collecting Aeroplan vs air miles?
Sep 30, 2009, 11:11 am
#47
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 1
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.
But speaking as a Shell clerk,you are spot-on about the miles conditions (although sadly Shell doesn't really explain this too well to their employees beyond 'we give air miles on gas purchases', which might be why some of them will tell you different). The purchase just has to include fuel in some form, and it can even be lotto tickets! (i dont even think Sobeys allows lotto for their miles. But no tobacco)
so if your tank will only take $19.50, just add a stick of gum or a piece of candy. If you need $40 in gas, pump 20, hang up the pump for 5 seconds, pump $20 again and pay the amounts seperately (we can't 'split' a fuel transaction, but if you hang-up and restart we can ring them in seperately or together at your option). If you are buying $15 in merchandise, throw $5 in your tank to get the air mile (cause you need gas eventually, right?). There are lots of little tricks.
Yeah, I use Airmiles, primarily b/c i shop at Sobeys (but now working at Shell, the gas helps too) then trade them in for grocery coupons. It's a decent rewards program, but you have to 'do your homework' to get anywhere with it (look for bonus offers in grocery flyers, use coupons, etc...)