Best loyalty rewards programs in Canada

• Sign up if you typically fly with an airline in the Star Alliance, e.g. Air Canada, Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines, United, etc.

• Extensive network: Air Canada is the primary airline, but Aeroplan has partnerships with over 40 airlines worldwide
• Impressive rewards: Earn points with over 150 partner brands for shopping, dining, and travel bookings
• Share points with family: Up to 8 family members can pool their points, making it easier to reach reward thresholds. This feature is particularly beneficial for families who travel together
• Points never expire: As long as you earn or redeem at least one point every 18 months, your Aeroplan points won't expire

• Point valuation: The average value of an Aeroplan point is about $0.014.
• Taxes and fees: You can use your Aeroplan points to cover taxes and fees, however, it’s not necessarily the best value for your miles
• Expiration: Your Aeroplan miles don’t have a set expiry date, however, if you remain inactive for 18 consecutive months then they will expire. To keep your points from expiring you need to use, earn, or donate your miles
• Transferability: Aeroplan points cannot be transferred to other loyalty programs, however, you can transfer points from other loyalty programs to Aeroplan

Transfer partners:

• American Express offers a transfer rate of 1:1
• Marriott Bonvoy offers a transfer rate of 3:1 plus a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 points transferred
• Capital One offers transfers at a rate of 2:1.5.

Aeroplan has recently overhauled its program which includes introducing a new rewards chart. In some cases, you will now need more points to fly or purchase merchandise than you did in the previous version of the program. However, there are still some deals to be found. Typically speaking, Aeroplan points go the furthest when put towards travel. Specifically, for business and first class flights.

The number of points required depends on where you are starting from, where you are flying to, miles travelled, and the popularity of the route.

• Flights: As the pricing is now dynamic, rather than fixed, for Air Canada flights it’s difficult to attribute a specific value to each mile. There is a pretty large range of miles required depending on the factors listed above. Value of redemption is very sensitive to your home city as well as your final destination.
• You are able to calculate the value yourself with a fairly simple equation: retail price- fees/Miles = dollar value. For example, Toronto- Ottawa is less than 5,000 miles which means, depending on the factors above, it will cost you 6,000 miles on the low end and 10,000 miles on the high end. A one-way flight from Toronto to Ottawa is $206. Minus taxes, it’s $150.

Opportunities to earn bonus Aeroplan miles are also quite extensive and not just limited to credit card sign-up bonuses. (However, these bonuses are hefty and varied in their own right, ranging from 2,500 to 50,000 points), Aeroplan gives special offers on its website and through various retail partners in addition to bonuses through eStore purchases.

Finally, Aeroplan allows its cardholders to double dip, earning miles for the credit card spend and the eligible purchase in question at the same time.

Despite giving business class travellers a 7.5% return on their points, Aeroplan members often find a lack of seats available for the dates they want to travel. This is because just 8-10% of Air Canada seats are allocated to Aeroplan and the program’s 5 million members outpace the amount of seats available. Therefore customers will likely need to book more than a year out for business class seats. Aeroplan also isn’t recommended for families: seasons when families are most likely available to travel together, like Spring Break and Christmas, cost the most miles and have limited availability.

In 2014, Aeroplan introduced Market Fare Rewards, for which seats are always available. But these tickets cost more miles and must be booked on Air Canada, so carrier fees apply. These fees, taxes and surcharges can make a seemingly “free” flight rather expensive. Note that not every airline in Star Alliance charges these fees. EVA and United Swiss Airlines don’t charge fuel surcharges, so look for loopholes like that.

• WestJet Rewards is ideal for Canadians who want premium travel benefits and prefer to fly with WestJet, Canada's second-largest carrier.

