can you redeem pc points for travel

Home PC Travel Review 2024: Great For PC Insiders Travel Trip Planning and Vacations PC Travel Review 2024: Great For PC Insiders

PC Travel Review 2024: Great For PC Insiders

Thinking about becoming a PC Insider and not sure how to use PC Travel? The PC Insiders program launched in 2018 and […]

Thinking about becoming a PC Insider and not sure how to use PC Travel?

The PC Insiders program launched in 2018 and has exploded in popularity amongst Canadians.

Since PC Travel is closely tied with PC Insiders and PC Optimum, I thought I would do a PC Travel review to see if it would be worth using to book travel.

Pros of PC Travel

Cons of PC Travel

Table of Contents

What is PC Travel

PC Travel is a travel agency started by the President’s Choice brand. You can book hotels, flights, vacations, cruises, and car rentals through the website.

Who can use PC Travel?

There are only two ways you can be qualified to use PC Travel:

• If you hold one of the three President’s Choice Financial Mastercard.
• If you are a PC Insiders Member.

Here are the three different Mastercards that qualify. Note the salary requirements:

What is PC Insiders

The  PC Insiders  program is a new subscription service that unlocks perks & benefits on select food, apparel and more at participating retailers where  PC Optimum   points are earned and redeemed, and also online at  shoppersdrugmart.ca and  joefresh.com .

Cost: Annual Subscription for $119/year

Benefits: 20% back in  PC Optimum  points at participating retailers on:

• All brands of baby diapers and formula
• All  PC  Organics products
• All  PC  Black Label Collection purchases
• All Joe Fresh ®  purchases
• All beautyBOUTIQUE online orders

Free Shipping on:

• joefresh.com
• shoppersdrugmart.ca
• No pickup fee on online grocery orders picked up at  PC Express

There is also a  PC  Travel services credit for annual subscribers, meaning if you use this travel credit, your PC Insiders membership is essentially free.

If you already shop a lot at PC Brands stores like Superstore, Loblaws, Nofrills, and Shoppers Drug Mart, the PC Insiders program is a great deal.

If you take at least one flight a year, you can take advantage of the travel credit also on PC Travel, which essentially makes your PC Insiders membership free. With that kind of deal, there’s no downside to joining up with PC Insiders.

How to earn PC Optimum points with PC Travel

Here is a breakdown of the different credit cards you can use and how many PC Optimum points you can earn when booking with PC Travel.

• If you are a PC Financial Mastercard holder, you will earn 20 points per $1 spent on PC Travel
• If you are a PC Financial World Mastercard holder, you will earn 20 points per $1 spent on PC Travel
• If you are a PC Financial World Elite Mastercard holder, you will earn 30 points per $1 spent on PC Travel.

Translating this into dollar amounts:

For every 10,000 points you receive, you will $10 in Optimum points, which is the same as cashback since it is deducted from your purchases at PC stores.

If you’re booking with PC Travel, and you have the maximum card of PC Financial World Elite card, you will get 30 points for every dollar spent. This means to earn 10,000 points, you will need to spend around $333 to earn $10 in Optimum points. This is equal to 3% cashback.

If you don’t have the max card and are only earning 20 points for every dollar, you will need to spend $500 to earn $10 in Optimum points, which is equal to 2% in optimum points awards.

3% is an excellent points reward for a no-fee credit card. There are also elite-level rewards like travel medical insurance included when you purchase the flights.

PC Travel vacations vs Redtag.ca vacations

I made a comparison for an identical vacation from Toronto to Cancun, Mexico. There was the same hotel, Smart Cancun by Oasis, which was $1,168 on PC Travel, but only $968 on redtag.ca. That is a massive $200 difference. The PC Optimum points you earn will not even come close to making up that difference.

How long does it take to receive my PC Optimum points?

Looking at PC’s terms and conditions, it will take between 3-5 weeks for your PC Points to be awarded to your account. 

Where can you redeem PC Optimum points?

When you get 10,000 PC optimum points, you can redeem them for up to $10 worth of free products and groceries at any  participating stores . Here is the list of those stores; there are a lot of choices!

• Real Canadian Superstore
• Shoppers Drug Mart
• Atlantic Superstore
• Independent grocer
• Extra Foods
• Bloor Street Market
• Maxi & Cie
• City Market

PC Travel Flights vs Google Flights

I did a search for a Vancouver to Edmonton flight to compare prices with the PC Travel platform and Google Flights.

Although the flight prices for Air Canada and Westjet were the same for both platforms, one thing that stood out is that on PC Travel, you won’t be able to book discount airlines such as Swoop or Flair.

Google Flight – Flair Airlines is available

PC Travel – Same Flight, no Flair Air was available to book!

Who should use PC Travel

• If you’re a PC Insiders member, make sure to use up your PC Travel credit every year.

Who should not use PC Travel

• If you don’t shop at any PC or Loblaws-affiliated stores much.
• If you don’t have a PC Insiders membership or PC Mastercard.

Get the PC Insiders if you shop a lot at PC Brands like Superstore, Loblaws, NoFrills, Shoppers Drug Mart. Then, you can use the travel credit to fly using PC Travel. You can’t redeem PC Optimum for travel, but you can earn PC Optimum points by booking with your credit card through PC Travel.

PC Travel flights and PC Travel vacations don’t seem to be a great deal, though, and there are better deals to be had elsewhere.

One thought on “ PC Travel Review 2024: Great For PC Insiders ”

When you cancel your booking, it takes 10 WEEKS to get refund!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Recent Blog Posts

Voo etf update for friday, september 13, 2024, spy etf update for friday, september 13, 2024, qqq etf update for friday, september 13, 2024, arbonne review: is it really a pyramid scheme.

• Investing 101
• Stock Screening NEW
• Cryptocurrency
• Trading Platforms
• TFSA and RRSP
• Credit Card
• Monthly 50/30/20 Budget Calculator
• TFSA Limit Calculator (2024): Don’t Overcontribute
• Reverse GST, HST, PST, QST Calculator 2024: All Provinces in Canada
• 50 Richest Canadians 2024

Genymoney.ca: Make the Most of your Money

PC Optimum Points: 6 Ways to Optimize Your Points

In this post I’ll review how you can earn PC Optimum points, how you spend PC Optimum points, how to add points to PC optimum from receipt, and how you can maximize your earning potential.  Read now to find out  how many PC Optimum points you have to get towards your PC points goals.

I have a confession as a Canadian personal finance blogger .  I am somewhat of a Loblaw’s PC Optimum Points addict.

Prior to that, I was a huge Shoppers Drug Mart Optimum Points addict.  I would spend some Friday nights circling my flyers to add up the minimum spend of $50 to get my 20x the points on those 20x Saturdays (to get to $50 pre-tax).

Since the big merger of points program happened (PC Points merging with Shoppers Optimum points to become the PC Optimum program) in February 2018, many were very skeptical and freaked out that the program would worsen.

Admittedly, this included myself, I thought the sky was falling and the points program was doomed to be something disappointing.

Thankfully I was wrong.

The PC Points Program is one of the top loyalty programs in Canada, according to the Globe and Mail .

As part of this PC Optimum review, here’s a look at what the app looks like.

Table of Contents

How to Earn PC Optimum Points

There are a few ways that you can earn PC Optimum Points.

Shop at Loblaw’s Stores

This is easy to do in Canada since Loblaw’s has about 30% of the grocery business market share in Canada according to Statista .

Load the offers and if you buy what your offer is, you get points.  If you just have the PC Optimum app, you will NOT get points on regular purchases, only on offers. 

So sometimes you won’t get any points at all if there are no offers that you are taking advantage of.  You can earn PC Optimum points at Superstore and No Frills, for example.  Basically the PC Optimum card is the Superstore points system.

Shop at Shoppers Drug Mart 

Shop at Shoppers Drug Mart, Shoppers Home Healthcare, and Pharmaprix stores (in Quebec) and online at Beauty Boutique and  wellwise.ca , and earn 15 PC Optimum points for every $1 spent. 

I love shopping with the Beauty Boutique online, I find it comparable or better than Sephora.  Here’s my Shoppers Beauty Boutique review .

Get a PC Financial World Elite Mastercard

This is one of the best ways to earn PC Optimum points fast.

You earn  30 PC Optimum points  for every $1 spent at Loblaws stores ( here  is a list), at Shoppers Drug Mart you get  45 PC Optimum Points  (which is owned by Loblaw’s) and  10 PC Optimum Points for other purchases.

So it works out to be about 3% cash back at Loblaws stores and 1% elsewhere.  You also earn at least 30 PC Optimum points per litre at Esso if you pay with your PC Financial credit card.

Unfortunately if you have the World Elite you will need to have a minimum $15,000 annual spend or you will be downgraded.

Book travel through PC Travel

If you have a PC Financial Mastercard or are a PC Insiders member, you get 30 points per $1 spent booked through PC Travel.

Here’s my PC Travel review of my booking experience through the website.

Fill up your gas tank at Esso or Mobil

You can earn 10 points per litre when you fill up at Esso . 

Don’t forget to input your phone number associated with the PC Optimum points account prior to filling up to collect points. 

Points will show up on your app in a few days.

These days, however, I have to submit a points inquiry after I fill up with gas and collect my PC points that way.

Here are some other ways to save money on gas .

Sometimes there are promotions for gas within your PC Optimum app, like getting 2000 PC Optimum Points for visiting an Esso station and buying gas.

Sign up for a PC Money Account

You can earn 10 PC Optimum points for every $1 you spend, everywhere you shop and 25 PC Optimum points spent at Shoppers Drug Mart.  

The PC Money Account is basically a bank card like account (though it’s not a bank).

Here’s how you can earn up to 300,000 PC Optimum points ($300 value) with this new bank account promotion signing up for a PC money account.

Load Your PC Optimum Card Offers

Again, if you don’t have it automatically loaded, remember to LOAD YOUR OFFERS to earn the points!  For example, sometimes you can ear 3000 PC Points on diapers (that’s equivalent to $3 off).

I didn’t have my email offers for over a year and would show my PC Points card (this was before the merger) and not get any points.  I thought it was the worst points program ever. 

It frustrated me to no end, and then a nice cashier told me to give the PC Points people a call, and they explained that since I wasn’t loading my offers so that’s why I wasn’t getting any points.  Anyway, that’s in the past now, they are now the PC Optimum program.

Unfortunately, you don’t get PC Points when you buy items from the Flashfood App .

To load your offers, basically you just need to click on the PC Optimum app BEFORE you go shopping at a Loblaws store.

Here is a step by step guide on how to load your offers.

How to Load your PC Optimum Offers

Here’s how to load your PC Optimum offers (I talked to a PC Optimum customer service representative and this is what they said):

• Download the PC Optimum app (it is one of the best Canadian personal finance apps out there)
• Click the app regularly and it will automatically load your offers when you open the app

How to ADD PC Points From Receipt Online

There are times when you may forget to use your PC Optimum Card or you’re not using your PC Financial credit card at Esso for example (this happened to me recently).

I also sometimes forget to enter my phone number associated with my PC Points Account at the gas station (then missing out on PC Points added at the gas station).

Can you get PC optimum points after purchase?  

You can add your PC Optimum points from your receipt through the PC Optimum app online.

Here’s how to add PC points from a receipt:

• First you click on “Points” at the bottom of the app.
• Then you click on transactions.
• Scroll down and you’ll see “missing a transaction?” and click on “Start a Points Inquiry”.
• Enter the information (e.g. points missing) and you should get a reply within one business day (I got my points added within the same day)

For the points missing, you would say something like 10 PC points per litre under the information header.  Sometimes I accidentally put 10 PC points per $1 spent and they seem to approve it each time (it works out to be more since gas per litre is so expensive these days).

You can ALSO go under Account and scroll down to “Help and Support” and click on:

• Start a Points Inquiry

Then click on where you are missing your points (e.g. PC Optimum offers, PC Financial, Beauty Boutique, Joe Fresh, or Esso).

As above, enter the missing points information, such as transaction date, transaction code (the transaction number is located on your receipt) and the missing points amount.

Just remember you have to submit your PC Points inquiry within the past 45 days of your purchase.

Recently, there was a flyer promotion for 25,000 PC Optimum points if you bought $100 worth of baby, beauty, home products at Superstore.  I probably spent about 1 hour of my time perusing the aisles to make sure I got $100 worth in those categories (two boxes of Pampers diapers already contributes to 60% of this target).

Anyway I got to the cashier, and unfortunately nothing showed up on the receipt.  I didn’t cancel the order because it was just too much effort wasted.  Instead I “Started a Points Inquiry” with the reason “spent $100 in beauty, baby, home products according to the flyer and did not get 25,000 PC Optimum points”.

Then, about 3 business days later I see a “Points Adjustment” of 25,000 PC Optimum points in my account. 

No one emailed or called, but it was nice to see that they adjusted it.

I’ve done this multiple times, even on their PC Points days, I didn’t get the promotion on the receipt but I followed the instructions to a tee (e.g. buy two large boxes of 225g of Cheerios to get 5000 PC Optimum points). 

I requested a points adjustment and get my 5000 PC Optimum points a day or two later.

How to Redeem PC Optimum Points

Now that you know how to collect PC Optimum points quickly, how do you redeem PC Optimum points?

It’s easy to spend PC Points.

There are so many options of what you could spend your points on, not just PC stores like Superstore.  You don’t have to redeem your Optimum points on something like 2000 Air Miles on an immersion blender that you don’t need.

What’s the PC Optimum points value?

10,000 PC points is equivalent to $10 off at Loblaw’s stores (you can redeem at places like Real Canadian Superstore, No Frills, Shoppers Drug Mart).

How much are 50,000 Optimum points worth?

50,000 Optimum points is worth $50.

You can use PC points at No Frills, it’s great getting free groceries.

When the cashier rings up your purchase, they ask you if you want to redeem your points.  If the bill comes up to $24.52 and you want to redeem your points, you can redeem 20,000 PC points and then you will pay the balance of $4.52.

Personally I like to spend my PC Optimum points on things like beauty products at Shoppers Drug Mart, like Origins face cream or facial cleanser or other things that I would not normally pay full price for.

Saving for a big ticket item like electronics is also a good way to use PC Optimum points.  Other times, we just spend it on something that we would not want to pay full price for.  For example, we bought $40 worth of automatic soap dispensers using PC Optimum points recently.  $20 for a soap dispenser!

Now that you know how to collect and spend your PC points, here are a few ways to optimize your PC Optimum points, so that you get the most bang for your PC Points buck.

You can redeem up to $500 maximum, but there is no maximum of how many points you can have in your PC Optimum account.

I would recommend keeping the balance on the lower end if you can, it would be awful to lose all those points for some reason to hackers, for example.  “Treat your card like cash” they say.

Finally, as of January 2022, you can redeem your PC Optimum Points at Esso stations.

• 10 cents off per litre (maximum 40 L) when redeeming 4000 PC Optimum Points
• A free car wash when redeeming 10,000 PC Optimum points (this is any car wash, even the Ultimate Car wash which is around a $17 value)

There is a limit of one redemption per day at the Esso station.

Now that we know how you can earn PC points, and how to keep track of them, here are some ways to MAXIMIZE your PC Optimum Points so you can get to redeem your points faster.

Sign Up for a PC Money Account

There’s a promotion for up to 300,000 PC Optimum Points when you sign up for a PC Money Account.

In 2020, Loblaw’s announced they are getting back into the no fee banking in Canada  business and created PC Money. The  PC Money Account  rewards you in PC Optimum Points.

Loblaw’s calls the PC Money Account an ‘online self-service money management account’.

Here’s how you can earn up to 225,000 PC Points when you sign up for a PC Money Account (not as good as a $300 cash or free iPad new bank account promotion though):

• You can get 25,000 PC Optimum points if you fund your account with more than $200
• 50,000 PC Optimum points when you have five $50+ bill payments
• 150,000 PC Optimum points for referring three friends to a PC Money Account (50,000 PC Optimum points each Refer a Friend)
• Get a PC Mastercard

We have a PC Financial World Elite Mastercard and are really happy with it.

It’s no annual fee meaning it is free.

Points seem to come in abundance when using this card.  I also don’t have to fish out my PC Optimum Points app from my phone and just ‘tap for points’ with the card and again to pay.

It’s very straight forward.

PLUS I don’t have to ‘load my offers’ and it automatically gets loaded (though that might be because I have the app, I’m not sure which it is)– because who really has the time to load offers each week?

This is probably one of the main ways that we earn PC Optimum points so easily.  In fact, the PC Financial Mastercard is the best liked credit card in Canada according to a survey by JD Power as reviewed by the Globe and Mail.

How many points do you get with a PC Mastercard?

• You earn  30 PC Optimum points for every $1 spent at Loblaws stores and at Shoppers  Drug Mart you get 45 PC Optimum Points and 10 PC Optimum Points for all other purchases. You also earn at least 30 points per litre at Esso gas stations.

The main downside is you have to have a minimum $15,000 annual spend on the card or else you will be downgraded to the next card down.

20X the Points at Shoppers DruG mart

This is probably the easiest way to acquire PCPoints, to go to Shoppers Drug Mart on the 20 times the points events.  They are very frequent now and seem to be a bonus personalized offer from the PC app regularly.

I try my best to only shop at Shoppers Drug Mart on the 20 times the points events.  Shoppers Drug Mart tends to have inflated everyday prices, so on the extra points days I try to buy everything on sale. 

For example, their eggs are usually a good price and they can have really low prices on Red Bull, for example.  But the ‘regular price’ for Red Bull at Shoppers Drug Mart is horrendous.

Prior to the merger, I was worried that the 20 times the Points Event at Shoppers would be few and far between, but actually, it seems like it is more often now.  Check your flyers regularly, I recommend downloading the Flipp app or check the website and you can look up the Shoppers Drug Mart flyer very easily.

Related: The Grocery Buying Algorithm: How I Save Money on Groceries

Take Advantage of Your Personalized PC Optimum Offers

The PC Optimum app sends you specialized emails and personalized offers to lure you into the store.  The app tells you when the offer expires and how long you have to take advantage of it.  It’s all algorithmic.

The offers will look something like this:

“Get 100 points for every $1 spent on Pampers diapers” (which is equivalent to $3 off groceries or beauty products for future use when your redeem since a box of diapers is $30)

For certain offers, you can click on the offer if you want to save it (e.g. if you don’t have a chance to make a diaper box run) for the following week.  See the example below.  Cilantro can wait.

Some offers on the app are just a ‘one day’ thing and these are often at Shoppers Drug Mart, e.g. 20x the points for a $50 spend and cannot be extended.  

Some of the offers are so frequent that I have become desensitized to them… for example, there are a lot of 20x the points “one day only” type offers for Shoppers Drug Mart.

To be honest, I don’t look closely at my personalized offers nor do I go to the store JUST to take advantage of my personalized offer (e.g. I’m not going to go out to buy beef on purpose just because I am offered 200 points for $1 spent on beef).  However, if it is for diapers I might be swayed!

Just make sure you open your app or load your offers otherwise you don’t get the PC offers!

Get Your Spouse to Sign Up for a PC Optimum Account and Link Them

There will be different personalized offers sent to your spouse and if he or she doesn’t do the shopping as much as you do, there might be some more enticing offers.  My spouse is not as obsessed about points hoarding as much as I am, so I signed up for a PC Optimum points with our joint email address under his name and can review the offers myself.

He is so not obsessed about PC points to the point that he has been filling up at gas at Esso (and sometimes without using our PC Financial Mastercard) without inputting my phone number to collect the PC Optimum points.  Yes, I have told him to fill up at Esso to collect the points but I think he has selective hearing.

He’s so not into collecting and ‘maintaining’ points that he lost 60,000+ Aeroplan points because they expired .  So much for Player 2!

Anyway, to link your PC points, you click Household to make sure everyone is collecting points for the same goal.

Related: 12 Tips to Save Money on Food in Canada

Spend Your Points on Shoppers Drug Mart Bonus Redemption Days

These are my favourite days but they don’t come around very often.  I would say they are about four times a year.

They are called Spend Your Points Days.

You get ‘more bang for your points buck’ on these days.  Oftentimes I can’t get organized enough to go shopping on these days or can’t figure out what I want to buy to get e.g. $140 worth of goods, so I don’t go.  However, for the times that I have gone on these days, loading up on make up I’ve been wanting or expensive Origins face cream have made the redemption oh so sweet!

The redemption points value varies, but usually it is something like:

• Spend 50,000 points get $65 off
• Spend 100,000 points get $140 off
• Spend 200,000 points get $300 off

The bonus redemption days are usually over the weekend, for 2-3 days.

On a Black Friday a few years ago, the bonus redemption was the best ever , it was 300,000 PC Optimum Points for $450 worth of merchandise.

That was a great spend your points day.

Consider Getting a PC Insiders Membership

I haven’t taken the plunge yet because I don’t really want to pay for annual memberships and unfortunately I am irrational and stubborn like that.

However, if you have a PC Insiders Membership, you can get more PC Optimum points.

With a PC Insiders Membership , you can get 10 PC Optimum points for every $1 spent on PC Product Purchases and Joe Fresh products (that’s 10% back).

As of October 2023, due to high demand  new subscribers tot he PC Insiders Membership are now closed. 

PC Insiders used to be better where you would get points back for diaper and baby product purchases.  They recently changed it to just include PC Product purchases.

A few years ago, they had a promotion for $60 back in PC Points (60,000 PC Points) when you sign up for an annual Insiders’ Membership.

Play No Frills Aisles of Glory

If you like the old school pixelated video games, you’ll like No Frills Aisles of Glory .  In previous years, I didn’t bother playing this game, however I’ve been on a kick on getting easy PC Optimum points for free (similar to getting free Starbucks Rewards points for free playing their games).

