March 10 Update: Up to 750 Bonus Miles when you shop online via AIR MILES Shops & CIBC clarifies the Aventura NEXUS credit

Here's your Rewards Canada Daily update! Your daily dose (or near daily dose) of loyalty program, credit card and travel news, bonuses, deals and more.

There's some big bonuses for shopping online via AIR MILES Shops. Until March 28 when you shop at multiple online retailers you can earn bonuses as follows:

• 750 Bonus Miles when you spend $500 across 5 participating stores
• 375 Bonus Miles when you spend $300 across 3 participating stores
• 75 Bonus Miles when you spend $100 across 2 participating stores

Learn more about the offer here.

Image via AIR MILES

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A few weeks ago we mentioned how CIBC shows a US$50 credit for NEXUS applications for their Aventura cards but saw that the T&Cs state C$100 so we wondering if they boosted the NEXUS credit to match what TD was offering on some of their Aeroplan cards.. CIBC has clarified this for us and let us know the credit has not changed. They will provide a rebate for a US$50 NEXUS fee once and the C$100 in the terms and conditions is set in place to cover currency exchange since the NEXUS fee is paid in US$. I also tend to believe it will cover any increases in the NEXUS fee as we did hear some talk of the fee going up in price. So for those of you who have an Aventura card or are planning on getting it you'll know the benefit essentially covers one NEXUS fee. Learn more about CIBC Aventura cards here.

Image via CIBC

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Posts since our last update:

• One week only – 100% bonus when you buy Radisson Rewards points
    Radisson Rewards has brought back a 100% bonus for buying their points but only for a week. This…
• Up to a 50% bonus when you buy Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Miles
  Alaska Airlines has launched a new buy miles offer that only runs for a week this time until March…
• March 8 Update: PC Financial downgrading World Elite Mastercard cardholders who didn't hit the $15,000 annual spend requirement & 8 new bonus offers
   Here's your Rewards Canada Daily update! Your daily dose (or near daily dose) of loyalty program, credit card and…

Deals:

Save up to 25% for stays at Radisson Hotels in the U.S., Canada, Latin America & Caribbean

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Join Chapters Indigo plum today and earn 1,000 bonus points, join plum PLUS and earn 8,500 bonus points. Learn more here.

H&R Block - File online for free or use code HRBAFFILIATE20SAVE15 at checkout to get 15% off their Assistance and Protection features. Find out more here

SkipTheDishes - Sign up with this link to get $5 off your first order over $15. Find out more here

WealthSimple Trade:  Receive $10 when you deposit and trade at least $100 worth of stock with WealthSimple Trade. Find out more here (We will also receive $25 when you sign up with our link)

Rewards Canada receives a small commission when you use any of the above offers. You don't have to chose to use our links but we thank you in advance if you do.

Canadian Bonus Offers

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Other Bonus Offers

Alitalia MilleMiglia
- Up to a 50% bonus when you buy or gift MilleMiglia miles online. More... Until Mar 31, 21

All Accor Live Limitless
- Double ALL Rewards Points for stays at over 340+ ALLSAFE hotels, resorts and apartments in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, French Polynesia and Hawaii. More... Until May 31, 21

Qantas Frequent Flyer
- Double Frequent Flyer Points when you convert Choice Privileges Points to Qantas Frequent Flyer Points. More... Until Mar 31, 21

Follow Rewards Canada:

One week only – 100% bonus when you buy Radisson Rewards points

 
Radisson Rewards has brought back a 100% bonus for buying their points but only for a week. This flash sale works right from the lowest amount of points to buy of 1,000 right up to a maximum of 80,000 points.

Up to a 50% bonus when you buy Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Miles

Alaska Airlines has launched a new buy miles offer that only runs for a week this time until March 14. This time the bonus once again ranges from 40% to 50% depending on how many miles you buy. Ideally you want to buy so you get that 50% bonus which means you’d have to buy 35,000 or more miles. We see the 50% bonus quite frequently now from Alaska but have even seen 60% (some lucky members got 70%) as part of a targeted mystery bonus over the past few months.

March 8 Update: PC Financial downgrading World Elite Mastercard cardholders who didn't hit the $15,000 annual spend requirement & 8 new bonus offers

 Here's your Rewards Canada Daily update! Your daily dose (or near daily dose) of loyalty program, credit card and travel news, bonuses, deals and more.