• Tiered award structure: WestJet Rewards offers four tiers: Teal, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. As you climb the ladder, you'll unlock increasingly sweet benefits. 
• Earn points on all flights: No matter which tier you're in, you'll be racking up WestJet dollars on your travels. It's like finding money in your pocket every time you fly! Plus, the higher your tier, the more you earn – Platinum members enjoy a whopping 8% earn rate on WestJet flights.
• Companion vouchers: As you hit higher spending milestones, you'll score some seriously cool perks. We're talking companion vouchers (hello, cheap travel for your plus-one!), guest lounge vouchers, and advance seat selection vouchers.
• Flexibility: WestJet Rewards isn't just about flights. You can use your WestJet dollars on vacation packages too, including those with Sunwing. Plus, you can combine your WestJet dollars with other payment methods, giving you more ways to save on your travels.
• Partnerships: WestJet's partnership with Delta Air Lines means Silver, Gold, and Platinum members can enjoy benefits like preferred seating and lounge access when flying with Delta. 

• Point valuations: WestJet Rewards dollars are valued at $1 CDN.
• Covers Taxes and Fees: No
• Expiration: WestJet Dollars earned from purchase transactions with WestJet or its partners, including a WestJet credit card, do not expire. However, bonus WestJet Dollars earned through promotions, limited-time offers or compensation, do expire.  
• Transferability: WestJet Dollars can be transferred to another account holder for a fee between $50-$59 per transfer, which must be paid with a credit card at the time of the transfer. WestJet Dollars can be redeemed for any flight marketed by WestJet, including code-share flights (where WestJet shares the same flight) with Delta, Aeromexico or Qantas and Member Exclusive Fares on partner-marketed airlines.
  
  

WestJet Dollars can be used like cash to pay all or part of the base fare on an eligible flight or vacation package available through WestJet.com or their contact centre. Minimum redemption amounts apply as follows:

When redeeming WestJet Dollars earned with a WestJet RBC credit card, you’ll enjoy zero blackout dates and exclusive member fares that give you excellent return when redeeming WestJet Dollars. One of the most sought-after perks from WestJet is its annual companion voucher, offered to some members who can use it each year to cap the fare price of a companion travelling with them.

• Sign up if you don’t have loyalty to any single airline and would rather use an Orbitz-powered booking tool with a variety of options.

• No blackout dates: If you're a jet-setter who wants to earn points on every purchase and redeem them for flights without blackout dates or seat restrictions, this program is for you.
• Flexible rewards: The Avion program offers incredible versatility. You can redeem points for flights, hotels, car rentals, vacation packages, and even convert them to other loyalty programs like WestJet Rewards or British Airways Executive Club.
• Travel insurance: RBC Avion credit cards come with a comprehensive suite of travel insurance, including unlimited emergency medical coverage. If you want peace of mind while traveling, this is a big plus.

• Single Point Canadian Dollar Value: $0.021 on average, when redeeming points earned by Avion cards for travel via the the Air Travel Redemption Schedule. $0.01 per point earned by non-Avion cards, when redeeming for travel.  
• Covers Taxes and Fees: Yes, RBC Rewards points can be used to cover taxes and fees at a rate of 100 points per $1.
• Expiration: Points don’t expire during active membership, but after closing an account you’ll have a 90-day period for self-serve, online redemption of your points and a 365-day period to redeem points by calling in to the RBC advice centre.
• Transferability: All RBC Rewards points can convert into Hudson’s Bay Rewards (1,000 Hudson’s Bay Rewards points for every 500 RBC Rewards points—the minimum required for conversion) and WestJet Dollars (100 RBC Rewards points to one WestJet dollar, minimum 1,000 RBC Rewards points needed for conversion).  

Transfer partners:

RBC Avion cardholders’ points can also convert to the following programs:

• American Airlines AAdvantage Miles (10 RBC Rewards points = 7 AAdvantage Miles, minimum conversion of 5,000 RBC Rewards points)
• Cathay Pacific Asia Miles (1:1 conversion, minimum conversion of 10,000 RBC Rewards points).
• British Airways Avios points (1:1 conversion, minimum conversion of 10,000 RBC Rewards Points)

Once RBC Rewards are converted into another rewards program, they cannot be converted back.