It is only for a limited time. The game is usually in September.  You can play just once per day (for free), and if you play and don’t get a high score, they still give you 500 PC Optimum Points just for playing.

My highest score so far is 11,500 Points.

• If you score between 1 – 14999 Points you can get 500 PC Optimum Points
• If you score between 15000 – 49999 Points you will get 750 PC Optimum Points
• If you score over 50000 you can get 1000 PC Optimum Points

If you manage to play all 16 days (it is about a few minutes per play, max) you can get $8 cash back in PC Optimum Points!

At the end of the play, you enter your PC Optimum card number, enter the numbers after 608559 on your PC Optimum card to get your points (they don’t get awarded right away).

It’s a pretty well made game, you’ll find yourself having more fun with it than you expected!

Maximize Your PC Optimum Points Recap

In this post, I reviewed how to sign up for PC points, how to spend your PC points, and most importantly how to maximize your PC Optimum points.

Here’s a summary of the six ways to maximize your PC Points.

• Take advantage of the 20x the Points events at Shoppers Drug Mart
• Review your personalized PC Optimum Offers when you login
• Get your spouse to sign up for a PC Optimum account and link them
• Redeem Your points on Bonus redemption days
• A PC Insiders membership will give you 10% back in points on PC Product purchases
• Play the No Frills Aisles of Glory game (offered annually)

There we go, six tips on maximizing PC points, hope they are helpful for you!

You may also be interested in these posts:

• Caddle Review (Get cashback for uploading your Superstore and Loblaw’s receipts)
• 7 Sneaky Costco Hacks to Save Money
• The Scanning Code of Practice (SCOP) and My Experience With It
• 8 Great Products to Buy at the Dollarama dollar store
• 3 Free Apps that Pay you to Scan Receipts in Canada
• Rexall Be Well Review
• The Ultimate List of Cash Back Coupon Apps in Canada
• Rakuten Canada Review (Should You Sign Up?)
• How to save on groceries in Canada
• Mystery shopping in Canada
• Scene+ Points Program Review

Do you have any other tips, tricks, and PC Optimum points hacks to share? 

What do you like to spend your PC points on?

Free Dividend Yield Spreadsheet Tracker Download and Blog Updates

GYM is a 40 something millennial writing about personal finance since 2009 and interested in achieving financial freedom through disciplined saving, dividend and ETF investing, and living a minimalist lifestyle. Before you go, check out my recommendations page of financial tools I use to save and invest money. Don’t forget to subscribe for a free dividend yield spreadsheet and the free Young Money Bootcamp PDF.

You might also be interested in:

32 thoughts on “pc optimum points: 6 ways to optimize your points”.

It sounds like a pretty good program, GYM. I admire your tenacity in going after the savings. Tom

@Tom- I think I am tenacious in general. Like tenacious sputum. Haha.

The problem with PC is the prices are always higher. No points program is free and frankly, it is for me, not worth it unless I need certain things from PC.

Any other pharmacy like Jean Coutu and Rexalls is globally, cheaper than Shoppers.

The points savings are not worth the hiked up prices.

Interesting, depends on what you regularly buy I guess. No doubt Loblaws competes with the best of them but I’ve found prices at No Frills and Superstore to be super competitive. Add savings from the PC program and I’d say you cant get a better deal on groceries in Toronto.

@Alana- We have a City Market but no Loblaws stores. No Frills is really good pricing but less selection.

@Sherry- Do you guys have No Frills and Superstore in Quebec? It’s pretty cheap. Shoppers on sale is not bad, as I mentioned their eggs are the cheapest in town, but their non sale prices are very high. I actually find Rexalls more expensive than Shoppers! And their stuff sells out quickly (I was irritated when they sold out of Vitamin D drops that were advertised on sale in their flyer as I trekked it out there with my cranky screaming toddler to save a few dollars on Vitamin D drops haha).

Quebec has Maxi stores which I believe is the equivalent to the Super store

@Farly- Cool, would love to go to Quebec again, haven’t been in so long.

All of our PC points tend to be spent on groceries. Like you, I love going to Shopper’s for eggs (with a toddler and my baking obsession, we easily go through 2 cartons a week). It’s also where we get all natural peanut butter and toilet paper. Grocery shopping is so expensive in Toronto and we don’t have a a car, so convenience is everything. There a Loblaws within a 20 minute walk from us, but I find their groceries to be expensive. I wish they would build a No Frills closer. Pre-baby, I used to make the trek and drag four bags of groceries on the subway once a month. But having the PC MasterCard is super helpful in getting the most points!

@Jessica- Wow 4 bags of groceries! Omg it’s so hard to go grocery shopping with babies! Now with two it’s even more difficult. Now I’m like a 10:30pm grocery shopper, lol.

You said above “Again, if you don’t have it automatically loaded, remember to LOAD YOUR OFFERS to earn the points!” Are you saying that we are able to set it up so the offers are automatically loaded to my card? I pretty much always forget to update my app and load my offers every week lol.

@Leanne B- I contacted PC Optimum chat to ask your question because mine are automatically loaded now and I wasn’t sure why. The nice chat lady said when you open the app it loads automatically. It has nothing to do with the credit card. I guess I don’t realize how often I open the app!

Thanks for the tip about the ‘save for next week’, never knew about that! Now I’m mad cos I missed some offers I could have deferred!

I agree with @Sherry that sometimes the points you get may not be worth it if the price for goods is too high compared to elsewhere. I don’t have a Costco but that seems to be a great place for young parents (especially on getting bulk diapers).

@Johnny Elle- I am loving my Costco membership so far. https://genymoney.ca/7-sneaky-costco-hacks-to-save-money/

A little delayed because my computer died (RIP, 10 year old MacBook Pro!) but I am also STRAIGHT UP OBSESSED with PC Optimum. OBSESSED. Which makes me sad because for a LONG time I was not using this program very well (like you, I did not load my offers. When I started, you better bet I felt super dumb for holding out so long lol). I have saved SO much money through this program, it’s ridiculous, especially since — like you said — it’s not like you even really have to do a lot.

One thing I really need to start doing more often is the 20X the points thing at Shoppers. We don’t go to Shoppers often…but I do love Urban Decay. The one time I shopped the Beauty Boutique on 20X the points day, I ended up getting something like $45 worth of points. The other nice thing was, because I bought online, I was able to use Ebates, too (which at the time was like..4-6 per cent cash back). It was a great little transaction for me.

Not sure if it’s the same where you are, but one thing I don’t love is how you redeem points at the self check-out. We don’t use self check-out often but I don’t love that the only option it gives you is to use enough to cover the full balance (for example, if I bought $40 worth of stuff and had $60 worth of points, the check-out would make me use $40 instead of $20). But…that’s a pretty small gripe for an excellent program.

@Tara- I was inspired to use Beauty Boutique by your comment!! I’m excited waiting for my day cream to arrive (so hard to trek it out to a particular Shoppers Drug Mart with two young kids). Thanks! Yeah, I was wary of using the self checkout too, I definitely wouldn’t use it to redeem, but they are going to be more and more common. Do you have the mastercard too? I find it’s much faster to earn with the credit card.

I can’t believe how long it took me to realize that the Beauty Boutique is where it’s at! I love Sephora, don’t get me wrong, but the reward program is not nearly as good. Glad I could inspire you haha. I don’t have the Mastercard right now but I’m thinking about it! Been using the Tangerine one for the last year and really liking it for the cash back but considering how much money we spend on groceries (and gas. And makeup), it might be worth it to make the switch!

@Tara P- Or just add another card on 😉 It’s like 3% cash back at Loblaw’s stores, and Tangerine is only 2% cash back on certain categories.

I use PC World Elite Mastercard for my everyday spending and love earning PC points as it saves me money on groceries. Due to being in a small city, No Frills and Independent’s are pretty competitive so I shop at Independent’s for better quality food. I only spend PC Points on groceries mainly on big grocery week like topping up laundry stuff and garbage bags. In my city, we have 2 gas stations on the Reserve only 5mins way that is 10-15 cents cheaper (more bang for buck vs collecting PC points) than the other stations so I mainly gas up there as opposed to filling up at Esso/Mobil but will go there if I’m in a different city. My husband now has the PC card so he does collect points where possible.

I used to shop at Shoppers but ever since Loblaw’s have bought them out, the prices have skyrocketed to the point that I’m going to Rexall as it’s much more reasonably priced so I do lose out on PC points there. However, based on my math, the savings at Rexall far exceeds the savings from the PC Points. Obviously, YMMV as it’ll depend on which city the person is in.

@KQ- Interesting, another person who finds Rexall more economical than Shoppers! The selection at the Rexalls in Vancouver isn’t that great compared to Shoppers, and I haven’t found the deals that great at all, but maybe city-Rexalls are less stocked up than more rural Rexalls or Montreal Rexalls. Thanks for sharing your PC Optimum points acquisition strategies.

• Pingback: Checkout 51 Review: Ibotta for Canada - Genymoney.ca

Old PC points by themselves were not great, but when they introduced PC Plus (which now you see in PC Optimum with all these offers) it became much better, I use it a lot. It is nice they took Shoppers on-board since my points grew there very slowly and even expired once. Rexall (also good for weekend eggs) and Shoppers are great on sales, otherwise quite expensive,

@Yaraslav- Yes, totally agree Shoppers is great when stuff is on sale. The prices are somewhat horrific when it is not on sale/ regular price. I’m still surprised they have so many 20 times the points events with the switchover. It’s like almost every weekend!

I find it’s typically better to earn points at Superstore. But spend them at Shoopers. Bigger benefit.

@Sheila- Or Shoppers Beauty! 🙂 I like doing it both ways, the 20x points at Shoppers are great but for day to day shopping I go to No Frills and Superstore.

Sounds like me! I LOVE those buy $100 get 10000 points. I did it just last Friday. Spent $110. It was tough to make it over $100 honestly as we didn’t need much so spent by buying on sale Dishwasher liquid and Olive Oil plus Egg was on sale (30 for $4.44 so bought 5. But got the 10000 ($10) which felt pretty awesome. I don’t know if their new subscription program is worth it. For Shoppers, I barely buy anything from there. Usually it is over-priced except when things are discounted.

@Y4Travel- Nice! 30 for $4.44 is a great deal for eggs. We don’t get the buy $100 get 10,000 points often but the Shoppers points are quite often. I did two weekends in a row of more than a $50 purchase to get the 20 times the points, and got something $35 back in points.

Yeah for the egg! It is at Maxi (Loblaw) or Super C once every 2 months usually. So I buy enough eggs for the family before the expiry date! I am sure people say what a weirdo in their mind when seeing me taking so many eggs! I think I should try the Shoppers Drug Mart 20 times points. Never imagined it could be $35 for a bit over $100 purchase! That is like 35% money back (Plus the 2-3% back from CC).

I can’t resist– have to reply on the PC points– my wife and i make a game of this–we track every single food item that we purchase and aggressivly go for the least expensive we have every paid– for example- Maxwell house coffee 925 g – normally around 14.99 and shoppers- sometimes 12.99 — superstore sometimes 10,99 lots of times 8.97 – a few times 5.97 – the best price is 4.88 ==== now the fun part , when it’s 4.88 we know that a can lasts us 21 days – so we look at the expiry date and figure out how many we should buy at that price– and then we PAY with PC points and get it for FREE… We do this with every food item that we buy – our excel spread sheet on food pricing is over 10,000 items long– so we know the price of everything– to the gram- or pound – or ml —- and we also track how much FREE food we have recieved– that spread sheet is currently at over 10,700.00 in FREE food — its fun and i think we are saving a ton– and of course we never pay any interest on the credit card

@Steve- That really does sound like a fun game, definitely makes the PC Optimum points ‘stretch’ more. $10,700 in free food, wow, that’s amazing- that’s like a year of free food for some households!

Several times the cashier has neglected to add points for bringing my own PC Cloth Bag. Today, I mentioned it and she gave me a receipt with the codes on my didn’t enter my PC Master card so she told me I could sign on and collect them but I can’t see where that can happen. Once, at No Frills, the cashier said that they didn’t give points for bags. I know it isn’t much but it’s the principle that I have a hard time with.

@Esther- Do you have the PC Optimum app? If you click on account and click “Points Inquiry” and click PC Financial with the transaction date and missing points amount “10 points” and the offer details, they may give you your points.

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

PC Travel Review: Is it worth using?

Since joining the PC Insiders program, I have become more and more interested in the PC Optimum points program and how I could earn more points to redeem against grocery bills. To take advantage of the additional earning power, we have also applied for the no free PC Financial World Elite Mastercard. As a PC Insider , one of the benefits is the annual $99 credit we can use when booking flights, hotels, vacations, car rentals, and cruises on PC Travel. As a result, I’ve been quite curious about PC Travel and whether it’s an effective travel booking site for Canadians compared to the other travel booking sites like Google Flights, Expedia, and Costco Travel. Unfortunately, with PC Travel, you can’t redeem your PC Optimum points (it would be awesome if you could). Instead, you can earn points when you book through PC Travel. Is PC Travel worth using for booking travel? Here’s my PC Travel review. 

What is PC Travel?

PC Travel is a travel agency started by the President’s Choice/Loblaws brand in September 2014 . With PC Travel, you can book flights, vacations, hotels, cruises, car rentals. From the initial view on the website, PC Travel appears to be a good travel booking alternative for Canadians. 

One key thing to note is that you can only book through PC Travel if you hold a PC Financial Mastercard or if you are a PC Insiders subscriber. The website will ask you to confirm which Mastercard you hold or if you are a PC Insider. By using a PC Financial Mastercard, you can earn additional PC Optimum points when you make a booking through the website. 

In case you’re wondering about the PC Insiders program, this is a subscription based membership program that President’s Choice/Loblaws started a number of years ago. You can be a PC Insider by paying a monthly or an annual fee. As a member, you can earn additional PC Optimum points on certain products like PC Organics, PC Black Label products, diapers, and formula. The biggest benefits as a PC Insider is that you can also order groceries online and pick them up for free (normally a $3-5 pick up fee depending on the pick up slot). Another perk you get if you pay for the annual $99 fee is an annual $99 travel credit for travel bookings through PC Travel. Essentially the PC Insider program is free if you account for the PC Travel annual credit. Check out my review of PC Insiders here. 

Earning PC Optimum points with PC Travel

As a PC Financial Matercard card holder, you can earn different amounts of PC Optimum points when you make a booking with PC Travel.

• As a PC Financial Mastercard holder, you will earn 20 PC Optimum points per $1 spent on PC Travel.
• As a PC Financial World Mastercard holder, you will earn 20 PC Optimum points per $1 spent on PC Travel. 
• As a PC Financial World Elite Mastercard holder, you will earn 30 PC Optimum points per $1 spent on PC Travel.

The nice thing about the PC Mastercards is that they have no annual fees. If you can meet the income requirements, the best card to apply for is the PC Financial World Elite Mastercard since you’d get 3% back on every dollar spent.  

In case you’re wondering, for every 10,000 PC Optimum points you receive, you can redeem $10 off your grocery bills. This is essentially like getting cash back and the main reason why we like the PC Optimum program so much – the simplicity. 

Now if you don’t have a PC Financial Mastercard but you’re a PC Insider, you can still make bookings through PC Travel. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to get any PC Optimum points on your travel bookings. Since none of the PC Mastercards have annual fees, it really makes a lot of sense to have one to maximize your earning power. 

How long does it take to receive PC Optimum Points with PC Travel?

According to PC Travel’s Books Terms and Conditions, it takes approximately three to five weeks following the date of purchase from PC Travel for PC Optimum points to be awarded. If there are any bonus PC Optimum points (i.e. when there’s a promotion for additional PC Optimum points booked through PC Travel), the bonus points will show up within the three to five week period as a separate transaction.

When we shop at Superstore, No Frills, or any other Loblaws stores, we’d see PC Optimum points show up in the PC Optimum app within minutes after the purchase. To me, it is extremely strange that it takes three to five weeks to see points when you make a booking through PC Travel. For PC Travel to be more popular for Canadians, I believe a faster points deposit time frame is needed. 

PC Travel Flights vs. Google Flights

One of the things I’m curious about is comparing the prices between PC Travel and Google Flights. From my searches, both PC Travel and Google Flights provided the same flight prices for airlines like Air Canada, WestJet, and United when booking travels to the US. I do appreciate PC Travel showing me how much PC Optimum points you’d earn if I were to book the flight. This way I can calculate the “true” airfare price. 

When I tried to search flights for domestic or international travels, I noticed that PC Travel does not include discounted airlines like Air Transat. So there were some price differences between PC Travel and Google Flights.   

PC Travel Hotels vs. Marriott

Since I’m a Marriott Bonvoy Elite member, whenever I travel, I try to stay at a Marriott property as much as I can to accumulate points and earn status. How would PC Travel compare to Marriott’s website when it comes to hotel bookings? 

Unfortunately, based on my searches, I am unable to draw any conclusion on which website is cheaper. One important thing to note is that if you book hotels through PC Travel, you won’t be able to earn any Marriott Bonvoy points and if you’re an Elite member, you won’t get recognized. Furthermore, the night stay won’t show up under your Bonvoy account. As a Marriott Bonvoy Elite member, unless PC Travel has really good hotel deals, I will most likely only book directly through Marriott’s site.

The same statement can probably be said when we compare other hotel brands too. 

PC Travel vs. Costco Travel – Car Rentals

Given that PC Travel has a car rentals option, I figured I’d compare PC Travel and Costco Travel. 

On my first search, renting a car from Vancouver International Airport, PC Travel came out ahead of Costco Travel. However, it is interesting to note that with PC Travel I’d rent a car through Dollar (never heard of them) whereas with Costco Travel, I’d rent through Budget. This doesn’t seem to be an apple to apple comparison. Since I’ve never rented with Dollar before, I would feel more comfortable renting with a more established brand like Budget. 

When I did another search, renting a car from LA International, Costco Travel came out ahead when both websites showed me the car rental cost when renting through Alamos. 

If you are not picky on which rental car company you rent your car with, PC Travel may show some cheaper rental car options depending on your pickup location. Generally speaking, prices for PC Travel car rentals seem to be more expensive than other choices. It’s not worth booking through PC Travel just to learn more PC Optimum points.

PC Travel vs. Costco Travel – Vacation

Since both PC Travel and Costco Travel have a search option for vacation packages, I thought it would be worthwhile to compare the two. 

When I searched for a Maui vacation package, Costco Travel came out ahead by a mile. Interestingly, Costco’s vacation package includes car rental while PC Travel’s vacation package only includes airfare and hotel. If we account for the cost of the car rental, Costco Travel is definitely a better website for booking a Maui vacation package. After a few more searches on travel vacations, I concluded that prices for PC Travel vacations are way more expensive than other travel booking sites like Costco Travel and Expedia. While you will earn a lot of PC Optimum points if you book through PC Travel, I have concluded that it is not worth it.

PC Travel Pros

After doing a number of searches and comparing PC Travel with other travel booking sites, I concluded that PC Travel has a few benefits.

• If you sign up for the PC Insiders program and have the $99 annual travel credit, it makes sense to apply the credit towards flights, vacation packages, car rentals, hotels, and cruises. One thing to note is that the $99 travel credit can only be applied to hotel bookings of 3 or more nights. In other words, if you’re looking for a quick two night weekend staycation by booking a hotel in your city, you won’t be able to use the travel credit, unfortunately.
• If you are big into PC Optimum points, PC Travel allows you to earn more points.
• PC Travel has a Best Price Guarantee which gives PC Travel customers peace of mind. If you find a lower advertised Canadian dollar price than that advertised on the website at time of booking, and the rate is verified, PC Travel will match the lower rate and reward you with 25,000 bonus PC Optimum points on the booking.

PC Travel Cons

Other than taking advantage of the $99 annual travel credit that you receive as a PC Insider, I personally don’t think it makes sense to book through PC Travel as there are quite a few cons.

• All bookings are 100% non refundable according to PC Travel’s FAQ section. Since the payment is due at the time of booking, if you make a booking and need to change your plans, it can get problematic. The cancellation policies and penalties vary by travel providers, airlines, and/or tour operators. So you need to contact PC Travel Call Centre at 1-844-862-8466  to find out more. 
• The full payment and non refundable policy can be tricky if you use PC Travel for hotels or car rentals and you need to make a change later. For example, if I were to book a hotel with Marriott, typically you can change your reservation. You can also cancel 48 hours prior to arrival without being charged. In this sense, PC Travel is not very flexible at all.
• PC Travel does not provide any guarantee to changes to your booking. You’d have to call the call centre to find out more details. This is not ideal if you need to change your itineraries. 
• As mentioned, it takes three to five weeks for PC Optimum points to show up in your account. I don’t understand why it takes so long and it can be difficult to keep track of the points. 
• Since the main draw of using PC Travel is earning more PC Optimum points, if you don’t shop at any President Choice or Loblaws stores, it makes very little sense to book through PC Travel. And if you don’t shop at PC or Loblaws stores, chances are you aren’t a PC Insider or have a PC Financial Mastercard, which means you can’t use PC Travel anyway. 
• If you are booking flights with PC Travel and paying with a PC Financial Mastercard, it may be problematic if you face a trip interruption, flight delay, or baggage delay since none of the three PC Financial Mastercards have any sort of travel insurance coverage. Since we’ve encountered flight and baggage delays a few times when we travelled to Denmark, I would be very hesitant to book any major travels with PC Travel. Now if it’s a straightforward trip like going to Los Angeles with no checked-in luggage, it might be worth booking through PC Travel, especially if you are redeeming the $99 annual travel credit. Similarly, I wouldn’t rent a car with PC Travel and pay with a PC Financial Mastercard since there’s no rental insurance coverage with the card. 

