Airmiles Armchair Chatter

[Silvermist999]

That pizza deal looks good. Is that 2.99 price for the pizza also, or just the Nestle. Ive never seen them for lower than around 3.99. If it is, great deal. I need to organize our chest freezer to make room.

 

[DizzyDis]

The other way to look at it would be (spoiler, same result, just different math):

Park tickets: $367.95/4695 = 7.84 cents value for each Air mile
Hotel: $159/1470 = 10.82 cents/AM
Car: $328/1340 = 24.48 cents/AM

For comparison:
Cash miles: $10/95 AM = 10.53 cents/AM

So, if these are all the same currency (assuming $CAD since that is what the cash miles is in), the best values still follow the same order as Aladora put in (car, hotel, then park tickets), with the addition that the tickets are not even as good a value as redeeming for cash miles (for this reason, I am hoping this math is based on $USD!!)

 

[DizzyDis]

Oh, and now that I see this is in $USD, would add about the exchange rate, saying at about 80 cents/dollar right now, this is 25% exchange, so would now be:

Park tickets: 9.8 cents CAD/AM
Hotel: 13.5 cents CAD/AM
Car: 30.6 cents CAD/AM

with the cash exchange staying the same at 10.53 cents/AM

Same order, but even better return on the car! This definitely makes sense when you consider the cash price is almost double that of the hotel, but actually requires less miles....

 

[ngm]

Thanks so much you guys! Going to book my car and hotel! Still hoping I might rack up enough between now and my trip to get my ticket as well.

(I know cash miles can sometimes be more value, but since that would require me saving money on, say, groceries, and then actually putting htat money away for a vacation, that doesn't work for me. Instead I would just spend it elsewhere!!)

 

[bababear_50]

Airmiles web site offer (Ontario Only)
spend $100.00 at LCBO this Saturday Sept 30th only and get 50 bonus airmiles
Hugs
Mel

 

[Aladora]

Thanks so much you guys! Going to book my car and hotel! Still hoping I might rack up enough between now and my trip to get my ticket as well.

(I know cash miles can sometimes be more value, but since that would require me saving money on, say, groceries, and then actually putting htat money away for a vacation, that doesn't work for me. Instead I would just spend it elsewhere!!)

Whenever we are planning a trip to DL, I switch my AM to cash and use them to buy Starbucks gift cards then use those to pay for coffee and breakfast at the parks. I've thought of redeeming them for cash off my groceries but like you I would end up spending the $ on something else!

 

[bababear_50]

Speaking of "Marvel" Super Heros
My "spidey" sense is saying we are due/ overdue for an onyx deal,,,I really like the movie passes.
Please Airmiles?
Hugs Mel

 

[hdrolfe]

Park tickets on AM: 4695/95*10 = $494.20
Hotel on AM: 1470/95*10 = $154.70
Car on AM: 1340/95*10 = $141.10

By these calculations (and I *may* be wrong here, it has been a long week so far!), it seems as though the car is the best use of your Airmiles, followed by the hotel and lastly, the park tickets.

I'm sure someone smarter than me will jump in an correct me if I have messed up!

Forgot to ask, are the $ amounts you listed in US$ or CAD$?

I'd agree on the Car - Hotel - Tickets order however, when I book a hotel they do charge a bit of money as well, so you may want to take that into account (if you haven't already). With the tickets there is nothing extra to pay out of pocket. Not sure about the car as I've never done that.

Someone asked about the pizzas in the Sobeys ON deal - they are also listed as $2.99 each. It is the THIN crust Delissio's so keep that in mind They aren't as filling as the rising crust lol, I prefer them but not everyone does. I think the Rustico's as well?

 

[Donald - my hero]

@ngm 100% agree with everyone else that car rental is the best bet here -- I really hope i've caught you before you do the booking though!!

You might find you can save significant # of miles by just tweaking your bookings --- for example last year we needed a car for 2 full weeks but it was less than 1/2 the miles for us to split it into 2 separate reservations. Dropped one car off and picked the other up same day. Also play around with the times -- by moving by a few hours on either end you can save a LOT. Rental periods are 24 hour so you won't be charged any extra if you drop the car off later than you booked.I'll do a few mock reservations to show you what i mean .. give me a few minutes

 

[Donald - my hero]

Car rental "game" Days of week and length of stay also comes into play (all cars are low end just to show difference in #'s) Difference can sometimes only show in the taxes. First one is from the airport direct. It's more miles if you want to rent on-site, which is our choice to avoid dealing with luggage AND returning to the airport!

• Nov 11 @ 5 pm - Nov 18 @ 5 pm --1340 AM + $69.72 tax --- Sat - Sat
• Nov 11 @ 5 pm - Nov 18 @5:00 -- 1340 AM + $43.62 tax --- Sat - Sat *** in the Doubletree Hotel in Disney springs & they have shuttle service
• Nov 13 @5 pm - Nov 17 @ 10 am -- 1070 AM + $28.84 tax Mon - Fri Doubletree again

Like i said, this takes time (and a spreadsheet!) to get straight! A few things to take into account: how long do you really need the car? Do you prefer to use Magical Express to get to the resort & back to MCO so you don't need to deal with luggage? Can you wait until the day after you arrive to pick it up and drop it off a day early because then you can use one of the sites closer to Disney and not have the higher tax connected to an airport location. Also be sure to check out the exact type of car you want to have -- we needed one with a trunk one year and just went for the low end and figured it would be fine .. yeah not so much, just a hatchback meaning we had to lug around hubby's laptop for a bit longer than we wanted!

 

[Donald - my hero]

Just completed my Thursday updating of flyer links on the first post followed by the required checking of each link and i discovered that the link to the Rexall Survey coupon now gives an expiry date of November 7th. Remember this coupon comes with a YMMV warning! Results vary store to store and even cashier to cashier!

$5.00 off when you spend $25.00 or more. Valid thru Nov 7th

 

[ottawamom]

Thanks for posting about the GC at Foodland. First thing Monday once I'm home it road trip time to get some of those cards.

 

[Donald - my hero]

Of course we will find a store for you

Orillia Foodland

Address: 80 Fittons Rd E, Orillia, ON L3V 7A1
Hours:
Open today · Phone: (705) 325-9072

Foodland Orillia
Location: 383 Simcoe St.
Telephone: 705-426-9061


I know you probably already have this bookmarked,lol
Hugs Mel

THANKS! Added to my list of things to do!

 

[isabellea]

Are the GC at Foodland the same ones they 'sell' on AM website for 95 cash AM?!? On those, it includes IGAExtra and Rachelle-Béry since they are owned by Sobeys. If so, it might be worth it for me to drive 50 minutes to our closest Foodland in ON.

 

[Donald - my hero]

Are the GC at Foodland the same ones they 'sell' on AM website for 95 cash AM?!? On those, it includes IGAExtra and Rachelle-Béry since they are owned by Sobeys. If so, it might be worth it for me to drive 50 minutes to our closest Foodland in ON.

I took this from the Sobeys web page

 

[Donald - my hero]

Just did my nightly check on my AM balance and whoa! Had a bunch post, including the 60 from Metro head office for the threshold spend from this past weekend! That shocked me because i still don't have the regular ones from the store for 2 weeks ago. Nothing new on the AMEX promo but i figure that's gonna take a bit for them to sort out.

Happy hunting this weekend everyone, all we'll be doing is 1 gift card at Foodland since we only use it when there are big promos at Sobeys we finished the last one this past weekend so it's perfect timing

 

[rella's fan]

Not sure if it matters to you or not, but I stopped using Airmiles for car rentals because in order to get the extra insurance (that comes with most credit cards) I was told you have to use your credit card for payment

 

[Donald - my hero]

Not sure if it matters to you or not, but I stopped using Airmiles for car rentals because in order to get the extra insurance (that comes with most credit cards) I was told you have to use your credit card for payment

Our personal auto insurance covers rental cars so long as we "don't rent a Hummer" If you have insurance that provides you with a rental car while yours is being fixed you more than likely already have this coverage, if you don't you can usually get it added on as a travel rider. Much cheaper than paying the daily rate at the counter and still lets you use Airmiles! Just call your broker/agent/insurance company and ask if you have coverage and then simply carry a copy of your insurance with you.

 

[isabellea]

I took this from the Sobeys web page
View attachment 273341

Thank you! I just found a corn maze for the family to do in the same town where my closest Foodland is (Vankleek Hill, ON) so I plan on buying a GC this weekend and try it in Qc. I have nothing to loose and worst case scenario, I will keep it for next time we go to Ottawa.

 

[isabellea]

This morning I was looking at my posted AM transaction and found a 95AM Welcome AM cash from Jean Coutu.... I never used my cash AM at Jean Coutu so I have no clue where it's coming from but I will take it!