Best way to collect points for Disneyworld?

[Gracomom]

I've seen some recent threads on here regarding park tickets and Airmiles (i.e. the blue card), which got me thinking...

I'm planning a family trip to Disneyworld, staying off site, around May 2017 for our tenth anniversary. It's quite a ways away, but it gives me time to start collecting points! It'll be me and the hubby plus his dad (so 3 adults) and our 3 kids (but probably another one by then, so 4 in total).

The goal is to pay for as many of the park tickets and airline tickets as possible with points. We currently collect the (blue card) Airmiles but only have accumulated maybe 1400 points. We also collect Choice Rewards points with our Servus Credit Union MasterCard.

We've been considering getting another credit card (for the points and also on some advice of our financial planner, apparently it's good for lenders to see you banking at more than one institution...). What credit card is the best for collecting points to get us there/get park tickets. We're flying out of Edmonton, so the flight to Orlando is quite pricey (currently we'd be looking at around $3k for flights (or it looks like around 4500 airmiles/pp plus taxes).

We shop mostly at Superstore for groceries, so our Airmiles are accumulating pretty slowly, we rarely go to Safeway or other places that award Airmiles. I've heard of others using Aeroplan. How do you get those?

Any tips on longterm point collection with the goal being a Disney trip? Thanks!

 

[Gracomom]

Anyone use the Westjet RbC World Elite MasterCard and have a food/bad experience with the rewards system? So far, this is looking like the best I can find given the companion flight deals it gives and the large number of seats we would need. If the hubby and I each got a card, then potentially 2 seats could be just taxes due...

 

[CdnCarrie]

We use Air Miles and have the Gold BMO Mastercard where we get 1 Air Mile for every $15 spent.

Also shop exclusively at Safeway using all their big promotions like spend $100 get 100/200, etc Air Miles.
Doing this we can get around 18,000-20,000 Air Miles a year.

 

[mkmommy]

I must say I am jealous of you Safeway shoppers and your bonus airmiles, we just do not get them here in Ontario.

If you are saving for park tickets and shop at Safeway out west Airmiles would be the way to go, as bonus Airmiles really add up.

For flights I am have a bone to pick. I just booked flights Toronto to Orlando using my Alaskan Airline points on American Airlines and taxes were $100 CAD. I looked at using my Airmiles for same flights but direct on Westjet and the taxes and fees were going to be $228, why such a difference when both flights are from Toronto? Airmiles is adding in a lot extra to those taxes and fees, so be prepared for that is using points for flights, they are not as free as you would like.

 

[modegard]

I have the West Jet World Elite MasterCard and love it! We have gone on three free flights in the last two years using the points I accumulated. I do use the card for almost everything though.

I also have a free American Express we use for bills that accumulates Airmiles, and always use the Safeway bonus airmile promotions. I have collected more than 2500 airmiles in the last two months.

If you have accounts at RBC you may be able to talk them into giving you the MasterCard and waving the annual $99 fee. I did.


Happy collecting!

 

[Susie63]

I only shop at Safeway when they have their bonus Airmiles offer. If you sign up for the Safeway newsletter.... you will get even better offers, such as the spend $200 get 500 Airmiles that they offered before Christmas. That was not available to the general public.

 

[modegard]

If you monitor the flight prices from Edmonton you can sometimes luck out. We booked for six of us to go in October with United for less than $2500 including taxes. West Jet does usually have a direct flight if you want to go with them, the United one stops in Houston. For the price I am fine with a brief stop.

 

[MM_Bound]

I got a capital one aspire travel card this year for this reason. It has a yearly fee, but you get a bunch of points on your anniversary that help offset that fee. You get two points for every dollar spent and you decide how to spend the reward. You choose the airline, hotel, times, everything and book them on your own. When you want to use the points you just click the amount and apply the points. You also get a second card on the same account for no extra fee. The card has the usual extras with it as well (insurance, price protection, etc.) I save a pile of money with it. http://www.capitalone.ca/credit-cards/aspire-travel-world/
I simplified it a bit, but if you read how to claim the rewards it is really the best for travel.

