Sometimes I come across a story and just know that it’s perfect for my weekly Quick Tip. That’s exactly what happened when I saw that Starbucks was teaming up with Bank of America for a new partnership. Initially, I assumed that this was just a new Starbucks Rewards credit card (since the Chase one was killed off), but it actually turned out to be something far more interesting.
As the two companies announced, now, Bank of America credit and debit card customers can earn 2% back on qualifying in-app Starbucks purchases. This includes reloading your Starbucks gift card — so, even if you prefer to pay in-store, you can load your card up via the app and then scan that to pay. Also notable is that this bonus 2% comes on top of any base rewards your credit card earns.
To take advantage of this offer, customers will need to do a few things. First, you’ll need to have a Bank of America credit or debit card and a BofA online/mobile banking account. From there, you’ll want to navigate to the BankAmeriDeals section and activate the offer. You’ll also need to link your Starbucks Rewards account — or create one if you don’t already have one. After that, you should be all set. According to the FAQ, your 2% cashback will be credited to your BofA account. Lastly, it states that this offer is available for “all Bank of America debit and credit cards,” which I would have to imagine includes co-branded cards issued by the bank.
On that note, unlike the Delta partnership that played right into my sweet spot, this offer doesn’t currently apply to me as I don’t have any BofA credit cards. I suppose if I did decide to finally get the Allegiant Allways Rewards card (issued by Bank of America), I could earn 2x points on dining plus 2% back from this offer. That 4% back total is equal to what I already get with my Amex Gold card and this is a pretty specific use case, so it wouldn’t make the Allways card worth it on its own. But, it is a nice added perk if I did decide to pick that card up.
Personally, I’m fascinated by this partnership and offer. As I mentioned, seeing as the Chase Starbucks cards are no more, I do wonder if this is a prelude to a new BofA-issued offering or whether they’ve decided that this broader opening is the way to go. Either way, if you are a Bank of America customer, be sure to check your BankAmeriDeals and start earning bonus cashback on your coffee habit.