Updated December 31, 2019

Aeroplan is Canada’s most popular frequent flyer program. It’s possible to earn a significant number of miles using Aeroplan’s extensive array of retail, financial and travel partners. If you’re an Aeroplan member, you might find these 25 tips on earning Aeroplan miles helpful. They fall into two categories – getting organized and accumulating miles.

Interspersed throughout, you’ll find additional tips on how to support your Aeroplan account with other programs in a diversified miles-and-points portfolio.

1. Decide how much time you’re willing to invest

Many of my conversations about award travel follow a predictable course. Most people express interest in the topic. Most are amazed, if not excited, about the benefits. But, there comes a point when for some people, their eyes start to glaze over and disinterest sets in. While the prospect of a sweet deal is attractive, for many people the investment of time and effort to manage the process isn’t worth it. For others, jumping on the learning curve is too difficult to contemplate. Or, the thought of juggling several credit cards feels too onerous (or worse, dangerous).

But with anything, there can be differences in output and results. What’s important is that people craft their own unique yet comfortable strategies based on the time and energy they’re willing to devote. It can be as simple as choosing a few repeatable activities, or positioning oneself to ensure that every single expenditure is strategic and leads to award travel.

If you fall into the “simple” camp, here are my suggestions on five simple actions:

Set up your online Aeroplan account.

Sign up for an Aeroplan-branded credit card and use it for as many transactions as possible. Points will automatically flow into your Aeroplan account at the end of each statement period.

Pay all recurring bills with your credit card. Set these up online so they’re automatically paid each month. The only further work on your part will be to update your accounts with each new expiry date of your credit card.

Set up an autopayment system so your credit card balance is paid in full each month from your bank account. There’s no further work on your part except to verify the accuracy of your credit card charges.

Carry your Aeroplan card (or membership number) with you at all times. If you’re a Smartphone user, download a loyalty card wallet and carry a digital version of your card. I think the Best loyalty card wallet app is Stocard.

On the other hand, if you’re up to the challenge of pursuing a more aggressive range of earning opportunities, read on.

2. Establish points-accumulation goals

Points-accumulation goals go hand in hand with travel goals, on two separate timelines. One timeline is for accumulating miles and points. The other is for redeeming them.

I love Aeroplan, but it can’t stand alone. It needs to be supported by other frequent flyer, travel rewards and hotel loyalty programs in a diversified miles-and-points portfolio. Your portfolio will be unique, one that’s consistent with your travel style and helps you achieve your travel goals. It will also be influenced by where you live.

If you’re planning a major trip, you’ll need to position yourself to have enough miles and points to make the various bookings. With Aeroplan, there’s no part-points-and-part-cash option. (You can pay taxes, fees and surcharges with cash, which I recommend. Paying these with miles returns poor value.)

An Aeroplan booking might need to be made as much as a year in advance. For example, from January to April of 2019, I travelled to Australia, with stopovers in New Zealand and San Francisco. For business class travel, I needed to have 160,000 Aeroplan miles in my account by June 2018, the time of the booking. As a general rule, aim to have enough miles in your account at least 12 months before travel dates. It’s disheartening to see ideal flights available but you’re short of the points you need. For major trips, or those to popular destinations, try to book at least 10 months out.

I also needed a cache of Avios points for “hopping” around Australia. British Airways Avios points are valuable for short-haul redemptions for as few as 4,500 miles. They’re excellent for travel within a continent or country, or for side trips from an Aeroplan stopover or destination. For example, I booked business class flights from Brisbane (my Aeroplan destination) to Hobart on Qantas, a partner of British Airways within the oneworld Alliance.

Another of my secondary programs is Air Miles. This can be especially useful for travellers who don’t live close to a major hub such as Toronto or Vancouver. Air travel usually returns the best value, so for this, a collector’s earning preference needs to be set to “Dream Miles.” It’s on my points-accumulation plan because I use the program for short flights from my home airport of Halifax. There are times when it costs a minimum of 25,000 Aeroplan miles to fly to Ottawa, Toronto or New York. Those same 25,000 miles could be used for an economy flight to Vancouver or San Francisco. That’s when Air Miles earn their keep: on short-haul flights. For example, the 1445 Air Miles redeemed for a flight to Toronto allowed me to save Aeroplan miles for more valuable redemptions. Air Miles are also useful for positioning flights to hubs where it’s possible to obtain award flights with other frequent flyer programs. An added bonus is that your point of connection could be considered a “free stopover.”

AMEX Membership Rewards (MR) are an extremely valuable points currency. At a bare minimum, they can be redeemed against purchases charged to a card earning Membership Rewards. Or, they can be redeemed for flights using the AMEX Fixed Points Travel Program. Or, as “flexible points,” they can be converted to various airline and hotel programs such as Aeroplan, British Airways’ Avios and Marriott Bonvoy. The power of MRs most often lie in redemptions with their conversion partners.

I like Scotia Rewards for the flexibility in redeeming points. Like most proprietary programs, Scotia Rewards has an in-house travel booking service. However, the attractive distinction between Scotia Rewards and programs such as CIBC Rewards (Aventura) and RBC Rewards (Avion) is that I’m not limited to using the in-house service. I can purchase travel through another provider and redeem Scotia Rewards against the charges. Once the travel purchase appears in my account, I have 12 months to apply the “Post Purchase Travel Redemption” against the charge. A variety of travel providers are recognized, including Airbnb, campgrounds, railways and cruises. Redemptions are valued at 1 cent per point (e.g., 5,000 = $50). In Australia, I took Spirit of Queensland’s RailBed class train from Brisbane to Cairns. The price of $371.38 cost 37,138 Scotia Rewards.

Aventura occupies another corner of my miles-and-points portfolio. Points are easy to accumulate, and several CIBC Aventura credit cards carry benefits such as free travel credits, lounge passes, and NEXUS application and renewal fee rebates. Aventura points can be redeemed, through the in-house travel portal, against hotel stays (at 1 cent per point) for anything listed on Expedia (and at Expedia rates). Or, they can be used to fund travel experiences appearing on Expedia. For example, my one-way flight from Cairns to Brisbane on Virgin Australia cost $129.08 that translated into an exact redemption of 12,908 Aventura points.

Aventura points can also be used for flights using the fixed flight rewards chart. As is the case with most proprietary programs with a fixed flight rewards chart, you’ll achieve better value the closer you can get to the maximum base fare ticket price. Also, I particularly like the occasional promotions such as a recent one with WestJet. A direct flight from Halifax to Boston for 9,000 miles return? That was a decent deal.

Contrary to what you might see on the Internet, or be told by a seller at a CIBC airport booth, Aventura points can’t be transferred to Aeroplan. It was true at one time, and still is for Aventura cardholders who’ve held an eligible card since before October 1, 2013.

