Canadian Travel Hacking

Category: Point and Mile Bonuses

  • Uber Canada – New users 2 free rides up to $15/ride – Ottawa only

    For new Uber users in Ottawa only, use promo code: OTTAWARIDES and your first two rides will be free with the promo code.

    uber-seattle

     

    Here is a link to register if you are not already a member.

  • $250 Cash Back on Approval for Capital One Aspire Travel World Elite MasterCard – Ends August 31, 2015

    We found a great promotion to get a huge $230 savings with the Capital One Aspire Travel World Elite MasterCard.

    aspire-world-elite-300x189

    Here is the lowdown:

    $250 cash back when you apply through Great Canadian Rebates.

    $120 Annual Free

    $100 worth of rewards after first purchase

    = $230 of money earned.

    You earn 2 miles per dollar spent – essentially making it 2% cash back.

    Here are the benefits of the card:

    World Elite MasterCard Travel Benefits

    • Travel Emergency Medical for up to 22 days!
    • Trip Cancellation
    • Trip Interruption
    • Flight Delay
    • Baggage Loss
    • Baggage Delay
    • Travel Accident Insurance
    • Travel Assistance
    • Car Rental Collision/Loss Damage Waiver

    World Elite MasterCard Everyday Benefits

    • Price Protection Service
    • Extended Warranty
    • Purchase Assurance
    • World Elite MasterCard Concierge Services

    MasterCard Benefits

    • MasterCard Global Service™
    • Zero Liability

    Here is a link to apply for the card with Great Canadian Rebates.

    This promo ends August 31, 2015.

  • Transfer points to Aeroplan to earn up to 40,000 Bonus Aeroplan Miles

    Aeroplan has a transfer promotion where you can transfer from partners like Starwood, Hertz, Hilton, etc and as long as the total Aeroplan miles deposited from all of them reaches one of the bonus thresholds you will be awarded the respective bonus miles.

    aeroplan-bonus

    Bonus offer valid only on conversions made between July 27, 2015 and August 24, 2015 (11:59 EDT).

    Maximum 40,000 Bonus Aeroplan Miles can be earned per Aeroplan Member. Bonus Aeroplan Miles will be issued by Aeroplan as follows: 1,000 Bonus Aeroplan Miles will be deposited into the member’s account when the total Aeroplan Miles earned by converting points from any combination of eligible partner programs during the promotion is between 5,000 and 9,999 Aeroplan Miles; OR 2,000 Bonus Aeroplan Miles will be deposited into the member’s account when the total Aeroplan Miles earned by converting points from any combination of eligible partner programs during the promotion is between 10,000 and 19,999 Aeroplan Miles; OR 4,000 Bonus Aeroplan Miles will be deposited into the member’s account when the total Aeroplan Miles earned by converting points from any combination of eligible partner programs during the promotion is between 20,000 and 49,999 Aeroplan Miles; OR 10,000 Bonus Aeroplan Miles will be deposited into the member’s account when the total Aeroplan Miles earned by converting points from any combination of eligible partner programs during the promotion is between 50,000 and 99,999 Aeroplan Miles; OR 25,000 Bonus Aeroplan Miles will be deposited into the member’s account when the total Aeroplan Miles earned by converting points from any combination of eligible partner programs during the promotion is between 100,000 and 149,999 Aeroplan Miles; OR 40,000 Bonus Aeroplan Miles will be deposited into the member’s account when the total Aeroplan Miles earned by converting points from any combination of eligible partner programs during the promotion is 150,000 Aeroplan Miles and more.

    Conversion of Membership Rewards® points from American Express Cardmember accounts into Aeroplan Miles are not eligible for this promotion. Although eligible CIBC Aventura cardholders as of October 1, 2013, can convert their Aventura points to Aeroplan Miles, these conversions are also not eligible for this promotion.

    Here is a link to the promotion.

  • Uber Southwestern Ontario – First 4 rides are free (up to $20 each) until this Sunday, July 26

    I found a nice new promo for our readers in Southwestern Ontario.

    uber-seattle

    Residents of London, Waterloo Region, Hamilton, and Guelph will have access to the safety, convenience and reliability of Uber at prices up to 25% cheaper than a traditional taxi.

    Your first 4 rides will be FREE (up to $20 each) until Sunday July 24, 2015.

