gold Card: 4 Membership Rewards points at restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S. (Terms apply, see rates & fees)
- U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card*: 4 points on takeout, food delivery and dining
- Savor Rewards Credit Card*: 4% cash back on dining
- Aeroplan® Credit Card: 3 Aeroplan points on grocery stores and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: 3 Chase Ultimate Rewards® points on dining
- American Express® Green Card*: 3 Membership Rewards points on restaurant purchases (terms apply)
- Chase Freedom Flex℠: 3% cash back on dining, including takeout
- Chase Freedom Unlimited®: 3% cash back on dining
The Citi Custom Cash® Card is the ideal choice if dining is one of your top spending categories each month. You’ll earn 5% cash back on purchases in a top eligible spend category up to the first $500 spent each billing cycle, 4% cash back on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on Citi Travel℠ portal through 6/30/2025 and 1% cash back on all other purchases and have a $0 annual fee. The American Express® Gold Card is also a solid option if you’d rather earn points instead of cash.
The American Express® Gold Card earns 4 Membership Rewards points at restaurants, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. The card has a $250 annual fee, which can be steep for some, but it does earn valuable Membership Rewards points. It also comes with $120 in annual Uber Cash that you can apply to Uber Eats orders. Plus, you’ll get $120 in dining credits valid at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Milk Bar, Shake Shack and Wine.com. If you can use these credits, that could help offset the annual fee.
Can You Join Multiple Dining Rewards Programs?
You can join multiple airline and hotel dining rewards programs. However, you can’t register the same credit card with multiple programs. Suppose you have multiple credit cards that earn bonus points on dining. In that case, you should consider adding each to a different dining rewards program. That way, you’ll never miss out on bonus points no matter which card you use.
With so many dining rewards programs offering welcome bonuses, it makes total sense to join each one at some point. Just keep in mind that you have a limited time in which to meet each spending requirement. So don’t sign up for all of them at once unless you can earn each new member bonus in time.
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Bottom Line
Whether you dine out often or occasionally, joining a dining rewards program is worth it. These programs are free to join, and you can earn extra points without much effort. You’ll sometimes even earn elite status-qualifying points, providing even more incentive to participate. Considering the low bar required to earn points this way, it’s a no-brainer.
To view rates and fees for American Express® Gold Card please visit this page.
