Canadian Travel Hacking

Category: Point and Mile Bonuses

  • Compliment​ary night at select Fairmont properties with American Express Platinum Card

    I am currently an American Express Platinum card owner (especially with the current sign-up bonus of 60,000 Membership reward points = $600 of free travel or 60,000 Aeroplan or Avios miles). They even give you a $200 annual travel credit.

    Free night at Fairmont properties with your AMEX card.
    Free night at Fairmont properties with your AMEX card.

    They have teamed up with Fairmont to have a nice promotion.

    Stay an extra night, based on a minimum night stay, at any of the featured Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, compliments of American Express.

    The Fairmont properties featured are also part of the FINE HOTELS & RESORTS program. As a Platinum Card member you can enjoy special program privileges7 such as:

    • Daily breakfast for two people
    • Room upgrade*
    • An additional special benefit unique to each property, such as a food & beverage credit or massage for two people**

    Whether you’re making a quick stop-over or are planning a long-overdue vacation, there is nothing quite like arriving at one of Fairmont’s luxurious Hotels & Resorts. And now, for a limited time, you can enjoy a complimentary night stay at any of these featured Fairmont properties when you book with your Platinum Card. Minimum stay requirements vary based on location – see below for details.

    COMPLIMENTARY 4th NIGHT
    The Savoy
    The Savoy, A Fairmont Managed Hotel, London | United Kingdom
    Where old fashioned glamour sparkles with a new lustre.

    Enjoy a complimentary 4th night with a minimum paid 3 night consecutive stay when you book by December 26, 2014 for stays ending by December 30, 2014.1† Terms & Conditions apply.
    COMPLIMENTARY 4th NIGHT
    The Fairmont Kea Lani
    The Fairmont Kea Lani, Maui | Hawaii
    Hawaii’s only all suite and villa luxury oceanfront resort.

    Enjoy a complimentary 4th night with a minimum paid 3 night consecutive stay when you book by December 17, 2014 for stays ending by December 21, 2014.2† Terms & Conditions apply.
    COMPLIMENTARY 4th NIGHT
    The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn and Spa
    The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn and Spa, Sonoma | California
    Filled with natural mineral hot springs, in the heart of Wine Country.

    Enjoy a complimentary 4th night with a minimum paid 3 night consecutive stay when you book by December 25, 2014 for stays ending by December 31, 2014.3† Terms & Conditions apply.
    COMPLIMENTARY 3rd NIGHT
    The Plaza
    The Plaza, New York City | New York
    A timeless urban resort with a contemporary spirit.

    Enjoy a complimentary 3rd night with a minimum paid 2 night consecutive stay and a bonus $50 Food & Beverage credit when you book by November 16, 2014 for stays ending by November 19, 2014.4† Terms & Conditions apply.
    COMPLIMENTARY 4th NIGHT
    The Fairmont Orchid
    The Fairmont Orchid, Kohala Coast | Hawaii
    Inspired by culture, well-being and genuine Aloha.

    Enjoy a complimentary 4th night with a minimum paid 3 night consecutive stay when you book by December 16, 2014 for stays ending by December 20, 2014.5† Terms & Conditions apply.

  • Court decision restores reward points on pharmacy purchases for British Columbians

    British Columbians can once again collect reward points on pharmacy purchases thanks to a successful legal challenge by Sobeys.

    On Friday, July 25, the Supreme Court of British Columbia struck down the College of Pharmacists of BC bylaws that, since December 2, 2013, have prohibited pharmacy patients in the province from earning loyalty rewards, including Safeway’s AIR MILES® and Club Thrifty Foods Points on non-government funded pharmacy prescriptions.

    Sobeys frequent flyer miles.
    Sobeys frequent flyer miles.

    “We are delighted that as a result of our efforts, Safeway and Thrifty Foods’ pharmacy customers will once again be able to earn the rewards they enjoy to enrich their lives, help buy products and travel,” said Sandra Aylward, Vice President, Professional and Regulatory Affairs, Sobeys Inc.

