airmiles for park tickets

[princessap]

I am trying to save our airmiles and earn more which is taking forever!!! I want to use them for park tickets....I am just wondering if air miles ever puts them on special and lowers the points needed for them?? I noticed that seaworld for example fluctuates a lot....thanks!

 

[jenny-pooh]

Yes they do. Not sure when or how often though. I got our tickets when they were on special. I got 5 day base tickets for the price of 3. We added the park-hopper option at the park. Good luck!

 

[mamaCta]

Are you a gold member with a gold BMO mastercard? That's the fastest way to collect. Some times things go on discount for gold members, and flights are always 25% off.

 

[keltiesmom]

Watch for the bonus offers when you sign up for an American Express, or if you already have one, take advantage of their promos. Last fall they had one that if you spent X amount of money you got 1000 airmiles or something crazy.

 

[DbleTheFun]

Not sure where you are located, but Safeway has great airmiles deals. I average 400 airmiles a week by creating a shopping list and purchasing when Safeway offers the best deals (ie: two packs of toilet paper for 100 airmiles, and additional 250 airmiles when spending $200.00)

I dont buy toilet paper UNLESS there is a deal like this (happens almost every other week)... and will keep a running tally to $200 for my groceries for the wek and stop as close to $200 so I can save additional "un-necessary items" for the following week, to apply to THAT 250 points!

 

[princessap]

i wish we had safeway!!

 

[ttaylorcan]

Last year Airmiles ran a 50 bonus airmiles promotion for Disney World tickets for two weeks (May 1 - May 15 2012). You could cash in your points at the regular rate and receive 50 airmiles for each ticket. I cashed in for 3 7-day tickets and received 150 airmiles in October 2012 for the May purchase.

I do not believe there has been a Disney World ticket promo since then (I watch weekly). They used to have them regularly and better promos (buy adult for the price of a child, buy 5 day for the price of 3 day).

I am looking to cash in for tickets as well and have been holding out for a "sale". Last year Disney World raised their prices early June and the airmiles prices went up a couple of days later. The 7 day tickets I got in May were 2350 airmiles, in June the cost went up to 2485 airmiles. The rumour is that Disney is raising their prices as early as April this year, so I'm not sure I'm willing to hold out much longer for a "sale".

Note that I am referring to Disney World tickets only, not Disneyland. I believe there has been ongoing Disneyland promos, but I don't follow those.

 

[princessap]

at the rate I am collecting it will take me years to get enough air miles. it takes forever to get any!! I was going to convert hbc into airmiles but with the new program it only gets me82 points. how do u earn your airmiles?

 

[clarkshel]

I earn mine through my BMO MasterCard and Airmiles AMEX card. Most things we purchase goes on our CC's. You can also do what the posters above a suggested. Like shopping at Safeway when they have their deals.

 

[ttaylorcan]

We are in Ontario and I find it tough to accumulate airmiles quickly. I'm very envious of the Safeway shoppers out west.

We accumulated a fair number by putting every purchase we could think of on a BMO mastercard. We no longer do this as we focus credit card purchases on another credit card to pay for our flights. So now almost all of our points come from shopping the bonus promotions. I check every week for promotions on their website, airmilesshops and store flyers and if there isnt a promotion and I can wait it out, I hold out on buying things. Rexall, Metro, Shell, airmilesshops (amazon, chapters mostly) get my business when they can offer the same price as elsewhere during a bonus promotion. Whenever I buy something I'm often thinking about whether I can get this at an airmiles sponsor (at the same price when its on sale) and whether I can wait for a bonus promotion.

I find for us shopping to earn regular points isn't worth our time or gas.

 

[cari12]

We have used airmiles for both flights and parkhoppers for our trips. We get most of the airmiles from our BMO Mastercard and Safeway. Almost every week Safeway has spend $100, get 100 AM so i get at least 100 most weeks just for grocery shopping.
Look at the gift cards at the Airmiles Blue Tag lounge. If you eat out regularily at Boston Pizza or The Keg, I believe you can get the gift cards for $50 and get 50 airmiles, the Keg is $100 giving 100 AM. Good airmiles if it is money you would spend anyways.

 

[Blanche_Neige]

In the past I have gotten WDW tickets with Airmiles and they NEVER had expiry dates.