3. Focus points-earning efforts

Hotel loyalty programs

Hotel loyalty points are useful in a miles-and-points portfolio. If for no other reason, they come in handy for Aeroplan redemptions involving positioning flights, stopovers and long layovers. You might ordinarily pass over these possibilities because of the added costs of accommodation.

Redeeming Aeroplan miles for hotel stays rarely represents good value. Instead, collect hotel loyalty points for this purpose. Or, use one of the proprietary programs such as CIBC Rewards (Aventura) or Scotia Rewards. Most proprietary program points are valued at one cent per point (e.g., 10,000 points = $100).

The average collector would be wise to focus on a couple of hotel loyalty programs. Otherwise, with points-earning efforts spread across several programs, you run the risk of diluting your earning power by having too many to feed.

One possibility is Best Western. Why?

A Best Western hotel can usually be found close to an airport, with free shuttle service.

Best Western Rewards never expire.

Points can be transferred between accounts sharing the same physical address.

Occasional promotions offer room nights at lower redemption levels.

The churnable MBNA Best Western Rewards MasterCard has no annual fee and a regular sign-up bonus of 20,000 BW Rewards.

Best Western’s reach extends to smaller towns, and offers excellent value in countries such as Asia, where redemption levels are lower.

For more information, see Why the Best Western loyalty program is good for travellers.

Marriott Bonvoy is another good program with an extensive inventory of hotels at a variety of price points.

The program has a two-year expiry policy. Other loyalty programs (e.g., IHG and Hilton) each have a 12-month points expiry policy.

Apart from hotel stays, using one of the two AMEX Bonvoy credit cards, or converting points such as Membership Rewards-Select (MR-S), it’s relatively easy to keep an account active. If you’re really stuck, 1,000 points can be purchased for 12.50 USD. This will reset the expiry clock.

The sign-up bonuses of the two AMEX Bonvoy cards are consistently in the range of 50,000 Bonvoy points. The sign-up bonus and x5 points multiplier for eats and drinks on the AMEX Cobalt Card can create a healthy balance of MR-S points to convert to Bonvoy at 1:1.2.

Marriott’s database of over 7,000 hotels is searchable by region, brand and category. With the fifth-night-free feature and several well located sweet spots, those same 50,000 points can fund an affordable five-night stay at properties averaging between $200 and $300 per night.

Another advantage of both Best Western Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy is that they can be converted to Aeroplan miles with a partner transfer bonus of 30% or 35% at promotion time (usually twice each year).

Earning hotel loyalty points and status nights usually require booking directly through the respective loyalty program’s site. However, when booking through another site, if there’s an option to insert a request, ask that your hotel loyalty membership number be added. Then, call or email the hotel to verify that your membership number is attached to the booking. You can also do so at check-in. You might score an upgrade or receive perks associated with your status, and there’s an outside chance of earning loyalty points or status nights.

For stays at hotels that are either not part of your portfolio, or ones that don’t have a loyalty program, booking via other platforms can bring dividends.

Aeroplan hotel bookings

Check out the prices using Aeroplan’s hotel search engine.

An attractive feature is that the listed price includes taxes and fees, so there are no surprises at the end of the process. It also displays how many Aeroplan miles you’ll earn by booking through the Aeroplan platform. The bonus miles from your Aeroplan status (Silver, Black or Diamond) are included. Double dip by using a credit card earning multiplier points on travel bookings to earn additional Aeroplan miles, or to feed one of your other reward programs.

Rocketmiles

Rocketmiles is an accommodation-booking site offering miles or points. To attract new customers, there are occasional promotions of 3,000 Aeroplan miles for first-timers. Their inventory of hotels is limited, and at times, their rates aren’t the most competitive. Plus, their taxes and fees can include a booking fee, depending on the promotion. Comparison shop, and you’ll easily figure out if you’re getting a deal.

For example, I needed a hotel for two nights and found a decent rate at Rocketmiles for a Future Inn. It earned 1,000 Aeroplan miles per night. With the 3,000-mile first time purchase, I earned 5,000 miles for my first booking with Rocketmiles. On another booking for a one-night stay, I earned 3,000 Alaska miles during a Rocketmiles partnership promotion with Alaska Airways Mileage Plan.

Fixed value points programs

Most banks have their own in-house proprietary reward programs. These include AMEX Membership Rewards, RBC Rewards/Avion, CIBC Rewards (Aventura), Scotia Rewards, BMO Rewards, HSBC Rewards, and TD Rewards. Some programs are better than others. In my view, AMEX’s Membership Rewards program is superior because of the sign-up bonuses and earning power of associated credit cards, and flexibility in either transferring or redeeming points.

Frequent flyer programs

Most airlines belong to one of three major alliances: Star Alliance, oneworld, and SkyTeam.

Aeroplan miles can be earned and redeemed on and for flights on Star Alliance airlines.

In cases where flying outside the Star Alliance offers the best deal, it’s useful to have an account with at least one of the respective airline partners. This will enable you to have flying miles credited to your account.

In the case of the oneworld alliance, your choice(s) will be influenced by which airlines serve your departure airport(s), and your travel goals. For some people, American Airlines is a good choice. For others, it’s Cathay Pacific. I chose British Airways and their loyalty currency Avios. I was attracted to the three-year expiry policy, the ability to pool miles through a household account, and being able to redeem as few as 4,500 miles for short-haul flights. It complements Aeroplan’s stopover rules beautifully. String together a few hops within a country, continent or region, and Avios can deliver some very interesting side trips.

For Canadian residents, Avios miles aren’t difficult to collect. The easiest come from points earned from a “bank rewards card” (e.g., RBC Avion, AMEX Membership Rewards) which can be converted to Avios miles. At promotion time, RBC Avion can be converted at 130% twice a year, and AMEX Membership Rewards once a year, also at 130%. The RBC Avion-to-Avios promotion ending December 15, 2019 was at 150%.

Alaska Airlines is another excellent choice, especially for those who live near an airport served by the airline or one of its redemption partners. With redemption partners across, and outside, all three airline alliances, Alaska miles offer some amazing redemption opportunities.

The more connections that can be established between loyalty programs, the sooner travel goals can be realized.

Most frequent flyer programs have partnerships with several hotel loyalty programs. My two preferred hotel loyalty programs (Best Western and Marriott Bonvoy) are Aeroplan partners. They allow me to choose where to assign my miles/points earned for each hotel stay, based on the best return (or imminent travel plans). For example, before booking a room at Toronto Airport’s Best Western Plus for a x8 Aeroplan promotion (2,000 miles), I checked my Best Western account to verify I was registered for the promotion, and Aeroplan was listed as my earning preference.

5. Keep track of points

Each reward program has its own site, and many have a mobile app. It’s a good idea to stay on top of account balances, and which points are at risk of expiring.

Keeping track of points allows you to act promptly if you fall victim to loyalty fraud. It’s a growing problem.

