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Old 09-12-2018, 06:18 AM
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Default Read the Fine Print...

A good friend of mine had accumulated over a million Aeroplan miles through his business. Then he changed credit cards, and didn't accumulate any more points for a year. He didn't redeem any either, he had plans for a Mega Trip down the road...and then he got looking in to booking a trip, and all his miles were gone. Yes, the fine print of Clause 27 says if you don't accumulate or redeem for 12 consecutive months, and are no longer a primary Aeroplan TD/CiBC card holder, then you can lose those miles. He can get the 'expired miles back. For a $30 admin fee, and a penny a mile....so $10K and change, for all those miles he accumulated. Never mind the premium credit card fees you pay to get those mile too....he is not a happy lawyer. See, even lawyers miss the fine print sometime! For those with Aeroplan miles, be aware!!
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Old 09-12-2018, 06:37 AM
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I was in the same boat. No longer Aeroplan card user or holder.
A few months back I've got a letter from Aeroplan that my miles will expire as of end of August unless I will use or earn some.
To avoid this cancelation I've ordered two Cash Cards from Costco for 100$ each for 13500 points each and my miles are good for another year.
Spent my Costco Cash on Carbon Monoxide and fire detectors for my Sons new house that had all fire protection long outdated.
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Old 09-12-2018, 07:34 AM
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That's why I don't collect them any more. I collect air miles that are transferred to cash. Use them at Sobeys , $10 bucks here and there off the bill is better than nothing.
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Old 09-12-2018, 07:38 AM
saskbooknut saskbooknut is offline
 
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I got angry at Aeroplan years ago. The future is up in the air again for Aeroplan. But then, that's Air Canada for you: the no service airline.
"We're not happy until you're not happy."

The WestJet loyalty plan has its quirks, but is so much superior.
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Old 09-12-2018, 07:49 AM
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Never been a points collector, never will...
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Old 09-12-2018, 08:47 AM
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Nothing wrong with collecting points, just need to use them and read the fine print. I just flew GP to Calgary (Westjet) and back on the weekend, rented car at airport, stayed at Fairfield by Marriot hotel in Lethbridge for two nights. Used Airmiles to cover flight and hotel, Aeroplan for car rental. Total cost was taxes, $140. What's not to like?

Last summer I took a couple friends to Haida Gwaii for fishing on Aeroplan (including my lawyer buddy!)...Cost $160 for taxes or something like that...points are great.

Getting screwed out of a million + miles is a real burn though.
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Old 09-12-2018, 08:52 AM
ceadog ceadog is offline
 
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People also often don't realize that airmiles and such are a taxable benefit - so that free flight you got by putting your work expenses through a credit card actually comes with a tax bill when CRA catches up to you.
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Old 09-12-2018, 08:57 AM
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1 million miles. That stings. I have to go out and make a purchase so that ours don’t end up the same.
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Old 09-12-2018, 09:17 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ceadog View Post
People also often don't realize that airmiles and such are a taxable benefit - so that free flight you got by putting your work expenses through a credit card actually comes with a tax bill when CRA catches up to you.
Partially true. If you're using the credit card for business expenses in the normal course of business, then not taxable benefit. What does this mean??......If you are on business trip and put your meals and gas and hotel on your card, that's normal course of business. Or if you have to pick up some parts and the only way to pay for them is by credit card, that is also normal course.

BUT.......if your company orders large amounts of goods constantly from a supplier and you pay for them with your personal card...that is NOT normal course of business. If you pay the companies utilities on your card and then claim the expense that is NOT normal course of business.

An easier way to explain it is, if your company can pay for the items by cheque or on account, but you decide to pay for them by your personal credit card.......its going to be a taxable benefit.

Whether they ever go after you for it is another story.
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Old 09-12-2018, 10:04 AM
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Coiloil37 Coiloil37 is online now
 
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That’s not fine print, it’s all over their site, the app and they even email you about it. To miss that “fine print” you would need to be in a coma.

Sorry about your buddies poor memory.

