Latest news with #loyaltypoints
CTV News
7 hours ago
- Business
- CTV News
Calgary man shocked after Air Miles ‘retired' 25,000 points worth nearly $8K
Calgarian Todd Woodbeck says Air Miles 'retired' nearly 25,000 of his loyalty points worth close to $8,000. A Calgary man is voicing his frustration with Air Miles after the company quietly wiped nearly 25,000 of his loyalty points – worth close to $8,000 – from his account, after more than three decades of collecting with the program. Todd Woodbeck told CTV News he hadn't used his Air Miles card in some time, and made the discovery when he went to buy oil for his car at a Shell gas station. 'I hadn't been asked to use Air Miles for so long, but they asked, and I said, 'Sure.' They took my card, and it worked.' 'I went home and wondered, 'How many Air Miles points do I have now?'' When Woodbeck logged into his account, he noticed that almost all of his points were gone. 'They had redeemed almost 25,000,' Woodbeck said. 'So, I had two Air Miles total in my account from that Shell gas station purchase.' 'I was very angry, so I picked up the phone immediately and called Air Miles.' He says when he contacted the company, he was told the points had been 'retired'– not expired – because of account inactivity. 'I said, 'Well I thought Air Miles didn't retire,'' he said. 'They said 'no,' they don't expire, but they can retire if you don't use your card. I didn't know.' Woodbeck says the company restored only 1,240 points—far short of what he lost. 'That's not a lot really,' he said. 'That's nothing.' Air Miles 'retires' 25,000 points from Calgary man Calgarian Todd Woodbeck says Air Miles 'retired' nearly 25,000 of his loyalty points worth close to $8,000. Woodbeck estimates his lost points were worth nearly $8,000. He says he had also paid more than $1,500 out of pocket to purchase nearly 4,800 of those points after winning a golf tournament prize that had to be used toward travel. 'They basically stole that money,' he said. 'I had to show them proof that I had used it towards travel via purchases in the Air Miles program. I printed everything off, thank God.' Woodbeck believes Air Miles had an outdated email address on file—one he hadn't used in five years—and says he never received any warnings by mail or phone. 'They have my address; they have my phone number. I never got anything in the mail. I never got a call,' he said. 'They just took them.' Air Miles responds In a statement to CTV News, Air Miles says its members must use their account at least once over a two-year span to avoid their account becoming inactive. 'We value our collectors and remain committed to enhancing their experience by continuously introducing new partners and exciting offers that encourage ongoing engagement with the program,' read the statement. 'To maintain an active account, collectors must earn, redeem or transfer miles within 24 months—if no activity occurs, the account will be considered inactive. Collectors are proactively notified before any changes to their account status.' Woodbeck, however, says his account still worked when he used it at Shell—raising more questions. 'My card worked that day, and I got two points for it,' he said. 'They didn't discontinue my account—they just stole the points.' Advice for loyalty program collectors Patrick Sojka, founder of says consumers need to pay close attention to the loyalty programs they're enrolled in. 'You should be checking them relatively frequently,' he said. 'It's not just for the expiry; it's even for fraud.' Sojka says many loyalty programs have inactivity policies buried in their terms. 'If you don't earn at least one mile or one point or redeem within a certain time period, they will close it down, and you'll lose all your mileage or points,' he said. 'Some programs are as little as 12 months, but some are 24 months.' He says even small actions – like a $5 gas station purchase – can keep an account active. 'Donating miles to charity is one way, too,' he said. 'That will reset the counter on that inactivity clock.' Sojka also advises collectors to reach out early if they know they won't be using their points for a while. 'Typically, it's better to do it beforehand,' he said. 'But even after the fact, some programs may help you if you show them a good reason why you were inactive.' Aeroplan changes how members earn and qualify Woodbeck's experience comes as other loyalty programs are rolling out major changes of their own. Starting Jan. 1, 2026, Aeroplan members will earn points based on dollars spent on eligible Air Canada flights, rather than the distance flown. The program will also introduce a new system for status qualification called Status Qualifying Credits (SQC). 'Members will earn a minimum of one Aeroplan point per $1 spent,' Air Canada said in a release. 'Depending on their status level ... Aeroplan Elite status members will earn 2x to 6x Aeroplan points per dollar spent.' The airline says SQC can be earned not just through flights, but also Aeroplan credit card use and partner activity. 'These changes help us better recognize [members'] loyalty and keep improving the experience,' said Scott O'Leary, vice president of loyalty and product at Air Canada. Travel expert Onanta Forbes says travelers who stick with a single program will be rewarded the most under the new system. 'If you are loyal to one program, you're going to get more rewards for it,' she said. 