AwardWallet is an app allowing users to track miles and points of different programs. An attractive feature of AwardWallet is that if you just want to check account balances, you don’t need to go to different sites and enter a username and password each time. It also reminds you when points are about to expire so you can take action to keep them intact.

As a backup, I maintain a four-column chart within my written plan (See Tip #10). Column headings are Reward Program, Current Balance, Last Updated, and Notes/Strategy. As many point balances are on the same page as my online credit card account, or one click away, it’s relatively easy to monitor point balances with this system. Plus, it’s a good excuse to regularly check charges, and if I strategically used the card in question. The column labelled Notes/Strategy is for information on conversion promotion dates, and updates on when points are expected, awarded or transferred.

6. Sign up for newsletters

Points-earning promotions boost accumulation rates. Newsletters provide updates on the latest promotions, and reviews on credit card products and reward programs. Aeroplan, Air Miles, PointsNerd (Jayce Loh), Rewards Canada (Patrick Sojka), Prince of Travel (Ricky Zhang), and the Canadian Blogs at Boarding Area (Canadian Kilometers, PointsHogger, and Miles, Points and Bling) are my favourite sources of information. I’ve earned thousands of miles and points thanks to these publications.

If you need to be selective, I highly recommend Prince of Travel.

Another wonderful source of information is the Churning Canada forum at Reddit. It’s well organized, and well moderated. There’s an excellent Daily Question Thread that’s perfect of beginners, backed by a supportive community that post data points and responses to questions. If you’re just starting out, my suggestion is to read the Daily Question Threads for several weeks before asking questions that have already been answered. With more than 22,000 subscribers, the thread can become clogged with duplicate content. Many Redditors have limited patience for “noobs” who don’t take the time to do some basic research before asking basic questions.

If you’re a “podcast person,” Rewards Canada offers up another medium for updates on the miles-and-points scene.

7. Use credit cards, but wisely

Who pays for the cost of miles and points? Everyone. Credit card companies buy various reward currencies and use them to attract customers. They’re partially funded by interchange fees (fees charged to merchants). Merchants pass the fees on to all customers through their pricing structures. Those paying by cash or debit pay the same price as those earning credit card points.

But, some credit card users pay more than others for the cost of their rewards. Besides merchant fees, credit card companies pay for miles and points through credit card fees and interest. Any strategy involving credit cards must keep these two factors in mind. As a general rule:

credit card bills need to be paid in full (and on time) so no interest charges are ever incurred;

look for opportunities to obtain an annual fee waiver through a sign-up promotion, a pro-rated fee or waiver through a product switch, or by simply asking for one;

where there are annual fees, they should be less than the value of the points earned (or other benefits).

8. Take advantage of credit card sign-up bonuses

The single most powerful way to accumulate points and miles is through credit card sign-up bonuses.

“Churning” refers to the practice of opening and closing credit card accounts. It involves positioning oneself to earn a welcome bonus again and again by cancelling (or “product switching”) and then reapplying for the same card. In some cases, credit card companies limit access to second and third sign-up bonuses with language such as “once per lifetime.” However, there are plenty of examples where this isn’t enforced. For more information, check out Prince of Travel’s Can You Get Repeat Signup Bonuses? or follow the Daily Question Thread of the Churning Canada forum at Reddit.

Active churners focus on the best (and more frequently available) sign-up bonuses. While best-earning credit cards are a consideration, it’s more about optimizing sign-up bonuses. It’s also about positioning themselves to have almost every dollar of spending contribute to a minimum spend requirement (MSR). A MSR refers to how much you need to spend to be eligible for a sign-up bonus. It might be awarded on approval, after the first purchase, or after spending a certain amount within a specified timeframe (usually within the first three months). The MSR period usually starts from the date of approval, or the date a card is generated.

Credit card management takes time, organization and planning. One simple strategy that helps me strategically stagger credit card applications is to list as many existing and anticipated expenses as possible. Here are some examples.

List all recurring monthly expenses. Find out if lump sum advance payments can be made and to what extent.

List anticipated dates of expenses associated with insurance, dental and optical appointments, daycare, accountant and legal fees, taxes, tuition, membership fees, registration fees, charitable donations, lottery pools, and so on. Include information on which credit cards are accepted.

Predict expenses by category (e.g., vehicle maintenance, home maintenance and renovations, landscaping, travel, and so on). Include information on which credit cards are accepted.

Develop a breakdown of predicted expenses and a payment schedule for a major event such as a trip, wedding, family reunion or renovation project.

Maintain a running list of future purchases. I find a Notes app works well. Add possibilities as soon as the idea strikes. It’s surprising how these add up and can contribute to a minimum spend in a meaningful way. An added advantage is that it can reduce impulse spending. Also, I find that because items remain on my list for some time, many of them can be purchased on sale or as part of a points-earning promotion.

9. Set up rebate accounts

Great Canadian Rebates (GCR) will pay you to apply for a no-fee credit card. For example, the GCR rebate on the MBNA Best Western Rewards MasterCard is $50. The Scotiabank SCENE Visa has a rebate of $45.

Or, a GCR rebate effectively reduces the cost of an annual fee. For example, the MBNA Alaska Airlines World Elite MasterCard has an annual fee of $99. At present, GCR has a rebate of $50 which makes the cost of acquiring the card just $49. The $55 rebate on the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite card reduces the $139-fee to $84. If you have an international trip planned, the 2.5% savings on foreign transaction fees could go a long way to offsetting what remains of the annual fee.

If you don’t have a GCR account, I would be pleased if you’d use my referral link to establish an account. It’s https://www.greatcanadianrebates.ca/register/237961/ (packinglighttravel@gmail.com). It’s to our mutual benefit (GCR will deposit a $3 bonus in your account).

RateSupermarket.ca offers cash or gift cards when applying for a credit card through their credit card portal.

The gift card shop at Rakuten (formerly eBates) offers cash back rewards on gift card purchases. This might be useful for those in areas where AMEX isn’t readily accepted.

Check out CreditCardGenius for applications attracting rebates and/or gift cards.

10. Develop a written plan

A written plan is an essential tool for setting goals and staying on track. My three-section plan covers a period ranging from twelve to eighteen months.

(i) Existing Programs

The first section lists my reward programs with current balances. It’s set up as a table with four columns (described in Tip #5). My Award Wallet account is useful, but this additional record keeping is a handy complement.

(ii) Redemption Plan

The second section lists travel goals by destination and date, and how many miles and points will be needed in each program by when.

It helps pinpoint which reward programs will best work for a particular destination or type of trip, and realistic timelines for earning the necessary points.

(iii) Churning Plan

The third section is my Credit Card Management Plan with a detailed chronology of actionable steps. It’s in the form of a table with four headings: Steps/Date, Task, Points Goal, and Notes.

