Here's your Rewards Canada Daily update! Your bear daily dose of loyalty program, credit card and travel news, bonuses, deals and more. This update is brought to you by the HSBC World Elite Mastercard which is currently offering a welcome bonus of up to 100,000 bonus points worth $500, has no foreign transaction fees and no annual fee in the first year!
Down in the U.S. there were changes announced to the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Visa Signature Credit Card including new accelerated earn rates on dining, gas and grocery plus elite status night with spend. According to an interview Gary Leff at View from the Wing had with Chase and Marriott these changes were not meant to attract new customers:Chase’s President of Co-Brands Ed Olebe offered a different framing. In my conversation with him he didn’t portray the accelerators as game-changers. Instead he suggsested that the “intent here is how do we take a world class card and make it better, not fix something broken but improve something people love.”
In other words cardmembers who already use the Marriott card are getting more value, more reason to spend on the card and use it more. It’s not going to convert people from spend on high accelerator-earning products or move people over from 2% cash back.
So one has to wonder will we see the same thing here in Canada? Will Amex and Marriott be providing more value on their co-brand cards here for their existing cardmembers? I have reached out to Amex to see if they can share any details and if we learn anything that can be share we'll be sure to let you all know.
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Continuing on with American Express I saw a tweet from them today that states Amex cards will no longer provide access to the Quebec City Jean Lesage VIP Lounge and you have to use your Priorty Pass card via the app to access. From what I gather Amex hasn't actually lost access however it appears the lounge has put into an automatic electronic or eGate entry system that scans the Prioriy Pass app, boarding pass etc. As Amex cards can't be scanned they can't be used for entry.I haven't found out if this is temporary or not. Currently the Amex Lounge Guide and YQB's own guide to the lounge still state Amex cards can gain access but I'm guessing those have not been updated yet. I'll see if I can find more however if any our Rewards Canada readers are travelling via YQB and are planning on using the lounge please do tell us if they have more details!
Image via Twitter
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Posts since our last update:
- AIR MILES Bonus Boom is back! Earn bonus miles with participating partners + up 300 bonus miles when using multiple offersThe latest AIR MILES Bonus Boom event kicked off today with your usual set of bonus miles offers…
- Great deal! TAP Air Portugal business class from Toronto to Portugal round trip for under $2,000 plus double Miles&Go status milesTAP Air Portugal has launched a great Valentine's Day sale for travel for their flights out of Toronto. It…
- February 9 Update: Marriott's global promotion now live, a new flash bonus points offer for Homes & Villas by Marriott + one more Amex FedEx offerHere's your Rewards Canada Daily update! Your bear daily dose of loyalty program, credit card and travel news, bonuses,
Deals:
Hilton Hotels
Stay at Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, LXR Hotels & Resorts, and Conrad Hotels & Resorts and receive a $150 on-property credit for each night you stay. Click here to book this offer.
Canadian Bonus Offers
Other Bonus Offers
AeroMexico Club Premier
- Earn up to 5,000 Bonus Club Premier points when you rent a car with Hertz. Earn 5,000 points for rentals in Mexico and 3,000 points for the rest of the world. Book by Feb 28 for rentals until May 31, 22 More...
Avianca LifeMiles
- Receive up to a 145% bonus when you buy LifeMiles. Valid until Feb 23, 22 More...
IHG Rewards
- Up to a 100% bonus when you buy 5,000 or more IHG Rewards Points. Bonus varies by member. Until Mar 18, 22 More...
Marriott Bonvoy
- 2,000 Bonus Bonvoy points PER NIGHT at the Courtyard Newark Silicon Valley or Residence Inn Newark Silicon Valley Until Mar 31, 22 More...
- 2,000 Bonus Bonvoy points PER NIGHT at the Courtyard Oakland Airport. Until Mar 31, 22 More...
United MileagePlus
- Up to a 100% bonus when you buy MileagePlus Miles. Until Feb 28, 22 More...
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
- Up to 70% Bonus Virgin Points when you buy 5,000 or more points. Until Mar 11, 22 More...