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Old 09-12-2018, 10:31 AM
gmcmax05 gmcmax05 is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Coiloil37 View Post
That’s not fine print, it’s all over their site, the app and they even email you about it. To miss that “fine print” you would need to be in a coma.

Sorry about your buddies poor memory.

Haha, & the scary part is the dudes a lawyer His name wouldn't be Saul Goodman would it?
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Old 09-12-2018, 11:48 AM
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huntinstuff huntinstuff is offline
 
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Airmiles? Meh. $10 off groceries or Shell gas here and there

Travel points? Yes. Absolutely. I have enough for two to go to Europe every year for nothing.
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  #13  
Old 09-12-2018, 11:51 AM
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Twisted Canuck Twisted Canuck is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ceadog View Post
People also often don't realize that airmiles and such are a taxable benefit - so that free flight you got by putting your work expenses through a credit card actually comes with a tax bill when CRA catches up to you.
That has been successfully challenged in court. Used to be the case and they were stickers. Now they can't be bothered. But I use personal cards to pay for everything, and submit receipts. CRA can suck it.
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Old 09-12-2018, 11:56 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Coiloil37 View Post
That’s not fine print, it’s all over their site, the app and they even email you about it. To miss that “fine print” you would need to be in a coma.

Sorry about your buddies poor memory.

I suspect that he is a bit like me, I get oodles of junk mail, everything from Aeroplan to Costco to AMA to whatever....lots of goes straight to trash. With the volume of paperwork he deals with and raising a house full of kids, pretty sure he missed his expiration letter...whatever, it's an expensive lesson.
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Old 09-12-2018, 12:09 PM
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Personal credit card rewards are not taxable at least not yet lets hope the Trudeau government doesn't find out.
I give all my air miles to my parents to travel, my PC card collects money for food, enough to pay the December grocery bill and buy some gifts a good deal for those on pension. I have $800 so far this year
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Old 09-13-2018, 07:40 AM
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How do you go from a "loyal" collector with millions of miles to not earning one (1) mile as to not lose them? Sounds like he could have been a change in plans somewhere about his rewards loyalty or maybe the card was free from work maybe... Doesn't matter just Seems odd not 1 mile collected.

One visit to Esso would have fixed that (not now, Esso dropped Aerplan for PC Optimum)

June 2020 is the quoted date Aeroplan cuts ties with Air Canada or vice versa
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Old 09-13-2018, 09:09 AM
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Twisted Canuck Twisted Canuck is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Austin View Post
How do you go from a "loyal" collector with millions of miles to not earning one (1) mile as to not lose them? Sounds like he could have been a change in plans somewhere about his rewards loyalty or maybe the card was free from work maybe... Doesn't matter just Seems odd not 1 mile collected.

One visit to Esso would have fixed that (not now, Esso dropped Aerplan for PC Optimum)

June 2020 is the quoted date Aeroplan cuts ties with Air Canada or vice versa
I rarely if ever actually swipe my Aeroplan card, all my collecting is with my credit cards. If I changed cards and cancelled the Aeroplan cards because of the fees...I would stop collecting. If you don't redeem, twelve months go by, you are robbed of your miles. Not a stretch of the imagination to see that happening. I don't even pay attention to how many miles I have collected, until I book something and see where it's at.

I started collecting Aeroplan because one of my suppliers went from Airmiles to Aeroplan points....to none at all. I was thinking of cancelling my Aeroplan cards when they were talking about cancelling their deal with Air Canada, and going with Porter (which is about as useless a deal for a collector as you could imagine)....Anyway, point is people change and cancel cards for a variety of reasons. Life is also usually hectic and busy enough that collecting points isn't on the top of the list, often not even on the radar. So, you don't pay attention, and it bites you in the butt. Life is like that. It is a pretty lousy policy on Aeroplan's part to operate like that though. I'm not a big fan, but at the same time I've got a couple hundred thousand miles accumulated and use them on a regular basis as well. I prefer Airmiles, generally much easier to get my flights...
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