My Experience with PC Travel

When we first joined the PC Insiders program, my original plan of using the $99 annual travel credit was to book a hotel room in Vancouver for a weekend staycation with Mrs. T. But after finding out the minimum three night stay requirement, we quickly scrapped that idea. It’s unfortunate there’s a minimum three night stay requirement because that doesn’t give us much options to use PC Travel for a hotel booking and redeem the travel credit. 

For FinCon’19 , I used PC Travel to book my flights between Vancouver and Washington DC. I figured it was OK to book with PC Travel because I was doing carry-on luggage only, and I wasn’t going to change my itineraries. The flight was with Delta and the cost would have been the same if I were to book through Delta. The airfare for my Vancouver/Washington DC trip was $700 including taxes so I ended up getting 21,000 in PC Optimum points or an equivalent of $21 that I can take off when shopping at Superstore or No Frills. 

As you may recall, we had plans to go to Disneyland after FinCon’20 . Originally we were going to book through PC Travel and use the $99 travel credit again from our PC Insiders renewal. We decided against using PC Travel for this trip after we considered all the bonuses we’d get for signing up the WestJet World Elite Mastercard. We ended up booking directly with WestJet so we could use the WestJet Dollars and a compassion voucher. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we eventually cancelled our flights and received a full refund from WestJet. The cancellation and refund process was quite easy with WestJet as we simply logged into our accounts and clicked on “cancel flights.” There was no need to get on the phone, wait, and talk to an agent. If we were to book through PC Travel, we would have to call the PC Travel Call Centre and spend a lot of time talking to an agent and try to get a refund. We probably wouldn’t have received a full refund if we had booked our flights through PC Travel. 

PC Travel Review  – Is it worth using? 

So what’s my opinion on PC Travel? Is it worth using this travel booking platform when there are tons of alternatives out there? Although my only booking experience with PC Travel was positive, I wouldn’t book anything with PC Travel unless I want to redeem our $99 PC Travel credit and if our travel plan was very straight forward (i.e. a direct flight, no check-in bags, etc). I would not want to use PC Travel for a trip that involves complex itineraries. The lack of travel insurance on the PC Financial Mastercard also means that I would not want to book any international flights, car rentals, cruises, or even vacation packages with PC Travel. If I book anything without having travel insurance, I would be worried if something happens. Therefore, the most likely scenario for me to use PC Travel would be booking a 3 night hotel stay and redeem the $99 travel credit. But the idea of staying for 3 nights and not accumulating any night count toward Elite status doesn’t sound like a good idea to me. 

Even with the new PC Insider program and the extra earn rate of 5% as a PC Insider member, I would be hesitant making a travel booking via PC Travel. This is mostly because prices via PC Travel appear to be more expensive than other travel booking sites. While it is great to be able to earn PC Optimum points when booking through PC Travel. I honestly do not think it’s worth the hassle. You are better off booking directly with an airline, a hotel, or a car rental company. For vacation packages, PC Travel doesn’t seem to offer a great deal when compared to Costco Travel and other similar travel booking sites.

According to the Yelp review, many Canadians had bad experience with PC Travel, especially the cancellation and non-refundable policies. This does not surprise me at all. 

For me, it is very unfortunate that PC Travel is so restrictive and doesn’t provide much value compared to other travel booking alternatives. For PC Travel to be more appealing to Canadians, the company needs to make the booking platform more flexible with a better cancellation policy while offering very appealing pricing. 

Dear readers, have you used PC Travel? What’s your experience? What do you think about this PC Travel review? 

Learn how to create passive income & reach financial independence.

1 thought on “PC Travel Review: Is it worth using?”

All the information were useful I was looking for a site like this .I will always suggest it to my friends

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

  Notify me when new comments are added.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

• Credit Cards

The Forbes Advisor editorial team is independent and objective. To help support our reporting work, and to continue our ability to provide this content for free to our readers, we receive payment from the companies that advertise on the Forbes Advisor site. This comes from two main sources.

First , we provide paid placements to advertisers to present their offers. The payments we receive for those placements affects how and where advertisers’ offers appear on the site. This site does not include all companies or products available within the market.

Second , we also include links to advertisers’ offers in some of our articles. These “affiliate links” may generate income for our site when you click on them. The compensation we receive from advertisers does not influence the recommendations or advice our editorial team provides in our articles or otherwise impact any of the editorial content on Forbes Advisor.

While we work hard to provide accurate and up to date information that we think you will find relevant, Forbes Advisor does not and cannot guarantee that any information provided is complete and makes no representations or warranties in connection thereto, nor to the accuracy or applicability thereof.

How The PC Optimum Program Works

Updated: Aug 22, 2024, 10:44am

Table of Contents

What is the pc optimum program, how to earn pc optimum points, how to redeem pc optimum points, pc optimum points value, the pc optimum mobile app, pc optimum personalized offers, pc insiders subscription, how to maximize pc optimum points, bottom line, frequently asked questions (faq).

Canada has several rewards programs, some of which make it easier to earn points and redeem rewards than others. One of the easiest programs is PC Optimum, which allows you to earn PC Optimum rewards on groceries, gas, clothing, and drug store purchases and then redeem them quickly and easily, both online and in-store.

Featured Partner Offers

American Express Cobalt® Card

On American Express’s Secure Website

Welcome Bonus

Up to 15,000 Membership Rewards points

$155.88 ($12.99 per month)

Regular APR

SimplyCash® Card from American Express

Up to $100 in Statement Credits

Regular APR (Purchases)

Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card

On Scotiabank’s Secure Website

Up to 45,000 Scene+ points

$120 (waived in the first year)

The American Express Business Gold Rewards Card is a generalist business rewards card for Amex loyalists and big welcome bonus hunters. Apply now!

On American Express’s Website

The PC Optimum program is one of Canada’s biggest and most popular rewards programs. It combines grocery, gas, and pharmacy-related purchases under one umbrella, allowing Canadians to earn points easily on their day-to-day spending. PC Optimum partners include Loblaws and Loblaws-affiliated brands, Shoppers Drug Mart, Joe Fresh clothing, Esso, and Mobil in Quebec; all of which are big names commonly used by Canadians country-wide.

PC Optimum offers a no-fee membership option and branded credit cards. The program is lauded for being easy to use and offering good value. Plus, the points never expire.

Earning PC Optimum points is easy, whether you use the free PC Optimum membership card or one of its branded credit card options.

PC Optimum Rewards Program

The PC Optimum rewards program is free to join and allows members to earn points at participating locations. It is a great option that allows you to earn points easily when shopping at participating stores. However, if you are a regular shopper at these businesses, it is much more lucrative to look at a PC-branded credit card option to collect PC Optimum points faster and redeem them for free merchandise sooner than you can with just the PC Optimum membership card.

PC Financial Mastercard

The perks to choosing this no-annual-fee PC-branded credit card is that you have extra opportunities to earn points and can double dip. With the PC Financial Mastercard , you will earn PC points on every purchase you make with the card- whether it is a partner brand or not.

Earn rates for the PC Financial Mastercard are:

• At least 3 cents per litre at Esso and Mobil stations.
• Up to 30 points per dollar spent at Loblaw-affiliated grocery stores.
• Up to 45 points for every dollar spent at Shoppers Drug Mart and Pharmaprix stores.
• Up to 30 points per dollar spent at Joe Fresh stores.
• 10 points per dollar spent everywhere else.

PC Optimum Points

Pc mastercard.

The PC Financial Mastercard is the most basic PC Optimum credit card on this list, but it’s also the most accessible because it doesn’t have income requirements. It also earns PC Optimum points on all your spending without having to worry about an annual fee.

• Earn PC Optimum points at an accelerated rate when you spend at Loblaw-owned stores, including Shoppers Drug Mart
• Earn $0.07 per litre on gas at Esso and Mobil
• Built-in travel emergency medical insurance and car rental collision/loss damage waiver insurance
• No income requirements
• Little benefit compared to the other PC Financial credit cards when spending at Shoppers Drug Mart or Esso and Mobil
• Earn rate at Loblaw banner grocery stores is the same as the base rate
• No extra perks or benefits
• No annual fee
• Welcome bonus of 20,000 PC Optimum points when you make your first purchase at a store that sells PC products or at an Esso or Mobil station
• Earn 10 PC Optimum points per dollar at Loblaw-banner grocery stores
• Earn 25 PC Optimum points per dollar at Shoppers Drug Mart
• Earn up to 30 PC Optimum points per litre at Esso and Mobil stations
• Earn 10 PC Optimum points per dollar on purchases everywhere else

PC Insiders™ World Elite Mastercard®

The PC Insiders™ World Elite Mastercard® is a new financial product that operates similarly to the PC Financial Mastercard. This card does have a $120 annual fee. However, it also includes accelerated earn rates as follows:

• 40 points per dollar spent a Loblaw banner grocery stores
• 50 points per dollar spent at Shoppers Drug Mart.
• Up to 7 cents/litre at Esso and Mobil stations.
• 40 points per dollar spent at Joe Fresh Stores.
• 10 points per dollar spent elsewhere.

300,000 PC Optimum points

after spending $3,000 or more within the first 4 months of opening the account

Regular APR (Purchases) / Regular APR (Cash Advances)

21.99% / 22.97%

The PC Insiders World Elite Mastercard is the only card on this list with a welcome offer. It also earns the most PC Optimum points per dollar of any of the PC Financial cards, earning you 40 PC Optimum points per dollar at Loblaw-owned grocery stores and 50 points per dollar at Shoppers Drug Mart. You’ll also get a bonus of $0.07 per litre when you fuel up at Esso or Mobil stations. That said, it does come with an annual fee and minimal benefits outside the PC Optimum world.

• Earn more Optimum points at Loblaw-owned stores and Shoppers Drug Mart
• Little benefit when spending at grocery stores , drug stores or gas stations outside the Loblaw umbrella
• $120 annual fee
• Not many extra perks or benefits
• Welcome bonus of 300,000 PC Optimum points when you spend $3,000 or more within the first four months of opening the account
• Earn 50 PC Optimum points per dollar at Shoppers Drug Mart stores, 40 PC Optimum points per dollar at Joe Fresh stores and at Loblaw-banner grocery stores and 10 PC Optimum points per dollar everywhere else
• Earn $0.07 per litre on gas at Esso and Mobil stations
• Get a complimentary PC Express Pass ($99.99 per year) that gives you free grocery delivery and pickup on eligible orders of $35 or more.
• Built-in $1 million travel emergency medical insurance for first 10 days of a trip for those under 65 years old
• Car rental collision/loss damage waiver insurance for up to 31 days
• Purchase assurance and extended warranty

PC Money Account

Finally, there is the PC Money Account. A no-monthly-fee bank account that allows you to earn PC Optimum points for your everyday banking and spending habits. Account holders will earn up to 5,000 points per month for using their account for bill payments and up to another 5,000 points per month for signing up for payroll or pension direct deposit. When it comes to shopping, those who use their PC Money debit card to shop at partner brands will earn:

• Up to 25 points per dollar at Shoppers Drug Mart
• 10 points per dollar spent at partner grocery stores
• 5 points per dollar spent elsewhere

To redeem your PC Optimum points, you must have at least 10,000 points, which is the equivalent of $10 worth of free stuff at participating stores (physical or online). You can save your points as much as you want; they don’t expire. However, you can only use a maximum of $500 worth of points on any single purchase.

Points can be redeemed for groceries, cosmetics, household products- whatever you want from a participating retailer. If you shop in person, you will be asked at the register if you want to use your points. If you shop online, you will see an option to redeem your points when logged into your account.

As a base, PC Optimum points are worth $0.01 per individual point and you need at least $10,000 points for a redemption, which gives you a $10 value. Typically, you will earn 10 points per dollar spent. However, there are some purchase categories with accelerated earn rates, especially if you are using the PC Optimum credit card options. Please refer to the individual credit card and PC Money Account summaries above for a breakdown of those values.

The PC Optimum Mobile App is available for free at the Play and Apple App stores on those corresponding phones. Once you download the app and register an account with your email and a password, you’ll be asked to link either a PC Financial credit card or your PC Optimum membership card. You can do this by manually entering the number on the card into the app or by scanning the card’s barcode using the app, which will repopulate the membership number and automatically link your account to the app.

The app will then ask you questions about your shopping habits, such as, “What’s your favourite aisle at the grocery store?” or “When you snack, do you lean salty or sweet?” You will then tap one of the presented options as your answer. What you select determines what kind of offers you get as your personalized offers in the app. The offers can be anything from “Get a free bag of chips when you spend $40 on almost anything at Shoppers Drug Mart” to “Get 2,000 points for every $10 spent on cheese, yogurt, butter or margarine.” To redeem the offer, you must complete the stated task before the offer expires. Once you do, scan your PC Optimum membership card or use your PC Financial credit card at checkout.

In addition to personalized offers, the PC Optimum Mobile App allows you to manage your PC Optimum account, scan your membership card at checkout right from the app (updating your points balance when you do), and download flyers from participating stores near you. Just enter your postal code or enable location services on your phone, and you will see the latest flyers from the surrounding participating stores.

One of PC Optimum’s standout features is that this rewards program tailors its deals to your shopping habits, allowing you to earn more points on your purchases.

How Does PC Optimum Personalized Offers Work?

The program monitors your purchases, especially repeat purchases, and prioritizes some items as special offers with higher earn rates. You then load the offers that you want to take advantage of onto your PC Optimum app so that when you purchase them, you get the promotional deal.

You can have a PC Insiders subscription for $119 a year (plus tax). As a subscriber, you get the following benefits:

• Earn 10% back in PC Optimum points on all PC products.
• With a PC Optimum Insiders subscription, you enjoy free and priority grocery pickup with PC Express and earn extra points at Joe Fresh.
• Free shipping with no minimum purchase on joefresh.com and shoppersdrugmart.ca purchases.

To maximize your PC Optimum points, it’s in your best interest to be a PC Optimum credit card holder and ensure you shop as much as possible at partner stores and businesses where you can earn them at a higher rate. We’d also recommend downloading the PC Optimum Mobile App to keep track of your personalized offers and if you are really a fan of PC Optimum, get a PC Insiders subscription if you feel the annual cost is worth it.

The PC Optimum rewards program is so popular because it is easy to use and allows you to earn points quickly on everyday essential items. That being said, while there are several participating brands that allow you to earn and redeem PC Optimum points, the value is really only there if you regularly shop at these businesses. So consider your shopping habits, and if they align with PC Optimum partners, at the very least, it is worth signing up for the free PC Optimum membership account.

What’s the best way to earn PC Optimum points?

Join the PC Optimum program and consider getting a PC Optimum-branded credit card. The best way to earn points is to shop as much as possible at partner brands and take advantage of your personal offers.

How do I become a PC Optimum member?

Membership is free to Canadians aged 14 and above (parental consent is required if you are under the age of majority in your province). To become a member, you can visit www.pcoptimum.ca to create your account or download the PC Optimum app and create your account from there. Don’t forget to check your account to take advantage of personalized offers!

How do I access my PC Optimum account?

You can access your account online via the PC Optimum website or through the PC Optimum App. Check your account regularly for updated personal offers. Like with all other financial products, protect your log-in information and monitor your account for fraudulent behaviour, as scams can and do occur.

How do I claim my PC Optimum offers?

Personal offers can be found on your online account. You can load these offers online or through the app. Note that you need to load these offers before paying, or you will not receive the bonus points for the personalized offers.

Is the PC Optimum program worth it?

If you regularly shop with PC Optimum partners, then yes, the PC Optimum program is worth it.

How many PC Optimum points do you get per dollar spent?

Generally, you receive 10 points per dollar spent if you have the free PC Optimum membership card. Of course, select items in specific stores can garner many more points depending on how much you spend as well. Pay attention to your personalized offers through the PC Mobile app and the flyers available from your nearest participating stores to take advantage of those promotions. In addition, the PC credit cards that are available have their own specific accelerated earn rates for groceries, gas and booking travel through the PC Financial travel portal. Meanwhile, if you also sign up for the PC Insiders subscription at $119 per year, you will automatically receive 10% of your purchases back in PC Optimum points at participating stores.

How much money is 1,000 PC Optimum points?

1,000 PC Optimum points is equivalent to $10 spent.

Does PC Optimum have a fee?

You can join the PC Optimum program for free by getting a membership card at a participating store. You may pay an annual fee for some participating credit cards or if you sign up for a PC Insiders subscription.

Do PC Optimum personalized offers load automatically?

Yes. If you link your membership card number to the PC Optimum Mobile App and answer a short shopping habits questionnaire, your personalized offers should load automatically.

Why don't you get PC Optimum points at No Frills?

You do get PC Optimum points at No Frills, but like all Loblaws banner stores, you can only collect PC Optimum points on specific items advertised in-store or on your loaded personalized offers. Points per dollar are only available at Shoppers Drug Mart at a rate of 15 points per dollar spent. However, if you have a PC financial credit card, you will earn points on every purchase according to the rate specified by your cardholder agreement.

• Best Credit Cards
• Best Travel Credit Cards
• Best Cash Back Credit Cards
• Best No Foreign Transaction Fee Credit Cards
• Best Airport Lounge Access Credit Cards
• Best Aeroplan Credit Cards
• Best Student Credit Cards
• Best Rewards Credit Cards
• Best Credit Cards for Bad Credit
• Best Business Credit Cards
• Most Exclusive Credit Cards In Canada
• Best Prepaid Credit Cards
• Best TD Credit Cards
• Best Low-Interest Credit Cards
• Best Visa Cards
• Best RBC Credit Cards
• Best of Instant Approval Credit Cards
• Best Cash Back Credit Cards With No Annual Fee
• Best Secured Credit Cards in Canada
• American Express Cobalt Review
• KOHO Prepaid Mastercard Review
• EQ Bank Card Review
• Neo Standard Mastercard Review
• TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Review
• TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite Card
• RBC Avion Visa Infinite Review
• Simplii Financial Cash Back Visa Review
• MBNA Rewards World Elite Mastercard
• Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Review
• Neo Secured Credit Card Review
• MBNA True Line Mastercard Review
• TD Aeroplan Visa Platinum Card Review
• TD Cash Back Visa Infinite Review
• BMO CashBack World Elite Mastercard Review
• Platinum Card From American Express Review
• TD Platinum Travel Visa Card Review
• TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card Review
• American Express Aeroplan Card Review
• American Express Green Card Review
• Credit Card Interest Calculator
• Credit Card Minimum Payment Calculator
• American Express Cobalt vs. Scotiabank Gold American Express Card
• TD First Class Travel Vs. TD Aeroplan
• What's The Best Day & Time To Book Flights
• Air Canada Aeroplan: The Ultimate Guide
• Guide To American Express Credit Card Levels
• What Credit Cards Does Costco Accept In Canada?
• Is American Express Better Than Visa Or Mastercard?
• How To Get The Apple Card In Canada
• What Happens If You Overpay Your Credit Card?
• How To Redeem Aeroplan Points
• Foreign Transaction Fees: How To Avoid Them
• How To Spot A Credit Card Skimmer
• What Is The Highest Limit Credit Card In Canada?
• Benefits And Perks Of Amex Platinum Card
• How Much Is The Amex Platinum Foreign Transaction Fee?
• Negative Balance On A Credit Card: What To Do?
• Fee Increases Here For Both Platinum Cards From Amex

More from  

Line of credit vs. credit card: which is better, what is buy now, pay later, how to use a credit card installment plan, how the rbc avion visa infinite card came to the rescue with travel insurance, tsa precheck, global entry, nexus and clear® plus: what you need to know, how the american express platinum card improves my travel experience.

Hannah Logan is a Canadian freelancer writer and blogger who specializes in personal finance and travel. You can follow her adventures on her travel blog EatSleepBreatheTravel.com or find her on Instagram @hannahlogan21.

Courtney Reilly-Larke is the deputy editor of Forbes Advisor Canada. Previously, she was the associate editor of personal finance at MoneySense. She was also managing editor of Best Health Magazine and has contributed to publications such as Cottage Life and Blog TO. She currently lives in Toronto.

This browser is not supported. Please use another browser to view this site.

• All Save & Spending
• Best credit cards
• Best rewards cards
• Best travel cards
• Best cash back cards
• Best low interest cards
• Best balance transfer cards
• Newcomers to Canada
• All Investing
• ETF finder tool
• Best crypto
• Couch potato
• Fixed rates
• Variable rates
• Mortgage calculator
• Income property
• Renovations + maintenance
• All Insurance
• All Personal Finance
• Finance basics
• Compound interest calculator
• Household finances
• All Resources + Guides
• Find a Qualified Advisor
• Monthly budget template
• ETF Finder Tool
• Student money
• First-time home buyers
• Guide For New Immigrants
• Best dividend stocks
• Best online brokers
• Where to buy real estate
• Best robo-advisors
• All Columns
• Making sense of the markets
• Ask a Planner
• A Rich Life
• Interviews + profiles
• Retired Money

Advertisement

By Keph Senett on August 21, 2024 Estimated reading time: 11 minutes

PC Optimum points: How it works and best ways to earn

If you frequently shop at Loblaw-affiliated stores, the right PC Financial Mastercard or a PC Money Account can help you earn serious PC Optimum points.

The PC Optimum rewards program lets you earn points redeemable for products at Loblaw-affiliated grocery stores, Shoppers Drug Mart, and Esso and Mobil gas stations. Earning and redeeming points is easy. There are lots of ways to earn points when you shop, and you can redeem 10,000 PC Optimum points for $10 off virtually anything available at participating stores. Just tell the cashier and the savings come off at the till. Savvy shoppers can accumulate even more points with a PC Money Account or by paying with one of three PC Mastercards. Read on to discover how to maximize your points with one of the best credit card rewards programs for grocery shoppers.

