Last year was my first time buying points to redeem for hotel stays. I had previously purchased small amounts of points for a seldom used loyalty account to prevent the balance from expiring due to inactivity. This was the first time buying a rather large amount. It goes against my general mindset when it comes to points – their accumulation should be a result of regular spending, a good promotion or an incentive to sign up for a credit card. It turned out to be the right move and saved us money. On May 15th this opportunity will appear again. [Read more…]

If you’re an avid Air Miles collector you’re likely already aware of this promotion. If you’re not, there is still time to get it done. The promo ends April 25. If you use 5 offers from different Air Miles partners you get 1000 bonus miles. Using 3 offers gets you 300 miles. The coupons can be found in booklets available at stores or online. (Be sure to check the online version because there are a few that are not included in the booklet) This is a really great opportunity to add to your Air Miles balance. The next best promo is “Shop The Block” in November/December. Here are a few thoughts on why and how to jump on this promotion. [Read more…]

The loyalty program for the Choice Hotels chain is back with its usual promo – stay twice, get 8000 points and you can earn the bonus an unlimited number of times. It’s straightforward but favours those who tend to stay single nights. It would be great on a long road trip. There are a lot of Choice hotels in the Maritimes. They include brands such as Quality Inn and Comfort Inn among others. See the list here. If you think you might be staying twice at a Choice hotel during this period you should register for this promotion.  [Read more…]

There is a new promotion on the Air Miles site with some special offers from Air Miles sponsors and an instant win contest – it’s called Air Miles Prize Pool. Also, if you check the Travel Specials section you’ll see discounts of 10% and 20% for Gold and Onyx members on Air Canada flights to select destinations for travel within certain dates. For a while these specials were MIA so it’s nice to see one back. Hopefully a discount on WestJet flights will reappear soon as well.

The link to the next IHG promotion is now active. This is a targeted promotion so each IHG member will receive a different set of tasks to complete. To some degree they will reflect your previous stay pattern but they can be quite different for each individual. Some people will get an easy set of tasks and others will get a difficult set. It’s certainly worth checking to see if yours line up with any Autumn travel you have planned. And it’s a good idea to register just in case you have an unexpected hotel night so you can get some extra points. Below are my offers along with a few tips and reminders.  [Read more…]

If you get emails from WestJet you likely received one about a one-day sale today. It’s 15% Econo, 15% off Flex and 25% off Plus base fares. Use the Coupon Code 8K7Q8A5 in the search page. On any such sale, there are typically blackout dates and other restrictions. For this promo the blackout dates include Sept. 1-2, 5-6, Oct. 6-7, 10-11 and Nov. 10-15. Travel must occur between August 23- December 14. Here are a few examples I found where the discount was applied.  [Read more…]

There are no longer any Club Carlson hotels in Atlantic Canada. The Radisson Suites in Halifax is now a Doubletree and the Country Inn & Suites in New Glasgow is a Travelodge. However, if you have any travel plans before October 31 where there is a Club Carlson property, you should take note of this promotion for earning bonus Gold Points.  [Read more…]

Here is another discount on buying hotel points. This can be a great way to save on lodging in Europe. If you have any desire to visit Stockholm (which you should), it’s a good city for using Choice Privileges points to get a nice hotel for a low cost. When my parents and I spent three nights in Stockholm several years ago, we stayed down in the bowels of a boat. It was clean and near a metro stop. Breakfast was included and most importantly, it was within our budget. Scandinavia can be a real challenge to the budget of a frugal traveller and points can be a good way to stretch your dollar. Here are a few examples using this promotion.  [Read more…]

There is a new promo where you get 150 Bonus Air Miles when you make qualifying purchases at 3 or more different retailers through airmilesshops.ca between August 2 and September 12. Qualifying purchases are at least $20 before tax and shipping. Check the terms and conditions before you get shopping. There is also a promotion August 2-8 that offers 5x the miles at a few select stores. Just remember you have to click through to the store’s website from the airmilesshops.ca portal.

There are a couple of recurring promotions for earning Air Miles at Sobeys and Lawtons in the Maritimes. The Lawtons one appeared in this week’s flyer: Buy $35 or more of Compliments products, get 95 Air Miles, July 29 – August 4. Here’s the flyer. The Air Miles program has been in the news lately. It’s definitely causing some frustration, especially for those who need to redeem expiring miles. Over the next few days I will try to come up with some possibilities for travel redemptions that result in a reasonable value for your miles.