It can be difficult keeping everything straight, and staying on top of things. A credit card management plan, or one of its companion documents, are useful tools. My suggestion is to:

record various credit card products and a brief summary of their features;

identify reasons for applying for a particular credit card, cancelling or product switching credit cards, or keeping accounts open;

record promotional periods, and timelines for staggering the opening and closing of accounts, and transferring points to other programs.

Here are some other suggestions on things to consider.

Identify your “forever card.” The length of your credit history is an important factor in your ability to obtain credit. It’s wise to keep a card with a long credit history. A good choice is one that has no annual fee, doesn’t linger in your sock drawer (where it could attract an inactive fee or closure by the issuer), and rewards you for keeping it in your wallet. If you’re just starting out, do you regularly go to the movies? Take a look at the Scotiabank SCENE Visa Card. Do you own a car? The roadside assistance plan is one of the many attractive features of Canadian Tire’s Triangle World Elite MasterCard. Some folks reduce their credit limit on a “forever card” in case a higher limit hampers their ability to obtain more credit (on more cards).

Identify your “keeper” card. Your “keeper” or “daily driver” card will be a permanent fixture on your card management plan. Like your “forever” card, it serves a useful purpose, and churning it would place you at a disadvantage. It’s likely a premium card with benefits so compelling that you’re willing to forego the sign-up bonuses you’d earn through churning. For example, let’s say you regularly purchase electronics or photography equipment and you want a card with extended warranty protection. There are several credit cards with this benefit, but you’d like one with decent earning power and a manageable annual fee. The American Express Cobalt Card has a monthly fee of $10 and earns 5 MR-S points on eats and drinks. The points can be converted to Marriott Bonvoy points on a 1:1.2 basis.

Consider a banking package that waives the annual fee. A banking package typically requires maintaining a monthly minimum balance to obtain an annual fee rebate. Getting a permanent break on the fee for your daily driver card might be worth it. Discuss your options at the local branch of the bank where you conduct most of your business.

Maintain a list of credit card products. Redditor le_bib curates a regularly updated list at Churning Canada. Some of the bloggers mentioned above have monthly lists of the best credit card offers, and Patrick Sojka’s rankings at Rewards Canada might be helpful.

Follow the “6 + 6 rule.” As a general rule, keep a card for at least 6 months, then wait 6 months (or at least 3) before reapplying for the same card. Applying on a cancelled card any earlier than 3 months could result in a reopening of the closed account, and ineligibility for the sign-up bonus and other promotional benefits.

Keep credit card insurance in mind. If you’re counting on credit card insurance coverage for trip cancellation, interruption, and flight delay for a trip redeemed on Aeroplan miles, you’re limited to a few select cards. Generally speaking, award travel is covered only if the points were redeemed from the respective program. For example, Scotia cards earning Scotia Rewards only cover award travel funded with Scotia Reward points. So, for Aeroplan redemptions, you need an Aeroplan-branded card on your plan such as those from CIBC and TD. It needs to be open at a time to put the majority, if not all, trip expenses on the card, and kept open until after the trip. The TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite has a trip cancellation limit of $1500 when the full cost of the trip has been charged to the card. The CIBC Aerogold Visa Infinite (and the business version) has a limit of $1,000 when “no less than 75% of the Common Carrier fare, hotels or similar accommodations have been charged” to the card.

However, there’s an exception to the Aeroplan-branded cards. The BMO Air Miles World Elite MasterCard has a limit of $2,500 for trip cancellation when the “full or partial cost of Your Ticket has been charged” to your card. This is any common carrier ticket (land, air, sea) that’s part of your trip. For more information, see What is the best credit card with trip cancellation, trip interruption and flight delay insurance for trips on points?

Include a no-FX-fee card. If you use a credit card in other countries, or regularly cross-border shop online, you might want to include a card that waives foreign transaction (FX) fees. An FX fee is a surcharge on purchases that pass through a foreign bank, or are in a currency other than Canadian Dollars. FX fees in Canada are typically 2.5%. FX-free premium cards include the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite, Scotiabank Gold American Express, and the HSBC Premier World Elite MasterCard. For a no-fee card that doesn’t charge FX fees, take a look at the Home Trust Preferred Visa.

Include cards that support a diverse miles-and-points portfolio. If your travel goals can be realized using a mixture of frequent flyer miles, hotel loyalty points, fixed reward travel programs and “hybrid” points, your credit card management plan will include credit cards capable of feeding these programs in a meaningful way.

Consider “product switching.” This involves switching from a credit card account you’d like to close, to one you’d like to open. Or, from a card you currently hold to having it again with another card in between. The advantage is that in the vast majority of cases it safeguards your credit history, and the switch is accomplished without a credit inquiry. It usually positions a person to receive subsequent sign-up bonuses of the cards involved. It may also result in a fee waiver or a pro-rated annual fee. The same credit card number, PIN, credit history and preauthorized payment plan usually transfer to the new card. However, always check. A product switch from a “personal” to a “business” card could be considered a new application and result in a loss of credit history and a new credit inquiry.

Protect existing points. What happens to your points when you cancel a credit card? Cancelling cards that transfer points to partner programs won’t affect the points sitting in your third-party account. These points are typically transferred on or immediately following your statement date so you’ll need to factor these dates into your churning plan. Examples of partner programs are Aeroplan, Alaska Mileage Plan, Best Western Rewards, British Airways Avios, and Air Miles.

In-house propriety programs are another story (e.g., AMEX Membership Rewards, CIBC Aventura, RBC Avion and Scotia Rewards). Cancel the card that earned the points, and they’re in danger of disappearing. You’ll need to redeem them, transfer them to another program (if this option exists), or link them to another credit card in the same points stream. Check the grace period you’ll have for doing so, as time frames vary between programs.

If you have one or more favourite proprietary programs, find out if there are any no-fee cards that earn the same points you want to protect. Most proprietary programs have them.

There are times when it’s worth paying an annual fee. The fee needs to be worth less than the value of a useful benefit. It might be in the form of a hotel stay, a companion ticket, lounge access, or a substantial points bonus. If you’re planning a trip to Australia in business class and you can “buy” half the miles you need for $499, would you consider it? If so, check out the American Express Business Platinum Card. You’ll need a “referral link” for the 75,000 sign-up bonus, but these are readily available. See Tip #13 on tapping into referral bonuses.

Don’t restrict yourself to co-branded Aeroplan credit cards to earn Aeroplan miles. Earning an attractive sign-up bonus on co-branded Aeroplan cards usually requires waiting for a promotion. While waiting, look at cards earning points that can be converted to Aeroplan at a decent conversion rate. Here are a few examples:

The co-branded TD and CIBC Visa Infinite Aeroplan cards each have a regular 15,000 sign-up bonus, and $120 annual fee. Wait for a promotion with a fee waiver for the first year and/or an increased sign-up bonus. TD had a promotion until June 2, 2019 that involved a fee waiver and a 30,000-mile sign-up bonus.

