Amazing Deal: Purchase a $400 Flight and Get a $250 Amazon Gift Card (or many other merchant)!


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This is a great deal for those looking to purchase a flight by end of day tomorrow, August 19, 2017. If you book a flight through the site Upside and you spend $400, you’ll receive a $250 gift card. The gift card can be redeemed for many merchants, including Amazon, CVS, Nordstrom, Whole Foods, Target, Uber, Netflix, Staples, Gap, Panera, plus many many more. Since I shop at Amazon on a weekly daily basis, I consider an Amazon gift card the equivalent as cash. This means if you spend $400 on the nose, you are ultimately paying $150 for your flight! IF the flight you are looking to purchase is LESS then $400, you can purchase a package deal and add on Uber credits to get to the $400 minimum. You can also do a hotel (or hotel package), but I found the hotel selections to be limiting and over priced. The best deal is probably the flight + uber option, or just a flight if it is expensive to begin with.a screenshot of a hotel

To take advantage of this deal, you MUST sign up for an account at Upside through a persons referral link. Those who were previously members have an offer code that will grant you the $250 gift card. New members will only be able to pass on a $150 gift card offer. And if you do not join through a referral, you’ll only get a measly $10 gift card. I personally do not have the $250 referral gift card offer, so you’ll need to check Doctor of Credits thread of referrals. There are many folks that are able to generate the $250 gift card referral, so help them out! Or, feel free to leave yours in the comments section below. Just make sure to sign up ONLY through the $250 referral link.a screenshot of a gift card

After you select your flights through the Upside site, you are then able to add on the Uber credits. Add enough to get to the $400 mark. The one caveat is that you can only add them in $50, $100, $200, or $300 increments. So if you have a $398 flight, for example, the minimum you’ll be able to add is $50 so you’ll be over paying a little. Or, find a slightly more expensive flight that just hits that $400 mark.

My experience

I personally took advantage of the deal this morning. I have a flight I need to book from Boston to Chicago in November. The roundtrip flight on American is $307. It is the same price if I book on American directly, so there is no up charge by booking on Upside, at least in my experience. I then added on $100 in Uber credits for a final cost of $407. Quite honestly, I am not sure if I will even use the Uber credits, so I am placing a $0 value on them. After the $250 Amazon credits, I’ll ultimately be paying $157 for my flight! And if I end up using my Uber credits then that is just an extra bonus (the credits must be used during your trip).

The one thing to note is that the site does not allow you to pick different airlines on the departure and return. So while American is my choice of airline (over United), if I booked directly with American on the departure and United on the return, the roundtrip fare would have only been $207. If this promotion with Upside did not present itself, I probably would have booked that itinerary, but now I get to book American over United (and for a more desirable time) and am saving $50. So while I would really like to think that I am saving $200 due to the Upside deal, it really is only $50. But $50 is still better then nothing! And I am very excited about a roundtrip weekend flight at ideal times that work for my schedule for only $157! I found the site incredibly easy to use! a screenshot of a phone

Some things to note:

  • If you have a flight that is over $400, you can just book the flight (not the package) and still get the $250 gift card. You do NOT have to purchase the packaged deal.
  • To receive the $250 gift card, you must spend at least $400.
  • Not all airlines are pulled up in search itineraries. For example, my Boston to Chicago search did not pull up Delta for some reason.
  • You will not be able to book Southwest through their site.
  • You cannot select two different airlines for your departure and return.
  • Based on past reports, you must actually take your flight. Booking a JetBlue flight, for example, and canceling and getting the credit for a future time might not allow you to get the $250 gift card.
  • The Uber credit is only valid during your trip. Depending on the amount of credits you need, they come in code for up to $25 off your trip. So if you purchase a $50 package, that will end up being two $25 codes. If your Uber trip is less then $25, you’ll lose the difference.

Thanks to Doctor of Credit and Frequent Miler for detailing out this deal!

Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.

The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

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Matthew Stainbrook
Matthew Stainbrook
6 years ago
GL
GL
6 years ago

Thanks Matthew – I made a booking using your link for $413!

