Tuesday, September 8, 2015
Best Western Rewards Fall Promotion: $25 Gift Card after 2 stays Worldwide
Best Western has launched their fall systemwide stay promotion and it is quite weak compared to other promos they have run and when compared to what their competitors are offering. To offer only a $25 gift card after two stays is pretty much a slap in the face of Best Western Rewards members as it isn't really "Rewards worth celebrating"
Offer Details
Receive a $25 USD Best Western Travel Card® by email when you stay 2 separate times between September 8 and November 22, 2015, at Best Western® branded hotels.. Full details, online registration and booking (Registration is required) Until Nov 22, 15
Friday, September 4, 2015
September 4 Update: Executive Hotels opens NYC Hotel, 25 Free Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Points, Aeroplan Rocketmiles bonus extended
Final update of the first week of September! We'll return on Tuesday. Have a great Labour Day long weekend!
News, Tips & Tricks
Another new airtransat route launch for next year as they announced Montreal to Glasgow service once per week starting May 29. (Source Airlineroute.net)
Canadian based Executive Hotels has officially opened their first location in New York City. The Le Soleil is now open and you can use promo code HOT if you book this hotel for some sort of deal as the details of which were not communicated in the email! You will be able to earn Executive Rewards points for stays at this location. You can learn more about Executive Rewards in our Guide to Canadian Frequent Guest Programs.
Don't forget about our promotion where you can get a $250 Gift Card from Rewards Canada. Find out more here.
In the bonus offers section you'll see that Aeroplan's bonus for your first Rocketmiles booking has been extended as well as Hertz Gold Plus Reward new promotion which includes 25 free points and a couple offers for the VIA Rail Preference program.
Posts since our last update:
Bonus Offers
Aeroflot Bonus
- Receive Aeroflot Bonus Elite Status when you have a comparable status with another frequent flyer program and complete anywhere from 3 to 5 flights in the promotional period. More... Register by December 15 for flights completed by December 1, 2015
Air Canada Aeroplan
- OFFER EXTENDED 3,000 Bonus Aeroplan Miles on your first Rocketmiles booking More... Book by Sep 30, 15
Air China Phoenix Miles
- Earn up to 50% Bonus Phoenix Miles Kilometers on Air China's new routes including Montreal and Johannesburg. More... Until Dec 31, 15
- Double Phoenix Miles Kilometer for stays of 3 or more nights at Millennium & Copthorne hotels in Asia. More... Until Oct 31, 15
- Double Phoenix Miles Kilometers for stays of 2 or more nights at any participating Hotel Jen. More... Until Oct 31, 15
- Double Phoenix Miles Kilometers for stays at Sunworld Hotels in Beijing. More... Until Oct 31, 15
- Earn up to 8,000 Bonus Phoenix Miles Kilometers on Avis rentals in the U.S. or Canada. More... Until Oct 31, 15
- Double Phoenix Miles Kilometers on Hertz rentals of 1 or more days in USA, Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Asia (except China). More... Until Sep 30, 15
Best Western Rewards
- 1,000 Bonus Rewards Points for weekend stays (Fri-Sun) at all Best Western Hotels in Germany, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Austria, Czech Republic, Croatia, Hungary, Slovenia and Slovakia. More... Until Oct 31, 15
Binter Canarias BinterMas
- Double BinterMas points for stays at the Barceló Teguise Beach. More... Until Sep 30, 15
- Double BinterMas points for stays at the Hotel Botánico & The Oriental Spa Garden. More... Until Sep 30, 15
Hertz Gold Plus Rewards
- Earn up to Triple Gold Plus Rewards Points + 25 Free Points at participating Hertz locations in the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico, USVI, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Brazil, Australia and New Zealand only. More... Valid for residents of the U.S. and Canada. only Sep 8 - Dec 15, 15
Iberia Pus
- Double Avios when you fly Iberia on select routes Worldwide. More... Register by Oct 1 for travel until Nov 30, 15
- 25% Avios Discount when you redeem for award tickets on select Iberia routes Worldwide. More... Until Nov 30, 15
- 25% Avios Discount when you redeem for award tickets on select Iberia Express routes. More... Until Oct 31, 15
- 25% Avios Discount when you redeem for award tickets on select Iberia Regional Air Nostrum routes. More... Until Oct 31, 15
- Triple Avios for stays at over 2,800 Accor Hotels Worldwide. More... Book by Oct 30 for stays until Dec 30, 15
Japan Airlines Mileage Bank
- Earn up to 10,000 Bonus Mileage Bank Miles when you fly JAL between Dallas/Fort Worth and Tokyo More... Nov 30 - Feb 29, 16
- Double Mileage Bank Miles when you fly JAL between Tokyo and Kuala Lumpur More... Until Nov 30, 15
VIA Rail Preference
- Double Preference Points when you book travel via the VIA Rail mobile app. More... Book by Oct 31 for travel until Nov 30, 15
- 100 Bonus Preference Points when you join the VIA Rail Preference program if you are CAA member. More... Ongoing
News, Tips & Tricks
Another new airtransat route launch for next year as they announced Montreal to Glasgow service once per week starting May 29. (Source Airlineroute.net)
Canadian based Executive Hotels has officially opened their first location in New York City. The Le Soleil is now open and you can use promo code HOT if you book this hotel for some sort of deal as the details of which were not communicated in the email! You will be able to earn Executive Rewards points for stays at this location. You can learn more about Executive Rewards in our Guide to Canadian Frequent Guest Programs.
Don't forget about our promotion where you can get a $250 Gift Card from Rewards Canada. Find out more here.
In the bonus offers section you'll see that Aeroplan's bonus for your first Rocketmiles booking has been extended as well as Hertz Gold Plus Reward new promotion which includes 25 free points and a couple offers for the VIA Rail Preference program.
