I’ve earned £800 cashback this year from booking group trips – how you can too

Seven years ago, Danielle Zhu was planning a trip with her friends when she realised that she could make some extra cash if she volunteered to book everything on behalf of the group.

The 38-year-old PR manager from London has since racked up thousands of pounds’ worth of cashback and loyalty points to spend on herself, just for being the one to make the payment.

Many credit cards give you cashback – or reward points – on purchases, while specific cashback firms also give you money if you book direct through them.

This is what Danielle has used in order to boost her income. She says she has managed to bank around £800 in cashback and loyalty points in the past year alone; just by being an organiser in her group.

That’s after booking two trips to Australia to visit friends, and she also booked experiences for the trips via cashback sites.

She uses her British Airways American Express card and her Barclaycard Avios credit card to book group getaways with her friends, which giver her Avios points – reward points that can be spent on flights, hotels and car hire.

“I also book group activities or any extras through cashback websites where possible so I get the free cash. It’s really easy and really does add up over time,” she added.

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Danielle is one of thousands of adults who are capitalising on group trips to make extra income.

New research by Rakuten has found one in six adults are offering to book group trips on behalf of their friends to earn cashback or rewards for themselves.

This includes putting their credit card down to pay for group hotel bookings, or booking travel like flights or train tickets for a whole group.

The research found that those who offered to front the bill have earned an average of £68 in cashback and reward points this year, although some adults have earned more than £500 by doing so.

Separate research by Compare The Market found reward credit card holders reported saving an average of nearly £300 through travel-related rewards last year.

Bola Sol, a savings expert at Rakuten, said: “Taking on the responsibility of group bookings may seem daunting and time-consuming, but it’s actually a great way to bag some extra cash.

“Being in charge of costly bookings like hotels, flights, or experiences means the cashback and points you earn could even end up funding a good chunk of your holiday.”

How to earn cashback on group bookings

There are a number of ways to reap the benefits of being the group booker – and you can ask everyone to transfer you their share in advance, so you don’t need to end up out of pocket.

If you have a rewards credit card, check which booking websites or airlines offer the best cashback deals.

For example, those with a NatWest rewards card can currently get £30 in cashback for every £1,250 they spend with Emirates.

Some credit cards pay a flat rate of cashback on all purchases, which may work out better if you’re making a large purchase.

Kate Steere, personal finance expert at comparison site Finder, said: “The best cashback credit card around at the moment is the Amex Cashback Everyday Credit Card.

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“You get an introductory rate of 5 per cent (up to £125) in the first 5 months and earn 0.5 per cent ongoing cashback.”

You should be able to check the cashback rewards on offer from your credit card in your online bank account or via your banking app, but be aware that they change regularly.

Some credit cards, like the British Airways Amex cards or Barclaycard’s Avios card, allow you to collect Avios points which can then be redeemed on future holiday bookings, such as funding flight class upgrades.

Ms Steere added: “If it’s Avios points that you’re after, Barclaycard Avios Plus gives you 25,000 Avios if you spend £3,000 in the first 3 months.

“You can also earn 1.5 Avios per £1 spent, so you could earn yourself 750 Avios points just by booking a £500 trip. However, there is a £20 monthly fee with this card.”

Vix Leyton, personal finance expert at Think Money, added: “It’s also worth checking out any rewards you may have on packaged bank accounts.

“There are often deals on hotels and travel that go directly into your account automatically – but you have to toggle them on for them to apply.”

It’s also worth checking cashback websites such as TopCashBack or Quidco to see if they have any good deals on travel.

You earn money by clicking on a link on the cashback website for the retailer you want to use, and then booking that way. The retailer pays commission to the site, and this is passed onto you.

TopCashBack is currently offering up to 11 per cent cashback for bookings made on Expedia, and up to 10 per cent cashback on British Airways bookings made via its website.

However, make sure to check the terms and conditions of each cashback reward to make sure you will meet them before spending any money.

Ms Leyton explained: “Always read the small print to make sure your deals stack properly, as there’s nothing more disappointing than expecting a nice little bonus, only to find it’s been voided by a technicality.

“For example, some cashback sites won’t pay out if you’ve used a discount code from elsewhere, or the cashback can be voided for any changes to the booking.

“Also, certain credit card offers only apply when booking through specific partners.”