 

[sechelt]

For flights I am have a bone to pick. I just booked flights Toronto to Orlando using my Alaskan Airline points on American Airlines and taxes were $100 CAD. I looked at using my Airmiles for same flights but direct on Westjet and the taxes and fees were going to be $228, why such a difference when both flights are from Toronto? Airmiles is adding in a lot extra to those taxes and fees, so be prepared for that is using points for flights, they are not as free as you would like.

Last year, I was researching a trip to DL from Vancouver. I noticed that if I booked with AA, through airmiles, taxes were quite a bit less than if booked with WJ, also through airmiles. Maybe AA had a seat sale, or perhaps it has something to do with the route? The AA flight had a stop but the WJ was a direct flight. Beyond that, I have no idea what the difference was.

 

[Gracomom]

Last year, I was researching a trip to DL from Vancouver. I noticed that if I booked with AA, through airmiles, taxes were quite a bit less than if booked with WJ, also through airmiles. Maybe AA had a seat sale, or perhaps it has something to do with the route? The AA flight had a stop but the WJ was a direct flight. Beyond that, I have no idea what the difference was.

I never thought of using my Airmiles through AA, I didn't even realize it could be done, good to know.

Sounds like I may have to convert to being an occasional Safeway shopper, when they have their Airmiles events. I'm definitely signing up for the emails.

 

[Evelyne]

World Élite Master Card works fine with us. ! It is very flexible since you charge your trip to your account and then ask for your credit. Withing 48h tour account is credited. You purshase tour trip with who ever you want.

 

[kuhltiffany]

We've tried AirMiles, and Aeroplan but both had too many fees and were hard to gather enough points. Now we have a Capital One Aspire Travel World MasterCard and love it! We get points for everything, and can use it on any travel item, hotels, cars, flights, etc. it also comes with a lot of travel perks, like medical and trip cancellation insurance, etc.

 

[shaycamp21]

We have a Visa Avion Card and put absolutely everything on Visa incl. groceries, gas, etc.. to accumulate points. We usually get at least one free flight for our family per year out of BUF on SW. How we do it is we first book short haul flights out of BUF to NYC on SW this gives us a maximum of $350 per ticket (so I shop around and book flights at this amount at an expensive time of year). Visa reimburses the money minus the taxes (after I provide the necessary paperwork) and I cancel the flights--Southwest is one of the only the only airlines I know that allows you to cancel and rebook with no penalties, and then SW gives you a credit to that amount to use within a year. This year I booked tickets (in Oct) from BUF to NYC for New Year's and then cancelled the flight to use the funds for our March Break trip to WDW (BUF to MCO).

ETA I didn't realize you were from Alberta until I just reread your post so sorry my post can't help you but may help other Disers from ON.

 

[alc571]

We have the AMEX Gold Rewards card via Scotiabank. When I signed up they gave us 25,000 bonus points which was equal to $250 off our next trip. We earn 1 point for every dollar I spend, and 4x points at food, gax and grocery stores (certain ones on a list, but all our regulars were there). So, for example, when we I buy gas at Esso for $60, I get 240 points which is equal to $2.40. It's not much but better than others. You need a minimum of 5,000 points to redeem, but all you have to do is apply them. So, you buy your tickets on your AMEX (and those points count too!), and then you just click a "redeem points for travel" button on your online account and it applies the points towards your current balance. You have up to a year to apply points. So you can continue to save up points after your trip, and apply them to a trip you've already taken. It's easy to accumulate points when you put your trip on the card! We've redeemed 40,000 in points just this year.

It also comes with a whole host of insurance coverages, extended warranty, price protection, etc. I mainly wanted it because it has the industry's best trip cancellation coverage, and with a yearly trip, the cost of the card is much less than buying the coverage every time we go.

The only drawbacks I've found is the $99 fee (plus $29 for a supplemenatary card) and the fact that some places don't take AMEX.