'You might want to align yourself with a credit card that offers you points if you spend on it.' Forbes says it's also key to stay informed about changes. 'It's always important to look at the news about your program that you're in, so that you're updated.' 'Do the right thing' Woodbeck says the issue isn't just about fine print; it's about fairness. 'Nobody reads the fine print, and it's in the fine print that if you don't use it for two years, they'll retire – not expire, retire,' he said. 'I would like to get the word out, so people are aware of it.' Woodbeck says he's speaking out to prevent the same thing from happening to others and hopes Air Miles will reconsider its decision by returning his earned points into his account. 'I don't know how many times it's happened before, but I certainly think that if somebody lost 25,000 of these points like me, I would have heard about it,' he said. 'I mean come on, I've been a loyal customer for more than 30 years.' His final message for Air Miles is clear: 'Do the right thing.'
The Sun
28-07-2025
- The Sun
Ultimate travel hacks from credit card benefits to weekday travel, survey shows
A SURVEY has revealed the common hacks Brits love to make the most out of their holidays. Four in 10 consider themselves a 'travel hacker' – using tips and tricks to maximise their holidays. 4 4 Booking flights to leave on weekdays, packaging hotels and journeys together and using loyalty points for upgrades were some of the top tips according to the 2,000 holidayers polled. While utilising credit card travel benefits, buying at certain times of day for better deals and using incognito mode for flight searches were other hacks frequently used when planning ahead. And when heading away, rolling up clothes to save space, bringing snacks to the airport to avoid overpriced food and carrying a portable charger were tricks respondents had up their sleeve. The research was commissioned by Virgin Red, which has teamed up with Alfie Watts to reveal travel tips, while sending him off on a trip around the globe armed with the brand's reward points. Alfie, who visited three continents in 72 hours using them, said: 'Travel doesn't have to break the bank, especially if you are using travel hacks and this trip proves it. 'I flew 9,000 miles across three continents in just 72 hours and stayed in incredible places using points that can be earned through everyday spending like shopping, commuting, and booking holidays. 'But it's not just about the flights – it's the little hacks that make a big difference. 'I normally pack light to avoid pricey hold luggage fees and I also use an eSIM to stay connected without needing to switch out my physical SIM. 'I learned from previous experience that sometimes a long-haul flight pays off when the cost of living at your destination is super low, which help to balance out costs. 'Hiring a car and asking locals for recommendations also allows me the freedom to explore beyond the usual tourist spots. The five-star hotel in Turkey where waitresses in rollerblades serve ice-cold beer 'These are the ultimate travel hacks that lots of people can use when planning a trip or already abroad. 'The beauty is, they are open to anyone." According to the research, travellers utilise an average of three hacks on a typical holiday, with 57 per cent getting tips from friends and family. While 14 per cent look to social media for guidance on ways they could benefit when heading away. Family holidays, relaxing escapes and weekend breaks were the most common trips taken according to the data. Nearly four in 10 (39 per cent) also collect loyalty points, with hotel stays, flight upgrades and shopping vouchers the top things they'd be used for by respondents. While 42 per cent of respondents feel they have definitely missed out by not collecting points from previous trips. It also emerged 26 per cent of all respondents said certain hacks have influenced their decision on where to travel. Of these, 61 per cent said they helped them find more affordable travel options, with 51 per cent admitting they discovered new, lesser-known destinations. More than eight in 10 (83 per cent) of younger travellers aged between 24 and 44 were found to trust travel advice from people who are 'in the know', compared with only 58 per cent of those aged 65 and above. Of those to utilise travel hacks, 20 per cent like to keep them to themselves so others don't benefit, but 33 per cent like to share the love. Interestingly, 26 per cent of all respondents said certain hacks have influenced their decision on where to travel. Finding more affordable options, discovering lesser-known destinations and choosing somewhere with lesser visa requirements were some of the influences. Vicki Simpson from Virgin Red added: "The research has shown that travellers are always keen to utilise hacks where possible. 'Alfie's trip shows how far loyalty points can get you. 'Reward points give travellers the chance to fast track their travels while slowing their spending. 'Whether it's a short weekend away or a once-in-a-lifetime adventure, these smarter ways to travel can undoubtedly make a difference." 4 4
Daily Mail
26-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Race Across the World winner reveals how he travelled across three continents in four days - without spending a penny
