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Email this10:42 am
September 17, 2014
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Indeed I also wonder about the hidden costs to join and operate what must be an incredibly inefficient program
After AM abused us by decreasing the point value etc, we essentially stopped shopping at stores supporting NightmAir Miles
Sadly after taking over Rona, Lowes is now promoting them
Agreed that the games they play are dishonest and disrespectful of those trusting this deceitful company
9:38 am
November 26, 2008
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I have just spent 2hours trying to order a shitty reward for the 650 miles I accumulated over the last 10 years before they expire on the 31st of December 2016.
There is no reward under 1000, all the rewards in the 500 points ask you to pay the value of them item around 150$ for a kitchen mixer which is the exact value on ebay. I tried to buy 2 different items at 700 points but when you click to buy the extra miles, it does an error on the next page. I waited 2 hours in-line on the chat service and never had any service, it just disconnected. On the Phone, do not expect someone to anwaswer within 2 hours, nobody answered yet.
I finally managed to find 2 tickets for the Zoo with Aquazoo which is a 90$ value for 2 tickets for 600 points. My other 54 points are going to die there because I won't use this shitty service ever again.
They forbid any transfer from Dream points to Cash points and if you want to transfer to family it's 0.15$/point +10$ fee!
I just threw my card in the garbage can.
The day you become free is the day you work for fun.
9:50 am
November 26, 2008
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I have just read this article: http://www.cbc.ca/news/busines.....-1.3697143 And now this explains why I don't see the basic telescope at 600 miles I was saving for and now only see the one at 2200 points. I knew AirMiles were shitty but I didn't know they were cheaters.
The day you become free is the day you work for fun.
12:47 pm
December 23, 2011
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As more and more comes to light they look more and more corrupt every day. Any retailer that deals with them should be considered as "in collusion" with them as well, so I have also to the conclusion to avoid, whenever possible, any retailer that offers AirMiles as well. We need to make it hurt 
ps. My theory is if a retailer or service provider offers AirMiles you are paying more for the product to cover the miles given to you or in the case of a bank....you will be getting less for your investment to cover the miles given to you.
9:05 pm
October 21, 2013
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It's true that we pay for AirMiles in our purchases at associated retailers, banks, etc. However, in most cases you're going to be paying anyways. Belonging to AirMiles, for the retailer, is part of their advertising budget. AirMiles gives them a lot of publicity and access to a well-mined market. If they don't do this, most retailers will do some other kind of advertising - for which we will also pay at the till.
Unless there is a concerted organized boycott of AirMiles which has legs and a specific goal in mind, after which the boycott would be lifted, I will continue to collect them the way I have been doing for some years now. I'll take them when they're offered if it suits me for other reasons to patronize a certain business, but will not go out of my way or pay extra in order to get them.
At one time, for a few years, we had a BMO AirMiles credit card, but there are many more choices out there now and I would not consider getting one now.
We cashed in $10 in "Cash" rewards at Shell tonight. Their price was cheaper than the competitors in the area. Also, we had a Bonus offer this month for 25 extra AM when you cash in $10. So, the $10 of gas will cost only $7.30. That's OK by me. (The trick with this particular offer is to only buy $10 gas at a time. The fine print always makes it clear that you will get the 25 Bonus AM per transaction, not per $10. For larger transactions at Shell, we don't cash in any AM, but instead we use the cents-off coupons that a non-driving relative gets at Sobey's for buying groceries.). It keeps one busy tracking these things!
I will never stockpile AM again, and will use them up within a few months at most. I will only collect "Cash".
AM has regularly done very well on consumer surveys, and has won the award of being Canadians' favourite points-collection system, ahead of Aeroplan (which isn't saying much!
).
I suspect that made them overconfident and even more greedy and controlling. And now we have the result. They wouldn't fare that well on such a survey today.
6:58 pm
January 25, 2016
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I collected AM for a number of years without ever thinking about accumulating x number of points and had no concern of their expiry.
When the expired points policy was announced I did three things - updated my AM profile with a customer service rep., booked an AM minivan rental through National/Alamo Car rental; and redeemed 3 sorely-needed household items (well, that's what the better half tells me 
). All went off without a hitch: the CS was friendly and professional, and waited on hold for less than one minute; utilized a "free" and fully-loaded Dodge Caravan (with only 34 kms on it) for 4 weeks traveling Ontario with the family, and; the 3 household items were in Canada Post's (no strike, please) possession within 2 days of placing the redemption order. I guess all those trips to the LCBO in my 20's helped into my 30's 
.
The final thing - change the BMO AirMiles credit card to cashback.
This is only my albeit limited experience with the AM program, but others options my differ.
8:14 pm
October 21, 2013
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It sounds like you did everything right, Atlas!
10:24 am
December 23, 2011
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Another update on the corrupt program.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/busines.....gn_id=A100
I am committed to not collecting Airmiles or patronizing any retailer that offers the program.
12:32 pm
October 21, 2013
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I suggest a new Reward for Dream Miles.
It's called "Cash Rewards". For 95 Dream Miles, you get 95 Cash Miles.
It's absolute BS to say they "can't" switch the categories. I was given that story a couple of years ago. It IS true that they have set it up In such a way that they can't. But, they can always add new Dream Rewards, and they do, regularly. Normally, they are essentially trash. You have a choice,, basically, between air travel for which you must pay additional exorbitant fees which mean that it costs about the same as if you'd booked on a sale price; merchandise which, in most cases, you don't need or want; or various perqs, experiences, and privileges which are not quantifiable and which you almost certainly don't want. They could add "Cash Miles" to the perqs and privileges section, and all would be well.
The situation reminds me of that old saw about parent-child relationships. "They know where all the buttons are - because they installed them."
I also suggest a Dream Reward which would be called "Dinner with the CEO" in which the CEO of LoyaltyOne takes you and your guest to dinner at a restaurant of your choosing. Over cocktails, you get to tell this person what exactly you think of their programme and they are only allowed 5 responses no longer than 30 seconds each in which the word "can't' may not be used. This should cost you 1 Air Mile. I'll bet "the system can't do that". After the cocktails, the CEO must pay in advance for your dinner and must then leave so that you can enjoy it. At your option, if they are well behaved and repents meaningfully of their ways, the CEO may remain for dinner. This offer shall have no expiry date.
Any other ideas? I think we should just get in step with that "Dream" mentality, and dream away....!
Oh, here's another one in the "experiences" department. For 2 AirMiles, you get a large doghouse in which the CEO must sleep for a week. And you get to keep the doghouse,, in which to keep your beast. Year's supply of chow thrown in.
1:00 pm
April 6, 2013
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The company sounds insincere and is looking for excuses instead of actual solutions.
No need to implement Dream Miles to Cash Miles conversions. If collectors want restaurant gift cards, then add restaurant gift cards to the Dream Rewards catalog. For example, add $50 Ultimate Dining cards for 475 Dream Miles each. Air Miles used to have all sorts of gift cards, from Shell, Cineplex, iTunes, and others.
Does their staff need PhD's in marketing to figure that out?
Are we to believe their computer crashes when the Dream Reward is a gift card and not a toaster?
4:06 pm
October 21, 2013
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Worse than insincere, I think.
They converted tons of "old" AM from Anything-Goes to Dream-with-Restrictions without our consent, and now they claim they can't go back??
If there was any sincerity or remorse or recognition that customers aren't satisfied, they would extend the deadline and put out a notice telling us to watch for exciting new options for Dream Rewards next year after it is revamped. That would make people quiet down at least for a while. But they won't even do that. They deserve to lose this suit. I hope they lose.
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