British Airways Executive Club increases mileage earned on discount fares

Over the past few years the trend with many airline frequent flyer programs has been to reduce the amount of miles earned on discount economy fares. Whether it was Aeroplan, Miles and More, Executive Club or any host of other programs, the move to awarding less miles was to cut costs associated with the low margin discount fares. Some airlines only did it on domestic fares (ie Air Canada) while others like British Airways had it across the board. Well, BA has made an about face and has decided once again to offer 100% of the mileage flown on discount economy fares for their Blue Executive Club members (non-status members). Previously, they were only awarding 25% of the mileage flown. They have also increased the amount of elite qualifying tier points from 25% to 50% on the same fares. In this day and age it is tough to find an airline giving back to the conusmer due to low margins but this is nice move on BA's part and hopefully some of the other carriers will follow suit.

For more details on the this change please visit British Airways

Vote for your favorite frequent travel program at the FT Awards

Many of you have probably seen it in your emails from the various airline or hotel programs or online at certain Frequent Traveler sites but just in case you haven't, well we're going to let you know about it! The Frequent Traveler Awards are essentially replacing the Freddie Awards which were last awarded in 2009. The Frequent Traveler Awards allows the general public to vote on their favorite frequent flyer and guest programs as well as earn and burn promotions offered by those programs. Voting is open now and runs until Oct 15, 2010. So let your voice be heard and vote today at ftawards.com

Enhancements to AIR MILES Flight Rewards now live.

You may recall our post on August 31 outlining changes to the flight rewards portion of the AIR MILES program that were due to come out soon. Well that time has come (last week actually), as the enhancements to the program that were announced are now live. Members can finally book flights online at airmiles.ca, they can book one way flights (at roughly 60% of the roundtrip cost, comparable to Aeroplan), they have access to 25 more airlines and more seats on partner airlines for additional reward miles and the ability to book travel for flights outside of Canada (eg London, UK to Paris).

Air Canada adds new routes to sun destinations

According the Airline Route Updates Air Canada will be adding the following sun routes for the upcoming winter season:
Montreal-Cozumel
Montreal-Liberia
Montreal-West Palm Beach
Ottawa-Punta Cana
Ottawa-Varadero
Most of these routes will commence in the mid to latter half of December

American Express Gold Rewards Card officially launched

As you may have read in an earlier blog post of mine, I have partnered with American Express to test drive their new Gold Rewards Card that launched October 1 in the Canadian market. The task for me will be to blog about this card over the next three weeks and give my professional opinion on the card while I use it. What do I get in return? American Express will be awarding me with 50,000 Membership Rewards points so that I can actually experience the booking or point transfer process with American Express Membership Rewards.

The card itself was introduced to me and other social media practitioners at a dinner held at the Canadian Air & Space Museum in Toronto. The team from American Express were very excited about the new Card launch and I have to admit that after hearing all the details, the Card is a very good offering in the competitive travel rewards Credit Card market. For us here at Rewards Canada, the card falls into the Hybrid Card category as you have the option of converting points to frequent flyer/guest miles or to use the points for any type of travel booked via any travel agency, online or tour operator for example. Unless other Cards change by next July, this Card will shake up the ranks in this category for our annual Credit Card ranking.

The Card itself is a Charge Card, meaning that it has no preset credit limit but the balance must be paid off in full each month. The benefit of a Charge Card is that requires Cardmembers to be disciplined about their spending and typically Charge Card holders do not spend more then they can afford.

What does the Card offer? To start, it will award 15,000 Bonus reward points once the Cardmember spends $500 on the card in the first three months and the first year annual fee is waived (thereafter it is $150) plus the first supplementary card is free for life. Additional supplementary cards are $50 per year, although this is also waived in the first year. The card earns 2 points per dollar spent at Gas Stations, Grocery, Drug stores and all travel, 1 point per dollar on all other spending. Those points can be redeemed for travel, merchandise and entertainment rewards via the Membership Rewards program.

Where will I go with the points that American Express has given me? Well, I haven’t decided yet, but my family and I have been talking about going to Caribbean in January and will more than likely put the points towards that. How will I use the points? I have two options, I can convert the 50,000 Membership Rewards points to 50,000 Aeroplan Miles to top off my Aeroplan account and book the flights via Aeroplan and the hotel separately or I may book a packaged all inclusive vacation and use the TripFlex option to provide a $500 credit to the overall booking cost. Assuming I have spent some money on the card, I should have more points available to further bring down the cost of the vacation.