A former Race Across the World winner has revealed how he managed to visit three continents in just four days - all without spending a single penny. Alfie Watts, who won fourth series of the epic BBC reality show in 2024, partnered with Virgin Red to test just how far travel hacking - which involves the savvy use of loyalty points, insider tips, and strategic planning - can take travellers. Using 224,000 Virgin Points, the 22-year-old from St. Albans travelled 9,000 miles from Johannesburg to London, before ending his trip in New York City, ticking off bucket list destinations in Africa, Europe and North America in less than a week. As more young Brits adopt a 'travel hacking' mindset, Virgin Red 's latest research shows 55 per cent of Gen Z already consider themselves savvy travellers, with over 40 per cent regretting not earning points on past trips. The survey of 2,000 UK travellers also found over half (52 per cent) now plan their holidays around hacks, and 61 per cent use them to find more affordable travel options. Alfie's journey began in South Africa, where he immersed himself in the vibrant culture of Johannesburg, exploring the stylish spaces of Rosebank and 44 Stanley Street. From there, he flew overnight to London to enjoy iconic street food at Borough Market, before catching another long-haul flight to New York - all covered entirely with points. Visiting Johannesburg was a particularly meaningful experience for Watts, who has long wanted to explore South Africa. One of his highlights was seeing the FNB Stadium in person - the site of the 2010 FIFA World Cup's opening match, which he described as the moment that sparked his childhood love of football. He said: 'It was the first football event that I watched as a kid, that, like, got me into football, which is behind travel, my second passion. 'That was pretty remarkable because I got to see that in the flesh and I just think, being able to explore Johannesburg which someone has been on my list for such a long time. It was really special.' Despite the whirlwind nature of the trip, Watts said the key to making the most of his time was smart scheduling. The avid traveller revealed he made the most of every stop by cleverly using overnight flights to maximise time on the ground to explore each location. He pointed out that while back-to-back long-haul flights are always a challenge, he found the experience manageable, especially with the comfort of premium economy on the final leg to New York. The entire trip was solely covered by Virgin Red points, with Watts revealing he spent 88,000 Virgin Points on his premium economy flight from London to New York - a journey he says can cost as little as 16,500 with more flexibility. Watts commented: 'If I was more flexible with my days, I'd have got a much better deal for myself. But I thought it was important to still show how far you can get using just points because of the extensive route network.' The entire trip was solely covered by Virgin Red points, with Watts revealing he spent 88,000 Virgin Points on his premium economy flight from London to New York - a journey he says can cost as little as 16,500 with more flexibility In total, Alfie used 224,000 Virgin Points to fund the whole trip, which included his overnight stay at a Virgin hotel in New York once the challenge had come to an end In total, Alfie used 224,000 Virgin Points to fund the whole trip, which included his overnight stay at a Virgin hotel in New York once the challenge had come to an end. The value of points, which can be exchanged for flights, upgrades and hotel stays - depends on how they are redeemed, but can be worth up to 2p each when used for business or first-class Virgin Atlantic fights, and around 0.5p for economy flights. He encouraged would-be travel hackers to start off small by checking which everyday purchases and high street retailers are linked to loyalty schemes like Virgin Red. By simply linking accounts and continue regular spending habits, travellers can can collect points without purchasing a plane ticket - even common services like food delivery apps, he noted, can earn points when linked properly. Watts added: 'It can be a really difficult thing to get your head around. Hands down, best thing to do is just go to the virtual website, then see where you spend money.' 'Sign up, link your accounts, and then your Virgin points will just start dropping into your account as you spend.' On Deliveroo, for example, new customers can earn 7 points with every £1 spent, while existing customers can earn 2 points with every £1 spent. Watts also confessed he previously missed out on points by not taking travel hacking seriously - but after this challenge, he's planning to get more strategic for future trips. He said: 'You don't actually realise about how much value you're you're losing out just by just by not linking your account, so it's definitely something that I'm going to start doing. 'I am going away for three weeks, but when I get back, I'm going to properly knuckle down and start being a bit more savvy.' The BBC star is now about to set off on a trip to the US, but playfully mentioned if he could go anywhere using only Virgin Points, he'd opt for 'Virgin Atlantic Upper Class to the Maldives, followed by a premium economy trip to St Vincent and the Grenadines'. For more information on how to set up a Virgin Red account and begin earning points and rewards, visiting the website here.