The CIBC Aerogold Visa Card for Business has an annual fee of $180 and a sign-up bonus of 20,000 Aeroplan miles. A promotion ending March 31, 2020 involves a fee rebate, a welcome bonus of 20,000 miles and a spending bonus of 15,000 (on $3,000 within 4 months).

The American Express cards earning Membership Rewards (MR) are usually a better choice than the AMEX “Aeroplan cards.” The AMEX MR cards offer better sign-up bonuses, have better earning power with higher points multipliers, and convert to Aeroplan at 1:1.

Include business credit cards on your plan. Business credit cards expand your earning opportunities. Sign up as a sole proprietor. Insert your own name as the name of your business, or choose a name that reflects some of the business-like activities in which you’re engaged. Perhaps you book travel for friends and family, write a blog, post videos on YouTube, house or pet sit, sell on Kijiji, help friends with their catering needs, or coach others on one of your areas of expertise. Any one of these could qualify. Your personal income and credit history will be the determining factors in whether or not you’re approved. Another advantage of business credit cards is that if you’re engaged in more than one type of business-like activity, it might be possible to hold two or more of the same cards at any one time. This can be very useful during an attractive promotion.

While it’s not always necessary, it might be useful to obtain a business registration number from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). As a sole proprietor, you can do so online and obtain a business number within minutes. If you have several sole-proprietorship businesses conducting different business-like activities, the same CRA business number will cover all of them.

Achieving a partial sign-up bonus can be worthwhile. Many credit cards earn a welcome bonus on approval or first purchase, then additional points on meeting subsequent spending thresholds. If the additional spending threshold feels unachievable, or not worth it, set your sights on the lower bonus. Perhaps the additional MSR can be better deployed elsewhere.

Plan with others. There are benefits when more than one person is included in a card management plan. Here are a few examples.

In a household, stagger applications to keep a popular card constantly in play. For example, Person #1 holds the AMEX Membership Rewards Gold Card for 6 or 12 months, followed by Person #2 for the next cycle. It’s no guarantee, but obtaining subsequent sign-up bonuses is always possible.

Maximize the use of AMEX referral bonuses. For example, Person #1 refers from the Business Platinum Card to Person #2 for the Business Edge. Person #1 earns 25,000 MR on referral and Person #2 earns an additional 10,000 MR-Select (on a higher MSR).

Some programs allow for the pooling of points within a household (e.g., Avios, Best Western). For Marriott Bonvoy points, you can transfer out 100,000 points from an account and receive 500,000 into an account each calendar year. Account holders don’t need to share the same address.

Prepare yourself. If you’re uneasy about in-branch or telephone applications with a Customer Service Representative (CSR), prepare a few talking points. Here are a few ideas.

You’re not using the insurance benefits (or “X”) and can’t justify paying the annual fee.

You’d like to continue your relationship with the card issuer through another product. Make a couple of complimentary remarks about customer service or one or more of its products.

The “X” card appeals to you because of “A,” “B,” and “C.” However, the annual fee (or whatever) is a deterrent. Does the CSR (or the supervisor) have the authority to waive the fee (or approve whatever)? Ask to speak to a manager, or HUCA (hang up and call again). Speaking to a different CSR might result in an entirely different outcome.

Clarify your understanding of the benefits that apply. Before terminating the call, go over them again. It creates a record for future reference. Or, if you’re at a branch, ask for a printed copy. Record the name of the CSR, date of contact, and a summary of key points.

If you’re applying as a sole proprietor for an in-branch offer on a business card, might a business card help? These are handy to have, especially when travelling. A business card adds a layer of legitimacy, and they’re easy and cheap to acquire. At a minimum, it might increase your comfort level. A business number from CRA could serve the same purpose.

Your business is new, with no income at present. You have an interest in separating your personal and business finances.

For more than one business card, for the same or different products, you need multiple cards to keep your finances organized.

Keep an ear tuned for promotions. Churners tend to apply for cards at promotion time when the sign-up bonus is increased, or an important feature such as “first year free” (FYF) is part of the promotion. FYF refers to a waiver (or rebate) of the annual fee for the first year.

To help you wade through the maze of credit card offers, many of the bloggers mentioned earlier provide regular updates on the best offers. Some of them write detailed reviews. Prince of Travel is excellent for reviews and analysis, and sharing deals, promotions and special links. Members of the Churning Canada forum at Reddit are quick to share new promotional links, successes and strategies.

11. Track your credit score and file

Your credit score is one of the indicators of your credit health. It can have an impact on your ability to obtain credit. When you apply for a credit card, chances are it will attract a “hard inquiry” by the credit card issuer. Lots of hard inquiries could indicate that a person is desperate for credit, and might have trouble making payments. In my experience, a “hard inquiry” can result in a slight dip in my credit score. Or, it has no impact at all. If there is a dip, my score recovers within a couple of months.

Other key factors are length of credit history, and payment history. Miss a payment and it’s likely your credit score will take a major hit and take many months to recover. As an aside, supplementary card status does not contribute to a person’s credit history.

Both credit reporting agencies, TransUnion and Equifax, use different algorithms to obtain a credit score. I’ve experienced a difference of 50 points between agencies (on my own credit score). Therefore, it’s useful to know which banks use which agency for each inquiry.

Those that use Equifax Canada are BMO, CIBC, Capital One, Desjardins, HSBC, National, PC Financial, and TD.

Those that use TransUnion Canada are American Express, CAA, Canadian Tire, Capitol One, MBNA, Rogers, RBC, Scotiabank, Tangerine, and Van City.

Some use both in different situations (e.g., BMO, Capitol One, MBNA and Scotiabank). If the majority of recent inquiries come from one reporting agency, consider applying for cards issued by banks that report to the other agency. Sign up for free accounts with Credit Karma (TransUnion) and Borrowell (Equifax). Both provide regular updates on credit scores, and changes to a credit report. You may be able to access your score through your online bank account. I notice RBC and Scotiabank offer this service in partnership with TransUnion.

Until recently, AMEX made a “hard inquiry” on the first application only. Since the spring of 2019, every application appears to attract a hard pull. However, I notice that two applications on the same day attract just one “hit.” CIBC keeps the results of the first inquiry for 3 months for in-branch applications. Applying in person during this time shouldn’t attract subsequent inquiries. Hard inquiries are made for all CIBC online applications. MBNA seems quick to deny applications if a person has quite a few recent hard inquiries.



12. Pay attention to important credit card details

I once believed that having more than one credit card was dangerous. I’ve changed my mind after experiencing the amazing benefits of award travel. I’ve seen how the responsible and strategic use of credit cards can boost accumulation rates and at the same time, have a positive impact on one’s credit health. Holding one credit card, or several for that matter, is not inherently dangerous. It’s not paying attention to important details such as fees, insurance coverage, and payment due dates. It’s not being organized with a system to keep track of these things. But, most of all, it’s about being positioned to pay credit card bills in full each month.