Posts since our last update:
- Air China Phoenix Miles: Bonus Kilometers and Discounted Award Tickets for new Montreal-Beiing route
We announced sometime ago that Air China will be launching service between Montreal and Beijing later this month. To…
- VIA Rail Preference: Double Points when booking trips with the VIA Rail Mobile App
VIA Rail has released a new mobile app for iPhone and Android users and to celebrate they are offering…
- Miles & More Award Ticket Sale - Save up to 50% on award tickets to Europe from Montreal
Once again we bring you the latest set Miles & More "Meilenschnaeppchen" discounted mileage awards! This month we only…
Bonus Offers
Aeroflot Bonus
- Receive Aeroflot Bonus Elite Status when you have a comparable status with another frequent flyer program and complete anywhere from 3 to 5 flights in the promotional period. More... Register by December 15 for flights completed by December 1, 2015
Air Canada Aeroplan
- OFFER EXTENDED 3,000 Bonus Aeroplan Miles on your first Rocketmiles booking More... Book by Sep 30, 15
Air China Phoenix Miles
- Earn up to 50% Bonus Phoenix Miles Kilometers on Air China's new routes including Montreal and Johannesburg. More... Until Dec 31, 15
- Double Phoenix Miles Kilometer for stays of 3 or more nights at Millennium & Copthorne hotels in Asia. More... Until Oct 31, 15
- Double Phoenix Miles Kilometers for stays of 2 or more nights at any participating Hotel Jen. More... Until Oct 31, 15
- Double Phoenix Miles Kilometers for stays at Sunworld Hotels in Beijing. More... Until Oct 31, 15
- Earn up to 8,000 Bonus Phoenix Miles Kilometers on Avis rentals in the U.S. or Canada. More... Until Oct 31, 15
- Double Phoenix Miles Kilometers on Hertz rentals of 1 or more days in USA, Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Asia (except China). More... Until Sep 30, 15
Best Western Rewards
- 1,000 Bonus Rewards Points for weekend stays (Fri-Sun) at all Best Western Hotels in Germany, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Austria, Czech Republic, Croatia, Hungary, Slovenia and Slovakia. More... Until Oct 31, 15
Binter Canarias BinterMas
- Double BinterMas points for stays at the Barceló Teguise Beach. More... Until Sep 30, 15
- Double BinterMas points for stays at the Hotel Botánico & The Oriental Spa Garden. More... Until Sep 30, 15
Hertz Gold Plus Rewards
- Earn up to Triple Gold Plus Rewards Points + 25 Free Points at participating Hertz locations in the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico, USVI, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Brazil, Australia and New Zealand only. More... Valid for residents of the U.S. and Canada. only Sep 8 - Dec 15, 15
Iberia Pus
- Double Avios when you fly Iberia on select routes Worldwide. More... Register by Oct 1 for travel until Nov 30, 15
- 25% Avios Discount when you redeem for award tickets on select Iberia routes Worldwide. More... Until Nov 30, 15
- 25% Avios Discount when you redeem for award tickets on select Iberia Express routes. More... Until Oct 31, 15
- 25% Avios Discount when you redeem for award tickets on select Iberia Regional Air Nostrum routes. More... Until Oct 31, 15
- Triple Avios for stays at over 2,800 Accor Hotels Worldwide. More... Book by Oct 30 for stays until Dec 30, 15
Japan Airlines Mileage Bank
- Earn up to 10,000 Bonus Mileage Bank Miles when you fly JAL between Dallas/Fort Worth and Tokyo More... Nov 30 - Feb 29, 16
- Double Mileage Bank Miles when you fly JAL between Tokyo and Kuala Lumpur More... Until Nov 30, 15
VIA Rail Preference
- Double Preference Points when you book travel via the VIA Rail mobile app. More... Book by Oct 31 for travel until Nov 30, 15
- 100 Bonus Preference Points when you join the VIA Rail Preference program if you are CAA member. More... Ongoing
Air China Phoenix Miles: Bonus Kilometers and Discounted Award Tickets for new Montreal-Beiing route
We announced sometime ago that Air China will be launching service between Montreal and Beijing later this month. To celebrate this new route (and others) Air China's is running several promotions for members of the airline's FFP: Phoenix Miles.
If you are flying on the route on a revenue ticket you can earn up to 50% bonus Phoenix Miles Kilometers depending on which fare class you are in.
Offer Details:
Earn up to 50% Bonus Phoenix Miles Kilometers on Air China's between Montreal and Beijing.
- Economy class earns a 30% bonus
- Business class and First class earns 50%.
Register Online (Registration is required) Valid for flights Sep 29 - Dec 31, 15
If you are already collecting Phoenix Miles Kilometers and want to redeem KMs for this route you can do so for 85% of the regular mileage requirement:
Routes
|
Cabin
|
Standard fare
(one-way trip)
|
Promotional fare
(one-way trip)
|
Standard fare
(round trip)
|
Promotional fare
(round trip)
|
Beijing-Montreal
|
O
|
160000
|
136000
|
280000
|
238000
|
I
|
120000
|
102000
|
200000
|
170000
|
|
X
|
60000
|
51000
|
100000
|
85000
|
1. Ticket redemption methods: Air China’s direct sales offices, member service center, PhoenixMiles website, Air China Wireless.
2. Restrictions: The award ticket is non-transferable, and non-refundable and its itinerary cannot be changed. The flight dates may be changed within the term of this offer.
3. Code share flights are not applicable.
4. Cabin classes: Cabins O, I, X.5. Qualifying tickets: One way (OW), round trip (RT)
Nice to see Air China adding these offers to promote the route. Hopefully they do well enough to sustain the route as it is also a good option for Aeroplan members since they can earn and redeem on Air China flights!
Thursday, September 3, 2015
VIA Rail Preference: Double Points when booking trips with the VIA Rail Mobile App
VIA Rail has released a new mobile app for iPhone and Android users and to celebrate they are offering Double Preference Points when you book through the app by October 31st for travel until November 30th.
Offer Details
Double Preference Points when you book travel via the VIA Rail mobile app. Full details. Book by Oct 31 for travel until Nov 30, 15
Miles & More Award Ticket Sale - Save up to 50% on award tickets to Europe from Montreal
Once again we bring you the latest set Miles & More "Meilenschnaeppchen" discounted mileage awards! This month we only see offers for Lufthansa flights out of Montreal for travel between January 1 and February 15, 2016 with booking completed by September 30th.
