Airmiles Armchair Chatter

[tinkerone]

Is there any rhyme or reason for “taxes and fees” for AM flights? I’m starting to look at our dates for spring break next year and I noticed that the ones with the lowest AM had fees a few hundred higher (for 4 tix)than those at higher AM fir the same dates on Air Canada. It’s almost as if they’re essentially the same where one costs more $ in fees and the other is more AM but less $ in fees. You would think for the same destination and dates and same airline, the fees would be the same.

I looked at flights yesterday morning and noted the taxes, went back in in the evening and the taxes had risen by just over $100. That was for two fares but still, $100 in eight hours? No, there certainly does not seem to be any rhyme or reason.

 

[tinkerone]

I ended up sending in a request for a quote on three different Universal Studio options today. I just checked my e-mail and to my surprise I already have the quotes.

1) one adult 3 park-to-park Seasonal Annual Pass = 6,100 miles (Universal is charging $403.99
2) four adult 3 PTP 2 day tickets with 3 days free promo ticket (total 5 days) = 20,525 miles = 5,131.25 miles EACH ticket * - Universal is charging $339.99
3) four adult 3 PTP 3 day tickets = 21,725 miles = 5,431.25 miles EACH ticket * Universal is charging $359.99

* I'm shocked at how many miles they want for the promo and regular tickets. We started seriously saving for these tickets April 2018. I kept a running tally in our air miles tracking spreadsheet. I was expecting 18,000 miles at the most, which is 4,500 per ticket. Considering these tickets were last at just under & just above 4,000, I thought that was a fair increase for $20 US price increase.

For option 3 - Air Miles was last offering the 3 day 3 PTP adult tickets at 4,050 miles each. That's an increase of 1,381 miles. Keep in mind Universal has only increased ticket prices by $20.

For option 2 - Air Miles started offering the promo "Buy 2 Days Get 2 Days free" promo for 3,975 miles each. Universal was charging $319.99 for those same tickets. Air Miles recently dropped the cost to 3,250, most likely to try and clear out their stock that was suppose to expire at the end of this month. A week ago, Air Miles took these tickets off their web page and brought them back a few days later at the same 3,250 miles cost but upped the expiry date to June 30th. I would really like to know how Air Miles feels the current promo tickets (B2D but get 3D free), which Universal has only increased by $20, is worth an increase of 1,156 miles.

I'm thinking of writing back tomorrow to ask why the huge increase. Am I missing something? I'm stumped. I asked for a quote on a particular computer and found it to be quite fair. In fact, less air miles then I expected. I've been using this computer for a month now and love it. I also have asked for quotes on 4 Animal Kingdom tickets and 4 MNSSHP tickets (which we have not ordered at this time), but again I thought the air miles cost was reasonable and fair. I'm really shocked by the cost of these Universal tickets.

By the way, please do let me know what Air Miles tells you! I'm curious if we are all being told the same rate or different.

I requested for 2 park (we would not utilize the water park so why pay for it) and here's what I received in reply.

Reward Item: 2-Park Seasonal Annual Pass – 2 Adults



Air Miles Quote: 9,200 MILES



Reward Item: 2-Park Power Annual Pass – 2 Adults



Air Miles Quote: 10,725 MILES



Reward Item: 2-Park Preferred Annual Pass – 2 Adults



Air Miles Quote: 11,925 MILES

Certainly not the best value. I'll probably pass and just get the ones on offer from the web site. I can upgrade at the parks and use the difference from AM's for something else.

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

Just curious how often you need to visit to get a head with an annual pass?

 

[tinkerone]

Just curious how often you need to visit to get a head with an annual pass?

Not sure however we add into the equation that you get a discount with food, purchases and hotel rooms so that alone, for us, covers a lot of what we pay. We will be there for 7 days on our next visit so add that in and we get value for the cost.

 

[Disney Addicted]

Certainly not the best value. I'll probably pass and just get the ones on offer from the web site. I can upgrade at the parks and use the difference from AM's for something else.

