Gordooo

Shell used to be 1 AM for $20 and then 1 for every additional $10, then it changed to 1 AM for every $20; now it's 1 for $20 + 1 for every additional $30 as stated above. If I wanted/needed to spend more than $40 at Shell, I'd do 2 transactions.

Shell often has 2x or 3x AMs coupons. There are coupons available now (good until end of September) at airmiles.ca for 6 bonus AMs if you purchase 2 Aquafina waters or two 500 ml of milk and a number of other things; chips, candy, car washes, ice cream, etc. The water and milk are higher priced than at the supermarket but 6 bonus AMs are like 60 Aeroplan miles. I use the ratio of 1:10, since a flight YWG-YYZ is 1400 AMs or 15000 AEs.

Shell used to give bonus AMs for coffee purchase and they had cards which they stamped which gave a free coffee for every 6 purchased.

You don't have to buy $20 of gas to get air miles (except for specific bonuses which say you need to buy $20 or $30 of a particular grade of gas). Generally, your purchase has to be a minimum $20 total including some gas ($1 or $2 worth of gas is enough). Lottery tickets count, tobacco products don't. When a Shell clerk tries to tell you that you need $20 of gas, ask him/her to scan your card and see if it works.

If you pick your spots like certain Safeways (right now Madison Square in Winnipeg) you can get significant amounts of AMs with grocery purchase (spend $100 get 250 AMs). Like all loyalty programs, one needs to pay attention to, and take advantage of, the bonuses available.

I have used AMs for flights when I couldn't get Aeroplan reward tickets at a reasonable rate. I have also used AMs to buy a sofa and a 46 inch Sony Bravia flat screen TV. Mostly I use them for Shell gas coupons.

IluvSQ

Thanks, I had that misconception in my mind for quite a while.
I guess, as the enxt poster said, the rules changed somewhere in the
middle of the game.

jarusoba

I didn't know that either. Now AM sucks even more

It was 1 AM every 10$ after the initial $20. I seldom fill up at Shell. I am stuck with PetroCan because there is only one PetroCan on my route of commute. They are actually worse than anything else.

margarita girl

Couple of more questions for you jarusoba. Do you get Esso Extra points on lottery tickets and gift card purchases? Is the min transfer amt through points.com 11,500 points? I buy a fair amount of gas, but it will probably take me several years to spend $11,500! I would assume there are bonus opportunities as well. Can you confirm?

jarusoba

Can't really answer your questions, MG. I never buy lottery tickets or gift cards

Go to their website to find out.

As for points.com, you'd have to have an account before you could find out. My cousin did a transfer about 1 year ago and yes, the min was 11500 Esso points to 10000 AP points. But the exchange rates of points.com varies from time to time. So you'd have to sign up to find out. Sometimes they have promotions of getting some bonus points when you sign up. So watch for that. I personally don't have a points.com account because I feel no need to exchange my points this way.

I usually convert my Esso points to RBC points at a ratio of 3500:2500. And then convert the RBC points to BA points at a ratio of 1:1.5. This is the best value to me.

Edited to add: No, I think you'd get no points for lottery tickets and gift certificates. See this.

frank664

I just recently renewed my airmiles for $100 rona gift card. Took me over 10 years to get that. I am now switching to aeroplan miles because at least i get them from flights was well.

tomh009

And if your car uses premium fuel, it's triple the points rate, so it's actually $920 to get the $20 of merchandise, or just about 2.2%. Not shabby at all, especially as it's on top of whatever your credit card gives you.

martyYYZ

How were you able to get this exchange rate?

My points.comn account gives 2,860 Aeroplan miles for 11,500 Esso points - about 4 Esso points per Aeroplan mile

tomh009

martyYYZ, could you also confirm that 11,500 points is still the minimum amount one can exchange?

martyYYZ

There is no minimum. I can convert 100 Esso points for 25 Aeroplan

I can also convert 5 Esso points for 1 Aeroplam mile

jarusoba

Really?

As I said in an earlier post that my figure was give to me by my cousin, who is a member of points.com and I am not. He exchanged 11500 Esso points for 10000 AP points about 1 year ago.

Also, the exchange rate at points.com varies and fluctuates, this might account for the discrepancy. Again, the fact that the exchange rate fluctuates is also a hearsay from my cousin. I don't have first hand experience since I'm not a member.

martyYYZ

Maybe your cousin got lucky or cashed in on a bonus. As of today, the exchange rates are 4 Esso points to 1 Aeroplan mile.

jarusoba

This is exactly why I didn't join points.com. Every exchange by points.com is a rip-off. Worse value than Airmiles!

I think Esso points are good for exchange into RBC points and then to BA points. Of course, if you don't collect BA points, then Esso points are as useless as PetroCanada points or Airmiles.

DaveTO

Petro Canada points arent that bad...About once a year I trade in my petro points for Itravel2000 certs for $25 back.

It's either that or get 750 aeroplan miles

martyYYZ

I disagree. For 499 points ($167 worth of premium gas) you can get a regular car wash. This may not be fantastic, but it's an OK deal with Esso points. This is also a much better exchange rate than any points.com offering