Did you know that an Air Miles card is used across Canada over 1,000 times every minute and that an Air Miles reward is redeemed every two seconds?
The Air Miles Reward Program, the country’s most recognized loyalty program with over 10 million members, lets you earn Cash or Dream Rewards.
Keep reading to learn how to redeem Air Miles for groceries, flights, hotels, merchandise and more.
Key Takeaways
- Air Miles is a loyalty program where you earn Cash or Dream Rewards you can redeem for flights, hotels, groceries, merchandise, etc.
- Accumulate Miles by spending in-store or online at participating stores, using your Air Miles credit cards, and booking flights using Air Miles Travel.
- BMO recently purchased the Air Miles Reward Program for $160M. It plans to expand the program through new ways of earning and redeeming Miles.
How to Redeem Air Miles
Redeem Air Miles by logging in to your online account or through the Air Miles app and checking your balance.
To redeem your Dream Miles, go to airmiles.ca and use your Air Miles login to access your account.
As for your Cash Miles, you can redeem them in-store in person or online at partner stores.
Air Miles Cash Rewards
Air Miles Cash Rewards, or Cash Miles, let you use the Miles from your Cash Account towards daily purchases at in-store and online partners. These rewards are convertible into cash or cash-like eVouchers that you can use for online purchases.
Air Miles Cash Rewards start at 95 Cash Miles, which is equivalent to $10. Use up to a maximum of $750 in Cash Miles per day. Redeem Cash Miles at participating stores by presenting your Air Miles card at checkout.
Air Miles Dream Rewards
Air Miles Dream Rewards, also called Dream Miles, are Miles you can redeem for non-cash rewards, such as vacation packages, flights, hotels, car rentals and cruises.
You can also redeem merchandise, fashion, jewellery, gadgets, cookware, concerts and tickets to movies and theatres.
Redeem Dream Miles online using your Air Miles login to access your Air Miles account. Browse the platform or Air Miles Merchandise, which also functions as an Air Miles Dream Rewards Catalogue.
Air Miles Dream Rewards Catalogue
Find a vast array of Dream rewards at Air Miles Merchandise, which also functions as Air Miles Dream Rewards Catalogue.
Product categories include Electronics, Kitchen and Dining, Home, Fashion and Beauty, Outdoor Living, Sports and Fitness, Luggage and Travel, etc.
Browse the Air Miles Rewards Catalogue 2023 and use your Dream Miles to redeem items from brands like Anker, Bosch, Coleman, ConAir, Garmin, LG, Philips and Samsung.
How to Redeem Air Miles for Groceries
You can redeem Air Miles for groceries with a few simple steps. Present your Air Miles card at checkout.
If you are still waiting for your permanent card to arrive, print out a copy of your Air Miles card. Or, you can verbally give the sales clerk your account number.
How to Redeem Air Miles for Flights
Here are the steps on how to redeem Air Miles for flights:
- Go to airmiles.ca and use your Air Miles card number and PIN for your Air Miles login.
- Go to “Book Flights” and provide the necessary travel information.
- Click “Find Flights” and select from the flights on offer.
- Choose the flight you prefer and book it to redeem Dream Miles.
How to Redeem Air Miles for Hotel Rooms
The procedure for redeeming Air Miles for hotel rooms is straightforward.
Redeem Air Miles for hotel rooms by going to the Air Miles Travel website and signing in. Provide the booking details and travel information. For the payment preference section, choose “Dream Miles” to cover 50% or more of your booking to unlock exclusive collector deals and added savings.
What is the Air Miles Rewards Program?
The Air Miles Rewards Program is a loyalty program with over 10 million active collector accounts. It rewards members for purchases with miles they can redeem for various things, including merchandise, hotels, flights, travel and more.
Air Miles come in two kinds: Cash Miles and Dream Miles. Cash Miles work more like cash, which you usually redeem to cover purchases at partner stores. Dream Miles are often used to book travel, flights or hotels.
Launched in 1992, the Air Miles Rewards Program was operated by Loyalty One until it filed for bankruptcy in March 2023. In June, the Bank of Montreal announced that it purchased Air Miles for $160 million and plans to expand the program with new ways to earn and redeem points.
How to Earn Air Miles
Here are five ways to earn Air Miles:
- Air Miles In-Store. Shop in person at participating stores and partner locations.
- Air Miles Online. Shop your favourite brands online and earn points.
- Air Miles Linked Loyalty. Use your Mastercard linked to your Air Miles card to rack up Bonus Miles with limited-time card-linked offers.
