A bonus category is an area of spending where a card credits more points per unit of spend than its base rate, such as travel or restaurants.
A bonus category is an area of spending where a card credits more points per unit of spend than its base rate, such as travel or restaurants.
Also called: Category multiplier.
How it works#
The higher rate applies only when the merchant’s category code matches the issuer’s definition, and many categories are capped or run for a limited period. The arithmetic gain stays modest: one extra point per unit of spend is small next to a welcome bonus. Categories pay off where large, regular spending already happens anyway.
Not to be confused with#
A bonus category is not the same as a shopping portal: the category works at the checkout, while the portal only works if the purchase started through a specific tracking link.
In German#
The German term is Bonuskategorie. German version of this term
Related terms#
- Merchant category code: A merchant category code is the four-digit code a card network uses to classify a business, and it decides which bonus points a purchase earns.
- Shopping portal: A shopping portal is a programme-run page used to start an online purchase so that points are credited on top of what the card itself earns.
- Welcome bonus: A welcome bonus is a one-off points credit for opening a new card and meeting a minimum spending requirement within a set period.
Articles that use this term#
TopicEvery article and term onCards and money.