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Tag: Travel points

  • How to find cheap flights anywhere – MoneySense

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    Thankfully, I’ve picked up a few tips for hunting down cheap (or at least cheaper) flights from Toronto and beyond. Here’s how I keep my flight costs down while keeping my sense of adventure up.

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    MBNA Rewards World Elite Mastercard

    Get 5 MBNA Rewards points per $1 across five categories, plus an annual bonus of 10% in points.

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    8 ways to save on flights 

    From travel apps to credit card rewards, here’s how Canadian frequent flyers stay on budget.

    1. Search the smart way

    The first site I always check when booking a trip is Google Flights, which has a ton of tools many people don’t know about. In addition to listing flights, it can help you find lower prices. For example, you can set alerts for price changes for your preferred dates or for any date for a given destination. It also shows you a price grid for alternative dates, and a graph that predicts when fares will peak.

    Last year, Google Flights added an AI feature that lets you describe your ideal trip—for example, “family weekend ski vacation in Canada” or “one-week trip to a city with great museums and architecture.” Google will then search for the best destinations and flights that match that query. 

    The feature is still in beta mode, so you need to be signed into your Google account to access it. There are also limits on what you can search. For example, it won’t find you multi-city trips or layover requests.

    I’m also a fan of Hopper, which is Canadian-owned. The app tells you whether now is a good time to book or you should wait. If Hopper recommends waiting, you can “watch this trip” and receive an alert when it’s a better time to buy.

    If you find a good price but need more time to decide, you can pay for Hopper’s “Price Freeze” option to hold the fare for one, three, seven, or 21 days. If the price of the flight rises, Hopper will cover the difference up to $406. If the price falls, you pay the lower price, and if the seat is sold out, you get a refund.

    The Price Freeze fee varies by the time window and ticket price. For example, for a $192 Toronto–Montreal flight in mid-June, the quoted fee was $24 for three days and $50 for 21 days. For a $1,016 Vancouver–Hanoi flight in April, the fee was $57 for three days and $122 for 21 days.

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    2. Book at the right time

    There’s a sweet spot for when to book your flight. For domestic flights, one to three months in advance tends to yield the best prices.

    For international trips, Hopper recommends you start flight shopping sooner—about three to six months before departure. You might find great deals just a month prior, but you risk not getting your preferred airline, flight route, or seat.

    The day you book can also help save money. According to Expedia’s 2025 Air Hacks Report, booking on Sunday gets you the biggest savings.

    3. Fly at the right time

    If you can, avoid flying during peak periods (March Break, Christmas, etc.), when flights can jump by hundreds of dollars.

    Of course, not everyone has the flexibility to choose when they vacation, but you could still save by changing your travel dates by a day or two. For example, flying midweek is almost always cheaper than flying on weekends and can reduce the cost by $50 to $100 or more.

    This is especially true during those peak times. As of writing, a direct Air Canada Rouge flight (Standard Economy) from Toronto to Cancún during March Break is $2,052 if you fly Sunday to Sunday. But if you’re able to do Monday to Monday, that same flight drops to $1,373. 

    When you’re searching for flights or setting alerts, tick the “flexible dates” option so you’ll be notified about cheaper fares on alternate dates.

    4. Opt for the layover

    Direct flights are typically more expensive than those with a stop along the way. While a layover can be a pain—especially if you’re on a tight schedule—spending a few extra hours in an airport may be worth it if the savings are significant.

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    Tammy Burns

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  • 5 credit card habits that earn points faster – MoneySense

    5 credit card habits that earn points faster – MoneySense

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    1. Unlock the earning potential of your everyday spending

    Everyone has expenses. The trick is to figure out how to earn rewards on the purchases you’re already making. Your best bet is to pick a card that offers boosted earn rates in the categories you spend the most in. For many Canadians, the top spending categories are groceries and gas, so paying with a card like the National Bank World Elite Mastercard can reap a lot of points.

    Let’s say your family spends around $1,000 per month on groceries and about $250 on gas. If you paid for these purchases with the National Bank World Elite Mastercard, you could earn up to 5,500 points per month—that’s 66,000 points per year just in those two categories. With 66,000 points, you could redeem for tech merchandise (like a smartwatch or tablet) or pay down your National Bank of Canada mortgage, for example.

    Here’s how it works: The amount of points earned on grocery and restaurant purchases depends on the total gross monthly amount charged to the credit card account, regardless of the purchase category. You will earn five points for every dollar in eligible grocery and restaurant purchases until a total of $2,500 in gross monthly purchases is charged to the account. After that, you’ll earn two points per dollar in eligible grocery and restaurant purchases. (The total gross monthly amount is calculated based on your monthly billing period.)

    Apply for the National Bank World Elite Mastercard between May 13 and August 15, 2024, and you could earn up to 40,000 bonus rewards points in the first year. Minimum purchase and insurance product required. See applicable terms and conditions.