 
Long time Rewards Canada reader Harry B. reached out to us last week to let us know he received a letter from PC Financial that he didn't meet the required spend of $15,000 per year to keep his PC Financial World Elite Mastercard and that they would downgrade him to the World Version. A quick search sees this also popping up on Twitter and Redflagdeals as more PC Optimum cardholders received the letter as well. What we have happening hear is that Mastercard Canada put in place this $15,000 minimum spend threshold on World Elite cards that have no annual fee about a year or so ago. By having people spend at least $15,000 per year Mastercard can cover some of the costs associated with a World Elite card's benefits through the interchange fee rather than an annual fee on a card. This is why you don't actually see a minimum spend requirement on any World Elite Cards that do charge an annual fee as they can't downgrade you for a product you are paying for. Our biggest gripe that we have here at Rewards Canada from our readers and seeing what people have said on Twitter and RFD is that they received no notice from PC Financial that this requirement was instituted and some would have shifted their spending. I know even here at Rewards Canada we may have touched upon it once quite awhile ago but for the most part it is buried in the T&C's so it out of sight out of mind. Let us know in the comments section below if you also got the letter from PC Financial or even one of the other issuers!

Awesome new partnership! Air Canada Aeroplan & Starbucks Rewards join forces - earn Aeroplan Points and Starbucks Stars at the same time

Air Canada Aeroplan's first non-travel partnership since the launch of the new program in November is here!. Starting today you will be able to Aeroplan points on any Starbucks purchases you make utilizing the Starbucks app. And the good news? This is in addition to your regular Starbucks Rewards earning so you'll automatically be double dipping - well let's be honest in all likelihood it will be at least a triple dip as you should be funding your Starbucks app with a points earning credit card!

March 5 Update: 50% off award flights on SATA Airlines out of Toronto and 500 bonus points per night at the new Hyatt Place Ottawa West

Here's your Rewards Canada Daily update! Your daily dose (or near daily dose) of loyalty program, credit card and travel news, bonuses, deals and more.

 
There is an interesting flight reward promotion that we came across in our daily bonus offer updates. This one is for Portugal's SATA Azores Airlines. Yes I know this may not interest many of you outside of a  couple of our readers in the Toronto area who may have flown SATA regularly enough to be a member of their Imagine program. The offer is kind of confusing as it is publicly promoted right on their website however the terms states it is personal and non-transferable. So we'll see if we can get more details on that.

March 4 Update: Two more Hyatt Hotels opening in Canada in 2021, no new Radisson Hotels coming to Canada this year & up to 40,000 bonus Be Well points

 Here's your Rewards Canada Daily update! Your daily dose (or near daily dose) of loyalty program, credit card and travel news, bonuses, deals and more.

 
Hyatt released news yesterday about a major expansion to their independent colletion brands and in that news we learned that not only will we be getting one Joie de Vivre hotel in Canada but actually two and both are slated to join JdV by Hyatt Hotels this year! Those hotels are the Anndore Hotel in Toronto and the Walper Hotel in Kitchener. We have updated our New Hyatt Hotel Openings in Canada for 2021 post to reflect theis latest update. We are now expecting Hyatt to open six hotels in Canada this year.

Scotiabank Gold American Express Card Review

 

Ranked as the number one travel points credit card with an annual fee  in Canada, the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card  was last reviewed by Rewards Canada in 2015, some three years after it was introduced in 2012. It was the first American Express card issued by a bank other than Amex Bank of Canada since CIBC tried the partnership in 2002. The card underwent some massive changes in 2019 so it is really due for a new updated review here on Rewards Canada!

Marriott Bonvoy Escapes – Save up to 25% for last minute stays at 208 Marriott Hotels in Canada

 

This week’s Marriott Bonvoy Escapes features overs two thirds of the Marriott Hotels in Canada! With Marriott Bonvoy Escapes members can save up to 25% on last minute stays until April 4, 2021.

Summary of global hotel systemwide bonus points promotions – March Edition

Here is your monthly update of all the global hotel bonus points promotions that are available. One of the easiest ways to rack up lots of hotel points is to take advantage of these systemwide bonuses that come from many of the big chain programs and also from the lesser known programs. In fact, right now it should be rare for you NOT to earn a bonus. Unless you are staying at a boutique hotel or perhaps an independent hotel most other hotels out there have a bonus. So take advantage of it! These systemwide bonuses simply require you to register beforehand and they do not affect hotel pricing as long as you book a point eligible rate which are most rates out there. Of course booking through a third party site like Expedia or Rocketmiles does not count as most chains only award points on bookings that are made directly with them.  Here are all the current promotions that are available to everyone this month: