Airmiles Armchair Chatter

[ottawamom]

I was just looking up BMO Elite M/C and there are changes coming in May 2021. No more free lounge passes! and they have changed the # of miles earned now 3 per $12 spent at partners and 1AM per $12 elsewhere (used to be 1AM per $10)

BMO M/C changes coming in May

 

[tinkerone]

I was just looking up BMO Elite M/C and there are changes coming in May 2021. No more free lounge passes! and they have changed the # of miles earned now 3 per $12 spent at partners and 1AM per $12 elsewhere (used to be 1AM per $10)

BMO M/C changes coming in May

This confuses me. On the website it says...

Cardholders will still have complimentary membership in Mastercard Airport Experiences provided by LoungeKey. The two annual complimentary passes will be removed, effective January 1, 2022. You will still be able to use your two annual passes until the end of 2021.

I had thought anyone could enter the lounges, they just had to pay OOP. What is this membership they are talking about? This certainly gives me something to think about. I seldom shop at AM partners, they are often to expensive given what we have in our area.

 

[ottawamom]

I did some real quick analysis and do long as I have 3 flights to Orlando a year the 15% saving on flights pays for the annual fee.

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

I agree @ottawamom. Any savings I get from flights are not from being Onyx, it is from having the BMO World Elite card.
Heck, three flights to Miami for a cruise make it worth while right there.

I haven't had a chance to use the lounge passes yet as we typically have DD with us and would have to pay for her and/or we are traveling in a larger group.

 

[Debbie]

It was those free passes that got me into the lounges. I'm sad that they aren't offering them anymore. I just looked on the RBC Westjet M/C site and it says that M/C gives you the membership to the lounge, but the each visit is at an additional cost.

 

[ElCray]

What was actually waived? Was it the card fee or the travel protection fee?

Annual fee for the card, yes - $120.

 

[tinkerone]

Annual fee for the card, yes - $120.

I'm retired BMO staff so my fee is $60. It's the travel insurance that bites me in the a**. I have the extended insurance so I can be out of the country for more than 14 days but we all know that hasn't been very useful. Our vacation that was longer than 14 days for last year was cancelled. This year we have it rebooked for October so we shall see. I just don't know if I should cancel the insurance and pick it up later. It could be a pita.
Oh well. I'll think on it. I'm not sure if, with the changes coming, if I even want to keep the Elite card. Might not be worth it at all but again I'll have to think on it.

 

[bababear_50]

It's hard to get hit with a travel credit card fee when we all can't travel right now.

I did downgrade my WestJet card from World Elite to the regular WestJet Mastercard.
The free checked bags were the hardest for me to give up,, but I've found I am able to do carryon most trips now.
I still get the companion vouchers ,,for Canada & USA.


https://www.westjet.com/en-ca/rewards/rbc-mastercard/index
It's only $39.00 but I am going to ask that it be refunded also due to inability to travel right now.

Hugs Mel

 

[ottawamom]

I forgot about the companion voucher for WestJet. That might be what I should consider after this year is up. Usually it is just DH and I when we travel and that would be a nice perk (if it continues in the future that is).

 

[bgula]

Just out of curiosity for those who have called re the BMO Elite card (I have one as well), what all are you basing a refund request on? Is it just the Lounge Key program? Or are there other things that you bring up to the agent? I've looked at the benefits, and that seems to be the only option that's been out since last spring. I've never used the Lounge Key option, so I'd have a hard time basing an argument for a refund on that.

 

[ottawamom]

I just mentioned that I haven't been able to use any of the benefits associated with the card as my trip last year was cancelled and I doubt whether we will be travelling this year. I kept it really generic. Yes the other benefits are still in play but I haven't used them (ie they haven't incurred any costs on my behalf). The bank is offering a fee waiving for new applicants the least they can do is waive the fee or reverse it for loyal customers.

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

I was just looking up BMO Elite M/C and there are changes coming in May 2021. No more free lounge passes! and they have changed the # of miles earned now 3 per $12 spent at partners and 1AM per $12 elsewhere (used to be 1AM per $10)

Okay so let's say I charge $100 from Sobeys to my card. I normally would get 1/$10 so 10 miles on the charge.

Now it will be 3/$12 so 25 miles on the charge? $100/12x3=25

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

Where do you find Disney, Universal etc park passes now on the website??

 

[ottawamom]

Where do you find Disney, Universal etc park passes now on the website??

if you go to the usual place it will redirect you to red tag. All passes are purchased through that travel site now

 

[marcyleecorgan]

I think my DH finally had the experience that makes him angry enough to stop using AM for good. I mentioned that Amazon through AirMiles Shops hadn't been updating for awhile, and since it's his name on the accounts, he had to be the one to reach out to Customer service about the missing miles. Well, it's been over a week of back and forth communications...
Clearly they didn't demonstrate good customer loyalty or service tactics or I would be updating y'all with actually receiving the missing AM.

 

[Donald - my hero]

I think my DH finally had the experience that makes him angry enough to stop using AM for good. I mentioned that Amazon through AirMiles Shops hadn't been updating for awhile, and since it's his name on the accounts, he had to be the one to reach out to Customer service about the missing miles. Well, it's been over a week of back and forth communications...
Clearly they didn't demonstrate good customer loyalty or service tactics or I would be updating y'all with actually receiving the missing AM.

I'm the one who does the chasing even though it's hubby's name on the account. I just identify myself immediately as his wife "aka keeper of the miles" and I've never had any trouble. The only thing I've ever had trouble doing was in 1999 when he was in Chicago on a Y2K project (one of the behind the scenes people who made sure it wasn't the disaster we'd been warned about) and I wanted to book flights for the kids and I to join him instead of being stuck here during a teacher's strike. I locked the account by trying the PIN too many times and they wouldn't let me change it - phone was the only option at that point.

doesn't help you right now but it's just a comment to let you and everyone else know to just be honest up front and they won't challenge you. I'm only referring to online options here, not sure about phone.

one other comment is that the new exclusions thru Amazon are a royal PIA

 

[tinkerone]

I think my DH finally had the experience that makes him angry enough to stop using AM for good. I mentioned that Amazon through AirMiles Shops hadn't been updating for awhile, and since it's his name on the accounts, he had to be the one to reach out to Customer service about the missing miles. Well, it's been over a week of back and forth communications...
Clearly they didn't demonstrate good customer loyalty or service tactics or I would be updating y'all with actually receiving the missing AM.

I'm the one who does the chasing even though it's hubby's name on the account. I just identify myself immediately as his wife "aka keeper of the miles" and I've never had any trouble. The only thing I've ever had trouble doing was in 1999 when he was in Chicago on a Y2K project (one of the behind the scenes people who made sure it wasn't the disaster we'd been warned about) and I wanted to book flights for the kids and I to join him instead of being stuck here during a teacher's strike. I locked the account by trying the PIN too many times and they wouldn't let me change it - phone was the only option at that point.

doesn't help you right now but it's just a comment to let you and everyone else know to just be honest up front and they won't challenge you. I'm only referring to online options here, not sure about phone.

one other comment is that the new exclusions thru Amazon are a royal PIA

Our original card was in DH's name and I called one time, had an issue as I wasn't the account holder. I asked how I could fix this. I put DH on the phone and he gave them permission to make it a joint account. Not just that I could use it but that I was joint on it. I made sure she clarified that. Not sure if they still do this but don't know why they wouldn't.
Now when I do online chat they always refer to me as DH and I never correct them because who cares. When I phone in, which is what I do most of the time, they don't even ask who I am anymore.

 

[bababear_50]

Airmiles desperation today
Yes I did need some coffee cream and nothing much was open,, ok I bought a sandwich ,water , chips and picked up 20 airmiles.


Hugs Mel

 

[ottawamom]

Anyone want to take bets on how much longer Airmiles makes us wait for the StB Bonus. It should be any day now.

Make sure your balance preference is set to where you want those miles to post.

 

[bababear_50]

I'll bet on Tuesday Feb 16th for the STB points to be posting.
I'll bet one chocolate bar..... lol
I heard you might have some chocolate almonds stashed away somewhere Ottawamom?????
Hugs
Mel

In 2019 they posted Wednesday Feb 12.