Zawya
14-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
QIB and Visa launch cards summer spend campaign
Doha, Qatar: Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB), Qatar's leading digital bank in collaboration with Visa, has announced an exclusive offer for its existing and new Visa Debit and Credit cardholders. Running until 14 October 2025, the campaign rewards a total of 370 customers over a period of 3 months with 100 Million loyalty points prize pool. QIB is rewarding international spends this summer, giving a chance to 70 winners to walk away with a Million loyalty points each in addition to a total of 300 monthly winners with 100,000 loyalty points each. The loyalty points will be offered as Absher, Avios, Marriott Bonvoy or Meera Rewards based on the QIB card used to enter the draw. Every month, 100 winners will be randomly selected, to receive 100,000 loyalty points over a period of 3 months. 70 grand winners will be awarded 1 Million loyalty points each at the end of the campaign, making a total of 370 winners of Visa cardholders. Cardholders will automatically qualify for the monthly draw when spending a total of QAR 1,000 per month on international transactions. Every additional QAR 1,000 spends within the same month increases their chances to win 100,000 loyalty points. Cardholders who spend a total of QAR 15,000 internationally during the campaign period will have a chance to win 1 Million loyalty points. Every additional QAR15,000 spends during the campaign period will increase their chance to win the grand prize. Commenting on the launch of the campaign, Mr. D. Anand, QIB's General Manager – Personal Banking Group, said: 'At QIB, we believe that every payment should offer our customers more—more value, more convenience, and more possibilities. The Summer Spend Campaign is part of our long-term vision to transform everyday banking into meaningful experiences. Together with Visa, we are enabling our customers to turn their international spending into real rewards, wherever their journeys take them.' Mr. Shashank Singh, Visa's VP and General Manager for Qatar and Kuwait, said: 'We are thrilled to partner with QIB on this exclusive campaign. It reflects our shared vision of delivering rewarding experiences and supporting cardholders during their travels with secure and seamless payment options. And thanks to Visa's acceptance at more than 150 millions merchant locations worldwide, QIB's customers can also enjoy the confidence and convenience of using their Visa cards wherever their travels take them.' Winners will be selected through a prize draw conducted by a representative from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and QIB officials.
