Airmiles card

[zarrell]

Never had one so I'd like to apply online for one. I just want the airmiles card, not a credit card. Can someone point me in the right direction.

[Incogneto]

Just got a flight to Boston for $111 return with Airmiles.

If you are going to collect airmiles, I would reccomend getting an Airmiles Credit Card through BMO, as well.

[ken0042]

www.airmiles.ca

[I wanna be like Miikka]

How did you get a flight like that, I thought airmiles you just get free flights corresponding to the actual miles, I didnt know you can get a mad discount.

[ken0042]

That $111 is how much the "free" flight costs.

[photon]

Yeah with the free flights you still have to pay taxes and airport fees and stuff.

[Engine09]

I've been banking Airmiles for years now, finally getting close to that trip to the UK. Takes forever.

Aeroplan miles on the other hand, I've already been to NYC 3 times over the past few years.

[jolinar of malkshor]

Originally Posted by InCoGnEtO

Just got a flight to Boston for $111 return with Airmiles.

If you are going to collect airmiles, I would reccomend getting an Airmiles Credit Card through BMO, as well.

And a airmiles debit card from BMO

[4X4]

I had an airmiles card for about 7 years. Bought grocs at Safeway, gas at Shell. I called one day to see how much I had accumulated and they told me 90. The free flight to Red Deer was not enough incentive to keep the stupid thing in my wallet.

[jolinar of malkshor]

Originally Posted by 4X4

I had an airmiles card for about 7 years. Bought grocs at Safeway, gas at Shell. I called one day to see how much I had accumulated and they told me 90. The free flight to Red Deer was not enough incentive to keep the stupid thing in my wallet.

If you bought groceries for 7 years and used your airmiles every time then you would have more than 90 airmiles. Not sure why you had less maybe you forgot to give your airmiles card when you purchased your groceries.

I have gotten a few flights so far, a bunch of free lift tickets and other misc stuff.

[4X4]

Originally Posted by jolinar of malkshor

If you bought groceries for 7 years and used your airmiles every time then you would have more than 90 airmiles. Not sure why you had less maybe you forgot to give your airmiles card when you purchased your groceries.

I have gotten a few flights so far, a bunch of free lift tickets and other misc stuff.

I guess there's a chance there was a glitch, but the woman was using my card as well. Seriously. 90 miles.

[jolinar of malkshor]

Originally Posted by 4X4

I guess there's a chance there was a glitch, but the woman was using my card as well. Seriously. 90 miles.

She was probably using her card and making it look like it was yours. She's been to Jamaca and back a few times now.

[Engine09]

I've had mine for less than 5 years and I'm up to 4,400.

Nothing crazy. Just Safeway, Shell, and my BMO Mastercard. I do use the credit card quite a bit though, a few thousand dollars a month for work.

[photon]

We've probably spent 25-30,000 airmiles over the past decade, there's been a few house purchases in there though (Century 21 gives airmiles! ) and a few other things where we put a huge ticket item on a card just to get the airmiles.

[Incogneto]

Originally Posted by ken0042

That $111 is how much the "free" flight costs.

Yes...$111 was fees and taxes.

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by 4X4

I guess there's a chance there was a glitch, but the woman was using my card as well. Seriously. 90 miles.

Safeway is giving me 100 bonus airmiles every time I spend more then $100 right now. Great way for the totals to add up. I've been saving for quite a few years, finally redeemed them for something (new DVD player). For a long time, I didn't go to many Airmiles places.

You definately should have been earning more Airmiles then what you were.

My recommendation, don't use your air miles to pay for flights - because of the fact that you still have to pay for the taxes. You can save much more money by redeeming airmiles on more conventional purchases. If you like going to movies, and usually take someone else along, you can get a two for one pass for 25 Airmiles - basically only costs you 2 airmiles for every dollar you save. You can get gift cards for around 9 airmiles for every dollar you save (which is about the average amount). Because you have to pay the taxes on flights, using airmiles for flights would often cost you 15-20 airmiles for every dollar you save.

[The Goon]

Whenever Safeway has those bonus Air Miles coupons for something like toilet paper, we stock up and get 50 -100 Air Miles. Also, Shell gas, SportChek, and renewing my contact lenses at Iris help. We had zero after using a bunch for a trip a couple of years ago and are back over 3000 now.

[Dan02]

Originally Posted by You Need a Thneed

My recommendation, don't use your air miles to pay for flights - because of the fact that you still have to pay for the taxes. You can save much more money by redeeming airmiles on more conventional purchases.