To stay on top of things, my suggestion is to keep a record of all cards from the date of application to date of cancellation and beyond. For me, this takes the form of a table with the following headings:

CARD: naming the credit/charge card, cardholder if there’s more than one in the household, and the last four or five digits of the card

BONUS: sign-up/welcome, spending and referral bonuses, and when the bonuses have been posted to the respective account

MSR: conditions to be met to receive the welcome bonus and spending bonus

APPLICATION/CANCELLATION: keeping track of when an application is lodged, reference number, outcome, approval date, and the date the card is cancelled and account closed (or product switched)

ANNUAL FEE: amount and exact date it becomes due, or effective date of a fee waiver

STATEMENT: statement date and payment date, and inserting “AUTOPAYMENT” when preauthorized payments are set up.

CREDIT LIMIT: amount of credit, as this helps calculate credit utilization, or where to split credit with another card

NOTES: keeping track of miscellaneous details such as application reference code, when an on-line account and preauthorized payments are set up, if the PIN has been changed, status of supplementary cards, summaries of conversations with Customer Service Representatives

In addition, take a screenshot of the credit card promotion portal you used for your application. It may come in handy if you need to chase down points or other promotional benefits.

While interest rates are critical, I don’t record them. Preauthorized payments are useful for paying each account in full. I work from the premise that if I can’t pay off the full balance each month, I shouldn’t be using credit cards. Paying interest in the neighbourhood of 20% or more makes no sense. Besides, it undermines any and all travel benefits.

If you’re interested in obtaining a copy, A Sample Credit Card Log is filed in the Resource Library. To gain access to this and other travel tools, sign up using the link at the end of the post.

13. Tap into referral bonuses (but beware)

American Express offers referral bonuses to existing cardholders for referring family, friends and business acquaintances for AMEX credit card applications. The applicant needs to use a referral link and in some cases s/he receives a higher sign-up bonus for doing so.

At the present time, here are some possibilities:

The AMEX Business Gold Rewards Card earns a sign-up bonus of 40,000 MR (instead of 30,000 without a referral), and a referral bonus of 10,000 MR for the referrer. This card can refer to another “Business Gold,” “Business Edge” or a “Business Platinum.”

Using a referral link for The Platinum Card (“personal Platinum”) earns a sign-up bonus of 60,000 MR (instead of 50,000 without a referral link), and a referral bonus of 15,000 for the referrer. This card can refer to another “personal Platinum” card.

The Business Platinum Card earns 75,000 MR on a referral link instead of the regular sign-up bonus of 40,000 MR, and a referral bonus of 25,000 MR for the referrer. This card can refer to another Business Platinum, or a Business Gold or Business Edge.

Before using a referral link, beware. It probably requires a higher MSR to earn the higher bonus. For the above three cards, the MSR on the Business Gold is $5,000 whether or not a referral link is used. However, it’s a higher MSR of $5,000 on the personal Platinum (instead of $3,000), and $7,000 on the Business Platinum (instead of $5,000).

If you can meet the higher MSR, and get your head around the annual fees, a points-earning strategy involving these cards can fast-track the realization of your travel goals. The strategy works very well in “two-player mode” (or more “players”) involving different people in a household, family unit, or group of friends.

14. Use credit cards for all expenses

As long as using credit cards doesn’t result in additional spending, and all credit card accounts are paid in full each month, get into the habit of using credit cards for all expenses.

In addition, pay as many recurring bills as possible with a credit card. Service providers such as Bell, Shaw Direct, Apple, Eastlink and Netflix accept credit card payments for services such as telephone, television and Internet. Setting up preauthorized payments means bills are paid on time and you won’t incur late payment charges.

Setting up preauthorized payments from a bank account to credit card accounts is a critical element of any strategy involving the management of several credit cards. Once it’s in place, paying credit card bills in full each month is one less task you need to add to your schedule. However, for large early spends on a significant MSR, delay setting up preauthorized payments until the second or third statement periods. Instead, make a payment before the respective statement date to keep your credit utilization ratio at a lower rate.

Are there sufficient funds in the account? A tool that’s helped our household is a simple chart that resembles a monthly calendar. Statement and payment due dates might fluctuate by a day or so from month to month. The same holds true for the direct deposits from income sources. Income sources and their amounts appear in blue on the expected date of the deposit, and the name of each credit card appears in red on the expected payment / autopayment date. Credit cards have a “grace period” between statement date and due date of 21 days, which gives plenty of time to insert the amount due on the chart. This has been very useful, especially when chasing several minimum spends at the same time. It’s also useful if there’s another person in the household who’s less excited about miles and points. Having finances organized demonstrates that you’re on top of things.

15. Strategically use each card

Strategically spreading purchases across several cards shouldn’t result in spending more money, but it should result in earning more miles and points.

To do so requires knowledge of the earning features of each card. If you need reminders, create a list in a notes app on your phone. Here are some examples:

The American Express Cobalt Card earns x5 Membership Rewards Select (MR-S) for food and drink purchases (e.g., grocery stores, bars and restaurants). Effective August 20, 2019, there’s a $30,000 annual limit on x5 earnings, before being reduced to x1.

TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite and CIBC Aerogold Visa Infinite earn 1.5 Aeroplan miles for each dollar spent at gas stations, grocery stores, drug stores, and aircanada.com.

The Business Platinum Card from American Express earns 1.25 MR on every purchase. When I have this card, it’s used for all recurring bills (e.g., telephone, Internet and television).

The American Express Gold Rewards Card earns x2 MR at grocery stores, drug stores and gas stations in Canada, and travel including flights, hotels, car rentals and cruises.

The Scotiabank Gold American Express Card earns 5 points per dollar spent on groceries, dining and entertainment. It earns 3 points per dollar on gas, transit and streaming services.

Look for opportunities to turn non-category (base) spending into category (multiplier) spending. Here’s an example using reloads on a transit card. On most credit cards, “transit” earns base points only. Instead, use a card earning a multiplier for transit (e.g., x3 on Scotiabank Gold American Express). Or, look for multiplier locations (e.g., drug stores or grocery stores) with reload services. For example, earn x2 on the American Express Gold Rewards Card at Shoppers Drug Mart, or x5 on the American Express Cobalt Card at Food Basics.

16. Buy gift cards

Tap into the power of gift cards.

Buying gift cards allows you to front-load your spending. This is useful when you’re chasing an MSR. The idea is to buy gift cards, meet a minimum spend to get the bonus, and then use the gift cards as currency for future expenses.

Acceptance of AMEX cards is on the increase. However, if you live in an area with limited acceptance, or your favourite retailer doesn’t accept American Express, gift cards may be an effective workaround.

Buying gift cards accelerates points accumulation. Do so using a credit card with a multiplier for category spending. Then, use the gift card at locations where earning rates are lower had you used that same credit card. There’s an example below.

