Status: checked against official sources; automated independent review
FREQUENT FLYER GLOSSARY
What is a shopping portal?
A shopping portal is an airline or card programme's online shopping site that pays bonus miles or points when a member clicks through to a participating retailer and buys something there. It acts as a doorway into ordinary retail sites: the programme lists partner retailers, the member starts the visit at the portal, and the purchase earns bonus miles or points alongside whatever the retailer itself offers. [1] British Airways, for example, tells members of The British Airways Club that they can collect Avios on everyday items with hundreds of online retailers through its shopping portal, and advertises up to 12 Avios for every $1 spent at more than 400 online retailers. [1]
Facts checked: 18 October 2026
Key takeaways
- A shopping portal is a click-through shopping site run by an airline or card programme: the member starts at the portal, continues to a participating retailer and completes the purchase, and the programme credits bonus miles or points. [1]
- Rates and conditions are set retailer by retailer and programme by programme, so a single programme can publish several shopping routes with different earning rates, caps and exclusions. [1]
- British Airways advertises up to 12 Avios for every $1 spent at more than 400 online retailers through its shopping portal. [1]
- Shopping can also feed elite progress: from 8 December 2026, Qantas Frequent Flyer counts eligible Qantas Points from ten categories, including shopping, towards Status Credits earned on the ground. [4] [6]
How does a shopping portal work?
The member opens the programme's shopping site, picks a listed retailer, follows the portal's route to that retailer and pays there as normal. The order is handled by the retailer, while the bonus is paid by the programme, which is why the same purchase can earn miles in addition to the retailer's own rewards. Portals sit inside the wider earning menu covered in how to earn miles.
British Airways describes its portal as the place where members collect Avios on everyday items with hundreds of online retailers, and it points members to Avios credit cards as a separate way to collect on the same purchases. [1] The online route covers more than 400 retailers, with Macy's, Apple, Home Depot and Walgreens named as examples, and pays up to 12 Avios for every $1 spent. [1]
Not everything on a programme's shopping page is a click-through portal. British Airways also lists in-store arrangements under the same heading: at The Bicester Collection, members earn 1 Avios per £1 or €1, claiming at Concierge Services on the day of the visit or through the collection's e-redemption service, and at Bicester Village the Avios are applied automatically when a linked credit or debit card is used. [1] Heathrow Rewards is a third arrangement: a separate airport points scheme whose points members of The British Airways Club can convert into Avios. [1]
What do portal purchases pay?
Rates published by The British Airways Club, as of 18 October 2026: [1]
| Route | Earning rate | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Online shopping portal | Up to 12 Avios per $1 spent | More than 400 online retailers, including Macy's, Apple, Home Depot and Walgreens [1] |
| The Bicester Collection | 1 Avios per £1 or €1 spent | Capped at £30,000 or €30,000 of annual spend across the collection; above that, 5 Avios per £20 [1] |
| Heathrow Rewards conversion | 250 Avios per 250 Heathrow Rewards points | Minimum conversion of 250 Avios; points already credited to a Club account cannot be transferred back [1] |
Because each retailer sets its own offer, the rate printed for one brand says nothing about the rate for another, and a programme can revise or withdraw a retailer's listing. Caps work the same way: the Bicester rate changes once the annual spend ceiling is passed, rather than staying flat across all purchases. [1] Caps and per-category limits on earning are treated in card earning cap and category bonus.
When do the Avios arrive?
For Bicester Collection in-store claims, British Airways says Avios are awarded within approximately 45 days from the date the claim is submitted, and directs members whose Avios have not appeared after 45 days to a missing Avios form. [1] It recommends claiming on the day of the visit, when receipts and proof of membership are presented together. [1]
Qantas Frequent Flyer sets a comparable expectation for its Status Credits on the ground, a feature launching on 8 December 2026: Status Credits are credited within eight weeks of completing a category, and none are awarded for any activity before the launch date, even where the underlying points were earned earlier in the same membership year. [4] [6]
Exceptions and limits
- Online purchases at in-store partners. At The British Airways Club, unless otherwise stated, Avios are not awarded for purchases made online with retailers that qualify for In-Store Offers. [1]
- Returns. British Airways reserves the right to remove Avios from an account if part or all of an in-store purchase is returned. [1]
- Misconduct. Where British Airways believes misconduct has occurred, it may decline to award Avios or may remove them from the account. [1]
- Changing retailers. British Airways reserves the right to change or withdraw retailers and offers shown on its In-Store Offers pages at any time. [1]
- Airport scheme exclusions. Heathrow Rewards excludes tobacco and certain other products and outlets from points earning, and points already moved to a Club account cannot be returned to Heathrow Rewards. [1]
- Qantas status exclusions. For Status Credits on the ground, Qantas excludes, among other things, credit or charge card rewards points transferred or converted into Qantas Points, bonus points from Qantas Points earning credit cards, points from hotel loyalty programmes outside Qantas Frequent Flyer, family transfers, top-up points and bonus and milestone rewards; Qantas may change what counts at any time. [4] [6]
- Promotional offers. Time-limited bonuses attached to a retailer or programme follow their own rules; see promotional miles and shopping portals and card offers. [1]
Frequently asked questions
How do I earn miles through a shopping portal?
Start at the programme's shopping site, choose a listed retailer and complete the purchase there. The programme credits bonus miles or points at the rate shown for that retailer; British Airways, for instance, advertises up to 12 Avios per $1 at more than 400 online retailers. [1]
Do all purchases through a shopping portal earn miles?
No. Programmes publish exclusions: at The British Airways Club, unless otherwise stated, Avios are not awarded on online purchases with retailers that qualify for In-Store Offers, and Avios may be removed if an in-store purchase is returned. [1]
How long do shopping Avios take to appear?
Published times depend on the route. British Airways says Avios from Bicester Collection in-store claims are awarded within approximately 45 days of the claim being submitted, with a missing Avios form available if nothing arrives after that. [1]
Can shopping earn elite status as well as miles?
At Qantas Frequent Flyer, eligible Qantas Points earned in ten categories, including Everyday shopping and Retail and lifestyle, can unlock up to 140 Status Credits a year on the ground from 8 December 2026. Qantas Shopping and Qantas Marketplace are listed among the retail and lifestyle partners. [4] [6]
Is a shopping portal the same as an in-store partner?
No. At British Airways the online portal is a click-through route to a retailer's site, whereas The Bicester Collection is claimed from receipts or a linked card and Heathrow Rewards is a separate points scheme converted into Avios. [1]
Sources
Sources checked on 18 October 2026. Other programmes, including United MileagePlus, American AAdvantage, Delta SkyMiles and Alaska Mileage Plan, are not covered here; see shopping portals and card offers for the broader picture.
- British Airways: our Avios shopping partners (The British Airways Club), checked 18 October 2026
- Qantas Frequent Flyer: program changes for 2026 and 2027, checked 18 October 2026
- Qantas Frequent Flyer: earn Status Credits on the ground, checked 18 October 2026