You can redeem Miles & More miles for round trip tickets from Montreal to Europe for only 55,000 miles in Business Class. This is nearly a 48% discount off the normal Business Class award ticket price of 105,000 miles. The other option is a full 50% discount on economy class which means an award ticket price of only 30,000 miles. Granted all these tickets will also have fuel surcharges but this is still a pretty good deal when you look at it as a whole in terms of miles+cash outlay.
Simply book the offers seen here by September 30th.
Full details on this offer can be found here
September 3 Update: SPG year end promo revealed, Aeroflot Bonus Status Match, Marriott Rewards Hertz Bonus
Here is your Thursday update!
News, Tips & Tricks
SCENE is offering another bonus for shopping at Sport Chek. You can earn 1,000 bonus points when you spend $100 on Under Armour gear until Sep 28. You'll receive a PIN for the bonus points if you shop online (and have until Oct 12 to redeem the PIN).
Starwood Preferred Guest has revealed the details of their end of year global promotion (Source: View from the Wing):
Air Transat will offer direct non-stop flights between Vancouver and Rome for the 2016 summer season. The once a week flights will start on June 17 and are always an option for those looking to get to Italy who want to use their proprietary credit card program points as Air Transat does not have a frequent flyer program. (Source airlineroute.net)
Aeroflot Bonus has a launched an elite status match promotion where they will match your status from another airline when you complete between 3 to 5 flights with Aeroflot. Find out more here.
Don't forget about our promotion where you can get a $250 Gift Card from Rewards Canada. Find out more here.
Posts since our last update:
Travel Deals
Lufthansa has a great seat sale for their flights out of Canada. Book by Sep 10th for travel Sep 11 to Oct 15. Find out more here.
Bonus Offers
Aeromexico Club Premier
- 4,000 Bonus Club Premier Kilometers on your first Rocketmiles booking. More... Book by Oct 31, 15
EVA Air Infinity MileageLands
- Earn up to Triple Infinity MileageLands Miles for every TWD100 spent when booking hotels at HRS and EVA Air designated website. More... Until Oct 31, 15
Malaysia Airlines Enrich (on FrequentFlyerBonuses.com only)
- Triple Enrich Miles for stays of 3 or more nights at the Casa del Mar, Langkawi. More... Until Oct 31, 15
- 3,000 Bonus Enrich Miles on your first Rocketmiles booking More... Book by Sep 30, 15
- Earn up to Quadruple Enrich Miles when you rent a car with HERTZ in USA, Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand or Asia More... Until Oct 31, 15
Marriott Rewards
- Earn up to 5,000 Rewards Points on any Hertz rental of two or more days in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Australia, Mexico New Zealand and Puerto Rico. More... Until Dec 31, 15
Saudia Alfursan
- Earn up to Triple Alfursan Miles for stays at HMH Hotels in the Middle East. More... Until Dec 31, 15
- 3,000 Bonus Alfursan Miles for stays at selected Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Istanbul, Kuwait and the Maldives. More... Until Sep 30, 15
Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
- Earn up to Triple KrisFlyer Miles when you stay on the Best Available or Bed&Breakfast rate at any participating Mandarin Oriental hotel Worldwide. More... Until Sep 30, 15
- Triple KrisFlyer Miles when you book a qualifying stay at any participating Meliá hotels in Indonesia, Vietnam, United Kingdom, France, Spain, or Germany. More... Until Sep 30, 15
Starwood Preferred Guest
- 2,500 Bonus Starpoints for stays of 2 or more nights at the Le Méridien New Orleans. More... Book by Sep 18 for stays until ?
- 3,000 Bonus Starpoints for stays in a Suite at the Sheraton Boston Hotel More... Until ?
- Earn double Starpoints® plus double eligible nights toward elite status for meetings and events booked between September 1 and December 31, 2015, with arrival dates between September 1, 2015, and December 31, 2016.. More... Book by Dec 31, 15 for events until Dec 31, 16
News, Tips & Tricks
SCENE is offering another bonus for shopping at Sport Chek. You can earn 1,000 bonus points when you spend $100 on Under Armour gear until Sep 28. You'll receive a PIN for the bonus points if you shop online (and have until Oct 12 to redeem the PIN).
Starwood Preferred Guest has revealed the details of their end of year global promotion (Source: View from the Wing):
With SPG Stay for More, members can earn double Starpoints® on eligible stays of two or more nights — plus 500 bonus Starpoints when eligible stays include three or more nights. For example, if your stay is two nights you will receive double Starpoints. If your stay is four nights you will receive double Starpoints plus 500 bonus Starpoints for that stay.
Registration is from September 23 through December 6, 2015, and earning is from October 1 through December 20, 2015. There is no limit to the number of bonus Starpoints that Members can earn. Promotional terms and conditions, FAQs, and a list of non-participating Starwood hotels and resorts will be available on September 23, 2015.
Air Transat will offer direct non-stop flights between Vancouver and Rome for the 2016 summer season. The once a week flights will start on June 17 and are always an option for those looking to get to Italy who want to use their proprietary credit card program points as Air Transat does not have a frequent flyer program. (Source airlineroute.net)
Aeroflot Bonus has a launched an elite status match promotion where they will match your status from another airline when you complete between 3 to 5 flights with Aeroflot. Find out more here.
Don't forget about our promotion where you can get a $250 Gift Card from Rewards Canada. Find out more here.
Posts since our last update:
- Earn 4x Orbitz Rewards Orbucks on select WestJet flights and still collect WestJet Rewards dollars
We don't provide much coverage of the Orbitz Rewards program here on Rewards Canada but do cover all their…
- Top 5 Credit Card Sign Up offers for September
Here are the Rewards Canada Top 5 Credit Card Sign Up offers for the month of September! This is not…
Travel Deals
Lufthansa has a great seat sale for their flights out of Canada. Book by Sep 10th for travel Sep 11 to Oct 15. Find out more here.
