We review the BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard and earn 20x PC Optimum points on beauty products at Shoppers Drug Mart

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

We have updated our review of the BMO Ascend^TM World Elite®* Mastercard®* formerly known as the BMO Rewards World Elite Mastercard. The card and the rewards program have undergone a slew of changes over the years so this review catches up on all that has happened from the name change, to earn rates, redemption and more. Click here to see what we think of BMO's flagship travel rewards card

Plaza Premium introduces a Canadian Lounge Pass offering up to 10 visits and up to 50% off walk up fees

Plaza Premium has introduced a new lounge access pass for their Canadian lounges in Edmonton, Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver and Winnipeg. The new PPL Pass Canada can be purchased with 5 or 10 visits that will save you up to 50% off the walk up rates for these lounges. 

Credit Card Review: TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card

One of the most popular travel rewards credit cards in Canada, the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card was first reviewed by Rewards Canada in 2014 when it was introduced. For the better part of six years the card didn't change very much but then we saw the entire Air Canada Aeroplan saga transpire for numerous years which culminated in Air Canada buying Aeroplan back from Aimia and launching a whole new Aeroplan in November of 2020 along with refreshed credit card offerings. This mainstay Aeroplan card from TD underwent many changes for the new program and thus the need for this updated review.

Earn 5,000 bonus points on all Best Western stays (Must register & book by Sep 3)

A big new 5,000 points bonus from Best Western is out for this week only! Members who register and book by September 3rd will earn 5,000 bonus points on all Best Western stays until November 21, 2022.

Earn 1,000 Bonus Points per night at the Delta Hotels Vancouver Downtown Suites

 

Offer details:

1,000 Bonus Bonvoy Points PER NIGHT for stays at the Delta Hotels Vancouver Downtown Suites. Valid for stays until Oct 13, 22 Click here to learn more and to book this offer.

Make sure you pay for your stay with the Marriott Bonvoy™ American Express®* Card or the Marriott Bonvoy™ Business American Express® Card as those cards earn 5 points per dollar spent on Marriott purchases!

Award Availability Alert: Canada to Europe round trip economy class for 30,000 to 40,000 Flying Blue miles (even for summer 2023!)

Right now you can book reward tickets between Canada and Europe with Air France KLM's Flying Blue for as little as 30,000 miles round trip! As first pointed out south of the border by TPG and later by Frequent Miler there is tons of availability between the US and Europe at 15,000 miles each way so we decided to check if the same holds true for Canadian departures. And it does. You can fly to many cities in Europe in Economy Class from Montreal, Quebec City or Toronto for only 15,000 Flying Blue Miles one way or 30,000 round trip. Calgary, Edmonton or Vancouver departures see these flights at 20,000 Flying Blue Miles one way or 40,000 round trip.

Credit Card Review: HSBC World Elite Mastercard

 

The HSBC World Elite Mastercard is a relatively new card in the Canadian market. This is not their 'Premier World Elite' which is meant for people who bank at HSBC but rather this card is for any Canadian and it is essentially the same as the Premier version. When HSBC launched this card in late 2018 it became obvious they didn't want to only market their credit cards to those who bank with them, rather they wanted to get into the entire lucrative Canadian credit card market. It was about time they did as Canadians, slow as they may have been to adapt, are learning they don't have to get credit cards from the bank they bank with, rather they can get whatever card they like and HSBC wants part of that pie.

Canada Jetlines will launch with Toronto to Calgary flights instead of Moncton & Winnipeg and British Airways adding Vancouver to London Gatwick flights (with lots of award availability!)

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

This is getting a little confusing. Canada Jetlines was to launch flights from Toronto to Moncton and Winnipeg earlier this month. That was pushed back to next week due to a delay in the airline receiving their license to operate. But now with today's press release from the airline, they will officially launch on September 22 with flights between Toronto and Calgary. Moncton and Winnipeg are totally gone - you can't even book these anymore. They make no mention of Moncton and Winnipeg being dropped, so I wonder about those people who booked travel on these flights if Jetlines is protecting them on other airlines or just providing refunds. I'll be honest, all these changes over the course of this past month and dropping routes before they are even started doesn't bode well for this start up. I wish them the best and hope they can get their act together here as they'll need it to gain the confidence of Canadian travellers. (Source Canada Jetlines)

Podcast Episode 94: A closer look at the new Scene+ Grocery program

In this episode we talk earning and redeeming points for groceries with the Scene+ program. On August 11 Sobeys and affiliated stores made the switch from AIR MILES to Scene+ and now we know Western Canada and Western Ontario will be doing so on September 22. So we thought it would only be fitting to discuss the new Scene+ Grocery program as it becomes a dominant player in the quest for rewards on your grocery shopping..

Aeroplan Availability Alert: Business Class awards from San Francisco to Tahiti on United (with connections from Canada)

As posted earlier this week by The Points Guy  there is quite a bit of availability this fall for award flights on United Airlines between San Francisco and Papeete. Since United is a Star Alliance member you can use your Aeroplan points to redeem for these flights. There is amazing availability in economy class between September and November and there is also some decent business class availability as well. For the SFO-PPT flights Aeroplan charges only 35,000 each way in economy class and 55,000 points each ways in business class. Since it is a partner flight it will be subject to the $39 partner award booking fee.