When it comes to ease of redemption, Avion (RBC Rewards) trumps them all. There are no blackout dates or seat restrictions and you have access to over 130 airlines at any time, so there’s no fear of not being able to book during peak travel season or last minute. Plus, you can use points to pay for fuel surcharges, taxes and fees at a rate of 100 points per dollar.

Redeeming Avion points for flights

Other ways to redeem RBC Avion points

• RBC Rewards points can be redeemed for any airline in the world on any flight at any time with no blackout periods or book restrictions, even in peak periods like holiday travel.
• Pay down your credit card balance ($0.0058 per point)
• Purchase merchandise from brands like Apple ($0.006–$0.0085 per point)
• Donate to charity and receive a tax receipt for your donation ($0.01 per point)
• Purchase a gift card for Amazon.ca, Best Buy, Air Canada and more ($0.0071–$0.01 per point)
• Apply points toward an RBC Financial Reward for your RBC investments, loan, mortgage, LOC, etc. at a rate of 120 points per $1.00 ($0.0083 per point). A minimum of 12,000 points ($100.00) must be redeemed.

• Sign up if you want flexible air travel with the option to use your points against your monthly balance.

• Versatile earning opportunities: Collect miles through in-store purchases at partner retailers, online shopping via the AIR MILES shop, and by using BMO AIR MILES credit cards for everyday spending.
• Flexible redemption options: Redeem your miles for a variety of rewards, including flights, travel bookings, merchandise, and instant cash rebates at select retailers.
• Tiered membership benefits: Access enhanced perks with Gold and Onyx status tiers, including discounts on flight redemptions, merchandise redemptions, and the ability to transfer miles between Dream and Cash accounts.
• Wide partner network: Earn miles through a broad array of retail partners, maximizing your earning potential on everyday purchases.

Single point Canadian dollar value

The value of AIR MILES for the classic AIR MILES Dream account varies depending on what you are redeeming the AIR MILES for and where they are in the country. For example, a mile used to book a hotel in a small town often goes further than a mile used to book a hotel in a big city. Flights also have different mile values depending on where you are flying and the time of year. The following is a rough average (all values expressed in Canadian cents):

• Hotels: $0.194 per point
• Flights: $0.168 per point
• Car Rentals: $0.157 per point
• Events: $0.144 per point
• Attractions: $0.132 per point
• Merchandise: $0.12 per point

An important note about an AIR MILE’s value is that the program has been split into two different streams—Cash Miles and Dream Miles. AIR MILES Dream Miles has cardholders saving up their points to redeem for trips and other rewards, while AIR MILES Cash Miles allows you to cash in your points instantly when you buy goods and services directly from select merchants. These two pools of Miles do not mix. Cash Miles have a specific value of $0.105, while the values for Dream Miles are reflected above.

Other program details

• Covers Taxes and Fees: No, but AIR MILES do cover fuel surcharges on flights.
• Expiration: Technically no, but if no new AIR MILES are posted or are used in your account for 24 consecutive months, your remaining miles may be cancelled without notice.
• Transferability: A large number of other reward programs allow you to convert their points to AIR MILES, including HBC Rewards, RBC Rewards and in one case, Esso Extra using Points.com. However, AIR MILES cannot be converted to any other rewards program.

Since 2011, AIR MILES have been split into two redemption paths: Dream Miles and Cash Miles.