The Sun
08-07-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Quadruple your Boots Advantage card points with our ULTIMATE guide – including quick email trick to when to shop
MILLIONS of shoppers have a Boots Advantage card - but do you know the secret ways to boost your points? You collect points when you shop, which can be used to pay off your shopping - and experts have exclusively revealed the tricks to supersizing your points balance. 1 The loyalty scheme has been running since 1997, and there are now over 17 million Advantage card members. It works by rewarding shoppers with three points for every £1 they spend. Each point is worth 1p, so if you've saved 1234 points, you'll have £12.34 to spend. To pay for your shopping using your points balance, you'll need the full amount as you can't split payments between points and cash. Many shoppers build up their balance over the year to buy Christmas presents, or get bargains in the mega Boots sale at the end of the year. But there are ways to boost your points balance, and put more money back in your pocket. Shopping pros have revealed their tips to making super savings at the high street favourite. Download the app NOW for quadruple points The Boots Advantage Card app is a "game changer", according to Holly Smith, aka the UK's Coupon Queen. These are where your Advantage points, and tailored offers, will be listed. Sometimes, you can earn double, triple, or even QUADRUPLE your points by using these offers. Tap 'View Offers' under your points balance in the app to see your personalised deals. "Right now, my offers are 500 Advantage Card points if I spend £35 or more in-store, 100 points if I buy any Boots own brand products, and 10% off if I spend £15 or more on children's products – plus loads more," said Holly. We've also spotted offers where you can get triple points for buying a BioandMe product. If you bout the Super Seedy & Nutty Gut-Loving Granola 360g box for £3.19, that would mean you would have got 9 points originally, but with the offer, you could boost your points to 28. The extra points will usually come with stipulations such as when you spend a certain amount, buy selected products or could simply offered as a one or two-time offer. To get the boosted points, you will need to 'load to your card', which means adding the offers onto your card before making a purchase, to get the boost. The offers typically change every four weeks, though there are also one day events that crop up so it's worth checking in regularly to see what's available in store or on your app. See if you can stack your offers to turbocharge your savings. For example, if you had an offer to get double points when you spend £45, as well as an offer to get £3 worth of points when spending £10 on own-brand products, make sure to save your shopping for one big trip to cash in on both the offers by stacking them. The app starts to understand what you usually buy and will become accustomed to your favourite product, and begin tailoring special offers just for you. You shouldn't spend more than you can afford just to get point boosts or buy goods that you wouldn't ordinary have bought - the extra spending will quickly outweigh the benefits of the points. How to sign up to the Boots Advantage Card scheme YOU can sign up for the Boost scheme online and in store. You can grab a physical card in store, and then register the card online at the Boots' registration page here. If you're signing up online, head to the Boots Advantage Card application page here. Enter your email address to register. Or, you can sign up through the Boots app. Download it for free and follow the instructions. Advantage prices Boots has followed in the steps of major supermarkets by offering special lower prices on thousands of selected products to advantage card holders. You can get up to 50% off certain products. For example, we've spotted offers where you can get almost 10% off nearly everything if you spend £25. Another offer we spotted is that you can get £5 off Fenty skin hydra vizor SP30 moisturiser range. The Invisible Moisturizer from this range is £35, which means you can get it for £30. Consumer deals expert Dan Evans from said: "Loyalty cards have become more of a must have than just a nice extra, in this day and age, especially with instant discounts at the till helping cut the cost of your bills. "With so many retailers competing for attention, shopping around really pays off." I've saved thousands with my Boots Advantage card - here's my tricks to boosting points Mayah Riaz, 42, from Nottingham is a pro at boosting her Advantage card points, and has saved 23,732 points worth £237. 32. The publicist at Maya Media estimates she spends around £100-£200 a month at Boots, which would ordinarily mean around 300-600 points worth between £3 and £6. However, through savvy shopping tricks, Maya manages to boost her points to around 400-800 points a month worth between £4 and £8. She says she's saved thousands thanks to the scheme, which she has been a member for since 1997. She says: "I always make a list of things I need and when they have points offers, I bulk buy items during this period. "I also use the app regularly so I can get coupons and points tailored for me." She also tries to shop with friends who don't have the loyalty card so she can swipe hers. Mayah admits she has also asked to swipe her card if she sees someone in the queue who doesn't have an advantage card. She says: "I used to do this a lot when I was younger but it's more difficult