The value of PC Optimum points

At Loblaw grocery stores and Shoppers Drug Mart, PC Optimum points must be redeemed in 10,000-point increments, and 10,000 points have a value of $10. This means that 1 PC Optimum point is worth 0.1 cents, and 10 points are worth 1 cent. So, you can think of PC Optimum points as having a value of 1% when redeeming at these stores.

The point value varies when redeeming for gas purchases. When you fill up at an Esso station, you can redeem 4,000 PC Optimum points for a discount of 10 cents per litre (up to a maximum of 40 litres). Getting the full 40 litres gives you $4 in savings—a point value of 0.1 cents (or 1%). 

However, you’ll have to redeem 4,000 points to get the discount, even if you purchase under 40 litres of gas, which can lower the redemption value. Purchasing 30 litres of gas, for example, gives you a point value of 0.075 cents (or 0.75%). 

Redeeming for car washes can help stretch your points further. At Esso stations, you can redeem 10,000 points for any free car wash. If you choose a car wash worth more than $10, you push the point value above the usual 1%. Get a $15 car wash and your PC point value jumps to 1.5%. 

Note that while you can earn points at Mobil stations, you can’t redeem points there.

Where to earn PC Optimum points

There’s a huge variety of retailers in the PC Optimum program all across the country. Major partners include: 

• Loblaw-owned grocery stores , including Loblaws, No Frills, Real Canadian Superstore, The Independent Grocer, Zehrs, Fortinos, Extra Foods, Wholesale Club and Dominion 
• Shoppers Drug Mart and Pharmaprix drugstores
• Esso and Mobil gas stations
• The Mobile Shop
• Theodore & Pringle Optical

Finally, you can earn PC Optimum points on any purchase when you use one of four PC Financial Mastercards .

How to earn PC Optimum points 

Think of a basic PC Optimum membership as your entry-level pass to the program. Use the PC Optimum card or app to earn points when you shop at affiliated stores online or in person, and also through personalized offers. Points can be earned at more than 4,500 locations across the Loblaw family of grocery stores, as well as Shoppers Drug Mart (or Pharmaprix in Quebec), and Esso and Mobil gas stations.

There are many ways to earn PC Optimum points. The earn rate depends on where you shop, the promotions happening in stores, the card(s) you hold and the other PC services you use. Points earned through personalized offers and in-store promotions vary. Otherwise, you can earn:

• 15 points on almost every $1 spent at Shoppers Drug Mart and Pharmaprix
• 10 points per litre of gas and per $1 spent on convenience items and car washes at Esso gas stations
• A variable number of points at Mobil gas stations (rates vary by station)

In-store offers

When you’re strolling the aisles at participating stores, keep an eye out for the PC Optimum logo. In-store offers let you earn more on everyday items. For example, Shoppers Drug Mart periodically has a promotion for 20x the points. You can get your coupon by loading the offer in your weekly email or opening your Shoppers or PC Optimum app. Be proactive by checking flyers in advance when you’re writing up your shopping list.

Personalized offers

When you register for personalized offers, you’ll receive offers every Thursday for items you’ve purchased before or are likely to be interested in (based on your transaction history). Examples include bonus points on certain items, extra points with a minimum spend, and bonus points days when you can get discounts while earning extra points. These offers are great, low-effort ways to multiply your earnings.

Other PC services

Give your points balance a serious bump when you sign up for a no-fee PC Financial Mastercard. You’ll earn points on every purchase you make, no matter where you make them. Plus, when you swap out your chequing account for a PC Money Account, you’ll accelerate your earnings everywhere you shop.

Boost your PC Optimum rewards with a PC Financial Mastercard

Bump up your PC Optimum points earn rate and earn rewards everywhere with one of the four PC Financial Mastercards—three of which have no annual fee.

At a glance: The PC Financial Mastercard has no annual fee and no minimum income requirement, making it a totally accessible way to earn PC Optimum rewards no matter where you shop. With accelerated grocery, gas, drugstore and travel bonus categories, you’ll reach your points goals even faster. 

PC Financial Mastercard

Annual fee: $0

• 25 points per $1 spent at Shoppers Drug Mart
• At least 30 points per litre at Esso and Mobil gas stations
• 10 points per $1 on everything else

Card details

• Earn points on all your purchases, and get more points at Shoppers Drug Mart and Esso and Mobil gas stations than you would by simply being a PC Optimum member.
• This card comes with no fee and is accessible no matter your annual income, making it a great fit for younger people.
• Get up to four free cards for family members.
• This card doesn’t come with travel insurance or other perks. 
• The earn rate on groceries is only 10 points per $1 spent no matter where you shop, so if you spend $100 on groceries and pay using this card, you’ll earn 1,000 points (a value of $1, or 1%). You can earn double that value in cash back with the no-fee Tangerine Money-Back Card.

At a glance: The PC Financial World Mastercard is available to people who have an annual income of more than $60,000 (or $100,000 for the household). With this card you’ll enjoy boosted earn rates without having to pay any annual fee.

PC Financial World Mastercard

• 35 points per $1 spent at Shoppers Drug Mart and Pharmaprix
• 30 points per $1 at Esso and Mobil gas stations
• 20 points per $1 at Loblaw banner stores
• 10 points per $1 on all other purchases
• This card bumps up the earn rate on groceries purchased at Loblaw banner stores to 20 points per $1 spent, doubling what you’d get with the PC Financial Mastercard.
• Compared to a PC Financial Mastercard, there’s a jump of 10 points per $1 spent on Shoppers Drug Mart purchases (from 25 points to 35 points). For example, a $50 purchase will add 1,750 points (a value of $1.75) to your account with a PC Financial World Mastercard, compared to 1,250 points (a value of $1.25) with a PC Financial Mastercard.
• With this card, you’ll have access to 24/7 concierge services, which can help you with booking and reservation requests.
• While the reward for shopping at Loblaw stores is boosted with this card, it comes out to a 2% return, which is 1% less than what’s offered by the no-fee BMO CashBack Mastercard. 
• There is no travel insurance and few other perks.

At a glance: Those who make $80,000 annually (or $150,000 as a household) are eligible for the PC Financial World Elite Mastercard, which offers the best earn rates of any PC Financial credit card, plus World Elite perks. Even better, there’s still no annual fee. 

PC Financial World Elite Mastercard

• 45 PC Optimum points per $1 at Shoppers Drug Mart
• 30 points per $1 at Loblaw banner grocery stores
• You’ll earn 30 PC Optimum points per $1 spent at Loblaw banner stores. This 3% earn rate is on par with the best rates offered by other no-fee credit cards.  
• In addition to purchase protection, extended warranty, and concierge services, this card includes travel emergency medical insurance, car rental collision/loss damage, and identity theft assistance without an annual fee.
• You have to have a high annual income in order to take advantage of this card’s boosted earn rates. High-income earners may be better off with a fee card that offers more valuable earn rates and perks.
• You must charge at least $15,000 annually to the card or you will automatically be downgraded to the PC Financial World Mastercard.

At a glance: Shoppers willing to pay a $120 annual fee can take their earnings to the next level while also enjoying some premium perks like a complimentary PC Express Pass.

PC Insiders World Elite Mastercard

Annual fee: $120

• Up to 70 points per $1 on gas at at Esso & Mobil
• 50 points per $1 spent at Shoppers Drug Mart and Pharmaprix
• 40 points per $1 at Loblaw banner stores
• 40 points per $1 on Joe Fresh apparel

Welcome offer: earn a welcome offer* of 300,000 PC Optimum™ points with the NEW PC® Insiders World Elite® Mastercard®. Conditions apply. Offer ends December 31st, 2024. 

• Includes a PC Express Pass, which gives you free pick-up or delivery on grocery orders over $35.
• Comes with emergency travel medical coverage and car rental insurance, and with concierge services.
• You can add up to four additional cardholders for no extra charge, making this a strong card for families.
• The emergency travel medical coverage is only for cardholders under the age of 65.
• Like all PC Mastercards, this card is only suitable for those who shop frequently at Loblaw-affiliated grocery stores.

Boost your rewards with a PC Money Account

What is pc money .

Launched in 2020, the PC Money Account is the newest financial offering from President’s Choice, which joins other no-fee online banks to provide a fairly comprehensive suite of free everyday banking services while shaking things up with the perk of earning PC Optimum points. While earning rewards points is a common benefit of using a credit card, it’s less typical when you do everyday banking. 

As far as bank accounts go, the PC Money Account offers a solid portfolio with free unlimited everyday transactions, including cash withdrawals (from PC Financial ATMs or at select points of purchase), bill payments, account-to-account transfers and Interac e-Transfers. As this isn’t a traditional chequing account, paper cheques are not available. However, between point-of-purchase, bill payments and Interac e-Transfers, you can still pay for everything from food to utilities to rent. And, the PC Money Account card is widely accepted. Use it wherever you could use Mastercard—in person, online and internationally. 

How to earn points with PC Money

When you shop with the PC Money bank card, you’ll earn 25 PC Optimum points per dollar on purchases at Shoppers Drug Mart and 10 points per $1 everywhere else (except for banking transactions, like paying bills or e-Transfers). You can link your card to your PC Optimum account to earn even more points through personalized offers. Plus, you can earn up to 200,000 points in bonuses during the process of setting up your account and making your first transactions—a value of $200. 

For those who shop at Loblaw banner stores and affiliates, the PC Money Account is a no-brainer. It offers most, if not all, of the everyday banking services you need, fits seamlessly into the existing PC Optimum program and costs you nothing to use.

What is a PC Express Pass?

In April 2023, PC announced its Express Pass, a grocery delivery service which competes with the likes of InstaCart and UberEats. But it is used at Loblaw banner stores, including Loblaws, Zehrs, Freshmart, Real Canadian Wholesale Club, Real Canadian Superstore, No Frills, and many, many others, wherever PC products are sold. It can also be used for picking up orders, too.

You’re wondering about the cost, right? It’s $9.99 a month, or $99.99 a year (which saves you over $20 if you sign up for the annual membership). It costs the same as the streaming services from Amazon Prime, so make sure you will use PC Express Pass for it to be of value to you. There is a one-month free trial period. Here’s what you would get with PC Express.

• unlimited free pickup and delivery on same-day, next-day or future orders over $35
• unlimited number of delivery addresses (which could be of interest for caregivers of those living independently) 
• online shopping at 800-plus PC stores, including Joe Fresh and Shoppers Drug Mart
• easy cancellation
• ability to earn PC Optimum points and redeem PC Optimum offers

Frequently asked questions

No. PC Optimum points cannot be used as payment towards your PC Mastercard balance or other financial services like withdrawals from your PC Money Account.

Of the three PC Financial Mastercards, only the PC Financial World Elite Mastercard carries any travel insurance. With this card, you’ll have up to $1 million in travel emergency medical insurance for trips up to 10 days from the date of departure, for those under age 65. Additionally, you have up to 31 consecutive days of coverage in case your rental car is damaged or stolen.

Read more about grocery shopping :

• The best grocery credit cards in Canada
• Will food prices keep going up? Check the weather
• As food costs rise, our grocery shopping habits are changing
• Why you won’t get Air Miles at Metro anymore

Share this article Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Share on Reddit Share on Email

About Keph Senett

Comments cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Does this app register to receive grocery points

Related Articles

Common questions from newcomers about working in Canada

Sponsored By

National Bank of Canada

Making sense of the markets this week: September 15, 2024

Inflation’s down, a nuclear-powered Oracle rises, Empire and Dollarama thrive, and the S&P 500 welcomes new family members.

The best credit cards for airport lounge access in Canada for 2024

If you want to make your travels a little more comfortable, airport lounge access is key. Here are the...

The best no-fee credit cards in Canada for 2024

These cards have no annual fee and still boast perks like cash back, travel insurance and more.

Dollarama reports higher Q2 profit as shoppers look for savings on essentials

Company CEO Neil Rossy says Dollarama isn’t in the grocery business, but it’s still keeping an eye on competitors...

High borrowing costs, record completions lead to condo oversupply

Condo prices in the Greater Toronto Area fell as the number of active listings grew. Experts predict a gradual...

Is this a good time to buy a home in Canada?

Economists expect interest rates to keep falling. So we asked four experts if now is the ideal time to...

Private equity, private debt and more alternative investments: Should you invest?

Why private investments in Canada are booming right now and what you should know about them.

Battle of the generations: Who’s having the toughest time with finances in Canada?

Boomers admit they had it easier than others, but Gen Z gave themselves a C in paying off debt....

Mortgage payments going up at renewal? Here’s what to do

Many Canadians will face a jump in mortgage payments at renewal. We spoke to experts about how to manage...

How to Earn and Redeem PC Optimum Points for Beginners

This beginner’s guide is designed to cover the basics of the PC Optimum loyalty program. You’ll find tips on how to earn as many points as possible, whether by using multipliers, special events or personalized offers from partners.

What Are PC Optimum Points?

In 2018, Loblaw merged two of its most popular loyalty programs, PC Plus for grocery stores and Shoppers Drug Mart Optimum for pharmacies. That’s how the PC Optimum program was born. This new program combines the advantages of the two previous programs in a single offering.

Today, the PC Optimum program, which already had over 16 million members at the time of the transition, is still going strong. Your PC Optimum card is free and can be used in over 4,500 stores across Canada. Members can earn and redeem points at Loblaw-affiliated stores, including Shoppers Drug Mart, Loblaws, No Frills, Real Canadian Superstores and more. Points accumulation depends on the store you go to. Your points are redeemable once you’ve accumulated 10,000 points, which give you $10.

I was a member of the PC Plus program before the merger in 2018 with Optimum. I have to admit I wasn’t a big fan, as accumulating points was more difficult. However, everything changed when I discovered the new PC Optimum program.

Where Can I Earn PC Optimum Points?

The free program gives points only on personalized offers in grocery stores. The Insiders subscription earns 10% on all PC products. The main places in Canada to collect points are:

• Loblaw-affiliated grocery stores
• Shoppers Drug Mart
• Esso and Mobil

Loblaw’s banners include Real Canadian Superstore, No Frills, Valu-Mart, Zehrs, Fortinos and more. You can also collect points on these partners’ websites via your PC Optimum account.

How to Get PC Optimum Points?

One of the most frequently asked questions on forums and groups is how to get the most points in a single transaction. Be sure to check that your points balance reflects your actual purchases every time. There have been cases of points theft and errors. Here are several ways to maximize your PC Optimum points.

Of course, you’ll need to create a PC Optimum account in order to take advantage of offers and bonuses. Don’t worry, the basic subscription is free. It entitles you to 15 points for virtually every dollar you spend at Shoppers Drug Mart and Pharmaprix.

PC Optimum Offers

Every week or once in a while, you’ll receive customized special offers in your account. Download the application for greater convenience. For example, here are my offers for the week:

• 200 points for every $1 in cheese at the service counter
• 200 points for every $1 in tomatoes
• 400 points for No Name smoked sausages
• 400 points for No Name butter
• 400 points for each purchase of Fresca drinks

Since I do my weekly grocery shopping for specials, I can add these items to my list. A purchase of each product gives me nearly 2,500 points if I buy $5 worth of cheese and $3 worth of tomatoes. Given the value of the points , it’s the equivalent of $2.50, but it adds up over the long term.

These are also basic offers only. The PC Optimum program tailors my offers to the products I buy most often. Customization is one of the reasons why PC Optimum is one of the most popular programs on the market.

Sometimes there are additional offers, such as 4,000 points for every $20 spent on cheese and delicatessen, in addition to the other offers. If you don’t need the product this week, you can save the offer and use it the following week. You can do this with up to 4 offers!

Using a President’s Choice Credit Card

Certainly, some cards have high eligibility criteria, but a PC credit card could well be the solution for accumulating points faster. The PC Financial Mastercard has no minimum income, compared to the PC World and World Elite cards, which have minimum incomes of $60,000 and $80,000 respectively.

Even with the basic PC Financial Mastercard, you earn 10 points per dollar at participating grocery stores, 25 points per dollar at Shoppers Drug Mart and 30 points per dollar at Esso. If you can afford it, the PC Financial World or PC Financial World Elite card will be a perfect addition to your points. You can also use it solely as a secondary credit card for groceries.

In fact, the credit card World Elite Mastercard PC Financial earns 45 PC Optimum points for every dollar spent at Shoppers Drug Mart (instead of 15 points), 30 points per liter of gas at Esso (instead of 10 points), 30 points for every dollar spent at Loblaw grocery stores and 10 points everywhere else. With this credit card, you also benefit from other advantages in terms of leisure, entertainment, car rentals and travel insurance. To find the credit card that best suits your spending habits, we invite you to use our credit card comparison tool .

Fill Up With Esso or Mobil

It can be advantageous to fill up at Esso or Mobil gas stations as a PC Optimum member. The reward rate is set at 10 points for each liter of gas. You also earn 10 points for every dollar you spend at their convenience stores and car washes.

For an average worker doing less than 60 km round trip every day, that’s a total of around 1,200 km per month. A Corolla with a 1.8L engine of the year consumes an average of 7.9 L/100 km. Each month, you can collect up to 940 PC Optimum points.

It’s not an exact science, but if you have the PC Financial Mastercard (any card), the accumulation rate is 30 points per liter. That’s 2,820 points a month just for driving.

Did you know that there’s a PC Mobile plan for your mobile phone? Personally, I only heard about it recently. When you take out a subscription, you’ll get a welcome offer of 20,000 PC Optimum points after two months’ service. Moreover, you can earn up to 10% of the value of your subscription in points. Let’s say you have the $50 plan, that’s 5,000 points every month.

Sign Up for the PC Optimum Insiders Program

The PC Optimum Insiders subscription is like the advanced level of the PC Optimum customer. This is a paid subscription that offers certain advantages that free accounts do not. This will cost you $119+ tax to join, or 119,000 PC points in comparison.

The benefits in terms of points rewards are as follows:

• 10% back in points on PC or PC-marked products on the site;
• 10% back on Joe Fresh products;
• Free delivery on joefresh.com and shoppersdrugmart.ca
• Free pick-up from your grocery store with reserved time slots

Sign Up for a PC Money Account

The PC Money account is free. It’s like a no-fee bank account with the option of a prepaid Mastercard. It’s perfect for those who love PC Optimum and don’t or can’t have a credit card.

The advantages are as follows:

• FREE online bank account
• Unlimited purchases and transactions;
• A limit of $5,000 per month;
• Earn 10 points for every dollar spent in participating stores;
• Earn 25 points for every dollar you spend at Shoppers Drug Mart;
• Earn 5 points for every dollar you spend elsewhere.

What is great is that you can earn points everywhere, compared to the PC Optimum Insiders program where you only get a reward on PC products.

Combine PC Optimum Accounts

Up to 4 additional PC Optimum accounts can be added for a total of 5 combined accounts. Usually, this is done with close family. However, I have also seen groups of friends pooling their points while taking advantage of the offers. The distribution is proportionate to expenses and accumulation.

This allows you to earn points extremely quickly. You only need to agree on who is responsible for follow-up and how points can be spent.

How to Redeem PC Optimum Points

There are several ways to redeem your PC Optimum points. Around a third of members of all types of rewards programs end up not using their points . Don’t be like them, and keep your eyes opened for places to redeem your points. PC Optimum points do not expire, but your account may be closed if you do not earn or spend any points for 2 years.

You can redeem your points at participating stores or online at Shoppers Drug Mart, Joe Fresh and participating grocery store websites. Points can only be redeemed in increments of 10,000 points, which equals a $10 discount. You can get a maximum of $500 off a single purchase, or 500,000 PC Optimum points.

You can also use your points at Esso stations. With 4,000 points, you’ll get 10 cents off per liter, for up to 40 liters of gas. With 10,000 points, you’ll get a free car wash package!

Understanding the Math Behind Offers

Events like 20x the points at Shoppers Drug Mart happen often. These are the best times to collect points. However, you need to be careful when making your calculations. The multiplier applies only to base points before tax. By the way, bonus offers and extra points (like those you get with a credit card) don’t count. These points will be added at the end.

Patrick decides to buy $200 worth of products and cosmetics at Shoppers Drug Mart during the 20x points event. According to the terms and conditions, the multiplier is eligible up to a maximum amount of $300, so it’s okay!

Because Patrick is an Insiders PC Optimum member, he also has a personalized offer of 40,000 points on any purchase over $75.

Since he also uses a PC Money account, he earns 10 extra points on his purchases. Unfortunately, these are not eligible for the 20x points event.

At the cash register, we’d get this:

Bonus Redemption Event

During this event, you can redeem different amounts of points depending on the promotion. In the case of Black Friday, we often see this offer:

Sometimes this promotion appears at the same time as the 20x Event. Unfortunately, you can’t earn points on your redemption amount. Only on the remaining balance.

For example, I want to buy a Nintendo Switch for the holidays and it costs $375. I have 200,000 points and plan to use 130,000 of them during the promotion.

At checkout, $130 + $70 will be deducted from the initial cost of the Nintendo Switch console, leaving $175 to pay. On this amount, it will be possible to apply the 20x points promotion according to the terms of the event. The math is the same as the exercise above, you’ll get 20 x 15 x 175 = 52,500 points. That’s a lot of money, considering the savings you’ve made!

20% – 30% – 40% Back in Points

This offer doesn’t come along very often in my Insiders PC Optimum account, but it’s worth it. It’s simply a return on the redemption of your points.

Let’s take this example: I have the offer of 40% points in return on an exchange of 50,000 points. The eligible amount for the exchange is $75. At checkout, the calculation is: $75 – $50 = $25 + 20,000 PC Optimum points.

Here’s a summary of the most important information to remember about this section:

• These offers are mainly available at Pharmaprix / Shoppers Drug Mart;
• The 20x Event applies to base points only;
• The points will be deposited in your account several days after the end of the offer;
• There are some important terms and conditions to read to avoid surprises;
• Some offers are only available to Insiders members;
• Offers may need to be downloaded to your account or app;
• It is possible to use discount coupons and still receive points;
• You must meet the minimum amount before tax and rebates.