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    National Bank World Elite Mastercard

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    • Annual fee: $150
    • Interest rates: 20.99% on purchases, 22.49% balance transfers and cash advances
    • Earn rate: Up to 5 points per $1 on grocery and restaurant purchases; 2 points per $1 on gas, EV charges, recurring bill payments and travel booked through À La Carte Rewards; and 1 point per $1 on all other purchases.
    • Welcome offer: In the first year, you can earn up to 40,000 rewards points. Must apply by August 15, 2024. Minimum purchase and insurance product required. Learn more about applicable terms and conditions.
    • Annual income requirement: Personal income of $80,000 or household income of $150,000

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    2. Make the most of your optional spending

    There’s more to bills than groceries and gas, of course, so choose a card that rewards more of your other purchases. When you use your National Bank World Elite Mastercard to pay your restaurant bill, you could earn up to five points per dollar. Plus, with a base rate of one point per dollar spent on your card in other categories, your rewards will rack up quickly.

    3. Subscribe to rewards points

    If you’re like most Canadians, you’ve got a bunch of bills that show up each and every month, including services like your phone plan and subscriptions to streaming services. Get something back for your monthly bills by setting up automatic payments with your National Bank World Elite Mastercard. You’ll get two points per dollar for recurring payments, and you’ll never have to worry about missing a payment.

    4. Get the family involved

    When you add a cardholder to your account, all their rewards points add up along with yours in the same account, so you reach your rewards goals faster. This can be a terrific option for spouses, for example. Each person will have their own card with their own PIN, but all transactions are charged to the same account. With the National Bank World Elite Mastercard, the annual fee for each additional card is only $50 per year. 

    5. Earn more on travel

    Using a credit card is a convenient and secure way to pay for travel—and it can also let you earn rewards points. With the National Bank World Elite Mastercard, you’ll get two points per dollar spent on any travel you book through the À la carte Travel portal. Plus, every year you’ll get a travel credit of up to $150 to reimburse eligible expenses charged to your card, including flight upgrades, seat selection, airport parking, extra checked bags and access to airport lounges. And, with the included travel insurance on this card, you’ll be all set for your next journey. (Insurance coverage is limited to specific amounts. Please read the full insurance details.)

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    Keph Senett

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  • How to save money on a Disney Cruise – MoneySense

    How to save money on a Disney Cruise – MoneySense

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    My family’s one-way cruise (also known as a repositioning cruise) will begin in Galveston, Texas, and end in San Juan, Puerto Rico. By booking through a Disney travel agent, we were able to take a six-night cruise for the same price as some of the four- and five-night cruisetours also available at the time of booking. 

    Take advantage of the onboard booking option

    The sooner you book, the better. Generally, a year in advance is a good guideline, as holiday cruises can sell out quickly. Not only will the prices be lower, but there are more options to choose from when you book your stateroom (cabin). That gives you a better shot at getting an interior stateroom, which is generally more affordable than booking a room with an ocean view.  

    If you’re good at planning ahead, you may want to take advantage of onboard booking options and reserve a spot on a future cruise. You can save up to 10% on your next sailing by paying a USD$250 deposit, suggests Goldberg. You have two years from the time of booking to redeem, and if you ultimately don’t end up booking, your deposit is automatically refunded, she says. 

    The best time of the year to go on a Disney cruise

    Disney’s Christmas and Halloween cruises are typically the most expensive of what’s offered. If you’re looking for the best value and willing to forego a holiday cruise, Goldberg says the end of summer, early fall, first weeks of January, and first week of February are generally cheaper. 

    If you’re sailing out of one of the Florida ports, booking for mid-August to mid-October comes with the risk of travelling during peak hurricane season. However, those sailings tend to be cheaper. If you decide to take that risk, consider getting travel insurance, in case Mother Nature isn’t on your side.

    Save on foreign exchange fees 

    Disney vacations are charged in U.S. dollars, making them costlier for Canadians, after factoring in the exchange rate. When using a Canadian credit card, you may also have to pay foreign transaction (forex) fees—which typically cost an extra 2.5% of the purchase price—unless you have a no foreign transaction fee credit card.

    If getting a new credit card isn’t an option for you, Goldberg suggests to purchase Disney gift cards to save on forex fees. Gift cards are available at major retail stores, such as Costco, Walmart, Loblaws, Shoppers Drug Mart (or Pharmaprix, if you live in Quebec). And you can use those GCs to book your trip and make purchases on the ship. By buying gift cards in Canadian dollars, you’ll still have to pay the U.S. exchange rate, but you’ll save on forex fees. 

    Choi agrees with this strategy. He says getting the gift cards from a grocery store also allows you to earn some loyalty points. The American Express Cobalt, for example, gives you five Amex Membership Rewards (MR) points per $1 spent at grocery stores. 

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    Sandy Yong

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  • TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite Card review: Should you sign up for this travel rewards card? – MoneySense

    TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite Card review: Should you sign up for this travel rewards card? – MoneySense

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    The TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite isn’t necessarily the first TD travel card you think of, given TD’s deep relationship with Air Canada and Aeroplan—but it’s worth considering for its flexible redemption program and partnership with Expedia. You can use the Expedia For TD online portal to redeem rewards for flights, hotels and car rentals with virtually any carrier on Expedia. 