    “Safeway and Thrifty Foods will now move quickly to reinstate our Safeway AIR MILESÒ and Club Thrifty Foods Points reward programs so that pharmacy customers at both banners will once again be able to earn rewards on their non-government funded pharmacy purchases,” said Aylward.

    British Columbians that shop at Safeway, Thrifty Foods and Sobeys banner stores will also continue to earn loyalty rewards for purchases made throughout the balance of the store.

  • Aeroplan turns 30 years old – Chance to win 30,000 Aeroplan Miles! #Aeroplan30

    As a Canadian, Aeroplan is my favourite frequent flyer program. I have flown to Hawaii, Ontario and have a BIG trip planned for 2015 (future blog post).

    I was shocked to hear that they have been around for 30 years!

    Aeroplan 30th anniversary
    Aeroplan 30th anniversary

    They are constantly evolving and they try to improve the program ( I know many programs are being devalued but understand that it is a business and they have many great redemptions for Canadians). It basically started as a promotional tool for Air Canada’s business travelers but has evolved to the Distinction program with all sorts of retailers involved. It is also a spin off of Air Canada that was the first publicly traded loyalty company.

    We have a great contest for our Canadian Travel Hacking and Boarding Area readers.

    How about a chance to win 30,000 Aeroplan Miles  (That’s enough for 2 short-haul ClassicFlights or 1 long-haul ticket in North America or one-way ticket to Europe).

    In order to qualify for a chance to win you will have to  like Aeroplan on Facebook and follow @Aeroplan on Twitter.

    Simply tell us where you would go with the miles if we put 30,000 Aeroplan miles in your account? 

    This contest ends August 7, 2014.

    a Rafflecopter giveaway

  • Ebates.ca – Double Cash Back on Travel

    Summer travel can be expensive for Canadians, but if you use Ebates – you can get cash-back when you shop online.

    Ebates promo.

    Sign up for an Ebates account and receive double cash-back on many travel related businesses!

    Here’s a list:

    • 5% cash back at Hyatt hotels (was 2.5%)
    • 9% cash back at Holiday Inn (was 4.5%)
    • 8% cash back with Priceline.com (was 4%)
    • 5% cash back at Best Western (was 2.5%)
    • 8% cash back with Expedia.ca (was 4%)

    Start shopping through Ebates.ca now.

    Offers end July 29, 2014.

  • Germanwings is Aeroplan’s newest airline partner

    Germanwings is a low-cost airline based in Cologne, Germany, which is wholly owned by Lufthansa.
    On July 1, 2013, it launched an entirely new product and brand concept, and over the space of twelve months it has developed to become the third largest airline in Germany. Germanwings offers service to over 130 destinations throughout Germany and Europe.

    Germanwings - Aeroplan partner
    Germanwings – Aeroplan partner
    Aeroplan Miles earned on all eligible Germanwings flights are also Air Canada Altitude™ Qualifying Miles, and each eligible Germanwings flight will also earn one Altitude Qualifying Segment. Altitude Qualifying Miles and Altitude Qualifying Segments count towards Air Canada Altitude status.

    Star Alliance™ Gold and Silver Benefits are not extended by Germanwings.

    You can earn Aeroplan Miles on most scheduled flights operated by Germanwings.
    • Earn miles when you purchase an eligible booking class and travel on flights operated by Germanwings. Some exceptions may apply.
    • Currently flights booked through germanwings.com do not auto-accrue mileage, therefore flights must be booked through your travel agent.
    • Be sure to provide your Aeroplan number when you make a reservation through your travel agent.
    • Aeroplan Miles earned on all eligible Germanwings flights are also Altitude Qualifying Miles and count towards Air Canada Altitude™ status. For more details, please consult altitude.aircanada.com.
    • Always save your itinerary receipt, ticket (where available) and boarding pass until the miles have been credited to your account. If the miles for a recent activity have not been credited to your Aeroplan account, you can request to have the missing miles within six months of the activity date. Learn more about Requesting Mileage Credit.
    • Please refer to the charts below to see how many miles you will earn.
    • Booking classes not listed in the charts below are not eligible for accumulation.
    • Codeshare flights operated by Germanwings and marketed by a Star Alliance member airline, Germanwings determines how many miles you earn for your flight. Therefore, the booking class that appears on your ticket may differ from the booking class that the operating airline uses to determine flight miles earned. Refer to the Eligible Flights Tab of the operating carrier.
    • Mileage earned is based on actual miles flown, the percentage of booking class accumulation and the minimum mile rule.
    • Charter flights operated by Germanwings are not eligible.

