Safeway's Sweet AirMiles Deals

[sewcraftygirl]

So disappointed. My husband just picked up his prescription which we normally get 2000+ airmiles for every 8wks and found out Safeway no longer gives airmiles for prescriptions covered by Pharmacare. *sigh*

ETA: I just fOund out this is a gov't thing and not related to Safeway or any of the stores that give out loyalty points on prescriptions.

[Miss Molly]

This isn't Safeway related but Air Miles. I bought a travel card from Best Western using my Amex card and was hit with a currency conversion fee by Amex of $5.95. I went back and forth between Amex and BW for over a week because neither knew why I was charged and each blamed the other, but today BW sent me an email saying it's definitely Amex's charge, based on this:

http://travelcard.bestwestern.com/tr...mCondition.jsp

Bullet #4:

If a purchaser uses American Express to purchase a Travel Card(s) in a currency other than USD, such currency must be converted to USD and will be subject to a conversion fee.

Basically, if you buy the travel card in CDN dollars using a CDN Amex card, you STILL get charged a conversion fee even if you at no time said you were buying US Dollars.

Best Western's recommendation is that Travel Cards not be bought with an Amex card.

Totally stupid. I've contacted Amex yet again because I don't think it's fair but I doubt they'll do anything about it.

Anyway, I put this in the Airmiles thread because I bought the cards to get air miles. You get 100 if you spend $100, 200 if you spend $200 etc.

[operabob]

Did you compare using Air Miles to fly out of Seattle? If anything the taxes would be a lot less.

Didn't think of that. Will have a look.

Either way it will cost us about $300-$400 total to get to Seattle.

[operabob]

Doesn't offer Seattle (either airport) to Ft. Lauderdale but does offer Victoria to Ft. Lauderdale.

[hollyhill]

So disappointed. My husband just picked up his prescription which we normally get 2000+ airmiles for every 8wks and found out Safeway no longer gives airmiles for prescriptions covered by Pharmacare. *sigh*

ETA: I just fOund out this is a gov't thing and not related to Safeway or any of the stores that give out loyalty points on prescriptions.

Aww shucks. And our pharmacare JUST kicked in. I normally get about 300 AM per month for my daughters prescriptions but now that Pharmacare has kicked in now (I am not complaining I am thrilled when they start picking up the tab) I won't get anything until January again...

The accuchek is a company sponsored bonus though so it should still count, if not I will be going back to LD which has a loyalty program for strips. for every 500 strips ( 5 boxes) we get a $25 LD GC, pharmacare or not.

[kelsie94]

I kind of hate Safeway's Email direct airmile coupons. This is the third time I've used them that the cashier messes up and they don't go through. I am so impatient and hate getting them through the book.

It's not the cashier, its those darn email coupons! Safeway STILL needs to get it straightened out! Very frustrating.

[newfbc]

Doesn't offer Seattle (either airport) to Ft. Lauderdale but does offer Victoria to Ft. Lauderdale.

Ah, ok.. just noticed that. Weird. Do you have the BMO AM Gold Mastercard? If not, flights would be 25% cheaper.

Ron.

[kelsie94]

I used the Glad Sense and Spray FPC and didn't get any airmiles added to my final receipt. Does anyone know why?

I dont believe they give airmiles for freebies. I purchased 2 green giant frozen veggies (purchase 2 and receive 20 bonus airmiles). I had a coupon for a free one, which I used. I only received 10 bonus airmiles!!

[hiwaygirl]

Airmiles is no longer offering flights that originate in the US - in other words you can't fly out of Seattle anymore.
In the spring we used Airmiles to fly our family of 4 to Disneyland (Seattle to Orange County). Same number of Airmiles as Vancouver to Orange County - we only paid the taxes which were $189. I looked in to booking Vancouver to Orange County with Airmiles - the Canadian taxes were over $700.!!!!!
I only know all this as I waited on the phone for almost and hour yesterday to talk to and Airmiles rep when I couldn't get the flights I wanted on line. They said flights based out of the US are not popular so they are no longer offering that option!!!! Yet on the news last night was a story about how the Bellingham airport is stealing away business from YVR because the fares are so much cheaper - mainly due to the high taxes we pay at YVR. For me it's just not worth it to use Airmiles for flights anymore. I can fly Bellingham or Seattle to California for less than the taxes alone cost flying out of Vancouver.
Please phone (or email - it's quicker!!!) and complain if you normally fly out of the US - maybe they will see it is a popular option.