- BMO Air Miles Credit Card. Earn Air Miles on purchases made with your BMO Air Miles credit card.
- Air Miles Travel. Earn Miles for your next trip by using Air Miles Travel to book flights, hotels, car rentals and more.
Benefits of the Air Miles Rewards Program
- Free to join
- Fabulous rewards for shopping at numerous partner stores online and in-store
- Several ways to get Air Miles Cash rewards
- Discounts on admissions, tickets and events
- Dream Miles are very flexible and can be redeemed for numerous items, while Cash Miles are stable and easy to use
- Numerous retail partners to get Air Miles from
Downsides of the Air Miles Rewards Program
- Cannot convert Cash Miles to Dream Miles and vice-versa
- Dream Miles does not have a standard mile value that can determine if you are getting a good deal.
- Air Miles accumulated points expire if the account associated with it is dormant for 24 months.
- Reinstating an inactive Air Miles account costs $0.15 per mile.
- Cannot transfer points to other loyalty programs
How to Sign Up for the Air Miles Rewards Program
To sign up for the Air Miles Rewards Program, go to the Air Miles website, click “Join Now” and complete the online application form. You must be at least 16 years old.
Complete the signup process by agreeing to the Terms and Conditions and understanding the Privacy Policy.
Once the company approves your application, it will send you a membership number and a physical card. Activate your Collector Account by setting your balance preference to allocate your rewards to Cash Miles or Dream Miles.
Air Miles Credit Cards
Co-branded Air Miles credit cards are easy ways to earn rewards across Canada and redeem them for countless options.
Below is a list of credit cards you can use for purchases at participating stores to earn rewards like merchandise, flights, hotels and more.
American Express Air Miles Credit Card
The American Express Air Miles Credit Card lets you earn miles in two ways:
- 1 Mile for every $15 in card purchases at eligible Air Miles partners
- 1 Mile for every $20 in card purchases everywhere else
American Express Air Miles Platinum Credit Card
With the American Express Air Miles Platinum Credit Card, you earn:
- 1 Mile for every $5 in card purchases, up to $30,000 annually, on qualifying food and drinks and gas and transit
- 1 Mile for every $10 in card purchases everywhere else
American Express Air Miles Reserve Credit Card
The American Express Air Miles Reserve Credit Card lets you earn:
- 1 Mile for every $10 at Air Miles partners
- 1 Mile for every $10 at stand-alone gasoline stations for automobiles, grocery stores, and drugstores
- 1 Mile for every $15 of other card purchases
BMO Air Miles World Elite Mastercard
The BMO Air Miles World Elite Mastercard offers several ways to earn miles and the rewards you can get:
- 3 Miles for every $12 spent on your everyday needs at participating Air Miles partners
- 2 Miles for every $12 spent at any eligible grocery store plus 1 Mile for every $12 you spend everywhere else
- A 25% flight booking discount on one worldwide Air Miles flight redemption during the calendar year
BMO Air Miles Mastercard
Every time you spend using your BMO Air Miles Mastercard, you earn the following:
- 3 Miles for every $25 you spend at participating Air Miles partners
- 2 Miles for every $25 you spend at any eligible grocery store
Is the Air Miles Rewards Program Worth It?
The Air Miles Rewards Program is worth it for several reasons. First off, it does not cost anything to join the program. Earning miles is nearly effortless since you just need to present your rewards card whenever you make purchases at partner stores or enter the account number upon checkout at participating online shops.
Having said that, accumulating Miles can take time if you only get it through spending. One trick is to go for the promotions, which is where you can find remarkable value. Signing up, for example, for a BMO Air Miles World Elite Mastercard can get you 2,000 Air Miles Bonus Miles.
On top of signup bonuses, yearly major in-store promotions at many partner stores give great value for less effort. Consider joining as many of these offers apart from spending at participating retailers. These can help rack up your points faster within a year.
FAQs
Go to the Air Miles Cash Rewards page to find the list of online and in-store cash rewards partners. Search according to region or cash reward type.
The amount will depend on the actual flight reward cost. There is, however, a minimum spend requirement of 30,000 Air Miles per airline ticket.Â
No. Once you earn a Cash Mile, you cannot convert it to a Dream Mile or vice-versa. But you can change your balance preference whenever you wish to.Â
Air Miles does not expire and will remain in your Air Miles account as long as you keep it active. If it becomes dormant for 24 consecutive months and you do not use it to earn or redeem rewards, your points on it will be forfeited.Â
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