• With Cash Miles, members can instantly redeem their points for purchases in store or online at participating retailers like Sobeys, Shell, Rona, IGA, Safeway and more. The minimum redemption value at any retail partner is 95 AIR MILES ($10 off) up to the equivalent of $100 per day (950 AIR MILES).
• Air Miles Dream is the classic method of redeeming AIR MILES for flights, hotel stays, car rentals, vacation packages, event tickets, attractions, gift certificates and merchandise by saving up the required amount of miles.
• Flights are available from a wide variety of national and international airlines including Air Canada, WestJet, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Lufthansa and British Airways. Hotel stay providers are Hilton, IHG, Marriott, Starwood and Best Western. However, the availability of flights and hotels and the value of the Air Miles you use to redeem them vary according to where you’re flying or staying, when you’re booking (high seasons: March 1-March 31, June 1-September 15, December 16-January 7 or low seasons: January 8-February 28, April 1-May 31, September 16-December 15), the carrier you choose, and whether you’re booking a connecting or direct flight.
• Outside of travel, brand partners for merchandise, vacation packages, gift certificates, rental cars, events and attractions include Panasonic, Nikon, Broadway Across Canada, Big White Ski Resort, Cineplex, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Club Med, Sunquest, Legoland, Vitamix and more. However, the miles have different values depending on the category you’re buying from, with flights and hotels near the top and merchandise, attractions and vacation values near the bottom.

• Sign up if you want flexible air travel with the option to use your points against your monthly balance.

• Flexible redemption options: Redeem Aventura points for travel, merchandise, gift cards, or even to pay off purchases or your credit card balance.
• Airline Rewards Chart: Use the Aventura Airline Rewards Chart to potentially get up to 2.29 cents per point in value when booking flights, offering great redemption value.
• Travel perks: Depending on the card tier, enjoy benefits like travel insurance coverage, airport lounge access, and travel flexibility.
• No expiry on points: Your Aventura points don't expire, giving you the freedom to save up for bigger rewards without time pressure.

Point valuations

CIBC Aventura points don’t have a consistent dollar value. The total average above is determined from the average Aventura point single-dollar value of five flight regions Aventura uses to determine the cost of a flight:

• Short-haul Canada/U.S.
• Long-haul Canada/U.S.
• Mexico/Hawaii/Caribbean/Central America
• Europe
• The rest of the world

Other features

• Expiration: Points don’t expire during active membership, but they will expire 60 days after you close your account or 12 months after the primary cardholder’s death.
• Transferability: Members who opened their account before Oct. 1, 2013 can redeem Aventura Points for Aeroplan Miles at a ratio of 1:1 in increments of 10,000 points.

Redeeming points for travel is relatively easy, entailing a partial redemption model that only requires you to have 80% of the minimum fixed points necessary for any particular airfare tier (there are five tiers). Then you can buy the remaining points you need at a low fixed price of a few cents per mile. CIBC’s Payment With Points is also a convenient feature, allowing you to redeem points for cash toward your statement.

• Redeem for flights on hundreds of airlines (subject to availability) including Air Canada, Delta, Lufthansa and British Airways. There are no blackout dates or restrictions and you can pay with any combination of points or your credit card with the “Flexible Travel” option. “Flexible Travel” also applies to hotels, car rentals, vacation packages or cruises.
• Merchandise like a Dremel 3D printer, Bose headphones, a Dyson cordless vacuum or a camera from Olympus.
• Gift certificates from Best Buy, Costco, Wal-Mart, Tim Horton’s and Petro Canada, among many others, are also available.
• Pay your CIBC bills (e.g. credit card balance, loan or line of credit) with points or invest points as part of a TFSA, RRSP or Investor’s Edge Portfolio. You can also use points to pay your mortgage or line of credit
• Use points to bid on items like tickets to the Daytona 500, Mont Tremblant Ski Resort, amd St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in Chicago.

• Sign up if you’re a movie buff who often goes to Cineplex for the latest showings and wants discounts on tickets and food.

• Flexibility: Scene+ points can be earned and redeemed across a wide range of categories, including travel, entertainment, dining, and retail purchases.
• No expiry: Points don't expire as long as the account remains active.
• Travel perks: When using Scene+ points for travel, members can book with any airline without blackout dates or seat restrictions
• Grocery rewards: Scene+ has partnered with major grocery chains like Sobeys, Safeway, and FreshCo, allowing members to earn and redeem points on everyday essentials
• Entertainment value: The program's roots in Cineplex mean great value for movie lovers, with points easily earned and redeemed on cinema experiences
• Easy accumulation: With both credit and debit card earning options, members can quickly accumulate points on daily spending

• Single point Canadian Dollar value: $0.01 when redeemed for travel. When redeeming for a statement credit the redemption rate for Scene+ is 3,000 points for $20 at the low end and 71,500 points for $500 at the high end, meaning a variable effective value of between $0.0067 and $0.007 per point.
• Covers taxes and sees: Yes.
• Point expiration: Accounts may be closed if you don’t have any Scene+ activity for more than 24 months
• Point transferability: No transfer partners

• Sign up if you want to earn points from everyday expenses, boost your earnings when linking other programs, and get free gas, car washes and more.

For example, linking your Petro Points account with an eligible RBC credit card, Hudson’s Bay account, or CAA account nets you an extra 20%. You can have a regular Petro Points card, however, which only requires that you present it during your purchase. With your Petro Points you can get direct discounts on gas, car washes, gas station purchases, and other automotive-related perks from participating locations.

• Sign up if you frequently fill up the pump at Esso and Mobil, and want to get exclusive deals and points that reduce these expenses.

Using a PC Financial credit card with the Esso program also loops in the PC Optimum loyalty program, helping to earn extra Esso points and PC Optimum points at participating locations (over 2000 across Canada) on top of the base. Redeeming both types of points is simple and quick—members just use the Speedpass+ app.

• Sign up if you go to Gas+, Mark’s, Atmosphere, and other brands to shop or fill up, and want to earn CT Money that reduces these bills.

• Earn CT Money: Collect rewards on purchases at Canadian Tire, Sport Chek, Mark's, and participating Husky locations.
• Personalized offers: Receive tailored deals based on your shopping habits.
• No-fee credit cards: Access Triangle Mastercard options with no annual fees.
•  Flexible redemption: Use CT Money at any Canadian Tire, Sport Chek, or Mark's store.

• Point valuation: 1 cent per point ($1 CT dollar = $1)
• Covers Taxes and Fees: Yes
• Expiration: Neither physical nor electronic Canadian Tire Money expires for active My Canadian Tire Money account holders. Electronic Canadian Tire Money can be revoked and/or terminated if the account holder violates the terms and conditions of its use or voluntarily cancels their account.
•  Transferability: Canadian Tire Money cannot be transferred into another loyalty program or exchanged for its cash equivalent. If an item is returned, the customer receives a refund minus the Canadian Tire Money they received in purchase of that item. Canadian Tire Money can be donated to participating local charities or community groups as a valid cash equivalent.

Canadian Tire Money can be redeemed physically or electronically (electronic redemption is carried out by loading a My Canadian Tire Money loyalty card) for the cash value or money off the cash value of most Canadian Tire merchandise with some exceptions. These exceptions include: gift cards, lottery tickets, hunting and fishing licences, tire disposal fees, tire taxes, Rug Doctor (carpet cleaning) rental charges, refundable deposits, environmental fees, repair charges, delivery or assembly charges, other store services (other than automobile service).

• Sign up if you want various insurance and protective benefits, such as roadside assistance, travel insurance, vehicle coverage and more.

With over 165,000 partner locations in CAA’s roster, it’s easy to find places making a special offer or giving discounts to members, saving up to 30% at the likes of Best Western hotels, NAPA Auto Parts, and even in online shops. For example, a current promotion offers members 20% off lunch at any East Side Mario’s as long as they go in September or October. National Bank also has a couple credit cards that offer the ability to earn CAA points as well, and other issuers’ travel credit cards rely on CAA to provide insurance.

