RWRDS Daily Update – July 11, 2023

Here’s your RWRDS Canada update! Your near daily dose of loyalty program, credit card and travel news, bonuses, deals and more.

When will American Express’ Shop Small return?

A question I am starting to see more of right now is: When is Amex’s Shop Small promotion returning?

A lot of our readers are starting to ask as it is currently being offer for Scotia issued Amex cards but not Amex Canada’s own cards. On top of this, just like in other years we’ve seen the annual Shop Small promotion already run for Amex cards in France, and it launched last week in Japan. So will Canada be next? Hopefully it will be!

Over the past few years it has launched in Canada as early as June 24 but as late as July 17 as well. In 2022 it launched on June 29. American Express Canada has not given us any indication yet as to if and when the Shop Small promotion will launch but our fingers are crossed we will see it over the coming weeks. And when they do launch it (I going with “when” instead of “if” as I’m going out on a limb to say they’ll offer it again) lets also keep our fingers crossed they run it like they did in 2020 and 2021 where it is available for all Shop Small merchants in Canada not just the big four cities like we saw in 2022 and pre-pandemic. I know our readers in Winnipeg, Halifax, Edmonton, Ottawa and other cities would be very happy to partake again!

In the meantime you can brush up on Shop Small by checking out Rewards Canada’s step by step guide to the American Express Shop Small Program

Image via American Express

Receive up to a 40% discount when you buy WestJet dollars

WestJet Rewards is offering up to a 40% discount when you buy WestJet Dollars by July 31. This is a tiered discount offer that sees the 40% discount offered when you buy 2,500 or more WestJet dollars. In all honesty – ever since WestJet made their Member Exclusive Fares into a ~10% discount option and removed Member Exclusive Fares as a reward redemption on other airlines it almost never makes sense to buy WestJet dollars – even with a 40% discount. Click here to learn more.

Image via WestJet/Points.com

One additional Cobalt Multiplier

I added one more location today the list from Calgary that is a restaurant but unfortunately only counts as 1x points:

Poutinarama | Calgary, Alberta 1x points

Click here to check out our complete Cobalt Confirmed Multipliers list.

I reached out to Amex customer service via the app to see about having them look into this and it appears they have changed their policy on this. Years ago when the Cobalt Card launched American Express Canada specifically told me to let our readers know that they (and ourselves) should contact Amex Canada customer service about any locations that do not code properly and they would look into it so they could correct it. Now it appears they want the customer to do the legwork as the agent told me I need to reach out to the merchant to ask them to change the merchant category they fall under.

If this really is the case there is no longer a need for American Express to state “in Canada” with the “Earn 5x the points on eligible eats and drinks in Canada, including groceries and food delivery” as the whole reason they added “Canada” was due to the fact they can control and change which categories Canadian merchants fall into in the case where a customer notified them or complained about not receiving 5x points (they can’t control merchant categories outside Canada)

Image via American Express

Subscribe & join to learn more:

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Posts since our last update:

Deals:

Expedia: Save 30% or more during the summer sale! Click here to book this offer.

Fairmont Hotels: Save up to 25% on stays at Fairmont Hotel & Resorts in North & Central America. Book by Sep 5, 23 for stays until Dec 30, 23. Click here for more details & to book this offer.

Canadian Bonus Offers

WestJet Rewards
– Receive up to a 40% discount when you buy WestJet dollars. Valid until Jul 31, 23. More…

Other Bonus Offers

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan
– Triple Mileage Plan Miles on all rentals of three days or longer at any Dollar location Worldwide. Valid until Dec 31, 23 More…
– Triple Mileage Plan Miles on all rentals of three days or longer at any Thrifty location Worldwide. Valid until Dec 31, 23 More…

Marriott Bonvoy
– United Kingdom 2,000 Bonus Bonvoy Points for stays at select Delta Hotels by Marriott in the U.K. Book now for stays until Aug 31, 23 More…
– Algarve 3,000 Bonus Bonvoy Points for stays of 2 or more nights at The W Algarve. Book now for stays until Aug 12, 23 More…
– Krakow 4,000 Bonus Bonvoy Points for stays at The Sheraton Grand Krakow. Book now for stays until Aug 11, 23 More…
– Mumbai 1,000 Bonus Bonvoy Points PER NIGHT for stays at The Westin Mumbai Garden City. Book now for stays until Aug 4, 23 More…
– Sarajevo 2,000 Bonus Bonvoy Points for stays of 5 or more nights at the Residence Inn Sarajevo. Book now for stays until Aug 28, 23 More…

Royal Air Maroc Safar Flyer
– Earn up to Triple Safar Flyer Miles when you rent with Sixt Rent A Car Worldwide for 3 or more days. Book now for rentals until Aug 31, 23 More…
– Earn up to Triple Safar Flyer Miles when you shop at any of nine Bicester Collection Shopping Villages in Europe. Offer valid until Aug 31, 23 More…

United MileagePlus
– Earn 500 Bonus MileagePlus Miles when you rent with Avis for 3 or more days in the U.S. or Canada. Valid for rentals until Aug 15, 23. More…
– Earn 1,000 Bonus MileagePlus Miles when you rent with Avis for 3 or more days in the U.S. or Canada. Valid for rentals Aug 16 – Sep 30, 23. More…
– Earn 500 Bonus MileagePlus Miles when you rent with Budget for 3 or more days in the U.S. or Canada. Valid for rentals until Aug 15, 23. More…
– Earn 1,000 Bonus MileagePlus Miles when you rent with Budget for 3 or more days in the U.S. or Canada. Valid for rentals Aug 16 – Sep 30, 23. More…