How do you do it?

[Dylemma1]

I've read about how some people have 7k and 15k airmiles that they have collected in a short time.
How do you do it?
I understand STB and MM but otherwise it's 5 miles here and 10 miles there, maybe a couple of Rexall 100am but that still doesn't add up.
I don't see how people are getting so many airmiles.
Can you guys share your strategies?

thanks so much.

 

[lizzyb]

It's mind boggling to me too... I only use my card at the LCBO so I have a total of like 350 points lol

 

[AngelDisney]

I started AM hunting in August 2016 for my August 2017 WDW Trip and got 12K AM by December 2017. I took advantage of Rexall bonus miles every week, and even bought awful Costa Coffee from Shell daily for a month. I have basically changed my shopping habits and shop at airmiles associated stores whenever possible. I also buy items for food drive over the year to get bonus airmiles instead of buying the items at the time of the food drive. The AM thread really has made a big turn around change in my AM hunting. If I got the BMO Airmiles World elite Mastercard instead of the BMO reward one, I would have earned even more AM but I really wanted the free priority lounge access.

 

[AngelDisney]

It's bind boggling to me too... I only use my card at the LCBO so I have a total of like 350 points lol

This was me before August 2016. 10 years of collecting got me about 2000 AM for two Hollywood City passes.

 

[Gigi22]

OP, you may want to check the Airmiles Spring Mega Miles thread on this forum to get an idea of how people pursue AM during a special promotion.

 

[Aladora]

Where you live also has a lot to do with how many AM you can collect. Where I am (Vancouver Island, BC) there are not as many of the really smoking deals as there are in other places in Canada. (Blue Friday, Picklegate) Having either an Amex or BMO MC also helps, there seem to be quite a few larger bonuses to get there.

 

[Mickey&JoshNut]

I've read about how some people have 7k and 15k airmiles that they have collected in a short time.
How do you do it?
I understand STB and MM but otherwise it's 5 miles here and 10 miles there, maybe a couple of Rexall 100am but that still doesn't add up.
I don't see how people are getting so many airmiles.
Can you guys share your strategies?

thanks so much.

There is a wonderful group of air miles collectors here and a fabulous thread about collecting air miles. By reading the thread and taking advantage of in store promotions and other promotions, in the past year, I have collected enough air miles for two 7 day WDW tickets, and four 5 day Disneyland park hopper tickets, as well as movie tickets, movie promotions as well as numerous $10 off my purchases at the grocery store, shell and rexall. Each week I read the flyers and read through the Air Miles thread here on the Canadian forum. I take advantage of air miles mega miles promotions and in the past year the only thing we have bought that we wouldn't normally buy was a bottle of red wine at the LCBO...but that bottle allowed me to complete my Mega Miles Air Miles promotion and earn 2000 AM. It is amazing to see how fast your miles add up...in the past three weeks, I have earned over 1000 AM and shopped at 5 different air miles sponsors to complete the Spring Mega Miles Air Miles bonus promotion so that will be an additional 1250 AM...

 

[ottawamom]

Here are a few of my tips.
1. I set myself a weekly target (to keep me on track/motivated) mine is 250AM/week
2. I've changed the stores I shop at Rexall instead of Shoppers, Metro/Sobeys instead of Independent
3. Whenever GC are offered I stock up (easy AM as far as I'm concerned) This past week at Sobeys/Urban Fresh and then Foodland most recently I probably netted 1300 (minimum, maybe another 525 depends how the MM coupons end up working)
4. I have, in the past taken advantage of CC sign up bonuses (don't think I can do that anymore as they now limit bonus to once per lifetime (some cc))
5. When I shop I will try something I haven't tried before if it has AM attached. Other than that I usually only buy things I use and can store in the basement.
6. I have an AM CC so every bit of shopping I do earns AM (love my sons trips to the dentist because our benefits cover them and I get the AM from putting the visit on my CC.

There are some serious game players out there who have figured out how to game the AM system and churn CC etc to max their miles. I'm not into that and still manage to rack up a healthy # of AM per year.

 

[bababear_50]

Hi Hon
I am in Ontario/Mississauga
Having something you want or a goal helps,,my first airmiles goal was a Universal 2 day park to park pass.
My second goal was stockpiling Starbucks gift cards.