    Have any of our readers flown with them before? A good opportunity to pad your balance while travelling this discount airline in Germany.

  • 100 Free Aeroplan Miles with Rexall Email Subscription – July 18-24

    My favourite drug store in Canada – Rexall (because they offer 1 Aeroplan mile for every $1 that you spend there).

    100 free Aeroplan Miles
    100 free Aeroplan Miles

    They have a great promo on right now to earn 100 free Aeroplan miles when you subscribe to their newsletter.

    If you entered your loyalty number, your Bonus Miles will be credited to your members account within 10 business days after the end of this promotion. 

    This ends July 24, 2014.

    Easy!

  • Earn Double Aeroplan Miles for travel in Canada – Ends October 31, 2014

    For a limited time, you’ll receive Double Aeroplan® Miles each time you fly round-trip to select destinations in Canada until October 31, 2014.

    Double Aeroplan Miles for travel in Canada
    Double Aeroplan Miles for travel in Canada

    Simply register and book by August 29, 2014 . Make sure you register even if you don’t plan to fly (you never know when you might see a good seat sale or book a trip for work)!

    Eligible routes:

    Must register between July 8, 2014 and August 29, 2014. A one-time registration is required and can be completed online at www.aeroplan.com. Due to GMT time on web, the registration page will remain active until August 30, 2014 at 02:59 Eastern Standard time.

    The Bonus Aeroplan Miles for eligible flights flown will be awarded for new bookings only made between July 8, 2014 and August 29, 2014, for travel on select eligible flights between July 8, 2014 and October 31, 2014. In order to qualify as a new booking, the booking must have been created for the first time with a new booking reference number during the eligible booking period of the promotion. Any booking made prior to the start of the promotion that is subsequently changed to include travel dates within the qualifying travel period will not be considered a new booking that is eligible for the promotion.

    The Double Aeroplan Miles will be applied exclusively towards miles earned based on distance flown as per the fare mileage accrual rules. The class of service bonus miles and miles earned in conjunction with the Altitude Bonus Select Privilege are excluded.

    Valid on select eligible scheduled non-stop flights operated by Air Canada (including flights operated under the Air Canada Express brand) only for travel between July 8, 2014 and October 31, 2014.

    To qualify, the round-trip or two one-way flight segments must be travelled in the eligible fare options (booking classes) within Canada:Tango (S,T,L,A,K); Flex (M,U,H,Q,V,W,G); Latitude (Y,B); Premium Economy Lowest (E,N); Premium Economy Flexible (O); Business Class Lowest (D,Z,P); Business Class Flexible (J,C).

    A minimum of one round-trip or two one-way segments is required to earn any Bonus Aeroplan Miles.

    Valid on published fares and Flight Passes which are eligible for Aeroplan mile accumulation. Offer is not valid when traveling on an Air Canada Unlimited Flight Pass.

    Bonus Aeroplan Miles are not Altitude Qualifying Miles and do not count towards Air Canada Altitude.

    Bonus Aeroplan Miles will be credited up to three weeks after the qualifying flights are completed.

    Upgraded flight segments (eUpgrades, Last minute paid upgrades, Star Alliance Upgrade Awards, etc) will be tracked for this promotion based on the eligibility of the original Economy Class fare purchased.

    Aeroplan Flight Rewards are not eligible for mileage accumulation.

    Bonus Aeroplan Miles cannot be sold and are non-transferable. They have no cash value and cannot be converted to cash or refunded if unused.

    Offer is subject to change at Air Canada’s sole discretion without notice; other conditions and restrictions may apply.

  • AIR MILES CANADA – No more fuel surcharges on certain flights

    I have been stung trying to use AIR MILES in the past but I saw the dreaded fuel surcharges in the fees. This has changed for certain redemptions but the miles to use these has also increased.