Check out the gift card racks in locations that qualify for the category you’re chasing. These typically are grocery stores, but depending on the credit card, it might be a drug store or gas station. For example, a variety of merchants are represented at grocery and drug stores (and some gas stations) in my province:

Amazon, Best Buy, Boston Pizza, Canadian Tire, Chapters, East Side Mario’s, Home Depot, Home Hardware, HBC, iTunes, La Senza, Lotto, Mark’s Work Warehouse, McDonalds, Nova Scotia Liquor Commission, Old Navy, PetroCanada, Pizza Delight, Rona, Smitty’s, Sport Chek, Subway, The Keg, Tim Horton’s, The Source, Winner’s… and many more.

Shopping directly at most of these merchants earns base points or miles at a rate of one per dollar on most credit cards. However, several credit cards boost their earning power on category spending at grocery stores, drug stores and gas stations. The AMEX Gold Rewards Card earns x2 and the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite earns x1.5. By purchasing gift cards at one of these stores, and then using that gift card to make a purchase increases the earning rate. Here’s an example.

Buying a $100 jacket at Sport Chek with a TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card earns 100 Aeroplan miles.

Buying a $100 Sport Chek gift card at a grocery or drug store with a TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite, and using the gift card to get the jacket, earns 150 Aeroplan miles.

Using an American Express Membership Rewards Gold Card to buy the gift card earns 200 AMEX MR (that are transferrable to Aeroplan at 1:1).

Using the American Express Cobalt Card (at a grocery store) earns 500 MR-Select. These can be redeemed against travel purchases at 1 cent per point, or transferred to Marriott Bonvoy at 1:1.2. Bonvoy are then transferrable to Aeroplan at 3:1.

At the point of redemption of the gift card, it’s possible to earn loyalty points (e.g., Air Miles at the Nova Scotia Liquor Commission or Triangle/Canadian Tire ‘Money’ at Canadian Tire and Sport Chek).

Another option might be to stack a cash back promotion on top of a gift card purchase using a credit card. The folks at Red Flag Deals maintain a useful list of current promotions.

Do you shop regularly at Costco? In-store purchases are restricted to MasterCards, but online purchases can be made with either a MasterCard or Visa. If you’re chasing a minimum spend on a MasterCard or Visa, purchase a Costco Shop Card online and use it as future in-store currency.

This strategy will result in carrying several gift cards at any one time. They’re as valuable as cash and need to be kept secure and organized. What works for me is a separate wallet with plastic sleeves capable of holding 20 cards. Each card has its own window, and is easy to retrieve if cards are organized alphabetically. The wallet has a pocket for self-adhesive dots used for recording the balance on each card.

It’s also possible to use merchants’ gift cards at the Aeroplan eStore checkout. However, look for language such as the following: Please note the following items are not eligible for the accumulation of Aeroplan Miles: purchase or redemption of gift cards. In the absence of these types of restrictions, take a screenshot for your records.

Also, a merchant might limit the number of gift cards used in a single transaction.

Tip: When meeting a minimum spend, resist any temptation to wipe out the card’s MSR by buying a fistful of gift cards. It’s a common practice of fraudsters to use stolen credit cards in this way. Space out your gift card purchases, and mix them with other spending. Otherwise, a large purchase might trigger fraud alert systems and lead to a cancellation of the card. Or worse, it could lead to a financial review of the cardholder, a churner’s worst nightmare.

17. Negotiate price-match deals

Earning points must not result in extra spending. To take advantage of one retailer’s sale items, try to negotiate a price-match deal with another retailer. This has worked for me in the past when The Source has matched a Best Buy sale price and Home Hardware has matched a price advertised by Canadian Tire. Here’s an example.

Home Depot has a snowblower on sale for $1200. Home Hardware (an Aeroplan partner) has the exact product in its inventory but it’s not on sale. Ask Home Hardware to match Home Depot’s price. If negotiations are successful, pick up $1200 worth of Home Hardware gift cards at a few different grocery stores and drug stores. An AMEX Gold Membership Rewards Card will earn 2,400 MR and another 600 Aeroplan miles (1 mile for each $2 spent) at Home Hardware for a total of 3,000 miles/points. Purchasing the product from Home Depot (without gift cards) would have earned just 1,200 points.

18. Shop at the Aeroplan eStore

By shopping via the eStore, it’s possible to earn at least one Aeroplan mile per dollar spent, and the points/miles by using your credit card. In addition, dDiamond Distinction members receive 2 bonus miles for every dollar spent on eStore purchases, and dBlack and dSilver Distinction members receive 1 status bonus mile.

Also, consider using a gift card if it results in more points, either at the point of purchase, or point of redemption at the eStore (or both). Cross reference the list of gift cards available at grocery stores, drug stores and gas stations with merchants represented at the Aeroplan eStore, and figure out if it’s to your advantage to use gift cards as eStore currency.

I think the best use of the eStore is to shop during both product and points promotions.

For example, when I decided to purchase a MacBook Air, I waited a few months for a x5 Apple Store promotion. My x2 dDiamond Distinction bonus miles sweetened the deal.

During the x10 Amazon promotion in December 2018, gift cards and account reloads weren’t excluded. During the same period, AMEX had a three-day x10 promotion for Cobalt cardholders. It was a great time to top up an Amazon account.

See a deal on The Shopping Channel? Do you shop at Hudson’s Bay? While not a huge windfall, a purchase of $423 earned 1,689 bonus Aeroplan miles at The Bay using the Aeroplan eStore portal.

See something on eBay? Interested in Norton anti-virus protection or magazine subscriptions from Rogers Magazine Service? Access these merchants and more via the eStore portal.

Tip: Carefully read the terms and conditions of every promotion, and take a screenshot if you decide to proceed. For example, once I decided to buy an iPhone X, I waited for an eStore x5 Apple promotion. In December 2017, the iPhone X was specifically listed as being ineligible. I waited until January when the promotion was still in effect, and the iPhone X was no longer excluded. I’m convinced my screenshot helped with the outcome of my missing miles request to Aeroplan.

19. Earn rewards on charitable donations

In 2016, charitable donations exceeded $16.5 billion in Canada. If you’re one of the 20 million Canadians who donate to charity, how do you do so?

One way is through the self-funded non-profit charity CanadaHelps. It allows donors to make one-time or recurring donations to charities of their choice. Payment is by credit card (including AMEX) or through PayPal. CanadaHelps charges a service fee of 4% on one-time donations, or 3.5% for monthly payments. The service fee covers their operating costs (1.8%) and the remainder pays for transaction fees charged by financial institutions. The donor receives a tax receipt for 100% of the donation and the charity receives the donation minus the fee. Tax receipts can be stored in the donor’s account.

If you’re currently using other channels for charitable contributions, consider using a credit card through CanadaHelps.

