Rakuten’s Holiday Big Deal Reveal: How to Earn Up to $150 Fast (+ Up to 30X Back on Featured Stores)
Hey friends, what’s up? Phillip here with Points with Phillip. There’s huge news out of Rakuten (yep—pronounced rah-koo-ten), and it could be a monster win for your holiday shopping strategy. We’ll cover what’s new, how to stack your way to $150 quickly, and why some days will earn you up to 30X Membership Rewards® just for clicking through a different link.
The Headline: Rakuten’s “Holiday Big Deal Reveal” (Up to 30X with the Rakuten Card)
Rakuten has published a special savings calendar with rotating, boosted cashback/points. If you hold the Rakuten American Express-network card (issued via Imprint), your rate on featured days can jump to 30%/30X. If you don’t have the card, you’ll still see elevated rates—just not quite as spicy.
Dates & Highlights (examples from the current calendar)
Nov 1: Ulta — 20% (30% w/ Rakuten card)
Nov 2: QVC — 15% (30% w/ Rakuten card)
Nov 3: LG — 22% (30% w/ Rakuten card)
Nov 4: Expedia Hotels — 12%/12X (up to 30%/30X w/ Rakuten card)
Nov 5: Gap — 18% (30% w/ Rakuten card)
Nov 7: Lands’ End — 20% (30% w/ Rakuten card)
Nov 8: Big Deal TBD (watch this one)
Nov 9: Temu — 21% (30% w/ Rakuten card)
Nov 10: Adidas — 20% (30% w/ Rakuten card)
Phillip’s note on Expedia: Booking via OTAs (like Expedia) usually won’t earn elite-status perks or hotel points. If I’m booking something like a limited-service stay (think Hampton-type properties where benefits are thin anyway), 30X MR can outweigh the lost perks. Do the math for your situation.
Quick Primer: What Rakuten Is (and Why MR Payouts Matter)
Rakuten is a shopping portal. You click through Rakuten to your store of choice, shop as usual, and earn either cash back or American Express Membership Rewards points (my preference—toggle this in your Rakuten account). During promos, those rate bumps can turn a normal buy into a points bonanza.
Pro-tip: Install the Rakuten browser extension. If you land on a participating store (say, Brooks Brothers), a small pop-up lets you Activate with one click so you don’t miss the tracking.
The $150 Stack: How to Get It Fast
You can earn up to $150 in short order by stacking Rakuten’s join bonus with the Rakuten card welcome:
Join Rakuten with Phillip’s link (drop your link here):
Get $50 after you spend $50 through the portal (or 5,000 MR if you’ve set MR as your payout).
Apply for the Rakuten American Express-network card (via Imprint):
$100 welcome bonus after $1,000 spend in the first 90 days (no annual fee).
Total: $150 (or the MR equivalent) just for signing up, making a few purchases, and routing them through Rakuten.
Why the Rakuten Card Supercharges This
Key earn structure (per your walkthrough):
+4% on Rakuten purchases (on top of the store’s portal rate)
10% on Rakuten Dining (separate dining portal)
2% at groceries & restaurants, 1% everywhere else
No annual fee
Pre-approval flow available (reduces the fear of wasting a hard pull if you’re not likely to be approved)
Example: If Brooks Brothers is 2% on Rakuten today and you pay with the Rakuten card, you’re effectively looking at ~6% back (2% portal + 4% card) before any holiday boosts.
How to Use Rakuten (Step-by-Step)
Sign up (toggle Membership Rewards as your payout if you want MR).
Install the browser extension (or use the app).
Activate the store rate (look for the green check or “Activate” button).
Complete checkout in the same tab/session.
Pay with your chosen card (Rakuten card for extra % if you have it).
Track your trip in Rakuten (it usually logs within minutes; payouts post on Rakuten’s schedule).
Pro-tips to avoid missed payouts:
Don’t use coupon codes not shown on Rakuten’s store page (some codes void portal tracking).
Don’t click other coupons/extensions after activating Rakuten.
For big buys, consider using a fresh, clean browser session.
Returns/partial cancellations can reduce or eliminate the payout.
Strategy Calls You Should Make
Elite hotel benefits vs. 30X MR: For luxury/status stays where benefits matter (suite upgrades, breakfast, guaranteed late checkout), book direct. For commodity stays or short nights, 30X MR through Expedia can be compelling.
Category bonuses vs. portal rates: If your card earns huge category multipliers (e.g., 5X/10X on a promo), compare that to the Rakuten + Rakuten card stack. Often, the portal stack wins—especially on the 30X days.
Holiday timing: These boosts are date-specific. If you know you’ll shop Ulta, adidas, Gap, or QVC, align the purchase to the calendar day to lock in higher returns.
Final Thoughts
This Rakuten Holiday Big Deal Reveal is the early-bird version of Black Friday: calendarized boosts, stackable with the Rakuten card, and the ability to collect MR instead of cash. If you’re deliberate—time your buys, use the extension, and stack the $50 join + $100 card welcome—you can lock in $150 quickly and harvest serious points in the process.
Are you timing anything for the 30X days? And would you go for Expedia 30X or stick to direct bookings for elite perks? Drop your strategy in the comments—I’m curious how you’ll play it.
— Phillip ✈️