Rewards Canada News

Shifting your loyalty program strategy to help during these trying and tough financial times

For many of us, our loyalty program strategy revolves around travel. Travel is pretty much done for now and for many of us we will have to think of how can we can save a dollar here and stretch a dollar there. That's where your loyalty programs come in to help!

Rewards Canada's COVID-19 Resources Page

Remember to visit and bookmark our COVID-19 resource page where we are keeping you up to date with all the latest airline, hotel, lounges and loyalty program news, policies, closures and more.

In light of what's going on in the world should you shift to a cash back credit card instead of a travel card? Why not a card that has both?

There's lots of talk of shifting to true cash back cards however there is one major drawback to them. We explain why you should look at a travel rewards card with a cash back option instead.

Rewards Canada over the past week:

• March 20 Update: Choice Privileges & Emirates Skywards buy points/miles offers, Hilton extends 2,000 bonus points per night offer & Cathay Pacific will continue with 3x weekly Vancouver flights
  Remember to visit and bookmark our COVID-19 resource page where we are keeping you up to date with all the…
• 40% bonus when you buy or gift Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Miles
  This is one of the short term offers we will and do post on Rewards Canada here. For the…
• Targetted Hyatt offer for free World of Hyatt Explorist status for 90 days + a fast track to keep Explorist or gain Globalist status (Wait to register for it)
   Editors Note: In light of global events and a major slow down it travel we here at Rewards Canada will…
• Aeroplan confirms flight reward cancel with no fee policy and pauses expiration of miles + Air Canada Altitude updates
  Aeroplan has provided further updates on their program tonight in regards to the COVID-19 Pandemic.: Cancel any Flight Reward…
• Shifting your loyalty program strategy to help during these trying and tough financial times
  What a world we live in right now! As my wife told our daughters, what is happening right now…
• Air Canada to suspend most U.S. and International flights and reduce flights within Canada
  Air Canada announced this evening that they are going to gradually suspend most of their U.S. and International flights…
• March 18 Update: Instacart now coding properly for 5x points with Amex Cobalt Card, Centurion Lounges shutting down temporarily & 2x RBC Rewards points when converting Hudson's Bay Rewards points
  Remember to visit and bookmark our COVID-19 resource page where we are keeping you up to date with all the…
• Air Transat to gradually suspend all flights
  Porter Airlines isn't the only Canadian airline announcing a suspension of flights today. Air Transat also released news today…
• Porter Airlines to suspend all operations from March 20 to May 31
  Porter Airlines announced this morning that they will be temporarily suspending all operations from Friday March 20 to May…
• Scotiabank raising points requirements for some non-travel redemptions including Points for Credit on May 4
  Of course only a few days after we put up our post "In light of what's going on in…
• Rewards Canada's COVID-19 Resources Page
  While we have been posting a lot of details on airline and hotel policies, news and more on the…
• More Rewards Pile up the Points - Earn up to 20,000 bonus points for collecting at multiple partners until April 8
  More Rewards big promotion called Pile up the Points has returned until April 8. Last seen in August of…
• AIR MILES Mega Miles was set to launch this week but has now been postponed
  The ever popular AIR MILES Mega Miles event was slated to start tomorrow but it has now been postponed…
• WestJet suspends all transborder and international flights as of March 22 for 30 days
  Late last night WestJet announced they will suspend all transborder and international flights as of 11:59pm MT on March…
• In light of what's going on in the world should you shift to a cash back credit card instead of a travel card? Why not a card that has both?
  Over the weekend some much happened here in Canada and while lots of travel was shutting it seems so…
• Canada closing borders to most non-residents and international flights limited to four airports
  Prime Minister Trudeau announced this afternoon that Canada is closing its borders to most non-residents of Canada. Canadian citizens and…
• Marriott Hotels now waiving change & cancellation fees as well
  Marriott is also following in the same footsteps of many airlines and hotel chains and have now updated their…
• Hyatt Hotels now waiving change & cancellation fees for stays in March & April and postponing World of Hyatt changes
  I've been meaning to write about Hyatt's policy that they came out with at the start of the week…
• Air Canada Signature Suite in Vancouver set to open on March 14
  Last night Air Canada gave a sneak peek of its brand new Signature Suite in Vancouver to the media…
• No fee changes and cancellation to be allowed for travel booked with AIR MILES Reward Miles
  If you follow Rewards Canada on Twitter you would have seen our tweet detailing AIR MILES new change policy for…
• TAP Air Portugal Miles&Go Elite Status Match offer + other anniversary offers
  Earlier this month TAP Air Portugal released a bunch of offers to celebrate the airline’s anniversary. We’ve had those…

Bonus Offer Highlights

Air Canada Aeroplan
- Triple Aeroplan Miles when you stay at Coast Hotels in Canada and the U.S.. More... Apr 13 - Jun 30, 20

ALL Accor Live Limitless
- 2,000 bonus Rewards points when you complete two stays at participating Accor Hotels Worldwide. More... Register and book by May 4 for stays until Sep 30, 20

Choice Privileges
- 13,000 Bonus Privileges Points when you book 5 nights or more at a vacation rental on ChoiceVacationRentals.com. More... Book by May 31, 20 for stays until Dec 31, 21

All the programs that had new bonus offers added these past week: