Even though this year has been a bit of a bust in regard to travel plans, that doesn’t mean you have to sit at home whittling your thumbs. There’s an easy way to get ready for travelling again and it’s called rewards programs. These little suckers help you earn points towards flights and all you have to do is shop. Each one is different — read more on that below — but the premise is simple. For each dollar you spend, you get points and eventually, you’ll have accrued enough points to pay for a flight or a whole entire vacay. So watch out world, big spender is coming through! Rewards programs to the rescue!
See also: Tips On How To Travel Sustainably On Your Next Trip >>>
Get all the info on the top rewards & loyalty cards for your future travel plans!
Air Miles
The easiest program to loop into is Air Miles and it couldn’t be any easier-just ask the 11 million people who rely on the program to make travelling easier and more affordable. If you’re not a traveller, redeem your points for cash instead. If you have an Air Miles credit card from BMO or American Express, you can get points from your everyday spending but if you don’t, you can get points by shopping at retailers like Sobey’s, Metro, Foodland, Hudson’s Bay, and many more.
Aeroplan
With 5 million members, Aeroplan is another great frequent-flier loyalty program to have on your radar. If you have an Aeroplan credit card through TD, CIBC, or American Express you’ll earn points on their everyday purchases but on certain things like gas or groceries you can get an accelerated rate of points. But don’t worry, you can still collect points with just an Aeroplan card by shopping at its partner retailers and use your points on flights in the Star Alliance which include Air Canada, Lufthansa, United, and more.
RBC Avion Rewards
Don’t want to be restricted to flying with a certain airline every single time you travel? We got you. The RBC Avion Rewards points you earn can be spent on booking travel on the Orbitz booking website for a wider selection of destinations and fares.
CIBC Aventura
Another great option for those who like their flexibility is CIBC Aventura. Redeeming points is super simple, and there’s even a partial redemption model which only requires you to have 80% of the minimum fixed points necessary for any particular airfare. Then you can buy the remaining points necessary at the low price of a few cents per mile. Seeing as we’re not booking travel as much these days, you can even use your points against your monthly balance.
WestJet Rewards
Like most rewards programs, the more you spend the better and that’s exactly the case with WestJet Rewards. When you spend big at WestJet partner stores, you’ll not only earn points but you’ll also climb the tiers and if you’re an avid traveller, you won’t want to miss out on perks like lounge access, free checked bags, and more. One of the top perks is the annual companion voucher which is offered to some members who can use it each year to cap the fare price of a companion travelling with them.