Bonus Offers
Aeromexico Club Premier
- 4,000 Bonus Club Premier Kilometers on your first Rocketmiles booking. More... Book by Oct 31, 15
EVA Air Infinity MileageLands
- Earn up to Triple Infinity MileageLands Miles for every TWD100 spent when booking hotels at HRS and EVA Air designated website. More... Until Oct 31, 15
Malaysia Airlines Enrich (on FrequentFlyerBonuses.com only)
- Triple Enrich Miles for stays of 3 or more nights at the Casa del Mar, Langkawi. More... Until Oct 31, 15
- 3,000 Bonus Enrich Miles on your first Rocketmiles booking More... Book by Sep 30, 15
- Earn up to Quadruple Enrich Miles when you rent a car with HERTZ in USA, Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand or Asia More... Until Oct 31, 15
Marriott Rewards
- Earn up to 5,000 Rewards Points on any Hertz rental of two or more days in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Australia, Mexico New Zealand and Puerto Rico. More... Until Dec 31, 15
Saudia Alfursan
- Earn up to Triple Alfursan Miles for stays at HMH Hotels in the Middle East. More... Until Dec 31, 15
- 3,000 Bonus Alfursan Miles for stays at selected Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Istanbul, Kuwait and the Maldives. More... Until Sep 30, 15
Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
- Earn up to Triple KrisFlyer Miles when you stay on the Best Available or Bed&Breakfast rate at any participating Mandarin Oriental hotel Worldwide. More... Until Sep 30, 15
- Triple KrisFlyer Miles when you book a qualifying stay at any participating Meliá hotels in Indonesia, Vietnam, United Kingdom, France, Spain, or Germany. More... Until Sep 30, 15
Starwood Preferred Guest
- 2,500 Bonus Starpoints for stays of 2 or more nights at the Le Méridien New Orleans. More... Book by Sep 18 for stays until ?
- 3,000 Bonus Starpoints for stays in a Suite at the Sheraton Boston Hotel More... Until ?
- Earn double Starpoints® plus double eligible nights toward elite status for meetings and events booked between September 1 and December 31, 2015, with arrival dates between September 1, 2015, and December 31, 2016.. More... Book by Dec 31, 15 for events until Dec 31, 16
Earn 4x Orbitz Rewards Orbucks on select WestJet flights and still collect WestJet Rewards dollars
We don't provide much coverage of the Orbitz Rewards program here on Rewards Canada but do cover all their bonuses on our global site FrequentFlyerBonuses.com. However when an offer comes up that we Canadians should take advantage of then we'll mention it. That's the case with this offer that awards bonus Orbucks (Orbitz Rewards currency) on select WestJet flights within Canada and from Canada to the U.S.. Beauty is that you can double dip since you'll earn WestJet Rewards dollars on the flight as well once it is completed! One thing to note though is that Orbitz will charge you in US$ which should be roughly equivalent to the C$ price however your credit card will incur the foreign exchange transaction fee unless you use a card like the Marriott Rewards Premier Visa or Amazon.ca Rewards Visa which don't charge those fees!
Offer Details
Earn 4x Orbucks on on select WestJet flights between the U.S. and Canada, and within Canada, including Montreal to Toronto, and Toronto to Ottawa. Full details and online booking Book by Sep 28, 15
-
WestJet Terms & Conditions
You must be an existing Orbitz Rewards member signed into your account at time of booking or join Orbitz Rewards at time of booking to be eligible for this promotion. Book an eligible flight on WestJet from the United States to Canada, from Canada to the United States, or within Canada on the following routes: YUL-YYZ (Montreal to Toronto), YUL-YOW (Montreal to Ottawa), YYZ-YOW (Toronto to Ottawa), YYZ-YUL (Toronto to Montreal), YOW-YUL (Ottawa to Montreal), YOW-YYZ (Ottawa to Toronto), and receive four times (4x) the base Orbucks earn for that flight. This promotion is available on standalone WestJet flight bookings (not booked as part of a package or as an add-on to a standalone hotel or car booking) that display a 4x bonus Orbucks offer for that flight in the search results page. Offer is valid for bookings made from Tuesday, September 1, 2015 at 12:01AM CT to Monday, September 28, 2015 at 11:59PM CT. Multiplier applies only to the base 1% Orbucks earned on eligible flight bookings. Members will be issued an additional amount of bonus Orbucks equal to 3% of the amount paid for each eligible flight booking. If you have already earned the annual air cap in Orbucks, you will not earn the base 1% but you will earn the bonus 3% Orbucks. Minimum purchase must be over $50 before taxes and fees to qualify. Limit one award of Promotional Orbucks pursuant to this promotion per itinerary and per Orbitz Rewards account. Promotional Orbucks expire if not redeemed within 60 days of issuance. Offer is non-transferable and not redeemable for cash. Promotional Orbucks will be deposited in your account within approximately 5 business days. If you cancel your eligible booking after the Promotional Orbucks are deposited in your account, Orbitz reserves the right to remove the Promotional Orbucks. Orbitz reserves the right to change or limit the promotion in its sole discretion. See Orbitz Rewards Terms and Conditions for additional applicable terms and conditions on Orbitz Rewards.
Wednesday, September 2, 2015
Top 5 Credit Card Sign Up offers for September
Here are the Rewards Canada Top 5 Credit Card Sign Up offers for the month of September! This is not a 'best' credit card
list like our Top Travel Rewards Credit Card rankings but instead a look at cards that have very good acquisition offers. As always when choosing a card
you should always take other factors into account other than the sign
up bonus, but when most of these cards are first year free, they can and
do pay off even when not taking into account insurance packages and
other non-reward benefits. In fact 3 of 5 cards on this list for September
are first year free so you can try them out at no cost and
decide later on if the card is right for you. All the while earning the
sign up bonus which can be used to subsidize your travels! One of them has the annual cut in half so it is not a very expensive trial and the only card
that isn't first year free or discounted is the Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card
from American Express. It has an annual of $120 but the sign up
bonus of 20,000 Starpoints is worth no less than $400 depending on what
you value Starpoints at.
The only change this month from August the new offer for the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card. It is no longer first year free but it does have the first year annual fee of $120 cut in half to $60 but also includes up to a $50 credit for Shop.ca along with 3,000 bonus Aeroplan Miles when you use the card at Shop.ca. All in all not a bad offer. We really had a hard time choosing between the TD card since it does have some costs to it and the latest offer for the BMO No Fee Air Miles MasterCard since the latter is first year free and had its sign up bonus boosted to a large 800 reward miles.