    Here is a link to sign up for Uber if you are not already a member.

     

  • Introducing Aeroplan miles on select grocery products at Costco

    For the first time ever, earn Aeroplan Miles on select Kirkland Signature grocery products at Costco warehouses.

    UPDATE: My Aeroplan contact has told me that this is a targeted offer.

    aeroplan-costco

    Simply visit a Costco warehouse between July 22 and August 18, 2015 and spend a minimum of $75 on select Kirkland Signature grocery products to earn 500 miles and get even closer to your next reward!

    Kirkland Signature products deliver unparalleled quality and value in a variety of categories.

    Find out more about all eligible Kirkland categories by clicking here and start earning miles with your grocery cart.

  • $15 off each of your first three Lyft rides

    app-screen-request-ride
    I found a promo code so you can enjoy $15 off each of your first three Lyft rides.
    Download the Lyft app for iPhone or Android, enter the code BLOGHER15 into the payment section, then request a ride for pickup in minutes.
    This code is for new users only.

  • American Express Membership Rewards 25% Transfer Bonus to British Airways Avios – Ends September 30, 2015

    Through September 30, 2015, transfers from American Express Canada Membership Rewards Points to British Airways Avios will be at a 1:1.25 ratio.

    amex-transfer-bonus

    This means instead of transferring 25,000 Reward Points you will get 31,250 – quite a nice savings.

    With flights starting at just 4.5K Avios in coach and 9K Avios for a lie-flat business seat there are some real steals with Avios.

    The 25% bonus that means that a coach award will start at just 3,600 Membership Rewards Points and a Business award will start at 7,200 Membership Rewards Points.

    This is great news for us Canadians as the US program has a 1000:800 ratio coming up in October.

    Avios is the loyalty program for British Airways. This airline flies from Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, Montreal to cities in Europe. Additionally, they have a code-share with WestJet that lets you earn Avios.

    One major benefit of the Avios program is that you can combine Avios points from different Avios schemes (British Airways) into one family member’s accounts. This can make it easier to redeem your acquired points.

    The Avios program works on distance, so you can find some great buys.  A one-way flight between Toronto and New York can be had for only 4,500 Avios points (9,000 round trip), compared to 15,000 Aeroplan Miles for the same flight (round-trip).

    Here are some good value redemptions with Avios:

    • Vancouver, BC (YVR) to Los Angeles, CA (LAX), 15,000 Avios
    • Toronto, ON (YYZ) to Miami, FL (MIA), 20,000 Avios
    • Victoria, BC (YYJ) to Seattle, WA (SEA), 9,000 Avios
    • Calgary, AB (YYC) to Dallas, TX (DFW) 20,000 Avios
    • Edmonton, AB (YEG) to Seattle, WA (SEA) 9,000 Avios

    Even a trip to Hawaii from Seattle is only 25,000 Avios round-trip!

    Positives:

    • No blackout dates for redemption.
    • Can create a Household Account that enables you to share your Avios with the other members of your household for free.
    • Fantastic redemptions with Avios on short-haul flights (Montreal or Toronto to New York or Chicago, Calgary or Edmonton to Seattle) using American Airlines or Alaska Airlines (9,000 round trip).
    • The taxes are next to nothing (except for standard airport fees).

    Negatives:

    • No retail partners in Canada to earn extra Avios.
    • Charged for extra stopovers as an additional flight.
    • Major fuel surcharges charges.

    One of easiest ways to earn Membership Reward Points with very little cost is the Gold Rewards Card (comes with 25,000 free bonus miles after spending $500 the first 3 months).

    Here is a link to the promotion.

  • Silvercar Audi Car Rental – 1 Free Day

    For a limited time and exclusively for LoungeBuddy members, Silvercar is offering new customers 1 free day (up to $89 in value) towards your first Silvercar reservation of 2+ days.* Drive off in a premium Audi A4 from any airport where Silvercar is available.

    silvercar

    Here is a list of Silvercar locations:

     

    To claim your gift, simply enter the code “LOUNGEBUDDY” into the Silvercar app or at www.silvercar.com when making your reservation. Get a taste of car rental the way it should be, and enjoy a smooth, hassle-free airport car rental experience.

    If you use my referral code when you sign up with Silvercar: SZUSSINO you and I will each earn $25 after your first rental (much appreciated).

