Safeway's Sweet AirMiles Deals

[operabob]

Thanks Ron,

I've sent my email for 150+ missing.

[Tommycoupons]

Thanks Ron,

I've sent my email for 150+ missing.

ya same they owe me 400 plus 100 that was written up. Obviously the people at safeway facebook have no idea what is going on, because they probably screwed every collector for that week.

[RonBC]

ya same they owe me 400 plus 100 that was written up. Obviously the people at safeway facebook have no idea what is going on, because they probably screwed every collector for that week.

I agree.. I think Safeway messed up and didn't send the report for the week over to Air Miles.

Ron.

[operabob]

[hopesdreams]

I am trying to save my airmiles to fly our granddaughter and daughter home in April. The flight is from Edmonton Alberta to BC. Airmiles told me over the phone the taxes are $200 each person. Does anyone know why the taxes are so high. If I book on the west jet site the taxes are less. Any information would help on airmiles flights as we are on a tight budget. Not sure if this is the right place to ask this. If not sorry.

[Tommycoupons]

I am trying to save my airmiles to fly our granddaughter and daughter home in April. The flight is from Edmonton Alberta to BC. Airmiles told me over the phone the taxes are $200 each person. Does anyone know why the taxes are so high. If I book on the west jet site the taxes are less. Any information would help on airmiles flights as we are on a tight budget. Not sure if this is the right place to ask this. If not sorry.

Umm it's cheaper to book online then on the phone, also if Air Canada flights are offered they are less tax than Crapjet. Some days Crapjet is online for flights and other days just Air Canada. I prefer AC.

[emax]

I am trying to save my airmiles to fly our granddaughter and daughter home in April. The flight is from Edmonton Alberta to BC. Airmiles told me over the phone the taxes are $200 each person. Does anyone know why the taxes are so high. If I book on the west jet site the taxes are less. Any information would help on airmiles flights as we are on a tight budget. Not sure if this is the right place to ask this. If not sorry.

Airmiles calls it "taxes" but it's not comparable to the taxes you pay if you buy a ticket direct from the airline. Frankly, it doesn't matter what they call it -- fuel surcharge, tax, booking fee -- in the end what you need to focus on the the total out-of-pocket cash you need to spend on top of the airmiles, and compare this to the cost of buying the same ticket from the airline.

What you will find is the surcharges add up to several hundred dollars per person. Redeeming airmiles doesn't give you a free flight, not by a long shot. Think of it more like a discount compared to buying the ticket directly. Make sure you find out from Airmiles what the total cash will be (on top of the airmiles) -- get them to disclose everything, including taxes, booking fees, etc.

As Tommy said the booking fee is a little cheaper ($15 instead of $30 I think) if you book on their website instead of by phone. However, I'd recommend calling them first (be prepared to be on hold for a while) and get a full disclosure of the total cost. Then look around for seat sales for a comparison. You may find it doesn't cost much more to buy a cheap ticket from westjet, then save your airmiles for something else that gives you more value. IE: instead of spending 2000 airmiles plus $200 booking thru Airmiles, you might decide to spend $300 total on a ticket from Westjet, and redeem your 2000 airmiles for $200 worth of investment vouchers at Bank of Montreal (instead of using them towards the flight). You'd be $100 ahead that way.

Also make sure you get the flight number, and details such as stopovers, total time, etc. when you talk to Airmiles -- often the only flight available thru airmiles is a red-eye or one that has a stopover that has you sitting on the runway for 2 hours.

By the way, Airmiles never used to be this lousy, they've gone severely downhill in the past few years. You have to check the numbers to see if it's worth it anymore.

[RonBC]

I am trying to save my airmiles to fly our granddaughter and daughter home in April. The flight is from Edmonton Alberta to BC. Airmiles told me over the phone the taxes are $200 each person. Does anyone know why the taxes are so high. If I book on the west jet site the taxes are less. Any information would help on airmiles flights as we are on a tight budget. Not sure if this is the right place to ask this. If not sorry.