A few months ago I got DL tickets and they had and expiration date.

Can someone tell me if the WDW tickets now also have expiration dates

 

[bababear_50]

I am in Mississauga and it seems like it is taking forever for me to collect enough for one adult 3 day pass.

I really wish Metro would do something like Safeway. I find Metros prices so high but if they would run the occasional promotion like at Safeway I'd be over to their store.

 

[damo]

In the past I have gotten WDW tickets with Airmiles and they NEVER had expiry dates.

A few months ago I got DL tickets and they had and expiration date.

Can someone tell me if the WDW tickets now also have expiration dates

DL tickets have expiry dates no matter where you purchase them. Even if you purchase straight through the DL website right now, there is a December 31, 2013 expiry on them.

http://disneyland.disney.go.com/tickets/

 

[rocknroll]

If you don't have great deals and promotions for bonus airmiles where you live is there another points program that does? (I need a spreadsheet to track the fees I am paying and points/miles I accrue and when I have to cancel credit cards just before the one year mark. LOL.)

My advice is to take a look at what elements of a vacation can be paid for with points/miles, then determine the best value points/miles wise your everyday consumer spending will get you. (For me: flight; medical, car and cancel insurance; gift cards; tickets for attractions and shows, not just free but access to seats before regular buyers; car rental and hotel discounts; and promotions).

For example, Calgary is lucky because of yes, Safeway deals on airmiles, but also Sobey's has a points program that will link directly into aeroplan. To me saving $ on flights (yes, I admit less choices than park tickets) might be the same $ on tickets if I wouldn't have been able to earn the airmiles to get them to begin with.

Or the competing airline to the one that aeroplan is flown on (don't know the DIS rules about giving out specific company names, but Canadians should be able to figure it out) has a credit card that has one $99 companion flight with a regular fare purchased after the first use, then actual $ for future travel (flights and vacations through them) and this might have changed so please check first.

Or, maybe just go with a credit card cash back and car/travel insurance with the lowest fees as long as your spending at least covers the fees, and you are clear every month so as not paying high interest.

Sorry, I just realized this is getting to be a long post and probably more information than you wanted, so I will end now before I bore everyone.

Cheers!

Roehl

 

[jenny-pooh]

In the past I have gotten WDW tickets with Airmiles and they NEVER had expiry dates.

A few months ago I got DL tickets and they had and expiration date.

Can someone tell me if the WDW tickets now also have expiration dates

The WDW tickets do not have specific expiration dates like Disneyland. They expire 14 days after first use.

 

[dancin Disney style]

The fastest way to accumulate AM is with one of the credit cards....BMO mastercard or Amex.

Look to see which monthly payments you can make with your CC and charge everything that you can. You may find that you can double dip on AM with your gas and groceries. For example, buying gas at Shell gets you AM but you can double dip paying with an AM Amex or mastercard.

Also, watch the AM website for promos. Last year BMO gave 1500 AM for opening a new savings account. There are lots of promos for online shopping through airmilesshop.ca. They send coupons for bonus AM through various companies like HBC, Shell, Childrens Place. You can get AM for subscribing to text alerts on your phone....I think it's 30.

 

[mike the canuck]

I am also trying to save my Airmiles to get Disney tickets. I almost have enough for one 3day ticket.
Ill probably have enough in 3 months. Do they have the deals very often on the Airmiles website?

 

[princessap]

How are you planning to earn that many miles? I would love to be able to get at least two sets for our next trip but it is taking forever and I don't even have enough for one 3 day pass yet!

I read that the sales go on special in the fall.

 

[mike the canuck]

How are you planning to earn that many miles? I would love to be able to get at least two sets for our next trip but it is taking forever and I don't even have enough for one 3 day pass yet!

I read that the sales go on special in the fall.

I get about 70 Airmiles a month. I put as much of my monthly expenses as I can on my Airmiles American Express credit card. I only buy gas at Shell gas which is an Airmiles sponsor. I only get my pet food from Globo Pets which is also an Airmiles sponsor. And when ever I buy anything from the LCBO I look for something that will give me bonus Airmiles as well. It's a slow process but I'm almost there. I also got 500 Airmiles as a bonus just for getting the American Express credit card. I'm sitting at about 2020 Airmiles right now so I'm not too far off