So here are our top 5 credit card sign up offers for September (in alphabetical order)
American Express Gold Rewards Card - 25,000 Points (Apply here)
A mainstay offer here on Rewards Canada, the American Express Gold Rewards card has its first year fee of $150 waived and will award you 25,000 Membership Rewards points when you complete $500 in spending in the first three months. That 25,000 points is worth a $250 travel credit via Amex's TripFlex feature or can be converted to 25,000 Aeroplan Miles (1 Round trip Economy Award ticket within North America) or 25,000 British Airways Executive Club Avios (as much a 5 one way Economy Award tickets in North America, see this post for details.)
American Express Air Miles Platinum Credit Card - 2,000 Reward Miles (Apply here)
A newcomer to our monthly Top 5 sign up offers, the American Express Air Miles Platinum card comes first year free and comes with a 2,000 Reward Miles sign up bonus when you complete $500 in spending in the first three months. That 2,000 Miles is worth anywhere from $220 to $300 in flight value when you get around to redeeming them.
Chase Marriott Rewards Premier Visa - 30,000 Points (Apply here)
The best no foreign transaction fee card in Canada makes it to this list due to a very strong acquisition offer. I mean who can complain with 30,000 points awarded on approval and a certificate for a free night stay at a Category 1-4 hotel for a potential of 5 free nights, all at no cost as the card has the annual fee waived in the first year! They also give you a 15 night credit into the mix which automatically provides you with Marriott Rewards Silver Elite status. There is also a 50,000 Point offer meant only for Marriott Elite members which many non-elites have had success with when they apply for it. (You may or may not get the full 50k and if they find out you are not Elite you may only receive the 30k)
Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card from American Express - 20,000 Starpoints (Apply here)
Recently the sign up bonus for this card was increased from 10,000 Starpoints to 20,000 Starpoints and this is the only card in this list that doesn't have the first year fee waived. That doesn't matter. This is by far the best hotel points card in Canada and Starpoints have huge value. The 20,000 Starpoint bonus when you spend $500 on the card is worth at least $400 when redeeming them for Starwood Hotel stays or you can convert them to airline miles in over 30+ programs and Starwood will kick in an additional 5,000 miles when you transfer 20,000 Starpoints at a time.
TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card - 25,000 Miles (Apply here)
The card is no longer first year free but it does have the annual fee cut in half so still a decent offering. The current sign up bonus is 25,000 Aeroplan Miles (15,000 upon approval, 10,000 when you spend $1,000) makes this a very strong card to get as those miles are worth up to $500 in travel and you also get up to $50 Shop.ca credit and 3,000 bonus miles for using the card at Shop.ca
If you went for all these cards you ultimately could end up with over $1000 in travel credits and hotel free nights but even if you only take on one or two you are helping your travel budget significantly at no cost other than regular credit card spend.
So here are our top 5 credit card sign up offers for September (in alphabetical order)
A mainstay offer here on Rewards Canada, the American Express Gold Rewards card has its first year fee of $150 waived and will award you 25,000 Membership Rewards points when you complete $500 in spending in the first three months. That 25,000 points is worth a $250 travel credit via Amex's TripFlex feature or can be converted to 25,000 Aeroplan Miles (1 Round trip Economy Award ticket within North America) or 25,000 British Airways Executive Club Avios (as much a 5 one way Economy Award tickets in North America, see this post for details.)
American Express Air Miles Platinum Credit Card - 2,000 Reward Miles (Apply here)
A newcomer to our monthly Top 5 sign up offers, the American Express Air Miles Platinum card comes first year free and comes with a 2,000 Reward Miles sign up bonus when you complete $500 in spending in the first three months. That 2,000 Miles is worth anywhere from $220 to $300 in flight value when you get around to redeeming them.
Chase Marriott Rewards Premier Visa - 30,000 Points (Apply here)
The best no foreign transaction fee card in Canada makes it to this list due to a very strong acquisition offer. I mean who can complain with 30,000 points awarded on approval and a certificate for a free night stay at a Category 1-4 hotel for a potential of 5 free nights, all at no cost as the card has the annual fee waived in the first year! They also give you a 15 night credit into the mix which automatically provides you with Marriott Rewards Silver Elite status. There is also a 50,000 Point offer meant only for Marriott Elite members which many non-elites have had success with when they apply for it. (You may or may not get the full 50k and if they find out you are not Elite you may only receive the 30k)
Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card from American Express - 20,000 Starpoints (Apply here)
Recently the sign up bonus for this card was increased from 10,000 Starpoints to 20,000 Starpoints and this is the only card in this list that doesn't have the first year fee waived. That doesn't matter. This is by far the best hotel points card in Canada and Starpoints have huge value. The 20,000 Starpoint bonus when you spend $500 on the card is worth at least $400 when redeeming them for Starwood Hotel stays or you can convert them to airline miles in over 30+ programs and Starwood will kick in an additional 5,000 miles when you transfer 20,000 Starpoints at a time.
TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card - 25,000 Miles (Apply here)
The card is no longer first year free but it does have the annual fee cut in half so still a decent offering. The current sign up bonus is 25,000 Aeroplan Miles (15,000 upon approval, 10,000 when you spend $1,000) makes this a very strong card to get as those miles are worth up to $500 in travel and you also get up to $50 Shop.ca credit and 3,000 bonus miles for using the card at Shop.ca
If you went for all these cards you ultimately could end up with over $1000 in travel credits and hotel free nights but even if you only take on one or two you are helping your travel budget significantly at no cost other than regular credit card spend.
September 2 Update: Aeroplan IHG 4x Miles offer fixed, Alaska Airlines Fall Mileage Sale from Canada, Lufthansa seat sale with fares from $689,
Almost forgot to put up today's update!
News, Tips & Tricks
Last week we brought you the details of the great offer to earn Quadruple Aeroplan Miles for IHG stays. Unfortunately at that time the link that IHG provided us didn't include the promo code so no one could register. The good news is that has been fixed and you can now register for the offer. Click here to read our post from last week with the updated link or simply register here. There are also new Aeroplan bonuses for Accor and Fairmont stays which you can find in our bonus offers section below!
