Is AIR MILES Canada a good program?
 

Hi everyone,

I'm new to this and trying to figure out, is AIR MILES a good program? What are the advantages if I join it? Where do you earn points (is it really mostly at pharmacies and groceries) and are the rewards good?

Has anyone had problems that I should know about?

Not sure if I should join them. Thanks everyone for helping!

You used to be able to get air miles from flying Westjet (1 mile/ $20 spent), but that ends Dec 31/08.
You can also get miles from BMO accounts and credit cards (I'm sure there are others, but they are the only ones I remember).

AirMiles Canada
 

I've used Air Miles Canada for several YVR-various California off-season flights. You used to be able to book them for 1150 miles, now it's 1450, plus about $100 in fees. But since I don't do anything extraordinary to get those miles, it's worth it. I use the 100 airmiles for $100 at Safeway (or ones like that) and coupons and just save up my buy list items for one of those deals. Takes me about 1.5 years to save up. Also get a few miles every time I fill my car (using Shell's EasyPay system), and occasionally get a few more miles here and there - but don't work the system much. Still worth it for me since I can use the YVR-SFO or LAX flights off season, and $100-ish is still better than current costs!

I basically obtain my miles the same way as vanberk with one addition that makes a huge difference to me. . . I get all my prescriptions filled at Safeway. Even though most of the cost is paid by my medical plan, I still get the miles for the full value of the prescriptions to the tune of approx $800.00 every 3 months. With 7x the miles on prescriptions, they add up fairly quickly.

I get all my prescriptions filled at Safeway. Even though most of the cost is paid by my medical plan, I still get the miles for the full value of the prescriptions to the tune of approx $800.00 every 3 months. With 7x the miles on prescriptions, they add up fairly quickly.

It is times like this that i wish I lived back in canada

Redeeming for flights is a ...... This summer, I had to call, leave my contact information, and they called me 1-3 days later (it was 4 days).

Well, Airmiles really sucks, for me anyways. I am a collector because it doesn't cost anything and it never expires. The only thing that I would redeem would be some grocery cash coupons. The other stuff are just way overpriced.

So join them but don't expect too much. There are Airmiles credit cards in Canada but none of them offer as good value as other reward cards.

I have been in the Air Miles program for quite a while. The number of miles needed has increased depending on where you are flying. The last time I was going to use the Air Miles program the fees totaled almost $200.00, so for a few dollars more I booked with UA as I am a PE and their miles are certainly worth more than the Air Miles program. The ticket value through the Air Miles program for the flights would have cost $475.00, the cost purchasing through UA was $300.00. Where I get the Air Miles from is Safeway, and they always have a promotion on such as buy 5/6 items get 50 air miles but at $.30 per mile that is worth only $15.00, the 5/6 items usually cost much more than that so if your buying just to get air miles your not getting value at all.

The OP's profile doesn't indicate where she lives, so the previous advice about prescriptions may or may not be of any use.

In Ontario, pharmacies are prohibited from awarding loyalty points (Shoppers Optimum, Air Miles, PC Points, etc.) on the value of prescription medicines.

I only belong to Air Miles because it's free. I fill up at Shell because the BMO premium cash back Mastercard includes roadside assistance for annual fee less than major programs charge as a stand alone and then the card throws in the 3% off fuel purchases. I shop at Metro (formerly Dominion) because it's the most convenient for me, which gets me Air Miles, but I shop at Shoppers Drug Mart instead of Pharma Plus, because it's more convenient (and generally has better selection).

Avoid. Avoid. Avoid. Impossible to book.

It's not a great program, but it's still worth it to be a member. Sometimes Safeway has some good deals where the air miles they hand out are worth more then the product costs. Prescriptions are another thing, but since I don't have many prescriptions, and I have to pay 20%, it's cheaper for me to go to Walmart.

Generally speaking, you're better off with other programs. Buying gas from PetroCan and using your Sears Card will give you Petropoints and Sears points. If you spend $4000/year ($333/month) on gas, then you can get the $360 Sears card every 2 years. That's a return of 4.5%, and it beats any other Credit Card + Gas loyalty program.

There are a few more bright spots, other then the prescriptions. The first is car accidents. If you live in BC or Calgary, Craftsman Collision gives Airmiles. So your insurance company pays for the damage, and you get the Airmiles. Another one is Iris optical. It's more expensive then other eye centres, but if your extended medical pays 100%, then you might as well get the Airmiles.

The best thing to do with Airmiles is to transfer them into Priority Club points and use the points for Points Break stays. That way it only costs you 300 Airmiles to stay in a hotel. Otherwise, you'd only get about $40 in gas or grocery cards.

It's worth it to collect Airmiles on things you buy anyway.

BMO Airmiles Mastercards are generally a waste of time.

A complete rip-off and scam
 

There are 3 huge problems with Air Miles:

1. To make a reservation, you will wait 30 minutes on hold before talking to an agent. Many times when I got through to an agent I have been told "we are extremely busy and only taking reservations for flights within the next two weeks, please call back another day".

2. For simple flights from city A to city B availability is poor unless you book at least 3 months in advance. For flights involving a connection, availability is zero no matter how far ahead you try to book. I have been unable to book any Airmiles flights through a connecting city, ever.

3. The fees Airmiles charges are outrageous, amounting to about 40% of the cost of a paid ticket. During booking they claim these fees are "taxes" however the "taxes" include the Airmiles service fee despite their denials on the phone. They advertise "free" flights, in fact they are offering discounted flights in exchange for severe restrictions on availability.

In summary the program is crap, considering the time you spend waiting on the phone, and the low chance of getting the flight you want when you want, and the exorbitant fees they charge, you are better off just buying a ticket. You can't get something for nothing, this program is clear evidence of that.

It ain't called AirFeet or AirInches for nothing.

It isn't worth it to use any type of Airmiles credit card product. You are better off in Canada with an Aerogold card or an Alaska Airlines Mastercard if you live on the west coast.

However, it costs me nothing to keep it in my wallet and I do end up using it a lot at Boston Pizza.

BAUS

As far as I am concerned, any program that will not cost me anything is worth considering. I've been a member since 97 and have accumulated my fair share of miles and only used it for rentals 3 or 4 times. I no longer live in Canada so I do not accumulate that much anymore, but considering it is free, what a heck, join and your miles will reward you for sport tickets and some other neat stuff at least. I guess it all depends what are you aiming for, but have to concur that it is NOT a really good FT program, if you like flying.

And WELCOME to the Forum!