VIA Preference: $200 for 10,000 Preference Points
Aug 26, 2018, 2:49 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: YXE
Posts: 3,050
VIA Preference: $200 for 10,000 Preference Points
Deal for the month of September and October is travel 10 segments on VIA Rail in any class of service, and get 10,000 bonus points.
https://www.viapreference.com/en/offers
Pre-registration required. Minimum segment cost is $20 for Adults. So a segment run could cost as little as $200 + GST. Trivially accomplished in a day if you live in the Windsor-Quebec City corridor or can get yourself to YTZ/YYZ/YUL/YOW/YQB/YXU/YKF/YGK/etc. Probably requires an overnight everywhere else in the VIA network.
13,000 points needed for a Toronto-Vancouver trip in Sleeper Class. Partial redemptions are also available. Redemptions occasionally go on sale as well at 40% off in the off-season. No surcharges, literally redeem your points for a ticket. A Cabin for 1 sleeper ticket with full flexibility typically goes for $2943, although discounts down to $1700 are available for non-flexible reservations.
(sorry mods, there's no Canadian VIA Preference forum....please move if appropriate, don't know if the Mileage Run forum would be a better place or not!).
https://www.viapreference.com/en/offers
Pre-registration required. Minimum segment cost is $20 for Adults. So a segment run could cost as little as $200 + GST. Trivially accomplished in a day if you live in the Windsor-Quebec City corridor or can get yourself to YTZ/YYZ/YUL/YOW/YQB/YXU/YKF/YGK/etc. Probably requires an overnight everywhere else in the VIA network.
GET ON BOARD WITH BONUS POINTS
Earn points at record speeds this fall. The more segments you travel, the more bonus points you'll earn. And the more you'll see too.
Book between August 23rd and October 31st and travel between September 1st and October 31st, in any class, to earn up to 10,000 bonus points.* Don't forget to register!
Here's what you could be earning:
Earn points at record speeds this fall. The more segments you travel, the more bonus points you'll earn. And the more you'll see too.
Book between August 23rd and October 31st and travel between September 1st and October 31st, in any class, to earn up to 10,000 bonus points.* Don't forget to register!
Here's what you could be earning:
- Travel 4-5 segments, get 1,000 points
- Travel 6-7 segments, get 3,000 points
- Travel 8-9 segments, get 6,000 points
- Travel 10 segments or more, get 10,000 points
(sorry mods, there's no Canadian VIA Preference forum....please move if appropriate, don't know if the Mileage Run forum would be a better place or not!).
Last edited by pitz; Aug 26, 2018 at 3:10 am
Sep 5, 2018, 3:40 am
#4
Join Date: Aug 2016
Programs: AC, ANZ, MH
Posts: 24
I'm flexible. will be in Montreal and Toronto over the next month. Just with frequency it looked a lot of wasted time don't think 8 segment in one day is viable (plus via not really good at being on time). I am however starting to wonder if there system is sophisticated enough to recognise if I do Toronto-Oshawa, and then Oshawa-Cobourg on the same train.
maybe Kingston is better starting point because I can get a dual number train that splits off Montreal and Ottawa
Sep 5, 2018, 1:22 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: YXE
Posts: 3,050
I'm flexible. will be in Montreal and Toronto over the next month. Just with frequency it looked a lot of wasted time don't think 8 segment in one day is viable (plus via not really good at being on time). I am however starting to wonder if there system is sophisticated enough. to recognise if I do Toronto-Oshawa, and then Oshawa-Cobourg on the same train.
Last edited by pitz; Sep 5, 2018 at 1:36 pm
Oct 3, 2018, 5:05 pm
#7
Join Date: Aug 2016
Programs: AC, ANZ, MH
Posts: 24
was able to run 4 segments Toronto-Oakville in one morning. second one was a bit tight, so made sure train were both on schedule before boarding (if not would have us GO to come back as no other trains until 5pm). this is cheapest segment from Toronto, with enough trains to do a reasonable run. Note the first train was the Amtrack to NY, which requires ID to board.
now let's see if all credits go as expected
now let's see if all credits go as expected
Nov 15, 2018, 12:14 pm
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: YXE
Posts: 3,050
Credited. Nice deal, eh? @mcott, @foreigncontent, did yours work out?
Nov 15, 2018, 4:00 pm
#11
Join Date: May 2001
Location: YOW
Posts: 412
Credited. Nice deal, eh? @mcott, @foreigncontent, did yours work out?
I got to know the staff from taking the same two trains on Saturday for two weeks, and Sunday for three weeks. Very quickly you get accustomed to seeking out the Service Manager, saying "hi", and asking them to validate your ticket before the trip.
All in all, great value for the 226.00 spent
Nov 15, 2018, 5:52 pm
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: YXE
Posts: 3,050
Yeah had to spend a bit more, but went for 2 nice meals in the dining car, had 2 sets of onboard entertainment, dined with a nice Australian backpacker and a married couple from Paris. And received a gift for travelling on their flagship train on VIA's 40th birthday. Same crew both ways too.
Will probably do the YVR-YYZ trip over the winter with a long stopover in YXE.
Will probably do the YVR-YYZ trip over the winter with a long stopover in YXE.
Nov 25, 2018, 12:51 pm
#13
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: YVR - MILLS Waypoint (It's the third house on the left)
Programs: AC*SE100K, wood level status in various other programs
Posts: 6,226
Stumbled across this from a post you made in the AC/Aeroplan Forum. Will have see if they offer something similar next year.
Thanks!
Thanks!
Nov 25, 2018, 7:41 pm
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: YXE
Posts: 3,050
I don't think there's been anything this generous. Usually the Fall promo deal for the VIA Preference program involves bonuses for travelling in the Windsor/Sarnia-Quebec City "Corridor". But the Black Friday deals are usually amongst the best for buying revenue tickets. Well they did put on a really cheap pass deal last year for students, which apparently was quite a crazy affair for the month of July, 2017.