Keep an eye out on our blog for information on an upcoming contest from American Express and of course on how I progress with the American Express Gold Rewards Card. For more details on the card or to apply for it please visit Americanexpress.ca

Extravelganza: Earn bonus Aeroplan Miles for flying this fall

Air Canada has released their 4th quarter systemwide flight bonus promo as follows:
Earn up to 30,000 Bonus Aeroplan Miles when you register and fly Air Canada on select routes within North America, to the Caribbean, Europe or Asia. For every eligible roundtrip or twoone-way flight segments, you’ll earn:
* Up to 3,000 Bonus Aeroplan Miles on select routes within Canada or between Canada and the U.S.
* Up to 5,000 Bonus Aeroplan Miles on select routes between Canada and Bermuda or the Caribbean
* Up to 10,000 Bonus Aeroplan Miles on select routes between Canada and Europe or Isreal
* Up to 15,000 Bonus Aeroplan Miles on select routes between Canada and Asia
plus Fly 3 eligible one-way flight segments in Latitude or Executive First between Canada and Europe or Asia, and you’ll receive an additional one-time 15,000 mile bonus!

The promotion is open to all Aeroplan members who register for the offer and is valid for flights until December 15.

Click here for full details and registration

Shanghai Airlines to no longer be an Aeroplan partner

Air Canada's Aeroplan will no longer be partnered with China's Shanghai Airlines as of October 31. That is the last day Aeroplan members will be able to earn miles on Shanghai Airlines while October 28 will be the last day members can redeem Aeroplan miles for Shanghai Airlines flights. Redemptions can be made for travel that is completed by October 31, 11. If you do redeem for flights on Shanghai Airlines be warned that no changes can be made to those reward tickets after October 28, 10.

Source: Aeroplan

Rewards Canada is 9 years old!

Rewards Canada quietly turned 9 years old this month! In some ways I cannot believe that Rewards Canada and our other websites have grown into what they have become today. When Rewards Canada was launched in 2001 it started off as a hobby and today it is part a full fledged global business providing travel rewards knowledge, consulting and promotion to consumers and corporations alike. Without our readers, visitors and clients we would not be where we are today, so I want to thank all of you for your continued support over the last 9 years and look forward to providing you with the latest on travel rewards for the next 9!
- Patrick Sojka, CEO/Founder The Frequent Flyer Bonuses Group

American Express launches new Gold Travel Rewards Card

This past Tuesday I had the pleasure of attending a dinner event in Toronto to introduce the new American Express Gold Rewards Card. Held at the Canadian Air & Space museum with American Express brass, their PR team and influential social media players, the card was introduced to us in detail and will officially launch to the public on October 1st

This new version of the Gold Rewards Card basically takes some of the best features of many of its competitors and puts them into one complete package. It falls into our Hybrid Credit Card category as it allows you to either transfer points to frequent flyer and guest programs or allows you to book travel however you want and redeem the points against the charge. First impressions of the card make it a top contender in this category and will more then likely shake up the ranks.

I have been asked by American Express to "test-drive" this new Gold Rewards for the next month or so and will provide some progress reports on how the card stacks up. We will provide our complete Rewards Canada review of the card in the coming weeks much like we have done so for other new cards that came out this year.

For more details see the release below from American Express, plus stayed tuned to our blog and website for all the updates and reviews.

"Welcome to the Gold Life:
Introducing the American Express Gold Rewards Card

Life’s just golden when the answer is ‘yes.’ With the new American Express® Gold Rewards Card – an entirely new concept in rewards designed with the consumer in mind – Cardmembers earn double Membership Rewards® points on eligible gas, grocery and drugstore purchases, as well as on eligible travel purchases charged to the Card, including flights, hotels, car rentals, cruises and packages. They also earn one point for every dollar in purchases everywhere else – no matter where in the world their journeys take them. What’s more, there’s no cap on the number of points Cardmembers can earn, and points never expire.

What are Membership Rewards® points?
With the American Express Gold Rewards Card, the points Cardmembers earn are called Membership Rewards points. These points can be redeemed for travel, top-brand merchandise and entertainment rewards from over 500 major brands.


Where? How? When?
Points can be redeemed to pay for any travel Cardmembers book, whether it be online or through a travel agent or tour provider. Once travel has been charged to the Card, Cardmembers can pay with points and will not be subject to blackouts. There is also the option to transfer points into other programs.

