Reward Programs

Photo Credit: extramoneyfree.com

Before booking a trip or even a flight do you ever consider booking it with points? I am referring to those points of royalty and rewards you receive from those many credit/debt cards. For us Canadians we tend to love our reward programs since more than 75% of us today have at least one reward card. According to recent studies over 94% of Canadians only go for a card that includes some sort of point programs. From discounts, money back, flyer programs, free movies, or free food, these are only a few of the services these reward programs provide.
The most used reward program with over 10 million active users is Air Miles. Air Miles can be earned from over 100 different outlets, which brings in more active users. Plus for those who travel often this program is perfect. Just like me, I am always looking to see where I can add more points to my Air Miles collection. However, since I do fly often I also have Aeroplan too. It is only directed towards Air Canada rewards, but being the 2nd top reward program with over 2.1 million users this program isn’t doing too shabby.
So how do you know what reward program you should choose?

Well, for active travelers like myself it’s pretty easy to pick but over all the first step would be figuring out which program you’re mostly likely to use often. Second key would be to figure out where you spend your money mostly in order to accumulate the most points. Thirdly look for cards that provide extra bonus points and promotions. Fourthly find a card where you can pay your monthly large bills, so you can receive double the amount of points. And lastly use your reward card for large purchases. You will gain more points that way.