• Sign up if you shop often at Hudson’s Bay or thebay.com, and want to get early access to new deals, extra savings and even AIR MILES.

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• Point valuation: The rate of points earned per $1 spent scales upward from 1 to 1.5 to 2, along with other perks, like unlocking different point multiples when spending at partner brands. Points are redeemed at Hudson’s Bay or online at a $10 minimum, and they’re also convertible to Air Miles.

• Sign up if you like to go to Indigo to read and relax with free Wi-Fi, but also to buy and save up points over time for future book discounts.

The app also notifies users of special limited-time and member-exclusive offers, and members with a smartphone receive free Wi-Fi in all Indigo locations. Given that Plum Rewards costs nothing to join and there are promo periods offering 10x rewards on purchases, it makes a lot of sense to join and download the app even if you don’t buy books often

• Sign up if you’re a BC resident who likes to take the ferries or see the Canucks, stay at local hotel chains and shop at Save-On-Foods.

• Wide partner network: More Rewards boasts partnerships with over 700 locations, including major grocery chains like Save-On-Foods, Quality Foods, and Buy-Low Foods. This extensive network allows members to earn points on everyday purchases across various retailers.
• Flexible redemption options: Members can redeem their points for a variety of rewards, including groceries, travel, gift cards, and more. This flexibility ensures that the program caters to diverse consumer preferences.
• No fees: Unlike some premium loyalty programs, More Rewards is free to join, making it accessible to all consumers regardless of their spending habits or income levels.
• Accelerated earning: The program offers opportunities to earn bonus points through special promotions and partnerships, allowing members to accumulate rewards faster.

To earn rewards, members just need to show their loyalty card or give their membership number at a participating store, such as Save-On-Foods, which is popular for grocery shoppers who also want special in-store deals as well. That means More Rewards grants the ability to earn points on what is already a discount when shopping for food, as well as extra Petro Points.

• Sign up if you shop at the big grocery brands like Loblaws, Provigo, or Pharmaprix and want direct savings.

• Wide earning network: Collect points at Loblaws banner stores, Shoppers Drug Mart, Esso, and more.
• Personalized offers: Get targeted deals through the PC Optimum app.
• Tiered redemption: Redeem points starting at 10,000 points for $10 off your purchase.
• PC Financial integration: Earn additional points with PC Financial Mastercard products.

You’ll also be able to earn points for shopping online, and you can maximize your PC Optimum point earnings with a PC Financial credit card, where you’ll boost the rate that your PC Optimum points come in and get extra services like travel insurance and a rental car collision and damage loss waiver. The best thing about PC Optimum points is that they can be spent directly at the register, for instant discounts on frequent expenses.

• Sign up if you’re a loyal Metro shopper who wants to receive coupons directly to their phone and save on each $1 spent.

Mobile app

The app is connected to a physical Metro&Moi card which can be preloaded with coupons you find on your phone, making it very easy to earn and spend points as well as take advantage of members-only deals. This is likely the reason why over 1.5 million Metro shoppers participate.

Points can be redeemed any time at checkout at nearly 900 Metro, Super C, Brunet and Première Moisson stores in Quebec and Jean Coutu stores in Quebec, Ontario and New Brunswick.

• Sign up if you want to earn flexible rewards points with each purchase, and get stellar customer service concerning events, purchases and more.

• Transfer partners: Convert points to various airline and hotel loyalty programs.
•  Flexible redemption: Use points for travel, merchandise, gift cards, or statement credits.
• Referral bonuses: Earn extra points by referring friends to Amex cards.
• Amex Offers: Access exclusive discounts and bonus point offers.
• Premium travel benefits: Higher-tier cards offer lounge access, travel insurance, and concierge services.

Amex cards are known for excellent added-value features, like concierge services for ticket and dinner reservations; advance access to high profile events in Canada; complimentary room upgrades; and traveller and shopper protections.

Amex MR transfer partners

• Loyalty Management Market Report 2024