Although this information is clearly indicated, it is sometimes easy to go too fast. I lost 50,000 PC Optimum points on a personalized offer because I didn’t enter the code when I bought online. It’s still $50!

I think this program is perfect for anyone who simply wants to collect points for regular use. Unlike AIR MILES or Aeroplan, it’s much easier to earn PC Optimum points, and faster.

The only thing I had to pay for was the Insiders PC Optimum membership ($119 + tax). Everything else is free, even the PC Money account. I now use my account everyday. And I earn points on essential day-to-day expenses. Believe me, it’s worth it if you follow all these tips!

Charles L'heureux

PC Optimum Points: How does the program work?

Introduction to the PC Optimum program in Canada

The PC Optimum program offers Canadian consumers a unified platform for earning and redeeming points. With a plethora of rewards programs available in Canada, making an informed choice can be overwhelming.

Here, we offer an in-depth analysis of the PC Optimum program , exploring how it works, its benefits, and how to get the most out of it.

History: the merger of PC Plus and Shoppers Drug Mart Optimum

In 2018, Loblaw Companies Limited made the strategic decision to merge PC Plus and Shoppers Drug Mart Optimum. This is how the PC Optimum program came into being, offering members the possibility of benefiting from the advantages of the two previous programs. Shoppers Drug Mart Optimum members also had the opportunity to transfer their points to the new PC Optimum platform without losing their value.

The benefits of the PC Optimum program

Extensive coverage.

The PC Optimum program is run by the Loblaws supermarket chain and offers the chance to earn points through product purchases under the “President’s Choice” banner.

PC members can now earn and redeem PC Optimum points at various stores. This includes popular brands such as Real Canadian Superstore, Loblaws, Mobil and many other Loblaw-affiliated retailers, as well as Maxi , Provigo, Shoppers Drug Mart, Joe Fresh and Esso in Quebec.

A strong membership base

The PC Optimum program has rapidly gained in popularity since its launch. Today, it boasts over 10 million members in Canada, testifying to its relevance and added value for Canadian consumers.

Download my offers with the application

As a loyal buyer, you can access personalized and exclusive offers visible on optimum.ca or the Optimum PC application. To download the application, go to Google Play or Apple .

To register and create your account, you must provide some personal information, such as an e-mail address and your name. You can link your unique identification number if you already have a card in the store. The application is easy to use, and you can add offers to your favorites. Thanks to the application, you can optimize your savings according to the products you buy.

Collecting rewards

How do i earn pc optimum points, qualified purchasing.

The primary way to earn PC Optimum points is to purchase in participating PC stores. Each purchase earns you PC Optimum points, which can be exchanged for rewards.

Special offers

Occasionally, special promotions are organized, offering PC members the chance to earn bonus points. It’s a good idea to keep an eye out for these offers to maximize your earnings.

PC Optimum has two sub-programs that allow you to earn PC points – Optimum and Optimum Insiders. The following table compares the main components of these two programs.

Comparison of the two PC Optimum programs

You can collect your PC Optimum points with several family members or friends in the same group. These points will be balanced and in a single group. The group earns together and redeems points from the same account.

However, from October 31, 2024, members will no longer be able to join or form new groups. Groups already in existence prior to this date may continue to exist. If a member leaves, they will not be able to rejoin.

The only exception is for members who are primary or secondary cardholders of a PC Finance payment product. They may only join or form a group with another primary or secondary cardholder of the same PC Finance payment product.

These two sub-programs also include some benefits with partner organizations. Here is a short overview of these benefits.

Comparison of the two Optimum programs with partners

The Optimum program has no membership fees and is targeted to occasional consumers of President’s Choice products. This is an entry-level program that offers a limited number of benefits such as access to personalized offers.

The Optimum Insiders program focuses on customers who regularly visit organizations offering “President’s Choice” products. The membership cost is $119, and this program offers many advantages, such as faster reward accumulation. These include a 10% discount on all “President’s Choice” products, free delivery with no minimum purchase at Shoppers Drug Mart and Joe Fresh, and a 5% discount on travel purchases made through the PC Travel platform.

The accumulation of PC points is also easy to understand: 10 PC points are equivalent to 0.01 cents . However, this rate is regularly subject to change, as PC Optimum offers several monthly promotional offers that allow consumers to accumulate PC points faster.

To redeem your PC points for in-branch rewards, you must proceed in increments of 10,000 points.

Financial products offered

There are three ways to earn PC points:

• through the PC Optimum loyalty card ,
• President’s Choice Financial credit cards
• and the PC Money account .

Here is a brief analysis of these three financial products.

The PC Optimum loyalty card

This is a basic program that offers some benefits with partner organizations. However, you should combine your membership with a subscription to one of the President’s Choice Financial credit cards . This will allow you to optimize your spending by earning twice as many points.

PC Mastercard: Credit Cards President's Choice Financial

Here is a brief overview of the credit cards offered by President’s Choice Financial:

President's Choice Financial Mastercard

The President’s Choice Financial Mastercard is the entry-level card for President ‘s Choice Financial. This card has no annual fee and no minimum income requirement.

It’s easy to earn PC points when you make purchases at PC Optimum-affiliated grocery stores (10 points per $1), drugstores (25 points per $1) and gas stations (30 points per litre). You can also earn 20 PC points for every dollar spent on travel expenses through the PC Travel platform.

Finally, you get purchase insurance , an extended warranty and a free additional card.

President's Choice Financial World Mastercard

The President’s Choice Financial World Mastercard is the President’s Choice Financial mid-range card . This card has no annual fee, but requires a minimum income of $60,000 for an individual and $100,000 for a household.

PC points can be collected when you make purchases at grocery stores (20 points per $1), pharmacies (35 points per $1) and gas stations (30 points per litre) affiliated with the PC Optimum program. Through the PC Voyage platform, you can also earn 20 PC points for every dollar spent on travel expenses.

Finally, you get purchase insurance , an extended warranty, a free additional card and 24-7 concierge service.

President's Choice Financial World Elite Mastercard

The President’s Choice Financial World Elite Mastercard is the premium President’s Choice Financial card . This card has no annual fee, but requires a minimum income of $80,000 for an individual and $150,000 for a household.

Collecting PC points is made more accessible when you make purchases at grocery stores (30 points per $1), pharmacies (45 points per $1) and gas stations (30 points per litre) affiliated with the PC Optimum program . Through the PC Voyage platform, you can also earn 20 PC points for every dollar spent on travel expenses.

Good insurance is also available, including purchase insurance , extended warranty, car rental insurance and emergency medical travel insurance.

Finally, you have quick support in case of identity theft through a hotline and a 24-7 concierge service.

The PC Money account

It’s a free chequing account that earns PC points for Canadian consumers who don’t want to apply for a President’s Choice Financial credit card .

The earning rate, while attractive, is not comparable to that offered by President’s Choice Financial credit cards. You can earn 25 points for every dollar spent at Shoppers Drug Mart and 10 points for every dollar spent at other stores.

This account also has a great welcome offer for new users by offering 50,000 PC points . This bonus is applicable if the following conditions are met:

• 20,000 PC points after first purchase of $50 or more
• 25,000 PC points after setting up 3 direct deposits with President’s Choice Financial
• 5,000 PC points when you make five transactions over $50 per month at a PC Optimum partner

Finally, several other benefits are readily available to users of this account such as free Interac transfers, access to unlimited current transactions and Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation (CDIC) protection.

How to redeem PC Optimum points with your PC Optimum card

PC points can be redeemed for cashback at many of the program’s partner organizations, including Maxi, Provigo, Shoppers Drug Mart and Esso.

It is also possible to use these points at PC express . However, this is no longer possible at PC voyages since July 15, 2023. However, it is not possible to redeem your points in organizations that do not have a partnership with PC Optimum. It is also important to remember that points can only be redeemed in increments of 10,000 PC points.

Secondly, it is highly recommended that you redeem your PC points during a promotional period when the redemption rates are attractive. This will allow you to have a higher cash return for the same number of points.

With this in mind, we recommend that you apply for all categories of financial products offered by PC Optimum to get the best possible return on your spending.

So by combining the PC Optimum loyalty card , a P resident’s Choice Financial credit card and the PC Silver account, you’ll get an optimal return of PC points on your everyday spending.

Based on the observations in this article, we note that PC Optimum offers a most interesting loyalty program with a fine range of financial products, simple and generous points collection, and regular, tempting promotional offers.

President’s Choice Financial credit cards are attractive to Canadian consumers because there is no annual fee, it’s an attractive rewards accrual rate and it offers insurance. The PC Money account also has several benefits such as no management fees and a welcome offer of 50,000 PC points .

However, while this program has many advantages, a few things need to be reviewed. We believe PC Optimum’s credit cards are excellent , but we can’t say the same for the loyalty card and cash account. They need to stand out in terms of points or tangible benefits.

Ownership of these two products is maximized when combined with President’s Choice Financial credit cards, but the fact remains: a higher accumulation rate would have been appreciated for us. Overall, the PC Optimum points program is an excellent avenue for Canadian consumers who frequently purchase at Maxi, Provigo, Joe Fresh, Shoppers Drug Mart, and Esso.

Membership in this loyalty program’s three financial products will enable you to quickly earn rewards that can be exchanged for attractive cash rebates. If you are only a casual shopper at one of these establishments, it may not be beneficial for you to apply for this points program, as your cash returns will be only modest.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do i become a member of the pc optimum program.

To become a member of the PC Optimum program, you can register online or via the mobile application. You will need a valid e-mail address to complete the registration process.

How to download PC Optimum offers?

You must first download the PC Optimum application from your mobile app store to use the program via the mobile application. Once installed, open the application and log in using your unique identifier, usually your e-mail address.

Why download PC Optimum offers?

Thanks to the app, you can check out the exclusive offers available to members. You can also download these offers directly onto your membership card via the application.

How is my personal information stored?

Your personal information, including your e-mail address, is stored securely. The PC Optimum program uses advanced information technologies to guarantee the security and confidentiality of your data.

How do I redeem my Optimum points?

To redeem your points, you can visit participating stores such as Shoppers Drug Mart, Real Canadian Superstore or Loblaws. You can also redeem your points via the app by following the instructions provided.

How do I become a member and get my Maxi points card?

You can register in-store or online to become a Maxi member and benefit from the PC Optimum program. Once registered, you’ll receive a Maxi points card that you can use to earn PC Optimum points.

Which store uses PC Optimum?

The PC Optimum program is accepted at a variety of stores, including President’s Choice Inc. You can also use your card or the application at affiliated stores such as Shoppers Drug Mart, Real Canadian Superstore, and Loblaws.

You can check your PC Optimum points balance by logging into your account via a web browser or using the mobile application. Your points balance will be displayed in the “My Account” section.

How to reach PC Optimum technical support and application practices

If you have any questions or concerns about the PC Optimum program, please get in touch with PC Optimum support. It is important to note that the program may use click-through advertising and information technologies to enhance the user experience.

All posts by Audrey Voisine

Suggested Reading

• $12.99 Monthly fee ($155.88 yearly)
• 1,250 monthly points when charging $750 each month for a year (15,000 points total)
• Earn 5 points per $1 spent on eats and drinks
• Earn 3 points per $1 spent on streaming services
• Earn 2 points per $1 spent on travel
• Earn 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
• MESSAGE ME FOR A REFERRAL LINK

For reference, American Express Membership Rewards points have a value of 1 cent each. That means grocery store purchases are getting you 5% back. However, you can also transfer your points to Aeroplan at a 1:1 ratio. I personally value Aeroplan points at 2 cents each, so I feel like I’m getting a 10% return when I grocery shop.

As you’ve quickly learned from this PC Optimum points guide, there are a lot of ways you can earn and redeem your points. The base value of your points is not bad, but you can really extend the value by using them at Shoppers Drug Mart during bonus points events. If you want to earn more PC Optimum points, then make sure you get one of the PC Financial Mastercards.

How do I check my Optimum points?

You can see them online at  pcoptimum.com  or via the PC Optimum app. A cashier will also be able to tell you when you scan your PC Optimum card while making a purchase.

Do PC Optimum Points expire?

No, but if the account remains inactive for a period of 2 years (e.g. you don’t earn or redeem points) then you may have your account closed.

Can I transfer my PC points to somewhere else?

No, however, you can pool points with a family member or significant other by linking your accounts.

About Barry Choi

Barry Choi is a Toronto-based personal finance and travel expert who frequently makes media appearances. His blog Money We Have is one of Canada’s most trusted sources when it comes to money and travel. You can find him on Twitter: @barrychoi

96 Comments

Thanks for doing all of this research and putting the results in one article! Really helpful!

Thanks Steve,

PC Optimum is incredibly valuable.

PC Optimum points are are joke aimed at the math-illiterate. The REAL value of the points when purchasing regular goods like gas is UNDER 1%. Count how many $100 tankfulls of gas you have to buy to save a measly $4.00. Spending $60 on gas gets you around 350 points. That means you have to spend $685 on gas to SAVE $4.00. That’s a savings of 0.58% or $0.58 cents on a $100 purchase. That is a JOKE. So, instead of selling them your information for THEM to sell to third parties (which is where the REAL value to them is) cut up the card and stop wasting your time.

Lol, I don’t use it for gas, but I do for all my groceries. Two children, ones a fresh one this year and in about 9 months I’ve earned over 500 bucks on things I would have bought anyways. So I mean, maybe you should look at all you could have had haha. I wish I started A LONG time ago.

There’s always one in the crowd. Not a waste of time at ALL John, you obviously have not given it a fair shake. I love the program and it benefits me greatly. Just the other day I needed several vitamins, and got them for nothing with my points. So don’t be such a grump and look at it a bit closer.

Your just referring to gas ⛽️ which is what your only main concern is . Just thinking about yourself. I have nearly 300 free dollars of points just from everyday shopping.

I spent $85 on gas today and paid with my PC World Elite Mastercard that is linked to my Optimum card. I received 5020 points or $5.20. that works out to be roughly a 6% saving.

What a terrible rewards program this has become. I used to be able to get points for many more purchases and I’m sure as shredded wheat not getting another credit card for the “privilege”. Forget you PC Optimum. No sense even scanning it anymore. If I don’t get any points; you don’t get to know what I buy.

If you’re not using a PC Financial credit card, the only way to earn points is through in-store and targeted promotions. To get better offers, you need to scan your card even when you’re not earning points. You could also take advantage of 20X the points events at Shoppers Drug Mart

Now I wanna know, was the dyson hairdryer worth it? Lol

It depends on who you ask. I blow dry my hair every day and have noticed a significant quality increase over my traditional hair dryer. Dyson uses a power stream of air as opposed to hot air to dry your hair so I think it gives you a bit more of a shine. It also comes with different attachments that works with different hairstyles which I think is cool. More importantly, I can now brag that I have a Dyson hair dryer.

How would you rank this card against other cards in Canada? I spend about $30,000 on fuel so I was using the momentum card because I used to get 4% back on fuel. Now they only offer 2%. I then switched to the Bonvoy again because of the fuel savings. But lots of places dont take American Express and to be honest Im not loving the card. So now looking for a new card again and have looked at this one a couple times.

If you get your gas from Esso and do most of your grocery shopping at a Loblaw’s owned store, then this card is an excellent choice.

If you want 4% back on gas and shop at grocery stores where Visa accepted, then consider the Meridian Visa Infinite cash back caard

https://www.moneywehave.com/meridian-visa-infinite-cash-back-review/

You also get 20% back in points for diapers (making them cheaper than ordering through Amazon subscription) and free grocery pickup, which is now how I exclusively shop at superstore. I save hours of my time because of the free pickup, making the return on that $99 worth a lot.

I personally think free PC Express is alone worth it to get PC Insiders. The amount of time I’ve saved is invaluable.

I have used optimum points and shared them with my son going to University in Regina. It was “spare money” for me and he was very appreciative of being able to get extra groceries. So he is now hooked on the PC points too. Lol

Heh, I got my brother hooked too.

Now with the coronavirus, I don’t go downtown to my son to bring him homemade food. He is in university and I gave him a PC points card. He can use the points for grocieries. He loves it. It is free money for it. What student can’t use free grociery money?! lol P.S.: I love this card and program, but be aware, that sometimes the points do not get registered, so keep an eye on it, and ask for adjustments.

Amazon is a horrible company. Plus, (and, correct me if I’m wrong) there is a discount to the P.C. insiders if you use the discount code provided

The referral code I have in the post gives you 25% off your subscription for the first year.

Do you still get the 25000 points too?

They’ve changed the referral so now you only get 25,000 points when you sign up with a referral code.

Consider buying a gas gift card in the groceries. Buying a $100 gas card in the grocery gives you 4% cash back using momentum card. Use the gas card to pay for fuel :).

The same goes when buying from amazon, momentum only offers 1% cash back when shopping thru amazon. Buy a gift card in the grocery and get 4% cash back then use the card to buy from amazon.

Paying a $100 annual fee to get 20 cents back on every organic dollar spent is not worth it. If you have to choose (because how many $100 per year membership fees can we afford?) Prime makes more sense as items are delivered to your door for free and you have an endless amount of entertainment with reading and movies.

I love PC but they need to up their game. I’ll be the first in line to go back to them when they do.

It’s all perspective on value. If you use PC Express twice a month, you’ll make that money back in a year. For those subscribing to the annual plan, you get a $99 annual travel credit so you make back almost the entire annual fee right away. I happen to shop at Joe Fresh a lot, so I get value there.

That said, you’re not wrong. PC Insiders doesn’t benefit everyone.

Thank you for this helpful and informative article. How does the PC $99 travel credit work?

If you’re a PC insider, it’ll ask you to login when you go to the PC Travel website. You’ll be able to choose your $99 travel credit when paying for your travel.

Yes, but the credit is hardly redeemable as the hotel needs to be booked more than 3 nights, the car rental isn’t available anywhere near your home, vacations deals aren’t as great as that compared to costco travel – only flights seem to be comparable – but only sometimes, not all times.

I’ve used PC Travel a couple of times, first for a cruise where they price matched the fare for me from another agency, and then for flights which were the same price had I booked them with Air Canada or Expedia directly. They also offer some great bonus points too if you have the credit card. If you plan to travel, I would recommend. (The surprise gift ast year was two black label products which arrived about 6 weeks before the annual membership was expiring.)

You’re right, PC Travel makes things difficult with the credit. I’ve only used it for flights so haven’t had an issue but I can see why it would be a problem for others.

My family laughs at me because I am such a PC Optimum junkie. I am a senior so I get 20% discount at Shoppers every Thursday. I also use an expensive face cream that is only available there. I only buy this cream when they offer 20x points on a Thursday or the cream is on sale. 20x points is only available on a Thursday a couple of times a year – look for a week-long 20x event. Otherwise I’ll check the store for a sale before I run low. Often I also stock up on other items at a 20x event. Shoppers is expensive but they often have terrific sales , including on milk and staples like tissues, paper towels and TP. And main brand cosmetics such as Clinique are the same price there as any other store. And seniors get 20%. Before they combined loblaws and shoppers points into one program I had to think about using the points, now I mostly earn at shoppers and use them to pay for groceries. I probably earn close to $400 per year. Not bad for a single person household.

PC Optimum is the best, my mother also uses the THursday senior discount. It’s really not that hard to earn a ton of points and they have so many offers.

Great tips – thanks!

One more tip – you can defer up to 4 offers each week – if you have a good points offer for something you buy regularly, but don’t need it this week, just swipe it left and it will be saved for the following week!

Great point, I knew about that trick, not sure why I didn’t include it in my list.

I typically do alot of the things you suggested but upon looking to cancel my PC insiders that automatically renewed without me knowing, I came across some terms that basically says you can’t stack some of these offers, I can’t say for sure if I have encountered this exception but its worth noting…

Points earning through the PC Insiders program cannot be combined with other bonus PC Optimum points offers. PC Optimum points earned through the PC Insiders program are in addition to the regular 15 points per dollar earned for eligible purchases at Shoppers Drug Mart and Pharmaprix, and the points regularly earned through use of a President’s Choice Financial payment product. However, points earning through the PC Insiders program may not be combined with any in-store, online or personalized bonus points offers on the same purchase. If your purchase would be eligible for an in-store, online or personalized bonus offer of a set amount of points or a points multiplier, for example “Spend $75 or more and get 25,000 PC Optimum points” or “Get 15X PC Optimum points on any shoppersdrugmart.ca order”, you would receive either your PC Insiders points OR the in-store, online or personalized bonus points offer, whichever is the greater number of points, but not both.

Yes, you can not stack PC insiders but there are other promos which you can combine. There are huge discussions about it on other message boards such as Flyer Talk and Redflagdeals which is where I learned about this trick.

Have you (or anyone else still following) experienced this: you cannot reduce the amount of points you use when paying at the self-scan kiosk? I experience this regularly and I’d much prefer to choose the amounts I redeem at any given time (Hey, $10 off is $10 off!). You can tell the attendant at the till to change the amount, but only at the register. I’ve tried at both Superstore and Shoppers asking the attendant to change the amount (at the self-scan) but even they were stumped. Thanks for responding!

I’ve never tried to lower the number of points redeemed at the kiosk. I suspect there’s no option to do so.

And about the linking household accounts… do you need to manage attribution at all? What I mean is that, for your typical household, it is likely one of the two partners who does more of the financial management and grocery shopping (or not) so they’d be the ones earning more or most of the points (only to have the other partner redeem them on something that’s perhaps not as critical to the household’s needs as it is to that individual’s wants… if you catch my drift lol). I’m pretty confident answer is “that’s not a program issue, that’s a household issue” and respect that. However it might be useful to some Canadian households (mine included) if the household manager (?) could set redemption allotments or some sort of control along those lines – especially for younger members who may not yet quite grasp what it means to collect all those points in the first place!