Thanks for the info! I will still get the tickets from Air Miles as I'm trying to make this trip as cheap as possible. I have decided to go for the 3 Day 3 PTP passes as the value for those is more once the tickets are used, making it only $24 per person to upgrade to a Season Pass. By using Air Miles, it will save us $2,100 CAN.

However, now that I have the quote and decided which tickets to get, I am not in a hurry. For one, my husband's card only has 20,141 air miles. There is not enough to get the tickets through the Personal Shopper program in the next two weeks. For another, since those do not have a time limit to purchase (unlike the B2DG3D free promo tickets), I have at least 2 months before I need to order them. Maybe Air Miles will bring the 3-day 3-PTP tickets back and cheaper than what they quoted me. If not, at least that will give us time for his 1,550 pending miles to post.

Just curious how often you need to visit to get a head with an annual pass?

This is our first visit so my reasons for getting (at least one) annual passes are:

1) If we purchased the Buy 2 Get 3 days free ticket it's only good for 5 days within 7 days. We're going to be there for 9 full days. I do not want to worry about making sure our 5 days are within 7 days of first use. We're not visiting just Universal. We're also visiting Animal Kingdom, Gatorland and a day at the beach. So if there's a day where we want to visit any of the parks for just a couple of hours we can without worrying about a day being taken off our 5 days. I feel it will give us freedom and flexiability to visit any park any time.

2) With at least ONE annual pass I'm able to book a 1-night stay at RPR at the Annual Pass Holder Rate. That brought our room cost from $319 to $224 (saving us just over $118). By booking 1 night at RPR we will get Unlimited Express Passes for the four of us for TWO days. We will spend one day in US and one day in IOA using these passes. I priced out how much to pay for those UL Express Passes and it would cost $820 US before taxes.

3) Since we are probably going to upgrade all 4 tickets to Seasonal APs, maybe.. just maybe I could manage to sneak in another trip in before the year is up. Maybe a long weekend if I can get really cheap airfare and hotel rates. Or maybe we could drive down and this time take our time getting there/back.

 

[hdrolfe]

I got an email about deals at Shell, they are doing the cents off when you shop at Sobeys/Safeway again and they list a bonus 20 AM for buying certain giftcards, but I can't read which ones I think I need glasses or something! I can see Amazon, Cabellas, The Bay, Keg, Golf Town, Cineplex, Lotto and one other that I can't figure out. Nor can I read the amount you have to buy. I tried to check the terms and conditions but it isn't any more clear. So if someone knows I would be interested Valid May 6 to June 30.

 

[Donald - my hero]

I got an email about deals at Shell, they are doing the cents off when you shop at Sobeys/Safeway again and they list a bonus 20 AM for buying certain giftcards, but I can't read which ones I think I need glasses or something! I can see Amazon, Cabellas, The Bay, Keg, Golf Town, Cineplex, Lotto and one other that I can't figure out. Nor can I read the amount you have to buy. I tried to check the terms and conditions but it isn't any more clear. So if someone knows I would be interested Valid May 6 to June 30.

Eventualy the fine print will update on the web page (read whenever they feel like it since the current info only goes to March for some, April for others and May 5th for some) It looks like the one card you couldn't see is XBOX games. Here's links to 2 pages: (the link to the offer page is in the first post as well)

Shell In store Offers
Terms & Conditions for Shell Offers

 

[kerreyn]

Well, this is the weekend! We leave tomorrow for Toronto and staying overnight in the airport hotel, then it's off to Greece on Sunday!

I just wanted to say a big THANK YOU to everyone again for all their tips, tricks and information for earning air miles! With the help of this group, we earned enough air miles to 'buy' $3,000.00 of travel certificates to put towards the cost of the trip!

 

[ottawamom]

Have a great trip kerreyn. You're going to love Greece. This is a perfect time of year to be visiting. Give us a report when you're back.