[newfbc]

Airmiles is no longer offering flights that originate in the US - in other words you can't fly out of Seattle anymore.
In the spring we used Airmiles to fly our family of 4 to Disneyland (Seattle to Orange County). Same number of Airmiles as Vancouver to Orange County - we only paid the taxes which were $189. I looked in to booking Vancouver to Orange County with Airmiles - the Canadian taxes were over $700.!!!!!
I only know all this as I waited on the phone for almost and hour yesterday to talk to and Airmiles rep when I couldn't get the flights I wanted on line. They said flights based out of the US are not popular so they are no longer offering that option!!!! Yet on the news last night was a story about how the Bellingham airport is stealing away business from YVR because the fares are so much cheaper - mainly due to the high taxes we pay at YVR. For me it's just not worth it to use Airmiles for flights anymore. I can fly Bellingham or Seattle to California for less than the taxes alone cost flying out of Vancouver.
Please phone (or email - it's quicker!!!) and complain if you normally fly out of the US - maybe they will see it is a popular option.

Ah.. so this is recent.. I know a while ago I was looking at flights out of Seattle and there were lots of options.. this sucks.. Air Miles is slowly going downhill.

Ron.

[operabob]

I dont believe they give airmiles for freebies.

You get AMs on BOGOs.

[RBROOKS1]

I have also not been impressed with Airmiles. No more airmiles on 3rd party prescription payments (Safeway could fix that by increasing it's 7X to a higher figure- perhaps 12x or 15x etc.)
I also prefer to cash in airmiles for gc's. I find then I can use them to purchase items I want on sale, etc.
I also am looking at more options. I've recently started shopping more at Thrifty Foods (who started a points program) and Country Grocer (because their prices are better in a lot of areas overall- no points)
I use a dividend card to pay (free) which pays me 1% in December. I get 5% or so by using a co-op for gas.
I do not buy just because something has airmiles. I compare, buy only what is in my mind useful and good. I am somewhat loyal but won't hesitate to change my habits. With regards to Safeway I am finding the products with airmiles are trending upwards on sticker price- at least that is my sense and other stores are becoming better overall to shop at. It seems the B100G100 are less frequent too.
Overall I too am not thrilled with the changes I see. I will continue to use airmiles but look at the alternatives closer.

[RBROOKS1]

Oops- I should have posted on the Airmiles thread- goofed. But it does refer a lot to Safeway.

[Donna456]

I agree that the B100G100 is becoming less frequent. I wondered if it was just me that thought that. Without that deal I rarely shop at Safeways because it is so much more expensive.
Last week the Safeway liquor store had a B100G100 deal on. I felt like I bought enough booze for a small army but I got the airmiles and won't need liquor for a long time. It was the first time I realized that the Safeway liquor stores did that. I have never seen any advertising about it and the liquor store flyer does not come in my weekly flyers. When I asked the manager why they don't advertise it more he just gave me a blank look...

[operabob]

Donna,

Which store?

Last week the Safeway liquor store had a B100G100 deal on. I felt like I bought enough booze for a small army but I got the airmiles and won't need liquor for a long time.

There was an article last month in MoneySense Magazine about saving money while travelling. They trumpeted the use of Duty Frees to purchase liquor in the US. From personal experience I can say Duty Frees are a rip. I usually price compare when travelling. Last time I spent $38 and $48 on two bottles at a grocery store in Marina Del Ray. Flying back those same two were $48 and $58 at the Airport Duty Frees. I also deal with the tourist industry here. The bus drivers often pick up something for us when they're coming north. The won't shop at the Duty Frees as they get it cheaper elsewhere.

Not AirMiles related but useful knowledge.