    Disclosure: I have already used this code for when I go to Fort Lauderdale in December! 

    Here is the link to Silvercar.

     

  • Avion 50% conversion to BA Avios – Expires July 15, 2015

    The 50% conversion rate promotion from Royal Bank (RBC) Avion to British Airways (BA) Avios is back again and runs from now until July 15, 2015.

    ba-logo
    RBC Avion cardholders and clients who hold other eligible RBC Royal Bank products or services that earn RBC Rewards points†, have the option of converting their RBC Rewards points to Avios◊. As a member of the British Airways Executive Club they can spend them on a range of rewards, including flights with BA and their oneworld® partners, flight upgrades, hotel accommodation and car rental¤.

    You must be a member of the British Airways Executive Club‡ in order to convert your points.

    Here is a link to the promotion.

  • United Airlines offers up to 1 Million United Miles for finding bugs

    United is committed to protecting their customers’ privacy and the personal data they receive from them, which is why they are offering a bug bounty program — the first of its kind within the airline industry.

    united-logo

    If you think you have discovered a potential bug that affects their websites, apps and/or online portals, please let them know. If the submission meets our requirements, we’ll gladly reward you for your time and effort.

    What is a bug bounty program?

    A bug bounty program permits independent researchers to discover and report issues that affect the confidentiality, integrity and/or availability of customer or company information and rewards them for being the first to discover a bug.

    Eligibility requirements

    To ensure that submissions and payouts are fair and impactful, the following eligibility requirements and guidelines apply to all researchers submitting bug reports:

    • All bugs must be new discoveries. Award miles will be provided only to the first researcher who submits a particular bug.
    • The researcher must be a MileagePlus member in good standing. If you’re not yet a member, join the MileagePlus program now.
    • The researcher must not reside in a country currently on a United States sanctions list.
    • The researcher submitting the bug must not be an employee of United Airlines, any Star Alliance™ member airline or any other partner airline, or a family member or household member of an employee of United Airlines or any partner airline.
    • The researcher submitting the bug must not be the author of the vulnerable code.

    Bugs that are eligible for submission:

    • Authentication bypass
    • Bugs on customer-facing websites such as:
      • united.com
      • beta.united.com
      • mobile.united.com
    • Bugs on the United app
    • Bugs in third-party programs loaded by united.com or its other online properties
    • Cross-site request forgery
    • Cross-site scripting (XSS)
    • Potential for information disclosure
    • Remote code execution
    • Timing attacks that prove the existence of a private repository, user or reservation
    • The ability to brute-force reservations, MileagePlus numbers, PINs or passwords

    Bugs that are not eligible for submission:

    • Bugs that only affect legacy or unsupported browsers, plugins or operating systems
    • Bugs on internal sites for United employees or agents (not customer-facing)
    • Bugs on partner or third-party websites or apps
    • Bugs on onboard Wi-Fi, entertainment systems or avionics
    • Insecure cookie settings for non-sensitive cookies
    • Previously submitted bugs
    • Self-cross-site scripting

    Do not attempt:

    Attempting any of the following will result in permanent disqualification from the bug bounty program and possible criminal and/or legal investigation.

    • Brute-force attacks
    • Code injection on live systems
    • Disruption or denial-of-service attacks
    • The compromise or testing of MileagePlus accounts that are not your own
    • Any testing on aircraft or aircraft systems such as inflight entertainment or inflight Wi-Fi
    • Any threats, attempts at coercion or extortion of United employees, Star Alliance member airline employees, other partner airline employees, or customers
    • Physical attacks against United employees, Star Alliance member airline employees, other partner airline employees, or customers
    • Vulnerability scans or automated scans on United servers

    Bounties

    If you have discovered a bug that meets the requirements, and you’re the first eligible researcher to report it, we will gladly reward you for your efforts. Below is our bounty payout structure, which is based on the severity and impact of bugs.

    Bug Bounty payout structure
    Severity Examples Maximum payout in award miles
    High
    • Remote code execution
    		 1,000,000
    Medium
    • Authentication bypass
    • Brute-force attacks
    • Potential for personally identifiable information (PII) disclosure
    • Timing attacks
    		 250,000
    Low
    • Cross-site scripting
    • Cross-site request forgery
    • Third-party issues that affect United
    		 50,000

    Here is a link to the United blog explaining the process.