I know EXACTLY what you mean but I’ve learned to not put up a fight about it with my wife. Now if she was redeeming Aeroplan points for merchandise or gift cards, then there would be a problem.

You can choose whether each card is earn and redeem, or earn only.

I find most often the shoppers prices are more than most other stores for everyday items I read all the ads and compile my list of purchases I need and use price match too.

I agree with Waldo. I find the prices are almost always higher than other stores and the card makes you think you are earning big savings when you could shop elsewhere and save just as much without points.

Yes, Shoppers can be expensive. I only shop there when I can stack my points or take advantage of other promos.

I would add that if you shop at Loblaws stores that have a PC kiosk and your groceries cost more than $100, you can stop by the kiosk and they will apply on your behalf for an additional credit of 5000 points. The points take a few weeks to appear on your PC Points account.

If your groceries cost $200, split them in two and you can get 10000 pts and so on. You cannot earn the bonus if you used PC Points for your purchase but if your grocery bill was $160, you can use 50000 points, $110 in regular payment and qualify for the 5000 point bonus.

I don’t know of that promo. Is it an ongoing thing?

Not sure of its duration but it has been the case for at least the past several months. I only learned about it when I stopped by the kiosk when departing the store. There has to be a staff member present as they submit for the bonus on your behalf.

I use that promo all the time, it’s great!

I went to a kiosk the other day and I was told that they changed the amount you have to spend to $200.00 from $100.00 to get the bonus points.

That’s disappointing as $200 is a lot to spend on groceries for two people.

I agree. I rarely spend that much at one time. That said, it’s a nice extra bonus for people who do.

your explanation about how the Esso gas purchase works is not clear – you state that purchase of premium gas is required to get the full 3 cents off – is that correct? my perception is 30 points per liter plus 10 points if you pay with the PC Mastercard.

I’ve taken the gas info directly from the PC Mastercard website. I’ve never really looked at my statements for the full breakdown, I just know I earn more points when filling up at Esso as opposed to say Shell.

I love the PC Optimum points program and use my points at No Frills towards grocery shopping.

Oooo. I did not know that Shoppers sold the Dyson hair stylers. I’m going to put an Airwrap on my shopping list for next Black Friday!

Best black friday deal of my life was 2 years ago when we bought a Nintendo Switch and game for >$20 after cashing in points on a bonus redemption of $450 value for $300 of points. 🙂

There was a similar offer this past Black Friday. the claim 250K points for $400. The switch they had was the Mario Kart Bundle I believe so you were getting like $480 in value for 250K points.

Another amazing tip I would add is that although you cannot directly cash in points for the purchase of gift cards you can do so indirectly if you buy groceries at the same time. For example, say you want to buy a $100 amazon gift card. If you are going to buy 100 worth of groceries anyway, you can buy the 100 gift card in the same purchase, use your points to pay for the grocery portion of the bill and walk away having spent the same amount in the end. Using this method, you can turn your PC points into money that you can spend on anything, at any vendor – you just need to plan ahead to match your grocery spending with gift card amounts since you can’t cash in points for more than the grocery portion of the total.

Interesting perspective.

This isn’t really a loophole, you still end up paying $100 for the gift card right? Or am i missing something?

You’re not wrong.

I guess Jessica’s thinking is that she now got the $100 off the gift card instead of groceries. It’s a psychological hack I guess.

careful… in regards to the General Mills spend $10 and get 5000 pts back so that it seems you get 50% off…. sometime items are only priced at $4.98 thereby forcing you to buy 3 of them to make the full $10 purchase, thereby negating this 50% off scenario !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! let the buyer beware !!!

Yes, with any offer you need to be smart about what you’re purchasing. I try to spend the minimum amount to get my bonus.

I have the PC Optimum World Elite Mastercard and shop at No Frills, and was expecting 30 points per $ spent. I’m only getting 10 points per $ though!

If I recall correctly, you earn 10 points per $1 spent right away and the other 20 points are posted monthly.

Pc elite card is good we use it but. The capital one elite card in better 2% cash back for travel on every purchase

The Capital One World Elite Mastercard is no longer available to the general public.

Wow! If “$400 off redemptions of 400,000 PC Optimum points” is true then I’m definitely going to start collecting points.Thanks Barry!

Hi Barry! Thanks for compiling these. I do my best to ensure I maximize my points as well. Another way of saving money while potentially earning points is to use the price match feature that some stores (Superstore, as an example) use (especially if you have a coupon targeted for that item). Say for example – grapes. Grapes can range from $2.99-$4.99 per pound, but if you price match to a competitor who may be selling for $.99 per pound, that’s quite a savings. Tack on the coupon in my PC app for 200 in points for every dollar spent on grapes, and it’s an even better deal.

Good point, I need to price match items when I get bonus points more often.

When you join a household , I have found that the personalized offers lose “personalization”. My situation was a household I started and invited my mother (senior that doesn’t have a smart phone and only has a physical optimum card ) , I registered her online and I can sign in on as her on my app to load her offers on her card. She doesn’t shop at shoppers drug mart , only shops at Loblaws and no frills ( groceries) , I , on the other hand, only shop at shoppers drug mart ( almost daily). Once I brought her into a household with me, all her offers became shoppers drug mart exclusive and were geared on my shopping ( shoppers drug mart ) , the grocery offers ( based on her spending) stopped. As soon as she left the household , her offers went back to grocery. I called optimum to address this issue and was told that the household organizers offers/spending habits become the basis for offers for all in that household ( in my case it was different banner/type of products) As a test , with pc optimum on phone , we created another household starting from my mothers account (the goricery shopper) and immediately after I accepted the invite and joined her household , all my shoppers offers dropped and I had nothing but grocery offers.

So it’s a bit misleading when you say that personalized offers still remain personal to each individual.

Wow, Barry this is so helpful. Thank YOU for sharing all this. With a newborn baby now we’ll for sure make back the PC insiders fee in points and then some over next 12 months through diapers and formula purchases alone (diapers average $60/mth even allowing for the PC Insiders blackout periods in the T&C’s). I entered your referral code so hopefully I get the 25,000 pts & you get 10,000 referral pts too. Cheers! Chris

Oh man, when my daughter was born, I made my money back on PC Insiders so fast from food alone. Congrats on the newborn and thanks for using my referral!

Thanks for this post. I was wondering if I could earn Optimum points on a Dyson hair dryer…on a 20x the points that would be $100+ worth of points back, instantly.

Yes, if it’s available in store at Shoppers, it would qualify. Also note that Dyson products are also great for using your points during bonus events. E.g. if there’s ever use 100K points, get $140 off. Usually with these promos, the more points you use, the more cash you get off.

So this is all changing Oct 8th, 2020. PC just emailed Insiders members with the summary and links to new ‘10% back in points on all PC products”.

What they don’t advertise is that the current 20% back (200pts/$1) on baby diapers & formula will STOP on Oct 7th, 2020. The Joe Fresh purchases now drop from 20% to 10% (100pts/$1) earned with Insiders.

So unless you spend a good deal of money on PC brand products, Insiders may not be the golden program it currently is!

Let’s all go spend $100s on baby diapers and formula before Oct 7th to maximise the 20% back in points before it disappears!!

Oh, and they do state existing Insiders members have option to cancel/ opt out of new program by Sept 30, 2020.

See https://www.pcoptimum.ca/insiders/en/terms-and-conditions#section2

I just got the email and looked over the terms. The changes are pretty significant and it’s hard to see it as an improvement unless you happen to buy mostly PC products.

That said, some people will argue that the program is better since more people can benefit from it now since more products would earn you 10% back in points.

With the annual travel credit and gift being cut, I think getting the $99 back in points will be difficult for many people.

There’s still value when you factor in the free PC Express pickup, but again, that would only be beneficial to some people.

Could you explain the math at how you arrived at 104,485 PC Optimum bonus points for the Dyson Dryer?

If you only had to pay ~$100 for it after the $400 credit, wouldn’t it be 100*15*20=30000 Bonus PC Optimum Points.

To be perfectly honest, I never understood how I got that many points. There are two possible reasons #1) I still earned points on the original price of $500 (but the math still doesn’t add up). #2 There was another Optimum promo that stacked e.g. spend $X on beauty?

The number in the articles is right from my receipt which I wish I saved.

Used to get alot better points deals now they have taken alot of it away..looking for a better loyalty card and will quit this one when I do.

Agreed Viola.

It used to be my favourite card. Now, I use it only occasionally. This last year, I used it so little, they’ve now down-graded me. I’m a little offended about that since I still do have years of loyalty invested in that card and was waiting for them to improve their programs.

Are they telling me my wait is over and I should just “write off” this many-years-long relationship with them?

For someone who always pays on time and has been loyal for so many years to their PC lines, it certainly feels like a kick in the teeth.

I totally get your frustration and am in a similar boat. This was a decision by Mastercard as they’re adding the $15K minimum spend to ALL World Elite Cards. This has already happened with Rogers users and it’s coming to other credit cards.

Blame Mastercard here, not PCF.

i agree the deals are terrible now and no longer worth it, i am a single senior and often my offers are for baby diapers and stuff i never even buy, just trying to push stuff on me to sell sell sell, i am looking at switching to a different no fee card as i see a couple out there that pay 3% cash back on groceries and offer cash back on everything i buy

All that being said. If someone spends over $200 Since the offer is spend $100 get 15,000 pts. Should the customer not be entitled to 15,000 twice????

No, because the promo specifically states that when you spend $100, you get 15,000 points. It does increase for each additional $100 you spend.

BUT the true question is how to optimize the REDEMPTION?

The best option is to use your points during bonus redemption events at Shoppers Drug Mart.

I would like a clear answer for this scenario.

I spend $251. 99 includes tax and store pick up fee. I received an email that if I spend $100.00, I can get 15, 000 pts. I applied to the order at check out. The order does not reflect the 15, 000 pts has reduced my bill, so my charges pending are still $251.99. In the meantime, because I spent over $250 after tax. I qualify for the store free item (worth $24.99).

Now, if I also have 25, 000 pts of which I wish to apply to my current order. According to my math, this is a total of 40,000 pts. This would reduce my bill to $211.99.

Do I receive the FREE in store item?

PC Optimum bonus points are earned after you meet the criteria. So if the promo is spend $100, get 15,000 points, you could then use those 15,000 points for your next purchase. It would NOT appear on the initial purchase.

As for the store free item, I believe that’s an in-store promo where the cashier just gives it to you after spending over $250. Assuming the free gift is indeed in-store, you should still get it even if you redeem PC Optimum points to pay.

PC Optimum is usually quite clear about the promos. For example, at SHoppers Drug Mart, 20X the points events when you spend $75 clearly states that you can’t use points to pay for part of the $75.

I am finding the points confusing at the moment. Used to be my grocery receipt showed the points I earned for that purchase, by using my credit card also special deals plus my total points. Now it only shows the special deals and they say the other points will be added on in a few business days. They don’t seem to show up in the Superstore category and the amounts don’t match the other additions as they all just say ‘PC Financial Spend’. When I have spoken to their representatives they say oh it is easy just multiply your money spent by 30 (I have an elite card) but the numbers never match anything. Do they total daily spends together? Often my receipt will say you could have earned at least so many points with a PC Mastercard. . . even though I have used my card on the purchase. It frustrates me!

The receipts should still be showing you all the individual points you’ve been earning. I’m not sure what’s going on with yours.

Does anyone know how many points are earned per dollar at Joe Fresh?

Many thanks.

Unless you have a PC Financial credit card, you only earn targeted and in-store offers at Joe Fresh.

I just bought $400 of stuff for $45 (basically the tax). We seldom shop at SDM because their prices are inflated. We shop at Real Canadian Superstore or No Frills. We don’t use the PC credit card. You have to “gamify” the system by taking advantage of special promos. This haul was done on the spend your points event where 250,000 points (normally worth $250) are worth $400. Almost everything we bought for this haul (and when we shop there in general) were on sale. Their sale prices are usually reasonable. For example I bought 4 x 2L bottles of Tide for $11 each. I also bought one expensive gift, the men’s cologne sampler ($115). We stock up on shampoo, toothpaste, and frozen foods. We do this every year.

The gamification of PC Optimum is part of the fun. Getting a PC Financial card is worth it IMO since you can earn more points at Loblaws-owned grocery stores.

We have the Scotia momentum Visa Infinite cash back card. Do you think the benefit of the optimum points would be better than that card?

So the Scotia Momentuma Visa Infinite Cash Back Card earns you 4% cash back at groceries stores and recurring payments, 2% on gas and daily transit, and 1% on everything else.

For the PC Financial World Elite Mastercard, you earn 30 PC optimum points per $1 spent at loblaws-owned grocery stores and 10 points on all other purchaes. That works out to a 3% and 1% return respectively. That said, PC Optimum points can be more valuable if you redeem them during bonus redemption events. To be honest, both cards are similar, it just depends on how much you value your PC Optimum points.

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Get a FREE copy of Travel Hacking for Lazy People

Subscribe now to get your FREE eBook and learn how to travel in luxury for less

Where and how can I redeem my points?

27-jun-2022 • knowledge, information.

• Tell the cashier you want to redeem and scan your digital or physical PC Optimum ™ card or key fob at the register, or scan at self-checkout. 
• Shoppers Drug Mart ™ / Pharmaprix MC  and Joe Fresh®: Log in with your PC™id and select that you want to redeem points.
• PC Express™ pickup and delivery:  Log in with your PC™id and add a note at checkout or during the pre-call prior to receiving your order that you’d like to redeem points with your purchase. Make sure to remind a store colleague and have your physical or digital PC Optimum™ card ready.
• Esso™ stations: Scan your digital or physical PC Optimum™ card in-store and let the cashier know that you want to redeem your points. 
• As soon as you have 10,000 PC Optimum™ points, you can redeem for up to $10 worth of free stuff at any participating store or online at beauty.shoppersdrugmart.ca and joefresh.com and at any participating online grocery stores.  
• At Esso, you can redeem 4,000 points to get 10 cents off per litre of fuel (up to 40 L), or redeem 10,000 points for any free car wash. Limited to one redemption at Esso per day.  
• You can redeem your points for up to a maximum of $500 off on any one purchase.
• Visit our store locator to see all participating locations in your area.  

Related Topics

• Can I redeem my PC Optimum™ points for a free car wash?
• I was unable to redeem my PC Optimum™ points. What do I do?
• I am unable to redeem my PC Optimum™ points due to my account being frozen or suspended. What can I do?
• How can I redeem PC Optimum™ points to purchase appliances with Canadian Appliance Source?
• Esso Extra™ Points Conversion at Esso stations

Trending Topics

• Amendments to PC Optimum™ Program Terms and Conditions
• How do I reset my PC™ id password?
• If I forget to show my card at checkout, can I still earn the points?
• Updating your PC Optimum Card Status on PCOptimum.ca
• I lost my PC Optimum card, what do I do?

Related Websites

Download the PC Optimum App

PC Optimum points: value & how to maximize

PC Optimum is the loyalty program of Loblaws Companies Limited, the largest Canadian food retailer. It is one of the largest loyalty rewards programs in Canada with over 16 million members .

Members can earn and spend points on purchases at Loblaws-owned and partnered stores. Points are best earned by paying with a PC Mastercard and best redeemed on groceries that are on sale.

Initially launched in May 2013 as PC Plus, PC Optimum was formed on February 1, 2018 when it merged with Shoppers Drug Mart’s similar Optimum program after Loblaw Companies acquired Shopper’s Drug Mart in 2014.

You can sign up and view your personalized offers on the website and Android and iOS apps:

How much are PC Optimum points worth?

PC Optimum points have a value of $0.001 or a tenth (0.1) of a cent each for all redemption amounts.

10 points is worth one cent ($0.01), 100 points are $0.10 and 1,000 points are equal to $1 in cash value.

The easiest way to remember this is to divide the number of points by 1,000, or remove 3 zeros from the end of the number of points and you’ll get the cash value.

The minimum redemption amount is 10,000 points for a cash value of $10 towards your purchase at participating Loblaws stores. Points can be redeemed in increments of 10,000 points up to a maximum of $500 off a single purchase.

For example, if you have 13,000 points, you can spend a maximum of 10,000 points for $10 off your purchase, and you’ll have 3,000 points remaining. You cannot redeem your points until you reach a balance of at least 10,000.

How many PC Optimum points do I earn per dollar spent?

There are 2 ways to earn Optimum points:

Fixed base points rate on purchases

How many points you earn depends on what card you have and what store you shop at:

• PC Optimum loyalty card: Earns the least, 1.5% at Shoppers Drug Mart/Pharmaprix and 1% at Esso/Mobil
• PC Money Account: 2.5% at Shoppers Drug Mart and 1% on all other purchases
• PC Financial Mastercards: Earn the most, offer a return of 1% to 3% in PC Optimum points. Up to 4.5% at Shoppers Drug Mart; 3% at Loblaws-banner stores and Esso/Mobil; and 1% on all other purchases.

Premium gasoline (Octane 89, 91, 93, 94) earns an additional 10 points per litre. The earn rate at Mobil gas stations is at least 30 points per litre, but varies by province and location and are advertised at each station.

Bonus points on exclusive, personalized offers

In addition to getting the 1% to 3% base rate back in points, additional points can be earned by purchasing specific products, brands or product categories listed in your exclusive and personalised offers . These offers are based on your shopping habits (or are intended to create new shopping habits) and areposted on the PC Optimum website, app as well as affiliated grocery store websites and apps.

Here are some examples of offers:

10% back in points

20% back in points

15% back on gift cards

Shopper’s Black Friday Bonus Redemption

Other past offers

How can I earn PC Optimum Points?

To earn points, you must:

• Load your offers for the week by visiting and refreshing the Offers page in the app, PCOptimum.ca or store website (eg. NoFrills , Your Independent Grocer , Real Canadian Superstore , etc.) or clicking on ‘Load Offers’ in your weekly offers email.
• Present or tap your PC Optimum card or PC Mastercard You no longer have to tap twice/both to receive points. If you forgot your card, some stores can use your phone number to apply points to your account, however, they may only do this as a last resort for big orders.

If you don’t load your offers, you won’t earn the points and they cannot be added retroactively, even with proof of purchase/receipt.

If you don’t present or tap either card, you won’t earn the points and the points cannot be added retroactively, even with proof of purchase/receipt.

Where can I earn PC Optimum Points?

Points can be earned at almost almost 4,500 retail locations, primarily Loblaws-owned grocery, pharmacy and retail stores (see store locator ) including Loblaws, Real Canadian Superstore, No Frills, Joe Fresh and Shoppers Drug Mart, online shopping at Joe Fresh and PC Express as well as Esso gas stations.

Scan or tap your digital or physical PC Optimum card, PC Mastercard or key fob when prompted by the cashier or self checkout kiosk to earn points on your purchases at Loblaws-owned stores:

• Atlantic Independent Grocer
• Atlantic Superstore
• Retail RCWC
• Wholesale Club
• Real Canadian Liquor Store
• Your Independent Grocer
• Real Canadian Super Store
• Extra Foods
• Shoppers Drug Mart
• The Mobile Shops
• Loblaw Optical
• Theodore & Pringle

As well as at participating gas stations:

At Esso stations, a PC Optimum, PC Money Account, PC Mastercard card or a 10 digit phone number registered to a valid account must be scanned, swiped, or manually keyed in as part of the payment transaction, or use the barcode linked to your account.

At the pump, customers can use their PC Optimum card, key in the phone number associated with their account, pay with their PC Mastercard, or use their Speedpass+ app linked to their account.

Note: Points cannot be earned or redeemed on gift cards.

Earn by entering your card number or logging in with your PC id account when shopping online at:

• Beauty Boutique
• Shoppers Drug Mart

How and where can I redeem PC Optimum points?

At Loblaws-owned stores, let the cashier know how many points you’d like to spend after scanning your PC Optimum card, PC Mastercard or key fob. During self checkout, ask the staff member watching the self check out area.

At Esso gas stations, a PC Optimum card, PC   Mastercard or PC Money Account card can be inserted or tapped at the pump or presented in-store. In-store, scan your digital or physical PC Optimum card or PC Mastercard and let the cashier know how many you want to redeem.

You can redeem 4,000 points to get 10 cents off per litre up to 40 L or redeem 10,000 points for any free car wash.

Redeeming the points on gas is not worth it unless you’re buying 40L or more. 4,000 points are valued at $4, but you’ll only get the full $4 of value if you buy the maximum of 40L (40 x $0.10 off per litre = $4 saved).

A basic Esso car wash typically costs around $10 and the next tier is around $15 to $20. So for 10,000 points ($10 value), getting a premium car wash could be a good deal.

At Shopper’s Drug Mart, Pharmaprix and Joe Fresh, select that you want to redeem points.

How to redeem PC Points with PC Express online?

As of October 2023, you can select how many points you’d like to redeem on the checkout page:

In the past, you had to let your personal shopper know that you’d like to redeem points with your purchase by either adding a note into the instructions box on the checkout page, or during the pre-call prior to receiving your order.

Note: Points cannot be redeemed to pay for tobacco, lottery tickets, alcohol, prescription medication and milk in Quebec.

How to maximize your PC Optimum points

In addition to getting the best PC Financial Mastercard you can qualify for, and filling up your car at Esso and Mobil stations, you can:

Save your weekly personalized offers for next week

If you’re planning on grocery shopping next week, but a product you want to buy is offering bonus points this week, you can save up to 4 offers and delay them until the following week.

Wait for Shoppers’ bonus events and offers

Check your on the PC Optimum app or the Shoppers website for any earning bonuses.

Shopper’s Bonus Redemption Events come around every month or so and increases the redemption value of your points to:

• 50,000 points = $65 instead of $50
• 100,000 points = $140 instead of $100
• 200,000 points = $300 instead of $200

They semi-regularly offer 20x the points on purchases over $75, which is the equivalent to 30% back in points.