these days with self check-outs and also I don't always go in-store for my shopping." She said: "I love buying my perfume with the points, as that feels like a treat. "Only this week I looked to see I have enough points to buy a new GHD straighteners which is currently discounted too. "But part of me hasn't been able to let me buy it as I can't bear to lose nearly all of my points in one go." Spend on points weekends Delay your shopping trips to the weekend, where Boots is more likely to launch points offers. Shops will more likely launch offers over the weekend to tempt customers in stores. Typical deals that have launched in the past include 1,000 extra points when spending a sizeable amount such as £50 or £60. Quick email trick Boots Advantage card offers will usually be advertised by email. The trick is to sign up for marketing emails to hoover up all the available offers. Sign up to the Boots mailing list here. Make sure to check your inbox on Thursdays or Fridays, so you can plan your trip. You could even set up a special email inbox for offers from Boots, and other retailers, so it doesn't clog up your normal inbox. That way, you'll never miss a deal. Recycle for points Boots has a scheme where you can recycle your empty cosmetics, health and beauty packaging to get a big points boost worth up to £5. There are usually drop-off points located in store. To use the scheme you'll need to download the Boots Scan2recycle app. Scan at least five empty items through the app for recycling. You can recycle items that can't ordinarily be recycled at home, such as mascara, eyeshadow pallets or travel-sized toiletry containers. Once you've dropped off the empty packaging, you'll then get a voucher in your app which you can scan when spending £10 or more to get a 500 points boost. Parenting Club If you have kids, then you can boost your points by spending on essentials like nappies and baby food. To do this, sign up to the store's Parenting Club if you have a child under five. You can boost your points by bagging eight instead of three for every £1 spent on baby items. You also get access to in-store events, free gifts and extra savings when you sign up to the Club so it's worthwhile if you have a little one. Stack offers to boost your savings. For example, shoppers can currently get 10% off a £30 on selected baby products with the code BABYJULY. Plus, save an extra 5% on your shop with the code BIRTHDAY. So if you spent £30 on qualifying products, your shopping would actually be £25.50. 'I save my points to get my Christmas presents for FREE' Carol Wiltshire, 60, is the founder of underwear brand String Nix saves her points to spend at Christmas each year. The savvy shopper from Guildford spends around £200 a month in Boots. And has recently joined the Over 60s club which allows her to bank eight points for every £1 spent on certain items. She mostly saves the points to help out during the costly festive period. Carol said: "I have around 9,000 points at the moment which is the equivalent of £90.00. "By Christmas I like to have around £200 - £300 in points to spend on little luxuries, stocking fillers and everyday essentials." Carol makes a list of everything she needs when ordering online or go to the store. And always uses the app to get offers such as double points. She added: "Boots Advantage is a really nice rewards programme because you actually see a cash amount rather than just points. "If you have the app on your phone you don't need cash, you can use your points to pay for the whole basket." Over 60s can earn extra points Older shoppers can get boosted points too. When you hit 60 and you have an Advantage card, you can join Boots Over 60s rewards, which means you'll scoop eight points for every £1 spent on on Boots Own and exclusive brands. These include names such as No7, Soap & Glory, Botanics, Liz Earle, Champneys, Soltan, Natural Collection and Joules. There is also access to in-store events, as well as exclusive offers. This is in addition to the 10% off Boots Price Advantage prices. Get a Birthday bonus Treat yourself on your birthday and get free bonus points in the process. During your birthday month, you can double your points, which is six points for every £1 spent. Make sure you put in your date of birth when signing up so you can access the offer. Remember to add the offer to your card before spending. Big ticket items can boost points Did you know you can get kitchen appliances at Boots? The Advantage scheme works on these products, so you can bank huge points with these big ticket items. For example, if you bought the Bosch 10kg washing machine for £499, you could get 1,497 worth of points - worth £14.97. Before you make your purchase, see if you can buy the same model for cheaper elsewhere. If you can't, then you've got yourself a huge bargain. Use your card or lose the points If you gather a large amount of points on your card, you'll want to make sure that you don't lose them. Points will expire after 12 months if your account is inactive for that time meaning they will be wiped and your total down to zero regardless of when they were collected. As long as you are still actively using your card, you don't have to spend your points within 12 months. If you don't shop at Boots often it could be worth setting a calendar reminder after your last shop to make a note to spend points on the card or make a trip to Boots to buy something small and use your card. Otherwise, after 12 months of no use, the balance will automatically reset.