20. Shop at other Aeroplan merchants

Aeroplan merchants aren’t limited to those accessed via the eStore. Points can be earned on a range of products and services from automotive to airport parking, cruises to car rentals, electronics to eye care, fashion to flowers, hardware to hotels, and moving to mortgages. Browse the partners’ page to become acquainted with what’s available. It’s likely you’ve shopped at Aeroplan partners and missed out on valuable miles-earning opportunities. I know I have.

I earned 100 miles for signing up for Home Hardware communications, 250 miles for each magazine subscription with Rogers Magazine Service, and 750 for opening a UPS Get More account. When embarking on major renovation projects, we set up an account at Home Hardware. The account came with a 10% discount on all purchases and two Aeroplan miles per dollar spent (and more during promotions).

There are also merchants for tyre, collision repair and other automotive services. If buying a vehicle, negotiate a higher-than-usual deposit on your credit card. In fact, it’s not unheard of to find a dealer who’s willing to absorb the interchange fees and allow the entire cost to be spread across multiple credit cards. It takes legwork and careful planning, but it’s a competitive business and under the right conditions, it could result in a windfall of points through several sign-up bonuses.

21. Spend other people’s money

Chances are you have friends, family and co-workers who are happy to have you organize an activity, and reimburse you for the costs. Or, you have family and friends who aren’t interested in chasing points, but are willing to support your endeavours. Here are a few examples.

Share your loyalty cards. For those with a Smartphone, add your loyalty card to their loyalty card wallet app. As mentioned, my favourite is For those with a Smartphone, add your loyalty card to their loyalty card wallet app. As mentioned, my favourite is Stocard . For those who prefer a physical card, order extra copies for them.

Travel research and coordination. Not everyone in a travel group has the time or interest to plan a trip. If you’re the exception, do the legwork, consult with others on decisions, make the bookings, pay by credit card, and send out an itemized list of charges for reimbursement. Or, set up a group on Not everyone in a travel group has the time or interest to plan a trip. If you’re the exception, do the legwork, consult with others on decisions, make the bookings, pay by credit card, and send out an itemized list of charges for reimbursement. Or, set up a group on Splitwise

Reimbursement from family members. A friend has an arrangement with several family members to supply them with grocery and gas gift cards for everyday use. She buys the cards and exchanges them for cash, at face value. A similar arrangement exists for big-ticket items charged to her card.

Employment expenses. Booking and paying for your work-related travel and submitting an expense claim for reimbursement is a common practice. But, are there other expenses that are currently billed directly to the employer that might lend themselves to reimbursement? Perhaps some of these expenses (e.g., health care expenses, professional fees) could be paid by credit card and then submitted for reimbursement.

Lottery ticket purchases. Lottery pools are common within workplaces, or among groups of friends. They can be lucrative points-earning opportunities for the person who’s willing to take on coordination responsibilities. Depending on the point of purchase (and how the purchase is coded), buying lottery tickets by credit card could be regarded as a cash advance by the card issuer. If so, it would attract interest charges and a cash advance fee (usually $5). This will inevitably be the case for purchases from the provincial gaming corporation or an independent lottery booth. Lottery tickets purchased from grocery stores fall under a general merchandise code and are not considered a cash advance or “cash-like transaction.” For what it’s worth, this has been my experience for several years. If in doubt: Check your cardholder agreement for language similar to this from BMO: “cash-like transactions mean transactions involving the purchase of items directly convertible into cash including wire transfers, money orders, travellers cheques, gaming transactions (including betting, off-track betting, race track wagers, casino gaming chips and lottery tickets) Buy one lottery ticket with your preferred card at your preferred location and wait for it to be posted to your account. If your preferred location was a grocery store and there was no cash advance fee, you’re good to go.



22. Use double, triple and quadruple dipping

Double dipping refers to earning points twice on one purchase or transaction. This happens with purchases at merchants such as Atlas Van Lines, Budget, Park’N Fly, Primus, Home Hardware and 1-800-Got-Junk. Aeroplan miles are earned in addition to those earned by swiping your credit card.

Triple dipping involves double dipping plus a promotion. This applies to a hotel booking with an Aeroplan partner with a miles-earning promotion. Or, it happens at the Aeroplan eStore at promotion time. The first dip is the base miles earned on the purchase, the second dip is the miles earned on the credit card, and the third dip is the bonus miles from the promotion.

Quadruple dipping applies to stacking additional points on top of triple dipping. This happens when Aeroplan members with Distinction status (dBlack, dSilver or dDiamond) shop via the eStore portal at promotion time.

It’s usually a requirement to register for a promotion in advance. In fact, my suggestion is to register for every promotion. Also, organize a system for filing promotions, coupons and discounts. Some people use a separate email account for this purpose. I use a separate folder in my gmail account, and a folder for filing screenshots.

23. Use a bill-payment service

In situations where a supplier doesn’t accept credit card payments, a bill-payment service such as Plastiq or PayTM will send a cheque or bank transfer on your behalf.

This could be to your advantage for car payments, rent, income tax, property taxes, tuition, or utility bills.

Plastiq charges a 2.5% processing fee. Because of the additional costs, it might only make sense when chasing a significant sign-up bonus on a high MSR. For example, paying my property taxes of $2,000 made a helpful dint in the $5,000 minimum spend on the AMEX Business Gold Rewards Card. With a discount from using a friend’s referral code, the $32.50 fee was worth it. I named Plastiq as one of my three preferred suppliers for x2 earning power (4,000 MR), and achieved the minimum spend that much faster for the sign-up bonus of 40,000 MR.

Because PayTM charges 3% for payments using American Express, Plastiq (at 2.5%) is a better choice when using an AMEX card. Plastiq offers promotions for reduced fees (e.g., 1.5%).

With Plastiq, you can earn fee-free dollars. PayTM rewards you with points that can be converted to gift cards. Both have a referral system with benefits to both the referrer and referee. If you need a referral code, I’d be pleased if you’d use mine (Plastiq: 985085 and PayTM: PTM7773073).

24. Use bonus rewards locations

In the case of TD and CIBC, it’s possible to earn up to triple Aeroplan miles at participating establishments such as restaurants, golf courses, spas and retail stores.

25. Answer surveys

Answer surveys for Aeroplan miles. Check out Asking Canadians and LegerWeb.

Conclusion

Thank you for hanging in until the end of this VERY long post. I hope you’ve found some of these tips useful.

Perhaps you’re asking yourself, “Is it all worth it?” For me, the answer is a resounding “YES!”

I spend several hours each week researching strategies, administering my miles-and-points system, and improving my learning curve. When I can fly business class to Australia, with stopovers in New Zealand and San Francisco for $381.15, I’m more than satisfied with my hourly rate of pay.

Might you be interested in my other miles-and-points posts? If so, check out:

Care to weigh in? What other Aeroplan miles-earning strategies do you use?

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