There are also “spend $150 get 50k points” or similar offers. The best is “40% back in points”, but it is rare and is a targeted offer through the PC Optimum app and is not made available to the general public.

Shopper’s has very high markups on most of their products – particularly snacks and beauty products. However, big-ticket electronics such as gaming consoles, fitness watches, laptops and TVs have the smallest markup, so buy those with your points to get the best value.

Stack offers and points

For example, I have an exclusive offer for 10,000 PC Optimum points if I spend $40 or more at Shopper’s Drug Mart.

In the weekly flyer, there is an offer for of 7,000 PC Optimum points for every $20 spent on Listerine products.

Let’s say a bottle of mouthwash is $5 and I decide to stock up, buying $40 worth.

I would have earned a total of 24,000 PC Optimum points (10,000 + 14,000). Paying with my PC Financial World Elite Mastercard, I would earn an additional 1800 points (4.5% of $40 is $1.80). That’s a total of 25,800 points (valued at $25.80) on a purchase of $40, which is 72% back in points.

Merge (or separate) your PC optimum accounts

PC Optimum members can pool their points with up to 9 other program members by creating and joining a “Household” in their accounts. Merging accounts and points makes it easier to make large purchases with points, more often. 

However, doing so will mean you’ll only receive one set of offers in your PC Optimum account, so it’s recommended to merge accounts in order to redeem points and then leave the household and separate accounts in order to receive more offers.

Frequently asked questions

Do pc points expire.

No, points never expire. However, if your account is closed, any points that are not redeemed after 45 days are lost.

Your account can be closed if you haven’t earned or redeemed any points in the past 2 years and you do not currently have an active PC Financial payment card.

Do I need a PC Optimum card if I have the PC Mastercard?

Do i have to present my card to get points.

If you’re shopping in-person

If you’re shopping online,

Do you have to tap twice?

What to do if I am missing PC points?

If you loaded your offers and presented your card at checkout but have not received points that you should have earned, start a Points Inquiry by going to Points > Transactions in the app or on PCOptimum.ca, selecting the relevant transaction and clicking Start a points inquiry. You must do so within 45 days after the transaction or the points will no longer be recoverable.

For more information, see their FAQ page and program Terms & Conditions .

Contact PC Optimum

To contact PC Optimum or get customer support:

• Phone:   1 866 246 7262 (24/7)
• Email:   [email protected]
• Submit a complaint
• Mail: 600-500 Lakeshore Blvd. West Toronto, ON M5V 2V9

Over to you

We’re interested to know – are you a PC Optimum member? How do you spend your points? Let me know by leaving a comment below!

Share this:

Was this article helpful.

Stay up to date

Get Cansumer's independent reviews, expert advice, and intensively researched deals to help keep you informed, safe and connected, for free.

Leave a comment Cancel reply

What is a Junk Fee? Here are examples in Canada

Identify Products & Check Prices From a Picture With Google Lens

Best Product Testing Opportunities in Canada

Stay informed with Cansumer in your inbox

• Credit cards
• View all credit cards
• Banking guide
• Loans guide
• Insurance guide
• Personal finance
• View all personal finance
• Small business
• Small business guide
• View all taxes

You’re our first priority. Every time.

We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with confidence. And while our site doesn’t feature every company or financial product available on the market, we’re proud that the guidance we offer, the information we provide and the tools we create are objective, independent, straightforward — and free.

So how do we make money? Our partners compensate us. This may influence which products we review and write about (and where those products appear on the site), but it in no way affects our recommendations or advice, which are grounded in thousands of hours of research. Our partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews of their products or services. Here is a list of our partners .

A Beginner’s Guide to Traveling on Points and Miles

Many, or all, of the products featured on this page are from our advertising partners who compensate us when you take certain actions on our website or click to take an action on their website. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money .

Table of Contents

Know your travel goals

Different types of points and miles, the best airline and hotel rewards programs, before you collect points and miles, easiest ways to earn points, highest-value ways to use points, smart ways to redeem credit card points, more advice for getting started, the bottom line.

Welcome to the world of miles and points! We’re glad you’re here. In this beginners guide, we’ll show you the basics of airline miles, hotel points and credit card points. We will explain this hobby, the different types of travel reward “currencies” and the best ways to earn and redeem miles and points.

So sit back and get comfortable as we help demystify the fun and exciting world of miles and points.

» Learn more: The best travel credit cards might surprise you

This is an important consideration when evaluating what you would like to get out of your points and miles hobby. Do you want to travel several times a year to an exotic location, flying in first class on miles and paying for your hotel on points? Do you want to fly to visit friends and family using miles (but don’t care if you sit in economy or business class)? Or do you just want to learn what travel rewards are all about?

The good news is that regardless of your travel goals, understanding the basics of these currencies can make those goals a reality. Using points and miles to see the world can save a lot of cash. And when you get into this hobby, you begin to realize that all sorts of travel is affordable and within reach.

Setting clear travel goals can also help focus your attention and investigation. If you want to visit Japan, you can focus on relevant airlines and hotel programs while ignoring the rest (for now). This can help avoid overwhelm and the paradox of choice.

» Learn more: Are travel credit cards worth it?

Think of points and miles (travel rewards) as another type of currency. Just like stocks, crypto, bonds or foreign currencies, travel rewards present a way to pay for your travel experiences and invest in your travel goals without using cash.

Each travel reward currency has its own value , just like a country’s currency. Many points and miles are worth roughly a cent apiece, but values vary ... It’s important to do the math whenever you’re considering a particular offer or promotion to figure out the approximate cash value. 100,000 points might sound like a lot, but it depends on what kind of points they are.

There are three types of travel rewards: airline miles, hotel points and transferable points.

» Learn more: What are travel points worth and why do they matter?

Airline miles

Airline miles are specific to each airline. One example of airline miles is United MileagePlus miles. To earn United miles, you need to register for a frequent flyer account with United. Then, each time you fly with United (or another Star Alliance airline — more on alliances later), input your MileagePlus number on the reservation to earn miles for the flight.

United (and many other airlines) also has its own co-branded credit cards, such as the United℠ Explorer Card , which earns United miles every time the card is swiped. In addition to flying and earning miles on your flights, using this credit card for everyday purchases is the best way to earn United frequent flyer miles.

The number of miles earned on a flight depends on various factors including the type of seat you book, distance flown and cost of the ticket. Similarly, the number of miles earned with a co-branded credit card also depends on the type of purchase. For example, the United℠ Explorer Card earns 2 United miles per $1 on restaurants and hotels, and 1 United mile per dollar on everything else.

Then, you can redeem your earned miles for award tickets on that airline (and its partners). Generally, airline miles are not transferable directly from one airline to another.

Here are the major airlines you should pay attention to when getting started with points and miles, as well as some useful details about each:

Popular domestic airline frequent flyer programs

There are several considerations to make before joining an airline loyalty program , but understanding your domestic options is a good place to start.

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan : Great for West Coast travel and award tickets on Cathay Pacific to Asia.

American Airlines AAdvantage : Useful for off-peak rates to Europe in the fall and winter.

Delta SkyMiles : Good for last-minute bookings; no “close-in fees” for tickets booked less than 21 days before travel.

Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards : Generally good award availability and straightforward pricing (award prices tied directly to cash fares).

United MileagePlus : Usually has the highest award availability due to Star Alliance membership.

Popular international airline frequent flyer programs

Air Canada Aeroplan : No 21-day close-in booking fees.

Air France/KLM FlyingBlue : Offers discounted monthly Promo Rewards.

British Airways Executive Club : Distance-based award chart makes it great for short-haul award flights.

Virgin Atlantic Flying Club : Excellent premium economy experience for low number of miles (despite high taxes).

Hotel points

Hotel points work very similarly to airline miles. Many hotel chains have their own loyalty programs, including Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors .

You can earn hotel points via paid hotel stays or by using that hotel chain’s co-branded credit card . One example of such a card is the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card . Similar to airline credit cards, each hotel chain’s credit cards incentivize members to use the card by giving bonus points for using the card at hotels. The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card , for example earns up 17 total points per dollar spent at over 7,000 participating hotels.

The best use of hotel points is usually for an award night redemption. Some hotel chains offer free nights to encourage members to use their loyalty points at the hotels (e.g., with Marriott you can book four award nights and get the fifth night free). In many cases, hotel points are transferable to airlines, but the transfer ratios are usually poor.

Popular hotel rewards programs

There are a few questions to ask before joining a hotel program , even the popular ones.

Marriott Bonvoy.

Hilton Honors.

Wyndham Rewards.

IHG Rewards Club.

Choice Privileges .

Best Western Rewards.

Transferable credit card points

Transferable points are the most flexible type of travel rewards currency. Examples of transferable points are Chase Ultimate Rewards® and American Express Membership Rewards, Citi ThankYou and Capital One Miles . The points are extremely versatile because you can redeem them in a number of ways, including for gift cards, cash back or by transferring to specific airline partners.

For example, American Express points are transferable to 18 airlines and three hotels. Because of their flexibility, these points are often considered more valuable than airline miles or hotel points.

Unlike airline miles and hotel points, transferable points are earned by using credit cards specific to the transferable point currency. For example, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® earns Chase Ultimate Rewards® points. The Business Platinum Card® from American Express earns Membership Rewards points. You cannot register for one of these rewards accounts without having a specific card (see below).

Now that you know the three main types of travel rewards, you are ready to get started. So what do you need to know before you begin?

As part of our Best-Ofs Awards initiative, NerdWallet performs a comprehensive, domestic industry-wide analysis of both airlines and hotels to make recommendations about the best of the best rewards programs.

Our 2024 findings determined that the best airline loyalty program is the Mileage Plan by Alaska Airlines. Here is how its peers compared:

On the hotel side of things, Hyatt also repeated as the best hotel rewards program.

Of course, the best awards program for you might not ladder up perfectly to our recommendations. If you have more access to certain brands (i.e. live near a Southwest hub) or prefer to stay at a Marriott, for instance, you'll want to take that into account before selecting loyalty.

Here is our full, nerdy analysis of travel rewards programs in 2024 .

Travel rewards beginners would be wise to keep the following in mind:

Know your credit score. For the most part, travel rewards credit cards are available only to those with excellent credit scores (720 and up) . If your credit score is significantly below 720, it’s important to take steps to improve it if you’re interested in participating in this hobby. Think of your credit score as a pie cut into five pieces: payment history, credit utilization, length of credit history, mix of credit types and recent applications.

Prepare to pay bills in full each month. If you decide to open up a travel rewards card, you will likely want to meet a certain minimum spending requirement within several months to earn the welcome bonus. For example, the American Express® Business Gold Card offers the following: Earn 100,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Gold Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply. You need to consider if you can meet that minimum spending requirement within the specified time frame. Paying interest to earn travel rewards negates the value you’d derive from earning points. Remember, this is supposed to be a fun way to save money and travel the world for nearly free — it should not put you in debt.

Limit your cash usage. The key to maximizing your miles and point earnings is to stop using any method of payment that does not earn travel rewards. If you get into this hobby, make it a habit to only use a credit card that earns travel rewards. The best way to do this is to stop using cash and/or your debit card. Take your travel rewards card with you everywhere you go and use it to pay for everything, even small things like a $2 Snapple.

Now that you know the basics of points and miles and what good habits to keep in mind, let’s have some fun and look at the best ways to earn them.

» Learn more: How do travel credit cards work?

Below, we have listed the five best ways to maximize earning points and miles.

Utilize welcome bonuses on credit cards

The fastest and most efficient way to earn miles and points is by signing up for a credit card and using that card for everyday purchases. Credit card companies want to incentivize customers to use their products. For this reason, credit card companies will usually offer a sign-up bonus to a first-time holder of a credit card — making it the best way to accumulate travel points quickly.

Sign-up bonuses can be as high as 100,000+ points depending on the offer. Usually, a higher offer corresponds to a higher minimum spending requirement. This makes perfect sense because credit card companies want to reward customers who use their products the most. As a rule of thumb, an offer of 50,000 points/miles or more is considered a “good” offer.

One example of a strong offer is the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card , which is currently offering the following: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

Credit cards come out with limited-time offers all the time, so if you’re considering getting a card but think the sign-up bonus is low, you can always wait to see if a better offer comes along.

» Learn more: The best credit card bonus offers available now

To get started, sign up for a credit card that earns airline miles, hotel points or transferable points. If this is your first card, a transferable point credit card will offer the most flexibility for earning and redeeming points.

If you already have a transferable point card and want to add another card to your portfolio, consider your travel goals. Do you fly with United often? If so, think about a United credit card as your next card. Is Marriott your favorite hotel chain? Maybe it makes sense to add a Marriott card to your portfolio. Regardless of your plans, deciding which card to get is a personal decision and there is no right or wrong answer.

Below, we’ve included a list of some of the best credit card offers currently available, organized by airlines, hotels and transferable points programs.

» Learn more: The best points and miles credit cards for beginners

Airline credit cards

American Airlines : The AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® is currently offering the following: Earn 60,000 AAdvantage® bonus miles after making your first purchase and paying the $99 annual fee in full, both within the first 90 days. When the card is used on eligible American Airlines purchases, you will earn 2 miles for $1. All other purchases earn 1 mile per $1.

Alaska Airlines : The Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card earns 3 Alaska miles for every $1 spent on eligible Alaska Airlines purchases, 2 Alaska miles for every $1 spent on eligible gas, EV charging station, cable, streaming services, and local transit including ride share purchases, and 1 Alaska mile for every $1 spent on all other purchases.

United Airlines : The United Club℠ Infinite Card has a high annual fee: $525 . Despite the high annual fee, the card offers 4 United miles per $1 on United purchases, 2 United miles per $1 on restaurants and travel, a United Club membership, a $100 statement credit toward Global Entry, and much more.

» Learn more: NerdWallet’s best airline credit cards

Hotel credit cards

Marriott Bonvoy: Here’s the current offer on the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card : Our best points offer! Earn 125,000 Bonus Points after spending $5,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card! The card also comes with an annual free night certificate worth 35,000 points and a ton of other perks. The annual fee is $95 and not waived in the first year.

Hilton Honors : The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card provides another excellent offer: Earn 130,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $6,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors Business Card within the first six months of Card Membership. The annual fee is $195 and is not waived in the first year. With this card, you’ll earn 12 points per $1 on Hilton purchases and 5 points on the first $100,000 in other purchases in a calendar year (and 3 points per $1 thereafter). Terms apply. If Hilton hotels are your thing, this is a great card to have. To view rates and fees of The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card , see this page .

» Learn more: NerdWallet’s best hotel credit cards

Transferable point credit cards

Chase Ultimate Rewards® : Here’s the current offer on the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card : Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠. On this card, you’ll earn 2 points per $1 on travel (5 points per $1 if you book travel through Chase' travel portal), 3 points per $1 dining at restaurants worldwide, select streaming services and online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs) and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases. The card has a $95 annual fee that is not waived in the first year.

American Express Membership Rewards : The Platinum Card® from American Express currently has the following welcome offer: Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply. With this card, you’ll earn 5 Membership Rewards® points per $1 spent on flights and prepaid hotels booked on AmExtravel.com (on up to $500,000 per calendar year). You'll also get a $200 annual airline credit (enrollment required), $200 Uber Cash (enrollment required), $199 Clear credit and many other benefits. Although the annual fee is $695 , the card provides various annual credits that offset the fee. Terms apply. This is an excellent premium travel card.

Citi ThankYou : The Citi Strata Premier℠ Card has the following signup offer: Earn 70,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $700 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com The annual fee is $95 and it is not waived for the first year. You will also earn 3 points per $1 at restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, flights and hotels. The points can also be transferred to 16 airlines and two hotels and there are no foreign transaction fees.

Capital One Miles : The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card has the following welcome bonus: Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel. The annual fee is $95 . You earn 2 points per $1 on all purchases and there are no foreign transaction fees. You will also receive a statement credit toward Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, plus two complimentary visits to certain lounges.

» Learn more: How to choose a travel credit card

Use the right credit card for the right bonus spending category

Not all travel credit cards are created equal. Depending on which card you have, the card will offer bonus points for spending in a specific category. For example, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card earns bonus points on travel and dining at restaurants. So, if you hold this card along with another credit card, you’d probably use the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card for all your travel and dining expenses.

Another excellent card to have in your portfolio is the Chase Freedom Flex® , which offers rotating quarterly bonus categories.

For example, during the first quarter of 2022 (January 1-March 31), you can earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 spent at grocery stores (excluding Walmart and Target) and on eBay.

Furthermore, you can turn the 5% cash back earned on the Chase Freedom® into Chase Ultimate Rewards® points. If you hold a premium travel card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card , you can pool your points, and get 25% more value when you redeem your points for trips through Chase's travel portal.

You can maximize your point earnings by using the Chase Freedom® for all purchases that earn 5 points per $1 and using the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card for all other purchases. If you max out the bonus category, you will earn 7,500 Chase Ultimate Rewards® points per quarter. Earning 30,000 points per year on a no-fee card is a pretty sweet deal.

» Learn more: Chase Sapphire Preferred review: A must-have for travelers

Book flights and hotel stays

Each time you book a flight or make a hotel reservation , make sure that you’ve registered for the airline or hotel chain’s loyalty program and input your loyalty number into the reservation. Although this is a very straightforward way to earn travel rewards, it is often overlooked. Make it a habit to not skip this step.

Shop in dedicated portals

An extremely easy way to earn points and miles is by shopping online via shopping portals. CashbackMonitor lists all shopping portals currently offering cash back, airline miles, hotel points or credit card points (transferable points).

Let’s say for example you want to make a purchase from Nike.com. Check CashbackMonitor for current shopping portal offers.

As seen above, many shopping portals offer cash back for Nike.com purchases. To earn the points, simply click on the portal you would like to earn points with. If you want airline miles, you could earn 6 British Airways Avios per $1 or 2 United miles per $1 (at the time of this offer). If you’d prefer to have a more flexible currency, choose to earn 3 Chase Ultimate Reward points per $1 instead.

And don’t forget that these portal points are in addition to what you’ll earn from spending on your card. Let’s say you’re making a $100 Nike purchase and want some British Airways Avios. By simply clicking through the British Airways shopping portal, you will earn 600 BA Avios on the transaction. If you use your Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card for this purchase, you would also earn 100 Ultimate Rewards® points.

Dine at restaurants and earn points or miles (U.S. only)

Dining rewards programs provide an excellent and easy way to pick up some airline frequent flyer or hotel loyalty points just by dining at a participating restaurant. First, you sign up for an account with a dining program and add a credit card to your account.

Then, every time you visit a participating restaurant and use the card on file, frequent flyer miles will automatically post to your dining account. Currently, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest, Spirit, United, Hilton and IHG offer dining programs .

These dining programs are run by the Rewards Network, so you can earn loyalty points on only one program at a time. At this time, only U.S. restaurants participate in the dining programs.

You can also earn extra points when you sign up for a new account. For example, at the time of publication United was offering a 2,500-mile bonus when you registered for the program and completed a dine within 30 days.

Now that you know about some of the best ways to earn travel rewards, let’s take a deeper look into how to redeem points.

Each airline that offers a loyalty program allows members to redeem frequent flyer miles for award seats. In addition, some airlines are members of alliances. Airlines that are part of the same alliance include codeshare agreements with one another that allow passengers to fly on one another’s flights and earn/redeem miles with each other.

For example, United Airlines is a member of Star Alliance, and so is Lufthansa. When you fly on Lufthansa, you can input your United Airlines MileagePlus number on the reservation and earn United miles.

Redemptions work the same way. You can use your United miles on United.com to book a Lufthansa award ticket. The ability to fly on alliance partner airlines opens up a world of possibilities for award redemptions.

The three main alliances are Star Alliance (26 member airlines), SkyTeam (19 member airlines), and Oneworld (14 member airlines).

Star Alliance members

SkyTeam members

Oneworld members

Star Alliance is the largest of the three and provides the most flexibility for earning and redeeming miles. Let’s say you hold the United Club℠ Infinite Card , which is currently offering the following sign-up bonus: Earn 80,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

After meeting the minimum spend requirement, those bonus United miles are redeemable for award tickets on all of Star Alliance’s 26 member airlines — so you have numerous redemption options all over the world.

When applying for a credit card with a specific airline, consider which partner airlines you want to fly and redeem points with. Remember, airline miles are not easily transferable from one airline to another.

» Learn more: Your guide to airline alliances

Hotel stays

Hotel reward programs are similar to airlines, but much simpler. There are no alliances to worry about, or complicated transfer partners. These are the major hotel brands with reward programs:

Best Western .

To use your points with each of these programs, you’ll search for hotel rooms through the website or app, usually selecting “use points” or a similar function on the search tool. For some programs, you have to be logged into your reward account in order to make these searches.

The number of points needed per stay should be displayed in the search results.

Unlike airlines, which offer spotty award availability, most hotels offer award availability whenever there are any rooms available. This makes it much easier to use these points, especially when booking at the last minute.

» Learn more: How to choose between hotel loyalty programs

Rental cars

Unlike airlines and hotels, which follow similar rules across most brands and programs, rental car rewards are more of a wild west. Each program has its own rules for earning and using points.

That said, the basic reward approach applies: You’ll earn points or credits by using a single rental car company, and can then use these rewards to book future travel. The biggest trick, for a beginner, is to stick with one program for enough consecutive rentals to make use of the rewards.

If you have a card that earns Chase Ultimate Rewards®, American Express Membership Rewards, or Capital One Miles you can transfer points from those cards to member airlines or hotels. Citi ThankYou only has airline transfer partners. The advantage of having a credit card points is that you can keep your points in their most versatile form (with the issuer’s program) until you are ready to transfer them to an airline or hotel. Once transferred, the points cannot be refunded back.