Be sure to check out the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Fall Award Ticket sale. While their drop down list doesn't show their Canadian cities all five are included for flights to/from Seattle. Vancouver and Victoria are 5,000 miles one way while Calgary, Edmonton and Kelowna are 7,500 miles each way. Seeing that you can get 25,000 Miles with the Alaska Airlines MasterCard these types of redemptions are so easily achievable with miles to spare! Find out more here
Don't forget about our promotion where you can get a $250 Gift Card from Rewards Canada. Find out more here.
Posts since our last update:
Travel Deals
Lufthansa has a great seat sale for their flights out of Canada. Book by Sep 10th for travel Sep 11 to Oct 15. Find out more here.
Bonus Offers
Air Canada / Aeroplan
- Triple Aeroplan Miles for stays at over 2,800 Accor Hotels Worldwide. More... Book by Oct 31 for stays until Dec 31, 15
- 1,000 Bonus Aeroplan Miles for stays at participating Fairmont Hotels & Resorts worldwide. More... Until Mar 31, 16
- Double Aeroplan Miles when you use Park & Jet at the Calgary Airport. More... Until Dec 15, 15
- Earn 25,000 Aeroplan Miles and 50% off your first year annual fee when you apply for and receive the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card More... Until Oct 30, 15
Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan
- Fall Award Sale - Book Mileage Plan Award Tickets for as little as 5,000 miles one way. More... Book by Sep 13 for travel Sep 9 - Dec 16, 15
Avianca LifeMiles
- 3,000 Bonus LifeMiles on your first Rocketmiles booking More... Until Dec 31, 15
Etihad Guest
- Earn up to Triple Guest Miles on all Etihad flights Worldwide. More... Sep 15, 15- Jun 15, 16
Le Club accorhotels
- 4X Le Club Accorhotels Points for stays at new Accor Hotels Worldwide. More... Book by Oct 4 for stays until Oct 31, 15
Miles & More
- Earn up to 3,500 Bonus Miles & More Miles for eligible stays at participating Hilton Hotels & Resorts Worldwide. More... Until Nov 30, 15
News, Tips & Tricks
Last week we brought you the details of the great offer to earn Quadruple Aeroplan Miles for IHG stays. Unfortunately at that time the link that IHG provided us didn't include the promo code so no one could register. The good news is that has been fixed and you can now register for the offer. Click here to read our post from last week with the updated link or simply register here. There are also new Aeroplan bonuses for Accor and Fairmont stays which you can find in our bonus offers section below!
Be sure to check out the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Fall Award Ticket sale. While their drop down list doesn't show their Canadian cities all five are included for flights to/from Seattle. Vancouver and Victoria are 5,000 miles one way while Calgary, Edmonton and Kelowna are 7,500 miles each way. Seeing that you can get 25,000 Miles with the Alaska Airlines MasterCard these types of redemptions are so easily achievable with miles to spare! Find out more here
Don't forget about our promotion where you can get a $250 Gift Card from Rewards Canada. Find out more here.
Posts since our last update:
- BMO AIR MILES World Elite MasterCard Review
(This post is a duplicate of the one found on our main Rewards Canada site) Link: BMO AIR MILES World…
Travel Deals
Lufthansa has a great seat sale for their flights out of Canada. Book by Sep 10th for travel Sep 11 to Oct 15. Find out more here.
Bonus Offers
Air Canada / Aeroplan
- Triple Aeroplan Miles for stays at over 2,800 Accor Hotels Worldwide. More... Book by Oct 31 for stays until Dec 31, 15
- 1,000 Bonus Aeroplan Miles for stays at participating Fairmont Hotels & Resorts worldwide. More... Until Mar 31, 16
- Double Aeroplan Miles when you use Park & Jet at the Calgary Airport. More... Until Dec 15, 15
- Earn 25,000 Aeroplan Miles and 50% off your first year annual fee when you apply for and receive the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card More... Until Oct 30, 15
Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan
- Fall Award Sale - Book Mileage Plan Award Tickets for as little as 5,000 miles one way. More... Book by Sep 13 for travel Sep 9 - Dec 16, 15
Avianca LifeMiles
- 3,000 Bonus LifeMiles on your first Rocketmiles booking More... Until Dec 31, 15
Etihad Guest
- Earn up to Triple Guest Miles on all Etihad flights Worldwide. More... Sep 15, 15- Jun 15, 16
Le Club accorhotels
- 4X Le Club Accorhotels Points for stays at new Accor Hotels Worldwide. More... Book by Oct 4 for stays until Oct 31, 15
Miles & More
- Earn up to 3,500 Bonus Miles & More Miles for eligible stays at participating Hilton Hotels & Resorts Worldwide. More... Until Nov 30, 15
BMO AIR MILES World Elite MasterCard Review
(This post is a duplicate of the one found on our main Rewards Canada site)
Launched in May 2015, the BMO AIR MILES World Elite MasterCard
is the premier AIR MILES co-brand credit card from the folks at BMO!
The card is very similar to the World version that has been around for a
few years now but also comes with a few little extra features.
Overview
The BMO AIR MILES World Elite MasterCard is one of many credit cards for AIR MILES collectors from BMO. This is for seasoned collectors or those who really want to make AIR MILES their primary program while having a card with great travel insurance and benefits..
Sign up Features
The BMO AIR MILES World Elite MasterCard currently offers a 3,000 AIR MILES Reward Miles bonus when you apply for the card by November 30th. We value a AIR MILES Reward Mile in the $0.11 to $0.15 range when redeeming for travel which means the sign up bonus translates to rougly a $330 to $450 value.
Costs
The BMO AIR MILES World Elite MasterCard has a $120 fee for the primary but no fee for secondary cards. The interest rate on the card is19.9% which is in line with most of the cards at this level.
Earning
The BMO AIR MILES World Elite MasterCard earns 1 AIR MIlES Reward Mile for every eligible $10 spent on the card. This is the best earn rate of any AIR MILES co-brand card since it is on all spending. Several other cards do have 1 for $10 but only at AIR MILES sponsors or select merchant categories.
Overview
The BMO AIR MILES World Elite MasterCard is one of many credit cards for AIR MILES collectors from BMO. This is for seasoned collectors or those who really want to make AIR MILES their primary program while having a card with great travel insurance and benefits..