This is almost always incorrect. Assuming you plan on buying both the DVD player and the flight, barring seat sale you will almost always save more money by paying for the flight with your airmiles.

For example, if i were to say want to fly to Vegas next Wednesday and return the following Tuesday even though I booked mid week when flights tend to be cheaper, the best fare from West jet is roughly 550$ round trip, and because it is "high" season right now, the flight would cost 3000(2250 during low season) airmiles. Which gives each airmile a value of 18.3 cents.

Now quite often you can find a fare sale to Vegas because of the large number of flights down there every day from various airlines, so lets look at the smaller routes where your choices are significantly fewer.

I burn my airmiles on a couple flights every year Calgary/Castlegar. The only flight is through Air Canada and costs 174$ each way, chances of getting any fare discount, negligible. Airmiles cost, just 1100 in the high season and 900 in the low season. This gives each airmile a value of 31.6 cents in the high season and 38.6 cents in the low season. This is actually a very cheap price for the flight as demand is down in Summer, the usual price this flight is at is 249$ each way, giving us a value of up to 55.3 cents per airmile during the fall/winter.

Now lets compare this to some of the other items they have, for example a DVD player.

The current DVD player they have listed Panasonic DVD Player DV-DS43K currently retails at Best Buy for 80$, airmiles charges 850 airmiles for this item. Giving each airmile a value of just 9.4 cents almost half of what the value for the flight was to vegas and between 1/3rd to 1/5 the value of the flights Calgary/Castlegar.

How about a computer monitor, the HP Pavilion 20.1" W2007, retail price at best buy, 300$, number of airmiles, 3000. Value of each airmile, 10 cents. Once again significantly less then any of the flights.

Yes you still have to pay taxes and fees but you have to pay those either way so it's rather irrelevant, flights are almost always the better deal.

[redforever]

Originally Posted by The Goon

Whenever Safeway has those bonus Air Miles coupons for something like toilet paper, we stock up and get 50 -100 Air Miles. Also, Shell gas, SportChek, and renewing my contact lenses at Iris help. We had zero after using a bunch for a trip a couple of years ago and are back over 3000 now.

Also, you can register to be on Safeway's preferred customer list. Then they e-mail you some coupon every week that has savings on about 3 or 4 items of merchandise as well as bonus miles on various products, usually products that are not already set as bonus products in their fliers.

I am not a big Safeway shopper but if the e-mail coupon does include something that is a very good bargain, I buy it and put it on my daughter's airmile card.

[jolinar of malkshor]

Originally Posted by Dan02

This is almost always incorrect. Assuming you plan on buying both the DVD player and the flight, barring seat sale you will almost always save more money by paying for the flight with your airmiles.

For example, if i were to say want to fly to Vegas next Wednesday and return the following Tuesday even though I booked mid week when flights tend to be cheaper, the best fare from West jet is roughly 550$ round trip, and because it is "high" season right now, the flight would cost 3000(2250 during low season) airmiles. Which gives each airmile a value of 18.3 cents.

Now quite often you can find a fare sale to Vegas because of the large number of flights down there every day from various airlines, so lets look at the smaller routes where your choices are significantly fewer.

I burn my airmiles on a couple flights every year Calgary/Castlegar. The only flight is through Air Canada and costs 174$ each way, chances of getting any fare discount, negligible. Airmiles cost, just 1100 in the high season and 900 in the low season. This gives each airmile a value of 31.6 cents in the high season and 38.6 cents in the low season. This is actually a very cheap price for the flight as demand is down in Summer, the usual price this flight is at is 249$ each way, giving us a value of up to 55.3 cents per airmile during the fall/winter.

Now lets compare this to some of the other items they have, for example a DVD player.

The current DVD player they have listed Panasonic DVD Player DV-DS43K currently retails at Best Buy for 80$, airmiles charges 850 airmiles for this item. Giving each airmile a value of just 9.4 cents almost half of what the value for the flight was to vegas and between 1/3rd to 1/5 the value of the flights Calgary/Castlegar.

How about a computer monitor, the HP Pavilion 20.1" W2007, retail price at best buy, 300$, number of airmiles, 3000. Value of each airmile, 10 cents. Once again significantly less then any of the flights.

Yes you still have to pay taxes and fees but you have to pay those either way so it's rather irrelevant, flights are almost always the better deal.

This is what I was thinking when he posted that.