 

[Disney Addicted]

Fantastic! Have a great trip kerreyn!

 

[mort1331]

Have a great trip. Didnt know you were off to greece or would have been able to give some advice. My wife is from there and we have been back many times. Will be nice now and not too hot. Enjoy.
One hint. If going to the Acropolis look at the underside of the cross pieces . Thats how lego was invinted.you will get it when you see it.

 

[AngelDisney]

Well, this is the weekend! We leave tomorrow for Toronto and staying overnight in the airport hotel, then it's off to Greece on Sunday!

I just wanted to say a big THANK YOU to everyone again for all their tips, tricks and information for earning air miles! With the help of this group, we earned enough air miles to 'buy' $3,000.00 of travel certificates to put towards the cost of the trip!

 

[bababear_50]

Well, this is the weekend! We leave tomorrow for Toronto and staying overnight in the airport hotel, then it's off to Greece on Sunday!

I just wanted to say a big THANK YOU to everyone again for all their tips, tricks and information for earning air miles! With the help of this group, we earned enough air miles to 'buy' $3,000.00 of travel certificates to put towards the cost of the trip!

Have a Wonderful Holiday Hon!
Hugs
Mel

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

Bought two $200 Sobeys gift cards for 200 miles, plus I earned 115 miles on my $120 order! I haven't been shopping at Sobeys much lately as I've been focusing on PC Optimum. I was shocked at how much their prices have gone up AGAIN! $5.29 for a taco kit? Geesh...

 

[Debbie]

Well, this is the weekend! We leave tomorrow for Toronto and staying overnight in the airport hotel, then it's off to Greece on Sunday!

I just wanted to say a big THANK YOU to everyone again for all their tips, tricks and information for earning air miles! With the help of this group, we earned enough air miles to 'buy' $3,000.00 of travel certificates to put towards the cost of the trip!

So exciting! Have a wonderful time!

 

[marcyleecorgan]

checking in to update my signature.

I HAVE to do some shopping this weekend but it looks like there isn't much to get AM value from. URGH careful planning of shopping list on this one!

 

[Donald - my hero]

Well, this is the weekend! We leave tomorrow for Toronto and staying overnight in the airport hotel, then it's off to Greece on Sunday!

I just wanted to say a big THANK YOU to everyone again for all their tips, tricks and information for earning air miles! With the help of this group, we earned enough air miles to 'buy' $3,000.00 of travel certificates to put towards the cost of the trip!

This is SOOOOooooOOO exciting for you & your family and I'm really happy that our little community helped to make it a possibility. Have a wonderful time and take lots of pictures so you can share them with us when you get home.

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

Is there any rhyme or reason for “taxes and fees” for AM flights? I’m starting to look at our dates for spring break next year and I noticed that the ones with the lowest AM had fees a few hundred higher (for 4 tix)than those at higher AM fir the same dates on Air Canada. It’s almost as if they’re essentially the same where one costs more $ in fees and the other is more AM but less $ in fees. You would think for the same destination and dates and same airline, the fees would be the same.

Sometimes in order to make the taxes lower, they up the number of miles needed. Or if you want to pay the minimum amount of taxes, they up the number of miles needed to get the fare. I used to be confused by this also until I started to look up the actual flights on the carrier's website and then calculate that amount into air miles, less the taxes.

Sometimes, you can get the fare at the lowest miles cost and the lowest taxes owing. That's a score!

 

[bababear_50]

Quick trip to Sobeys this morning
I was able to *switch* a Sobeys GC for a $100.00 gas card and picked up 3 pots of flowers 3 for $30.00.
Then I dropped by Shell for gas and picked up a Amazon Gift Card for son (graduation). and got 20 airmiles.
Busy morning but fun. I am now making 24 mini jars of *Mel's Strawberry Jam* as Party favors to go with some homemade scones for my Birthday Brunch get together next month.
Happy Saturday!
Hugs
Mel

 

[bababear_50]

Happy Mother's Day
Hugs
Mel