One other thing.. Westjet flights booked though Air Miles are charged a fuel surcharge in the 'fees'. Flights booked on Westjet.com include this in the base price.

Short haul flights are not often a great deal with Air Miles.. a few weeks ago there was a seat sale, flights from AB to Vancouver were $230 return - all included. Keep an eye out for a deal!

Just for the heck of it.. I checked a fight, YVR-YEG, 17 Aug - 21 Aug (Easter).. lowest priced flight on Westjet.com is $339.41 (including $111.41 taxes/fees). The same flight on AirMiles.ca is 1025 (769 if you have BMO Gold Mastercard) Air Miles plus $178.76 taxes/fees. So to value your Air Miles 'cost', take the total Westjet price minus the Air Miles fees ($339.41-178.76) = $160.65. That's actually not a terrible redemption value for 1025 Air Miles.. even better at 769.

Ron.

[engo]

I posted about this on Facebook.. got a reply:
"Ron, please email us at: [email protected] with your club card information so we can look into this for you. -Judy, Customer Support"

ugh.

Thanks Ron!

For people who send in their requests already, please keep us posted for the status.

[operabob]

As Ron points out using that method, even though Airmiles charges for taxes are higher, anytime you get a value better than $0.105/AM then it's a good use of Airmiles.

BTW: The reason Airmiles claims their taxes are higher is that they buy seats way ahead of time before the airlines start discounting. So if they pay $1000 and get charged $130 in taxes and that flight is later discounted to $500 the taxes would only be $65. Seems a reasonable argument to me (if they can be trusted).

Personally, I ignore the difference in the taxes and go with any value over $0.105/AM.

[1cheapb*tch]

(if they can be trusted).LOL surely you jest!

[RonBC]

BTW: The reason Airmiles claims their taxes are higher is that they buy seats way ahead of time before the airlines start discounting. So if they pay $1000 and get charged $130 in taxes and that flight is later discounted to $500 the taxes would only be $65. Seems a reasonable argument to me (if they can be trusted).

From my experience with both Westjet and Air Canada flights booked with Air Miles, the tickets are purchased at the time of the booking - this is shown in your e-ticket receipt. The main reason the taxes and fees are higher at AirMiles.ca is that for WestJet flights, a booking fee and a fuel surcharge is added.. for Air Canada flights a booking fee is added. Taxes and fees are always lower on Air Canada flights (when you can get one) vs WestJet.

Ron.

[VEGAS PILGRIM]

From my experience with both Westjet and Air Canada flights booked with Air Miles, the tickets are purchased at the time of the booking - this is shown in your e-ticket receipt.
Ron.

I would have to believe this scenario is the correct one--of course when "summer" rates kick in, the AM's required for travel goes up dramatically, but often the ticket price stays the same, or is up just a tad--so the firm makes out like a bandit (if the ticket price is no longer economical for the firm, then perhaps the ticket might be listed as "unavailable"--sheer speculation on my part, but who here wouldn't believe it).

[RonBC]

I would have to believe this scenario is the correct one--of course when "summer" rates kick in, the AM's required for travel goes up dramatically, but often the ticket price stays the same, or is up just a tad--so the firm makes out like a bandit (if the ticket price is no longer economical for the firm, then perhaps the ticket might be listed as "unavailable"--sheer speculation on my part, but who here wouldn't believe it).

I would guess that Air Miles has negotiated set pricing (flat rate) with their 'preferred airlines' for flights in each 'zone' on a specific 'class' of flight (I assume they pay more in 'high season' vs 'low season'). Once there are no flights available in that 'class', you cannot book with Air Miles.

Ron.

[VEGAS PILGRIM]

T-4 days until the e-auction (and group buys) commence!!!

They've finally partially opened up the website, regulations and fine print are available:

http://safewayeauction.com/iSynApp/s...&pgmode1=terms

Seems to be much the same as in previous years, except there is some fine print that allows the firm to "award" group buys even if not enough people have participated--a move that will move more AM's away from our pockets and back to Safeway's.

At any rate, emax, hope your spreadsheet is warmed up