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    A hefty sign-up bonus, comprehensive insurance coverage and generous earn rates makes the TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite card a solid choice if you want to use your credit card rewards towards travel-related purchases.

    TD First Class Visa Infinite


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    The TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite Card

    Three things you need to know about the TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite

    1. You earn Points under the TD Rewards program
      You earn 3 TD Points per dollar spent on everyday purchases (1.5% earn rate), including gas and groceries. For travel purchases booked online through ExpediaForTD.com, you get three times the regular earn at nine TD Points per dollar spent (4.5% earn rate). T      he TD Points system is easier to understand than the bank’s Aeroplan Credit Cards. Your Point values stay the same no matter where you’re flying, so it’s easy to work out how much they’re worth. Plus, TD Points can be redeemed on any airline, not just Air Canada or Star Alliance Partners. While Aeroplan Miles are valuable, if you prefer simplicity the TD First Class card might be more up your alley.
    2. The card comes with an attractive sign-up bonus
      The TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite card comes with a generous sign-up bonus. The annual fee ($120) and fee for your first additional cardholder ($50) are waived for the first year; that’s a savings of $170, and with two of you earning TD Points, you can reach your goals faster. Earn up to 145,000 TD Rewards points. You’ll earn 20,000 TD points with your first card purchase, then another 115,000 when you spend $5,000 on purchases within the first 180 days. Earn a birthday bonus of up to 10,000 rewards points. Conditions apply. Must apply before May 28, 2023. For Quebec residents, please click here.
    3. You’ll get travel insurance and discounted lounge access
      The TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite card comes with up to $1 million of travel medical insurance for the first 21 days of a trip, while trip cancellation, trip interruption, common carrier travel accident insurance, travel assistance services and delayed and lost baggage insurance round out the card’s benefits. For a premium rewards card, The TD First Class’s insurance is fairly standard, however; so, if you’re looking for more comprehensive credit card insurance, you could consider a card like the National Bank World Elite Mastercard,* which comes with up to $5 million in out-of-province-of-residence medical/hospital insurance for trips up to 60 days (if you’re under 54).
      The TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite card also gives you a discount on access to Priority Pass.

    How to redeem your TD Rewards

    You can redeem your TD Points for travel in two ways: 

    The best—and most valuable—way is through the Expedia For TD online portal, where you can redeem 200 TD Points per dollar in travel credit (0.5%) and pay the balance of the cost (if any) using your credit card (you’ll also earn Points on this spend).

    Your other redemption choice is the “Book Any Way” option, which lets you book via other travel websites; however, your bookings can cost up to 25% more if you go this route. When using “Book Any Way” you’ll redeem at 250 TD Points per dollar (0.4%) applied as a statement credit on your first $1,200 in travel purchases and 200 TD Points per dollar (0.5%) for your travel purchases over $1,200. In comparison, with Expedia For TD, you’ll get a better and more consistent return of 0.5% on all your travel spending. 

    In both cases, the TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite card allows you to redeem for any seat on any airline. Additionally, you can redeem Points for rewards in small increments (minimum 200), so this means you don’t need to build up a large pool of Points before you’re able to apply them towards travel. 

    Finally, through the TD Rewards site, you can shop for items such as a Vitamix or a Dyson vacuum, or even gift cards. However, you won’t get the same value as you would booking travel. For example, a $50 gift card at Best Buy will cost you 20,000 TD Points, whereas you can use the same amount of Points for $100 in travel on the Expedia For TD portal.

    What are the best ways to benefit from this card?

    Ultimately, your best bet is to redeem Points for travel from ExpediaForTD.com. Generally, prices on the website are similar to those on the main Expedia website, and you’ll be able to redeem at the rate of 200 Points per $1. If you redeem Points for travel outside of the TD portal, your Points will lose up to 25% in value; however this could be a smarter route if you find a really good deal on another travel portal. 

    If you do find a better hotel or flight deal elsewhere, you have the option to price match, but there are some restrictions: you must have booked within the last 24 hours; your travel plans must be at least 48 hours away; and travel dates, and flight and hotel classes must all be the same to submit a claim.

    Are there any drawbacks to the TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite Card?

    There is a minimum personal income requirement of $60,000 or a household income of $100,000. However, this is a common requirement for many cards in the same category. 

    Other cards offer more incentive to spend in categories like groceries, dining and entertainment. The TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite card only offers three times the Points earn on travel booked through the Expedia For TD portal (4.5%)—everything else is at the base three TD Points per dollar (1.5%) rate. To compare, the Scotiabank Gold American Express has a five-times Points accelerator on restaurants and groceries (5% per dollar).

    Finally, the TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite card doesn’t offer airport lounge access—only a 20% discount on a Priority Pass membership—and you’ll be charged foreign transaction fees. So, if you like to use airport lounges, or you often find yourself shopping in a foreign currency, you may want to consider a card that offers those perks. 

    Bottom line

    TD’s unique partnership with Expedia, accelerated earn rates and incremental Points redemption structure make the TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite card a worthwhile consideration for those who travel frequently.

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    Winston Sih

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