Chase Ultimate Rewards® — Over a dozen transfer partners

Chase has several transfer partners (10 airlines and three hotels). Generally, transferring points to hotels isn’t advisable due to the lower valuation of hotel points.

American Express Membership Rewards — 21 transfer partners

AmEx has even more transfer partners (18 airlines and three hotels). Although AmEx has more partners than Chase, Chase’s transfer partners include United, which until recently had one of the better award charts .

Given the numerous transfer partners available between Chase and AmEx, it’s easy to see why these programs are so valuable. Deciding which program to prioritize can be based on which companies you want to fly or stay with.

Each of the airlines and hotels shown above has different award charts and redemption requirements. When electing to transfer miles, consider the value of your transferable points compared to the value of the redemption you have in mind.

Citi ThankYou — 16 airline partners

Although Citi lists 16 airline partners, they are only available if you have a premium Thank You card such as the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card or Citi Prestige® Card . If you have a no fee card like the Citi Rewards+® Card , you will only be able to transfer your ThankYou points to JetBlue, Choice or Wyndham.

Capital One Miles — 19 partners

Capital One is one of the newer programs and has done a good job of adding new partners and currently has 19 options for customers.

We’ve thrown a lot of information at you already in this guide, but don’t worry: As you get more practice with earning and redeeming travel rewards, the easier it will all be to understand. Here are some tips to help you get started on those first redemptions, as well as some common pitfalls to avoid

Earning points if you’re an infrequent traveler

One of the biggest misconceptions about travel rewards is that they are only useful for frequent travelers. After all, weren’t the original rewards called “frequent flyer” programs for a reason.

Infrequent travelers can get just as much value from these rewards by focusing on a few priorities:

Target big welcome bonuses. The welcome bonuses on credit cards, which are the points or miles you earn for signing up and hitting a minimum spending threshold, are not fixed. These cards will boost their bonuses periodically, or add other valuable perks.

Don’t chase travel-based promotions. Airlines and hotels will run deals to earn X number of points by taking Y number of flights or booking Z nights at a hotel. These are great for travel junkies, but not worth chasing or paying attention to if you aren’t.

Set your spending categories and forget them. Different cards will earn a different number of points and miles based on where you use them, as described above. But you don’t want to have to do the math at every checkout. Give yourself easy reminders (including taping notes to your cards) so you know which one to use on gas, groceries, dining, etc.

Redeeming points for good-enough value

When you start researching travel rewards redemptions online, you’ll likely notice an emphasis on “maximizing” value. On the surface that makes sense — isn’t that what we’re trying to do with all currency, from dollars to miles?

Yet it’s important to accept good-enough reward redemptions, especially when starting with this hobby. Your goal should be to offset or eliminate the cost of your travel goals, not to fly around the world in first class (unless that is your goal). In other words, the way to get the most objective value from your points might not align with your other priorities.

Keep it simple:

Use the 80/20 rule to avoid perfectionism. Look for easy redemptions that check most of your boxes. Don’t labor four hours looking for the perfect redemption — it likely doesn’t exist.

Make sure you’re getting the baseline value for a given travel currency by using a calculator . If a given flight or hotel stay gives you above-average value, that’s good enough.

Have fun. If slogging through award calendars searching for availability is starting to feel like a chore, take a step back and find another, easier strategy.

Common pitfalls

If travel rewards were easy, everybody would be doing it. The companies that run these programs want to entice you with big welcome bonuses and flashy promotions, but often make the work of actually redeeming points and miles confusing and complicated.

Here are some common pitfalls to avoid as a beginner:

Don’t try to learn everything. What’s a fare class? What are United Airlines’ stopover rules? The travel rewards world is full of jargon, regulations and know-it-all experts. Don’t try to learn it all before you start, or you’ll never start. Stick to your goals and learn what you need to in order to achieve them. Your knowledge will naturally expand.

Don’t hoard your points . Saving money is a good thing, as its value can increase over time. Saving travel points, on the other hand, is generally a bad financial move, as they generally devalue with time. Don’t just earn points: Spend them!

Don’t chase value . Booking a business-class flight to Norway in January might offer the best bang for your points, but … do you really want to visit Norway in January?

The amount of miles needed for an award ticket depends on the airline, cabin class, origin, destination and the date of travel. To check how many miles you need for an award ticket, log into the frequent flyer account of your favorite airline, go to the booking page and find the option to book award tickets. Then, you will need to input your trip details to see the cost of the flight in miles.

The easiest way to get miles is by signing up for a credit card with a specific airline and using the card for everyday purchases. When you fly on that airline (or any other airline within the same alliance), input your frequent flyer number so that you earn miles for that flight. Other ways to earn miles can include shopping through that airline’s shopping portal, renting a car, participating in the airline’s dining program and making purchases with the airline’s list of partners.

Credit card points (e.g., Chase Ultimate Rewards®, American Express Membership Rewards, etc.) are flexible because they can be used in many ways. The best ways to use these points is often to transfer them to airlines or hotels or use them in lieu of cash when booking travel directly from credit card’s travel portal. The points can also be redeemed for gift cards or cash, but you will not get as good of a value from these redemptions as you would when booking travel.

Booking award tickets is the best use of your airline miles. To book a flight with a specific airline’s miles, you must go to that airline’s website to search for your ticket. You can book economy, business and first class tickets using miles. Generally, you will extract the highest value out of your miles when you fly in premium cabins because those seats are usually very expensive when paid in cash.

Regardless of where you purchase your flight (e.g., airline website, Expedia, Kayak, etc.), input your frequent flyer number so that you earn miles for the flight. After you complete your flight, the miles will be credited to your frequent flyer account within a specified timeframe (differs by airline). If you forget to input your frequent flyer number at booking, you can either do it at the airport or after your flight. Just don’t wait too long because airlines have varying policies on how far back they go for crediting miles retroactively.

Although the world of miles and points can seem daunting, it doesn’t have to be. The best way to get started is to apply for a travel credit card that matches your needs. Then, learn how to maximize earning travel rewards.

The last step is knowing how to redeem points for the best redemptions, though this is more of an art than a science. There is no right answer and no ideal redemption that is right for everyone. However, getting started can put you on the path to traveling the world for nearly free. Think of travel rewards as another currency to add to your portfolio.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2024 :

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

on Chase's website

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1.5%-5% Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

Up to $300 Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!

on Capital One's website

2x-5x Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day. Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options

75,000 Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

Your browser is out of date.

We highly encourage you to update your browser to the latest version of Internet Explorer, or use another browser such as Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox.

Shopping Discussion

Any method to turn PC Optimum points into gift cards?

• Last Updated:
• Mar 31st, 2024 7:27 am
• Search this thread

Feb 17th, 2022 12:25 am

• Reply with quote

Feb 17th, 2022 1:40 am

hystavito wrote: ↑ Apple gift cards, or others. I'm pretty sure the answer is no, but I thought I would consult the Optimum masters here are RFD to be sure .

Feb 17th, 2022 1:51 am

Feb 17th, 2022 2:08 am

ml88888888 wrote: ↑ Not any more. Don’t you have grocery to buy?

Paigne wrote: ↑ No there isn't unless you want to abuse their system and even in those cases its pretty unlikely given how often it has been abused. Your best bet is redeeming points for something you can easily sale for close to market value during mega redemption. Example any video game console. That or just slowly redeem for grocery like egg/milk/etc given the price is pretty much the same everywhere .

Feb 17th, 2022 7:04 am

hystavito wrote: ↑ I don't usually get food and such at PC stores, my points are almost all gathered from promos and such I found on RFD for non-grocery stuff. I don't really wanna make specific detours to PC stores to get those items but I get what you are both saying. It's also more exciting to redeem a bunch of points for a console or something . Anyway yeah I didn't expect there was a way.

Feb 17th, 2022 8:24 am

Feb 17th, 2022 8:30 am

peli33 wrote: ↑ If I recall pc optimum accounts were getting hacked and gift cards were bought with those stolen points hence why this is no longer an option.

Feb 17th, 2022 11:48 am

Feb 17th, 2022 12:26 pm

gr8dlr wrote: ↑ Can't you go instore to Loblaws/No Frills etc and put gift cards into your basket and when you go to cash pay with your PC Optimum points?

Feb 17th, 2022 12:29 pm

rdiamond1 wrote: ↑ That does not work. Eg. If you have $ 100 in gift cards and $ 50 in groceries it will allow a Max PC Point redemption of $ 50. Even today, PC Gift cards in our store are not on the floor. You have to purchase PC gift cards at Customer Service. They must be vulnerable to hacking. All others on the floor.

Feb 17th, 2022 12:31 pm

gr8dlr wrote: ↑ Didn't know that. You can now use PC Optimum points at Esso for gas https://www.esso.ca/en-ca/pc-optimum-rewards

Feb 17th, 2022 12:43 pm

Paigne wrote: ↑ No there isn't unless you want to abuse their system and even in those cases its pretty unlikely given how often it has been abused. Your best bet is redeeming points for something you can easily sale for close to market value during mega redemption. Example any video game console. That or just slowly redeem for grocery like egg/milk/etc given the price is pretty much the same everywhere.

Feb 17th, 2022 12:57 pm

Feb 17th, 2022 12:59 pm

ml88888888 wrote: ↑ If a person can or want to buy grocery from a Loblaw store, then he can just redeem PCO points for the grocery. No need to buy gcs..

Feb 17th, 2022 1:03 pm

rdiamond1 wrote: ↑ True enough. I often purchase PC gift cards as actually gifts LOL ( not for me )

Feb 17th, 2022 1:35 pm

Feb 17th, 2022 1:46 pm

bylo wrote: ↑ See OP's post #4.

Feb 17th, 2022 1:51 pm

ml88888888 wrote: ↑ You can do the following trick to fool yourself as another person had done: someone said that he was able to redeem PCO points to buy giftcards which is not allowed. He said he bought $100 in grocery + $100 in gcs in one transaction. he redeemed 100K PCO points + $100 charged to his cc. He was so happy that he was able to redeem PCO points to buy gcs.

Feb 17th, 2022 1:54 pm

tew wrote: ↑ What a ding-a-ling. He actually got $100 in free groceries and paid for the $100 GC.

Display posts from previous: All posts Last day Last 7 days Last 2 weeks Last month Last 3 months 6 Months Last year

Sort by Author Post time Ascending Descending

Thread Information

There is currently 1 user viewing this thread. (0 members and 1 guest)

Trending Hot Deals

• [Tesla] Tesla Model Y 1.99% APR Financing Available +34 1,352 comments
• [olight] Free keychain flashlight with cheap filller ($3.33) +8 6 comments
• [eBay.ca] 20% off Winter Tires/Wheels - PMCTires Ebay Store +53 268 comments
• [Amazon.ca] Crucial X10 Pro 1TB Portable SSD - $72.99 +25 23 comments
• [Amazon.ca] TP-Link WiFi 6 Travel Router (TL-WR1502X) @ $59.99 atl +40 78 comments

Traveling in 2024? These 11 apps and websites make award redemptions easier to find

Editor's Note

We get it — mastering points and miles is no easy feat. You may have already seen our guide to getting started with points and miles , but what happens once you are ready to cash those points in for a trip?

Maximizing points and miles to travel luxuriously without breaking the bank doesn't need to be laborious and time-consuming. In fact, there are various tools available that make it easier to find hotel and flight award availability .

With these tools, you can use your points to travel where you want, when you want and how you want in 2024 without spending hours searching for availability.

Here are 11 of the best apps and websites that help make award travel redemptions easy and stress-free.

Max My Point

What it does : Tracks hotel award availability at Hyatt, Hilton, IHG and Marriott properties

What it costs : Free for basic membership; $3.99 per month for a monthly membership

Max My Point is a website that lets you check award availability for Hyatt, Hilton, IHG and Marriott properties worldwide — taking the guesswork out of award redemption searches by showing only real-time pricing and availability.

The homepage shows popular properties, but you can also sort by point value and availability or search for specific properties.

Once you choose a property, you can view a calendar that displays standard room points pricing, standard suite points pricing and the lowest cash rate for a full year, allowing you to plan your trip around the dates with the best points pricing.

After you click on the check-in date you want, you'll automatically be redirected to that property's website to start the booking process.

If you can't find the availability you are looking for, you can register for a free account and set up an alert to receive an email if availability changes.

TPG's director of content operations, Andrea Rotondo, likes using Max My Point to search for Hyatt award night availability. Although Hyatt guarantees standard room availability on points when the same room is available with cash, that isn't always the case once you start searching directly through Hyatt.

Related: It's exceptionally difficult to stay at these World of Hyatt 'unicorns' on points — here's how to book them

Points Path

What it does : Displays award pricing in Google Flights

What it costs : Free

Points Path is a free browser extension that displays award pricing alongside cash prices for select airlines in Google Flights. It also tells you which transferable points can be used with the airlines it supports, recommends when to use points versus miles and suggests when to book a paid rate. Once you select an itinerary, you can book a paid rate as you typically would with Google Flights or redeem an award directly with the airline loyalty program.

Related: How to use the Points Path extension to compare cash and award rates in Google Flights

Points Path simplifies determining when to use cash or miles to buy airline tickets . The browser extension is compatible with Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge, but there are plans to create a Safari-compatible version.

StayWithPoints

What it does : Tracks hotel award availability at Hyatt, Hilton and Marriott properties

On the StayWithPoints site, you can view points redemption availability from Hyatt, Hilton and Marriott properties around the globe. Or, you can use StayWithPoints' amalgamated list of popular properties for inspiration.

Clicking through to a specific property shows you a full year of award availability, points value and cash and points pricing per night.

It can take some scrolling, but you can find some great cash prices and award redemptions — like this search that brought up a full week of points availability at Zemi Beach House in Anguilla.

After clicking your preferred check-in date, you'll be taken straight to the hotel's website to book directly.

If you register for a free account you can also set alerts for when award redemptions become available for the properties you have your eye on.

What it does : Syncs your credit cards and loyalty programs to help you spend smarter and earn more points and miles

We're not above a little shameless self-promotion, and honestly, this list wouldn't be complete without a nod to our very own TPG App .

Within the app, you can see all your credit cards in one place, track your hotel and airline loyalty program points and miles , get recommendations for the best card to use for different purchases, keep up with the latest TPG news and so much more.

Once you're ready to spend the points you've accumulated, you can use the TPG App's "Award Explorer" tool to find out how many points or miles you'll need to book your dream vacation.

Just input your departure airport, the destination and how many tickets you need, and the TPG App will display estimated points pricing across 21 loyalty programs (based on availability).

You'll also be able to see how close you are to having enough points for that particular trip and whether you're better off paying in cash or points.

TPG's newsletter editor, Becky Blaine, likes using the TPG App to choose the card that will net her the most points based on where she is shopping. Earning points more quickly helps her take those dream trips even sooner.

What it does : Finds flight award availability based on your itinerary

What it costs : $5 to enjoy Standard Plan access for 24 hours; the Standard Plan starts at $129 annually

Point.me 's robust interface checks for award flights within 34 loyalty programs across more than 100 airlines.

By entering your itinerary details, Point.me will display real-time award availability, including which transfer partner will get you the most bang for your buck.

Point.me also has a team of experts available 24 hours a day to help you travel more for fewer points with advice tailored specifically to your needs. How much you pay determines how tailored your experience will be.

To try the service for just one trip, you can pay $5 to access Point.me for 24 hours (unless you have access to a complimentary code). The Standard Plan starts at $129 annually, while the Premium Plan costs $260 per year. You can also use Point.me's concierge service to have travel experts book your trip for you for $200 per passenger. Additionally, you can schedule a one-on-one consultation to help you meet your points and miles earning (and redeeming) goals.

Bilt Rewards users can access a limited version of Point.me for free through the Bilt Rewards app. Similar to the full version, you can search for award flight availability, though you will only see results from programs that are Bilt transfer partners. If you have Bilt Rewards you want to transfer to an airline loyalty program to purchase tickets using points, this is a good way to try Point.me for free.

Related: Bilt Rewards app adds live award availability powered by Point.me

Roame.travel

What it costs : Free for the basic Community plan but requires signing up for a free account to search

Roame.travel works a lot like Point.me but without the charge. All you need to do is sign up for a free account to search 11 airline programs for award availability. Unlike Point.me, Roame.travel gives nearly instant search results in under 12 seconds.

Roame.travel shows lots of multicabin awards, so make sure you closely review your cabin classes. In the screenshot above, two of the three flights are mixed-cabin itineraries, with the transpacific flight in economy class.

As always, we recommend confirming award availability before transferring awards.

Related: The complete guide to searching award space on Roame.travel

What it does : Displays award seat availability on long-haul, international flights

What it costs : Free for the basic version and $9.99 monthly for the Pro version

Seats.aero searches for award space every few hours and provides results for the next few months. It's one of the best ways to search for Lufthansa's first-class award space, as it's generally only available to Star Alliance partners shortly before departure.

The Pro version allows you to search up to a year in advance on longer routes, set up unlimited alerts and receive SMS notifications when award availability is located.

Reward Flight Finder

What it does : Searches for Avios award availability with British Airways

What it costs : Free for basic searches; paid subscriptions start at 3.33 British pounds (about $4) per month

The Reward Flight Finder app and website certainly do not have all the bells and whistles or amount of airlines as other services, but if your points and miles earning is restricted to only Avios and you're a British Airways loyalist, it could be all you need.

As you'd expect, you simply need to set your departure and arrival points and hit "Search Now," then the app will show you an overview of redemptions throughout the year.

The free plan allows for three economy seat searches a day and one alert every 24 hours. Silver Membership costs just 3.33 pounds (about $4) per month and provides unlimited searches across all cabins, worldwide map searches and up to five hourly alerts. The highest tier, Gold Membership, costs 5.83 pounds (about $7.50) and comes with all the Silver Membership features, plus up to 20 instant alerts and additional points pricing insights.

This is an incredibly basic app, but if you're just starting out in the points and miles world and you're happy to only focus on Avios, it could prove an easy entryway into award redemption planning.

What it does : Checks flight award availability based on your itinerary and preferred airline

What it costs : Free for five economy award availability searches per day; Premium subscription plans with unlimited searches start at $3.32 per month

SeatSpy is a simple-to-use website that checks for award availability across different airlines, including Air France, American Airlines, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Brussels Airlines, Croatia Airlines, Etihad Airways, KLM, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Swiss Airlines, United Airlines and Virgin Atlantic.

Simply select your airline, departure and end destination airports and hit "Search" to see availability across the next 12 months.

SeatSpy is free to use if you're only searching for economy availability and can stick to a five-search limit. Where the product really shines, however, is in its premium subscriptions.

The entry-level subscription, Premium, costs $3.32 per month and allows unlimited searches across all fares and up to four availability alerts across email, WhatsApp and Telegram. It also includes AwardWallet integration so you can track how many points you have to redeem.

The most expensive subscription, First Class, costs $8.33 per month and includes everything in the Premium plan, plus unlimited alerts at a more regular frequency. "Experience alerts" for hotel rewards are also currently in beta testing.

Both subscriptions offer a "Where Can I Go" search feature, which will show you all the destinations with award availability from your departure airport on the dates you select to travel.

It may have few features when compared to other services on this list, but in terms of simplicity, it's a great site, especially if you're looking at Europe-based airlines.

ExpertFlyer

What it does : Finds real-time seat availability and award flight availability

What it costs : Free for basic membership; at least $4.99 per month for paid memberships

ExpertFlyer (owned by TPG parent company Red Ventures) has one free and two paid membership tiers. The free membership allows you to view real-time seat availability for your upcoming flights. You can also set alerts for aisle, window or exit row seats, two seats together or specific seat numbers so you know when the seat you want opens up.

ExpertFlyer's Basic paid plan ($4.99 per month) offers more functionality to search for flight availability, including award and upgrade availability for various routes. You can set up to four simultaneous seat alerts, but you are limited to 250 searches per month.

ExpertFlyer's Premium plan ($9.99 per month or $99.99 per year) offers more flexibility in terms of flight search options. You'll enjoy unlimited searches, up to 200 simultaneous alerts and the ability to set up aircraft change alerts and seat alerts.

ExpertFlyer also has a mobile app for seat alerts.

Related: Beginners guide to finding award space with ExpertFlyer

Google Flights

What it does : Finds flight schedules and prices, with several filtering options, for most major airlines

Google Flights is your one-stop shop for finding the best flight for your schedule and budget.

You can search flight schedules and pricing across most major airlines and sort results based on price, duration, number of stops, fare class and airlines, among other options. You can also set flight price alerts or only enter your departure city before using the interactive map to choose your destination based on current pricing.

Google Flights does not display points pricing, but that doesn't mean it can't help you find award space. You'll still have to book directly through the airline, but you can save valuable search time by narrowing down your options through Google Flights first.

For example, if you have a bank of points and miles with a Star Alliance, Oneworld or SkyTeam partner airline, you can filter search results by alliance to see routing options. Or, you may find a nearby airport with better pricing that you wouldn't have searched for otherwise.

Bottom line

The great thing about all of these tools is that they can be used together to find award flights and hotel availability for free nights.

For example, start with the TPG App to learn about how to earn the most points for your purchases. Then, use a site like Point.me to find award flight availability or StayWithPoints for award hotel stay availability.

No matter which combination of sites and apps you use, you'll find that they take the guesswork out of award redemptions and put you on the fast track to becoming an expert in redeeming points and miles for your 2024 travels.

Related reading:

• 13 must-have items the TPG team can't travel without
• 8 of the best credit cards for general travel purchases
• 6 real-life strategies you can use when your flight is canceled or delayed
• Where to go in 2024: The 16 best places to travel
• Key travel tips you need to know — whether you're a first-time or frequent traveler