TripFlexTM Rewards
With TripFlex rewards, Cardmembers have ultimate travel flexibility with their points, allowing them to fulfill their travel dreams. They can charge ANY travel on their Card, including last-minute fares and seat sales – with any provider. After the charge has been posted to their account, Cardmembers simply call American Express at the number on the back of their Card to use their points to cover the charge – including fees and taxes too. They can redeem their points starting at 1,000 points for a $10 statement credit, up to the full amount of the travel purchase – the choice is theirs. The amazing part of TripFlex rewards is that you don’t need to have enough points for your reward at the time of booking - as you have up to 12 months to redeem your points for your trip. That means that you can purchase your travel on your Card, enjoy your vacation, earn more points, and then up to 12 months from the date the travel purchases was posted to your account, redeem your points for that vacation.


Transfer Your Points
Cardmembers can also choose to transfer points instantly one-to-one to Aeroplan or to frequent flyer and hotel programs, including: Alitalia, British Airways, Delta, Cathay Pacific, Hilton Honors, Starwood Preferred Guest, and Priority Club. Transfers from Membership Rewards allow Cardmembers to take advantage of another program to get the reward they want.

Earn Points “Double-Time” Fast
Points will add up quickly with the rich earning formula on the American Express Gold Rewards Card. Cardmembers will earn double points on eligible travel purchases and also on eligible gas, grocery and drugstore purchases. Additionally, they will earn one point for every $1 in Card purchases everywhere else.

See the world, on your terms.
Enjoy Financial Flexibility, Maximize Membership Rewards
The American Express Gold Rewards Card is also a smart financial management tool for consumers. As a Charge Card, it offers the convenience of paying with plastic but without carrying a balance and paying interest. This gives Cardmembers the flexibility and spending power they need, as well as a rich rewards program and a robust set of benefits.


Additional Features and Benefits
• 24/7 Worldwide Personal Service
• Emergency Card Replacement
• Online account management
• Front Of The Line (gives Cardmembers access to some of Canada’s hottest concerts, theatre productions and special events before the general public).
• Travel Insurance coverage
o 15-day Out of Province/Country Emergency Medical Insurance
o Trip Interruption Insurance
o Car Rental Theft and Damage Insurance
o $500,000 Travel Accident Insurance
o Lost or Stolen Baggage Insurance
o Baggage Delay Insurance
o Flight Delay Insurance
o Hotel/Motel Burglary Insurance
o Travel Emergency Assistance

• Retail Insurance
o Purchase Protection Plan
o Buyer’s Assurance Protection Plan

A new era in rewards is just around the corner with the upcoming launch of the American Express Gold Rewards Card! If you have questions in the meantime, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We hope you enjoyed this sneak peak at the new American Express Gold Rewards Card. A full breakdown of the Card and all its details are soon to come!"

Ritz-Carlton launches reward program

It finally became official a little over a week ago, Ritz-Carlton has succumbed to the pressures of the industry by launching their own frequent guest program: Ritz-Carlton Rewards. It is closely tied to Ritz's parent company's Marriott Rewards program with both programs having reciprocating earning and burning benefits at each others hotels.

The Ritz-Carlton Rewards program will give members 10 Rewards points or 2 airline miles for every US$1 spent on your room rate at Ritz-Carlton locations Worldwide. Unfortunately they will not award points at this time on other spending that is put onto your room bill. Members will also earn points or miles for stays at the 11 brands in the Marriott hotel family. Points can also be earned on hosting events at Ritz-Carlton locations, on Abercrombie & Kent packages that include a Ritz-Carlton stay and on cruise bookings made through LuxuryOnly.

On the redemption side, Ritz-Carlton Rewards members can use their points for stays at Ritz-Carlton and the Marriott family of hotels worldwide. Free nights at Ritz-Carlton locations start at 30,000 points. Points Saver nights are available as well starting at 20,000 points for select locations at select times. If members redeem for five nights at once, the fifth night is free. The points can also be used for room upgrades at select Ritz-Carlton hotels starting at 5,000 points per night. Other redemption options include points to frequent flyer miles, travel packages, luxury cruises and retail partners like Neiman Marcus.

Much like most frequent travel programs, the Ritz-Carlton Rewards program offer elite tier levels. The Silver elite level is awarded after 10 eligible nights, Gold after 50 and Platinum after 75 nights. Depending on the level, the benefits from the tier programs range from bonus points and late check out all the way to complimentary room upgrades and arrival gifts.

For complete details and to join the program please visit Ritz-Carlton Rewards

As well, watch for a dedicated page on Rewards Canada for Ritz-Carlton Rewards Bonus Point Opportunities to be launched within the next week or so!