    15485_Flight_header

    Effective July 17, 2014, you will no longer have to pay cash for fuel surcharges on certain flights. These surcharges will be included in the number of AIR MILES® reward miles required to redeem for qualifying flights. This change will apply to flights within Canada, the United States (including Hawaii and Alaska), Mexico and the Caribbean, and will result in an increase in the number of reward miles required to redeem for flights.

    The average increase in the number of reward miles required for flights within Canada, to the United States (including Alaska and Hawaii), to Mexico and the Caribbean will be 16%. Some destinations will see a smaller increase, while others will see a larger increase.
    For example:

    • A round-trip flight, in Low season, will now start at 1,200 reward miles (instead of starting from 950 reward miles)
    • A flight from British Colombia to Los Angeles will increase by 19% in Low season (1600 reward miles to 1900) and 14% in High season (2275 reward miles to 2600).
    • A flight from Ontario to New York City will increase by 13% in Low season (1150 reward miles to 1300) and 14% in High season (1400 reward miles to 1600).

    I honestly do not see the value using AIR MILES for flights! Use them for gas cards at Shell instead or Cineplex tickets.

  • One Day to apply for AMEX AeroplanPlus 30,000 Aeroplan Miles Sign-up bonus

    Just a quick reminder that the increased 30,000 Aeroplan Miles sign-up bonus on the American Express Aeroplan Plus card only runs through July 14, 2014.

    American Express AeroplanPlus Gold Card Bonus Last Day to apply
    American Express AeroplanPlus Gold Card Bonus Last Day to apply

    The normal sign-up bonus is 20,000 Aeroplan miles with no annual fee the first year. I posted some great reasons to apply for the card.

    If You Haven’t Applied Yet, Here’s Why You Should:

    • No Annual Fee the first year.
    • 30,000 Aeroplan Miles Sign-Up Bonus – usual spend is 1 Aeroplan Mile for $1 spend so a high sign up bonus makes up for the typical earn rate.
    • Flight Delay Insurance: Charge your airline ticket to your American Express AeroplanPlus Gold Card and receive up to $500 coverage (aggregate maximum with Baggage Delay Insurance) for hotel, motel, restaurant expenses and other sundry items.
    • Baggage Delay Insurance: Book a flight with your American Express AeroplanPlus Gold Card and receive up to $500 coverage (aggregate maximum with Flight Delay Insurance) for reasonable and necessary emergency purchases.
    • Lost or Stolen Baggage Insurance: When you fully charge your airline tickets to your American Express AeroplanPlus Gold Card you can receive up to $500 coverage for loss or damage to your luggage or personal effects while in transit.

    Remember that this is a charge Card with a whopping 30% interest rate so make sure you can meet the minimum spending and avoid putting too much of a balance on the card (just meet the minimum spending).

    Here is the sign-up link for the American Express AeroplanPlus Gold Card.

    Good luck and let me know if you have any questions!

  • 500 Bonus Aeroplan Miles – Use the Miele Kitchen Visualizer

    I love to cook eat! I enjoy having a nice tidy kitchen and enjoy eating at home (we are currently doing many renos on our house) unless I am travelling or on holidays when I like to eat out.

    Miele Aeroplan promotion.
    Miele Aeroplan promotion.

    I like to share these bonus offers as your Aeroplan balance can really add up!

    Earning 500 Bonus Aeroplan Miles is easy.

    Simply design your Miele dream kitchen using the Miele Kitchen Visualizer, proceed to: “Finalize now” and book an appointment with a Miele Chartered Agent near you.
    On the day of your appointment, review your Miele dream kitchen with your Miele Chartered Agent and request a formal quotation for the Miele appliances of interest.
    Ensure your Aeroplan number is added to the quotation. Aeroplan will deposit 500 Bonus Aeroplan Miles into your account within 60 days.

    NOTES:

    Ensure that you provide the same email address to the Miele Chartered Agent which you used when booking your appointment using the Kitchen Appliance Visualizer.
    Aeroplan will deposit 500 Bonus Aeroplan Miles into your account within 60 days.
    Promotion valid from July 4 to July 31, 2014, inclusive.

    Here are more details on the promotion.