Loyalty Programs - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Buzzard · 02-21-2015, 04:55 PM

I almost posted this in the Credit Card Recommendations thread, but may be thread worthy on it's own.

As a still hard core Air Miles collector, I found this kind of interesting. It's almost a year old so there'll be some different stats as programs change. The Air Miles program changed a lot this past summer. Also FWIW, this was commissioned by the company that owns Air Miles.

http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&...0JVhLw&cad=rja

With so many programs out there, and changes to them constantly, it'd be nice to see something like this updated every year.

Ace · 02-21-2015, 05:26 PM

Since Air Miles expire even on active accounts its value is poor now in my opinion.

Since shoppers installed new scanners it's jumped up significantly in my books. Thank you shoppers for embracing current technology and scanning my phone.

cupraisedn89 · 02-21-2015, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ace

Since Air Miles expire even on active accounts its value is poor now in my opinion.

Since shoppers installed new scanners it's jumped up significantly in my books. Thank you shoppers for embracing current technology and scanning my phone.

Air miles expire? I didn't know about this, I have just over 9000.

cKy · 02-21-2015, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cupraisedn89

Air miles expire? I didn't know about this, I have just over 9000.

https://www.airmiles.ca/arrow/Help?N=4294967267

Calgary14 · 02-21-2015, 06:39 PM

Here is why I no longer collect Air Miles

http://www.ourbigfatwallet.com/why-i...-on-air-miles/

cupraisedn89 · 02-21-2015, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cKy

https://www.airmiles.ca/arrow/Help?N=4294967267

Thanks for the link! I need to spend some time on their website and do some offloading!

cupraisedn89 · 02-21-2015, 08:29 PM

Looks like I have a bit of time before any expire
This is from there website
"How do I know when my reward miles will expire?
A tool will become available to help manage your reward miles in early 2015, but rest assured that the earliest any reward mile will expire is December 31, 2016.
Was this answer helpful? NO YES"

K1LLswitch · 02-21-2015, 09:01 PM

Air miles are awesome.

15+ years ago I was at Safeway with my mom (as a teen) and asked why she didn't collect. She couldn't be bothered to figure it out. So I applied and gave her my card. She has been collecting ever since.

In the fall I had enough miles to buy a top of the line BBQ from reward miles. I think it was worth $1600 on Amazon.

Points all used up now, but hopefully in 15 years I can do it again

Tyler · 02-21-2015, 11:04 PM

You waited 15 years to get a $1600 worth of something. That doesn't sound too awesome to me.

topfiverecords · 02-22-2015, 12:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tyler

You waited 15 years to get a $1600 worth of something. That doesn't sound too awesome to me.

I'll give you $106.67 per year for the next 15 years, just because.......oh? don't want it? ok, no problem.

Aleks · 02-22-2015, 03:37 AM

Yah no kidding, I think with my aeroplan every year I end up cashing out for $750-1000 in prepaid amex cards.....so that collection level is poor

K1LLswitch · 02-22-2015, 08:22 AM

Considering I never use the card and it's just used at Safeway, I thought that was pretty good

wooohooo · 02-22-2015, 08:26 AM

I find PC not bad if you're into shopping there. I usually fill up gas there and get 10.5 cents off and they also have that PC plus where you can get bonus points. I can usually get about $50 a month just from gas and a little groceries.

Finger Cookin · 02-22-2015, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by topfiverecords

I'll give you $106.67 per year for the next 15 years, just because.......oh? don't want it? ok, no problem.

Whoa whoa whoa - that's upwards of 29 cents every day. Slow down, big fella.

Fire · 02-22-2015, 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Finger Cookin

Whoa whoa whoa - that's upwards of 2.5 cents every day. Slow down, big fella.

Failed math eh?

Finger Cookin · 02-22-2015, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fire

Failed math eh?

Haha, yup.

Buzzard · 02-22-2015, 10:08 AM

Air Miles work for us, but it's easy to see how they probably won't work for everyone. They do require an eye out all the time because just passively collecting here and there takes forever. We've always been Safeway shoppers and when you use the bonus offers, you can rack up a significant amount relatively quickly. Just as an example...around Christmas, Safeway had Purex TP at buy 2, get 75 AM at $4 a pack I literally filled up the back of my truck and got almost 700 AM for less than $75. We also spend on average over $500 a month at the pharmacy alone which are bonus miles as well.

In all honesty if you aren't a Safeway shopper, there's really not much point in bothering. Having said that, Sobey's is now on board. That helps as they have similar bonus offers as Safeway. We also put every single item on our AM credit cards. Safeway doesn't have Walmart or Superstore prices, but we prefer shopping there and the AM's are just a huge bonus.

Although Air Miles isn't nearly as generous as it once was, we still average over 15,000 miles a year. I've never worried about them expiring, we use them up almost every year, usually on flights. We used them for an all inclusive including flights at a very nice hotel in PV once. All we had to pay was a few hundred for tax, etc.

Sr. Mints · 02-22-2015, 03:52 PM

I buy video games at Shoppers Drug Mart on 'bonus days' or whatever they're called (which happen every other week it seems) and I pay for them with my RBC Shoppers Optimum Mastercard.

I'm not sure how much I accumulate because I don't track it anymore, but very three months I buy my medications there and get about 8000 points for that alone, however I seem to rack up $170 worth (or 90k points) about twice a year--mostly from video games alone.

I'd otherwise buy them at Amazon for the exact same price and earn nothing.

edit:

The other loyalty program I use, and I don't even know if its a loyalty program per se--although it is listed in the report--is the Scene Visa from Soctiabank. It means I get to go to the theatre about 10-15 times per year for free, simply by using the credit card on most purchases

Travis Munroe · 02-22-2015, 04:21 PM

As I grocery shop at safeway 90% of the time and only get gas from shell, airmiles is a no brainer.
2 free trips every year on airmiles to shop at a grocery store closest to my house and use a very common gas station...sounds good to me!
I also have a mastercard which is a 25% discount on the face value of airmiles when you go to book your flight. Basically an extra free trip every 2 years!

I just don't get why one wouldn't collect. It adds up surprisingly fast if you go fill up with V power for 10x the airmiles and take advantage of safeways 100 extra airmiles if you spend $100. I like to go when it is quiet and ill buy 200 worth of groceries and have them split it up to get a couple hundred airmiles.
That alone is nearly 5000 air miles a year if you shop every 2 weeks.

Swarly · 02-22-2015, 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by K1LLswitch

Air miles are awesome.

15+ years ago I was at Safeway with my mom (as a teen) and asked why she didn't collect. She couldn't be bothered to figure it out. So I applied and gave her my card. She has been collecting ever since.

In the fall I had enough miles to buy a top of the line BBQ from reward miles. I think it was worth $1600 on Amazon.

Points all used up now, but hopefully in 15 years I can do it again

That's the problem now, you won't be able to, they expire after 5 years. So rather than getting a big BBQ for free after 15 years you will get 3 of something much much smaller. Not going to complain about getting free AirMiles from stores that take them on top of your payment card but its far more valuable to use another rewards card (RBC Westjet elite MC here) rather than having those AirMile credit cards.