Wondering if the Uber codes are valid for Uber eats. If by the off chance they are, that’d take care of some meals on my trip and certainly increase the value proposition of this promotion.

ochogger
ochogger
6 years ago

Thank you !!!!

Nicole
Nicole
6 years ago

It says invalid promo code. Maybe used its limit?

KCBabe
KCBabe
6 years ago

Got same message that it’s an invalid promo code. Just emailed you about it.

tk
tk
6 years ago

Site doesn’t give much information. Is a United flight billed as “Economy” class “Basic Economy”? Does the customer get to choose the type of gift card (e.g., Amazon), and when is that done? Also, at least some airfares on the site are priced higher than on the carrier’s site.

Matthew Stainbrook
Matthew Stainbrook
6 years ago

Also, if anyone has a question, shoot me an email!

Stainbrook3@gmail.com

I will be happy to help!

J.
J.
6 years ago

How and when do you choose the gift card?

rea
rea
6 years ago

Upon clicking the referral link, the site says that you need a promo code.

erik
erik
6 years ago

Anyone have a referral?

Matthew Stainbrook
Matthew Stainbrook
6 years ago
Reply to  erik

Hello,

It looks like they fixed it and my code is now working!

https://web.upside.com/promocode?promocode=STAINBROOK3

please let me know of any problems

Matt

Smitty06
Smitty06
6 years ago

Matthew stainbook who replied above supplied me with the $250 referral code ( some are only 125). The website was easy to navigate and my flights priced out the same as on Americans website.

Hubb
Hubb
6 years ago

Booked last night. A few comments. Booked American. It is Main Cabin economy. In my case, one leg received a seat assignment, one didn’t. You can’t preselect seats. I went on the American site before booking to see what was available. Be sure to book with your frequent flier number. Once reservation is made you can go on the American site and change seats, including main cabin upgrades. Got the $250 gift card “pending”. Can’t be redeemed until the trip is taken.

Chris
Chris
6 years ago

Looks like one-way bookings are not permitted? Bummer!

Redound
Redound
6 years ago

The $250 offer seems dead – all I can find is $125 off. Anyone have any ideas?

Brian C
6 years ago
Reply to  Redound

I signed up for this offer and used it. Today i received an email, they are letting me refer people and they will get a $200 GC credit (not as good as $250 but still pretty good). if you have an family or friends who use upside, check with them, they may have the email and link so you can share in the referral. If not, you can use mine.

https://web.upside.com/promocode?promocode=510kvu

Shantnu
Shantnu
6 years ago

Hey there,
Use code de01xx and get at least $200 in gift cards with your next Business trip on Upside.com!
https://upside.com/promocode/?promocode=de01xx

Valid till 8/31/17

Derek
Derek
6 years ago
Swap
6 years ago

Get Bose headphones when you buy your 1st #BizTrip of $600+ on Upside.com. Use code: BSHAREm23bow

Swapnil
6 years ago

Congratulations your code has been accepted! You’ll receive at least $125 in gift cards with purchase ($600 minimum Upside package requirement applies). Promotion ends 12/31/25

https://web.upside.com/?promocode=m23bow

Dip Set Era
6 years ago

Too bad the $600 promo code doesn’t work but check out this new one for the Bose noise cancelling head phones. They retail for about $200 and it’s a pretty good deal when you fly internationally (or domestically).

Dip Set Era
6 years ago
Reply to  Dip Set Era

Oh yah use the promo code pi4c08

Ricky
Ricky
6 years ago

These referral codes no longer work for $125-$250.

As of Jan 4th 2018, you can use referral code x1srh0 to get a $100 gift card (or use it towards your trip) on trips of $600 or more even though the website says $400 or more in some places.

Code: x1srh0
Expires 12/20/25

cici
cici
6 years ago

$100 off on any trips booked on Upside travel. Use my code: i5wewo

Chase
6 years ago

New code is SI0PHU, $100 minimum gift card with possible bonus of $333. I just used it.

PATRICE NGASSA
PATRICE NGASSA
5 years ago

Congratulations your code has been accepted! You’ll receive at least $100 in gift cards with purchase ($600 minimum Upside package requirement applies). Promotion ends 12/31/25

https://web.upside.com/?promocode=PATRICEN1

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