1. I stockpile things that offer air miles only if I can actually use them.
2. Ordered replacement/extra air miles cards and asked other family members to use them.
3. I will buy Sobeys Gift cards when airmiles are offered,,, however I rarely use them there--I use them at Foodland.
4. I changed my gas purchases to Shell.
5. I have personally seen Hunger in a child's eyes and am very thankful for the things I have and will donate to the foodbank.
6. I will double up on points at Rexall using Load and Go and Email offers.
7. I check my weekly *Offers* for Foodland/Sobeys--sometimes there is something that I usually buy and if I can get airmiles then it's a good deal.
an example of one of my offers this week--- Prime Chicken Strips/nuggets/or bites buy one box get get 20 bonus airmiles.

Well that's kind of what I do ,,,You can to!
Hugs
Mel

 

[Disneylover99]

I don't hunt for air miles at all or pay attention to how many points I have, but I put everything on Amex buy groceries at Metro and gas up at Shell exclusively and I do pretty good!

 

[FigmentSpark]

Sigh... rule number 1... don't let your DH use the AM on "stuff we don't need" before you get to use them!

 

[Dylemma1]

I am trying to collect enough airmiles to take 11 people to Disney World in 2019 so I need 11 x 4750. My dh, dd, dm and myself are collecting and also asked my cousin if she would help. Also signed up for bmo card when they were offering the 3000 bonus points.
Did stb in Dec and doing mm now so we are getting there but when I look at the flyers I don't see much, mostly piddly little points for stuff I wouldn't normally buy.
I have definitely changed my shopping habits, Rexall instead of Shoppers (but it's soo expensive) and Sobey and Foodland instead of Loblaws, (which means a 20 min drive)'
Mighhtl start going to Shell but it is usually a few cents more a litre than Ultramart so not sure if it's worth it.
Anyhow it sounds like most everyone is doing the same thing, I thought maybe I was missing something.
I have a regular amex, I thought I could transfer the points to airmiles but I just checked and I don't see airmiles listed does anyone know about this? If not I can transfer the amex miles to aeroplane and use them for flights.....
Just want to say you guys are amazing I love this forum so much......

 

[Silvermist999]

I have both the Amex and MC Airmiles no fee credit cards. Almost all of our household purchases get charged to these cards, and the balances are paid in full each month. We rarely use cash for anything.

I often get special air miles offers sent to me that are exclusive to my account to earn AM at Shell and both AM credit cards. Those have definitely helped me build my balance.

I haven't changed my shopping habits. I do a lot of online shopping thru the Airmilesshops.ca portal. I only stop into Rexall, Metro and Sobeys when they have a good AM offer.

I don't really have much time to hunt for the AM deals, but when they come to me, I take advantage of them!

 

[isabellea]

In QC, AM offers are very low, almost ridiculously low. Here a good flyer at IGA has 20-30AM in it and they don't do targeted offers!! What really bumped my AM collecting is to do day trips to Ottawa (a 2h drive) when there's really good promotion. Last weekend, our day trip gave is close to 2000 AM by going to Shell for Home Depot GCs (5AM/5$), buying 3 Sobeys GCs and going to Rexall. DH is onboard and we always combine those day trips with visits to the museum or shopping at American Girls so the girls are happy. Using our AM MasterCard and Amex also helps, A LOT!

 

[Dylemma1]

How do you find out about the shell gift card offers? or is that something they always have?

 

[isabellea]

How do you find out about the shell gift card offers? or is that something they always have?

From a pdf @ottawamom shared. Not all Shell location offer this promotion and some that are not on list offer it but it’s difficult to know which ones without doing a test (any in-store purchase counts, including car wash).

 

[ottawamom]

Shell promo. Select locations (there are lots of them) until May 6. Get .03 off per litre and get 5AM for every $5 you spend in the store. A number of people are purchasing GC in the store and getting the AM (max 100AM/day)

Go to shell.ca/save for more details/locations

 

[isabellea]

Shell promo. Select locations (there are lots of them) until May 6. Get .03 off per litre and get 5AM for every $5 you spend in the store. A number of people are purchasing GC in the store and getting the AM (max 100AM/day)

Go to shell.ca/save for more details/locations

I got 260 AM last week. It’s max 100AM per transaction, max 5 transactions per day.

 

[starvenger]

and even bought awful Costa Coffee from Shell daily for a month.

It’s funny. Costa is pretty good in the UK, but those machines here are not great. But that is some serious dedication to the cause. My hats off to you.

 

[Sue M]

Shell promo. Select locations (there are lots of them) until May 6. Get .03 off per litre and get 5AM for every $5 you spend in the store. A number of people are purchasing GC in the store and getting the AM (max 100AM/day)

Go to shell.ca/save for more details/locations

Boo, none near me. But how are people getting AM on gift cards, it said on the promo GC purchase excluded.