Sign up Features
The BMO AIR MILES World Elite MasterCard currently offers a 3,000 AIR MILES Reward Miles bonus when you apply for the card by November 30th. We value a AIR MILES Reward Mile in the $0.11 to $0.15 range when redeeming for travel which means the sign up bonus translates to rougly a $330 to $450 value.
Costs
The BMO AIR MILES World Elite MasterCard has a $120 fee for the primary but no fee for secondary cards. The interest rate on the card is19.9% which is in line with most of the cards at this level.
Earning
The BMO AIR MILES World Elite MasterCard earns 1 AIR MIlES Reward Mile for every eligible $10 spent on the card. This is the best earn rate of any AIR MILES co-brand card since it is on all spending. Several other cards do have 1 for $10 but only at AIR MILES sponsors or select merchant categories.
Redeeming
Being a co-brand card, redemption is actually done via AIR MILES not via BMO. This is where the relative strength of the AIR MILES program comes through to make the BMO AIR MILES World Elite MasterCard worthwhile for some people as they can earn even more AIR MILES on top of credit card spend via the vast amount of shopping partners that the program has. AIR MILES offers numerous redemption options but of course based on the name, the primary redemption option which most people dream about are flights. Reality is however that roughly only 10% of redemptions in the program are for actual flights. The remainder are for other travel related redemptions (hotels, car rentals, attraction tickets), merchandise or AIR MILES Cash. The majority of AIR MILES Flight redemptions are on Air Canada or WestJet however they also offer flights on American Airlines, United Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Lufthansa, Alitalia, Calm Air, Canada North and Central Mountain Air at their lowest redemption levels. Other airlines are available but cost more AIR MILES than what is published on the AIR MILES website. Redeeming AIR MILES Reward Miles for flights nets an average return of 11 to 15 cents per AIR MILE Reward Mile. If you look at what this card's base earn rate of 1 Reward Mile for every $10 means you'll achieve a rate of return of 1.1% to 1.5%.
AIR MILES also lets you redeem for lots of other travel options like hotels, car rentals, cruises and more where you pay with miles and then cash for taxes/fees. Hotels seem like a so-so deal but we have found some really good deals for car rentals. You can also redeem for gift certificates for travel providers like Greyhound, Marlin Travel and several others. Then you have non-travel redemptions and this is what AIR MILES seems to have become more famous for as of late. From merchandise to tickets for attractions there isn't much that you can't redeem for!
Finally you have the AIR MILES Cash option. This is different from the redemptions above which are called AIR MILES Dream Rewards. When you log into your AIR MILES account you can set a percentage of all the reward miles you earn to go into your Dream Balance and your Cash balance. AIR MILES Cash works just like cash at participating AIR MILES sponsors like Sobeys, Rexall, Safeway, Rona, Shell and more. The Cash option has a set redemption value of $10 for 95 AIR MILES Reward Miles. As you can see the Cash Option has a lower rate of return based on our numbers as those same 95 miles would get you on average $12.35 towards a flight.
Features and Benefits
The BMO AIR MILES World Elite MasterCard comes with a whole host of features and benefits, the majority of which are standard for cards of this level. It has the standard Travel Accident, Flight Delay and Car Rental insurance. The one insurance it does have that perhaps only about half of its competitors ahve is Trip Cancellation insurance. This benefits covers up to $2,500 per insured person to a maximum of $5,000 per account.
The card also offers free Priority Pass membership which allows access to over 600 business class lounges Worldwide. Normally the pass costs $99 per year plus your entry fee into each lounge of US$27. The BMO AIR MILE World Elite also gives you two complimentary lounge access passes valued at a total of US$54.
The final benefit, which many BMO AIR MILES World MasterCard holders are familiar with is the 25% discount on AIR MILES redemptions for travel within North America. This benefit used to be Worldwide before the launch of this card but was reduced on both World versions as BMO found that the majority of cardholders did not redeem for flights outside of North America due to the difficulty in earning the large mileage requirements to do so.
What is good about this card
The two best things about the BMO AIR MILES World Elite MasterCard are the current sign up bonus of 3,000 AIR MILES Reward Miles and the 25% discount on flights within North America. Having a full suite of travel insurance and lounge access benefits definitely make this card very valuable for those who are serious AIR MILES collectors and serious travellers.
What is not so good about this card
There really isn't too much that is not so good about this card. We are surprised they only offer 2 free lounge visits with the card when their proprietary BMO Rewards World Elite card offers double that. BMO could easily do the same with this card.
For some the AIR MILES program itself is an issue as it suffers from the same problem as many frequent flyer programs and that problem is seat availability issues, routing issues etc. when trying to redeem for flights. Usually you have to be flexible in your dates and perhaps be willing to accept a non-direct flight to your destination.
For points collectors who are fully engaged in the AIR MILES program and have it as their primary loyalty rewards source the BMO AIR MILES World Elite MasterCard is strong contender to be your primary credit card. If you are really serious about the AIR MILES program your best is bet is to have this card and the American Express® AIR MILES®* Platinum Credit Card since it offers a 2,000 mile sign up bonus and no annual fee in the first year. The combination of the two cards make the earn and burn potential of AIR MILES ideal. If AIR MILES is a secondary program or not on your radar this card shouldn't be your first choice but with a large sign up bonus like this with no annual fee in the first year you could hack it and get the card just to get those miles and divest of it before the year is up. Otherwise there are other options that could be better for you. If you travel at least once a year, or are looking to rake in rewards as fast as you can and want the flexibility of being able to choose your travel dates, airlines and if and when you have stopovers a proprietary credit card program like TD Rewards, BMO Rewards or Amex's Membership Rewards would make more sense.
Care to comment? Do you agree or disagree with us? Tell us what think about the BMO AIR MILES World Elite MasterCard below!
Related Links:
BMO AIR MILES World Elite MasterCard on bmo.com
Rewards Canada's All Travel Rewards Credit Card Comparison including the BMO AIR MILES World Elite MasterCard
Rewards Canada's Travel Points Only Credit Card Comparison including the BMO AIR MILES World Elite MasterCard
Other cards to consider if you are looking at this card:
American Express Gold Rewards Card
American Express® AIR MILES®* Platinum Credit Card
BMO Air Miles World MasterCard
BMO SPC AIR MILES MasterCard
BMO World Elite MasterCard
RBC Avion Visa Infinite
Scotiabank Gold American Express Card
TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite Card
Being a co-brand card, redemption is actually done via AIR MILES not via BMO. This is where the relative strength of the AIR MILES program comes through to make the BMO AIR MILES World Elite MasterCard worthwhile for some people as they can earn even more AIR MILES on top of credit card spend via the vast amount of shopping partners that the program has. AIR MILES offers numerous redemption options but of course based on the name, the primary redemption option which most people dream about are flights. Reality is however that roughly only 10% of redemptions in the program are for actual flights. The remainder are for other travel related redemptions (hotels, car rentals, attraction tickets), merchandise or AIR MILES Cash. The majority of AIR MILES Flight redemptions are on Air Canada or WestJet however they also offer flights on American Airlines, United Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Lufthansa, Alitalia, Calm Air, Canada North and Central Mountain Air at their lowest redemption levels. Other airlines are available but cost more AIR MILES than what is published on the AIR MILES website. Redeeming AIR MILES Reward Miles for flights nets an average return of 11 to 15 cents per AIR MILE Reward Mile. If you look at what this card's base earn rate of 1 Reward Mile for every $10 means you'll achieve a rate of return of 1.1% to 1.5%.
AIR MILES also lets you redeem for lots of other travel options like hotels, car rentals, cruises and more where you pay with miles and then cash for taxes/fees. Hotels seem like a so-so deal but we have found some really good deals for car rentals. You can also redeem for gift certificates for travel providers like Greyhound, Marlin Travel and several others. Then you have non-travel redemptions and this is what AIR MILES seems to have become more famous for as of late. From merchandise to tickets for attractions there isn't much that you can't redeem for!
Finally you have the AIR MILES Cash option. This is different from the redemptions above which are called AIR MILES Dream Rewards. When you log into your AIR MILES account you can set a percentage of all the reward miles you earn to go into your Dream Balance and your Cash balance. AIR MILES Cash works just like cash at participating AIR MILES sponsors like Sobeys, Rexall, Safeway, Rona, Shell and more. The Cash option has a set redemption value of $10 for 95 AIR MILES Reward Miles. As you can see the Cash Option has a lower rate of return based on our numbers as those same 95 miles would get you on average $12.35 towards a flight.
Features and Benefits
The BMO AIR MILES World Elite MasterCard comes with a whole host of features and benefits, the majority of which are standard for cards of this level. It has the standard Travel Accident, Flight Delay and Car Rental insurance. The one insurance it does have that perhaps only about half of its competitors ahve is Trip Cancellation insurance. This benefits covers up to $2,500 per insured person to a maximum of $5,000 per account.
The card also offers free Priority Pass membership which allows access to over 600 business class lounges Worldwide. Normally the pass costs $99 per year plus your entry fee into each lounge of US$27. The BMO AIR MILE World Elite also gives you two complimentary lounge access passes valued at a total of US$54.
The final benefit, which many BMO AIR MILES World MasterCard holders are familiar with is the 25% discount on AIR MILES redemptions for travel within North America. This benefit used to be Worldwide before the launch of this card but was reduced on both World versions as BMO found that the majority of cardholders did not redeem for flights outside of North America due to the difficulty in earning the large mileage requirements to do so.
What is good about this card
The two best things about the BMO AIR MILES World Elite MasterCard are the current sign up bonus of 3,000 AIR MILES Reward Miles and the 25% discount on flights within North America. Having a full suite of travel insurance and lounge access benefits definitely make this card very valuable for those who are serious AIR MILES collectors and serious travellers.
What is not so good about this card
There really isn't too much that is not so good about this card. We are surprised they only offer 2 free lounge visits with the card when their proprietary BMO Rewards World Elite card offers double that. BMO could easily do the same with this card.
For some the AIR MILES program itself is an issue as it suffers from the same problem as many frequent flyer programs and that problem is seat availability issues, routing issues etc. when trying to redeem for flights. Usually you have to be flexible in your dates and perhaps be willing to accept a non-direct flight to your destination.
Who should get this card
- Consumers who have AIR MILES as their primary loyalty program
- Consumers who have AIR MILES as their secondary programs and already have a Visa or MasterCard accruing points in their primary program(s)
- Consumers looking to get some free flights by grabbing the card, getting the sign up bonus, redeeming with the 25% discount then divesting the card.
For points collectors who are fully engaged in the AIR MILES program and have it as their primary loyalty rewards source the BMO AIR MILES World Elite MasterCard is strong contender to be your primary credit card. If you are really serious about the AIR MILES program your best is bet is to have this card and the American Express® AIR MILES®* Platinum Credit Card since it offers a 2,000 mile sign up bonus and no annual fee in the first year. The combination of the two cards make the earn and burn potential of AIR MILES ideal. If AIR MILES is a secondary program or not on your radar this card shouldn't be your first choice but with a large sign up bonus like this with no annual fee in the first year you could hack it and get the card just to get those miles and divest of it before the year is up. Otherwise there are other options that could be better for you. If you travel at least once a year, or are looking to rake in rewards as fast as you can and want the flexibility of being able to choose your travel dates, airlines and if and when you have stopovers a proprietary credit card program like TD Rewards, BMO Rewards or Amex's Membership Rewards would make more sense.
Care to comment? Do you agree or disagree with us? Tell us what think about the BMO AIR MILES World Elite MasterCard below!
Related Links:
BMO AIR MILES World Elite MasterCard on bmo.com
Rewards Canada's All Travel Rewards Credit Card Comparison including the BMO AIR MILES World Elite MasterCard
Rewards Canada's Travel Points Only Credit Card Comparison including the BMO AIR MILES World Elite MasterCard
Other cards to consider if you are looking at this card:
American Express Gold Rewards Card
American Express® AIR MILES®* Platinum Credit Card
BMO Air Miles World MasterCard
BMO SPC AIR MILES MasterCard
BMO World Elite MasterCard
RBC Avion Visa Infinite
Scotiabank Gold American Express Card
TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite Card