Our Top Tips for Making the Most of Black Friday and Cyber Monday
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Black Friday and Cyber Monday have become essential events for bargain hunters in Canada. But for points and travel enthusiasts like Milesopedia readers, these events are the perfect opportunity to maximize every dollar spent by earning rewards. Discover our best team strategies to plan your shopping, take advantage of offers, and earn points faster.
Why Prepare for Black Friday and Cyber Monday?
Black Friday and Cyber Monday kick off the holiday shopping season, when deals are everywhere. But beyond immediate savings, these days offer strategic opportunities to help you reach your points-earning goals faster, unlock welcome bonuses on your credit cards, and plan your upcoming trips.
The Benefits of a Planned Strategy
- Multiply points through online shopping portals (e.g., Aeroplan eStore, Rakuten, Scene+ Travel)
- Take advantage of special offers and bonuses on credit cards (AMEX, TD, Scene+, Avion, etc.)
- Unlock a welcome bonus more easily by concentrating your purchases over a short period
How to Prepare Effectively?
Identify Your Needs and Make a Shopping List
Start by making a list of what you plan to buy on Black Friday or Cyber Monday: holiday gifts, subscriptions, appliances, travel accessories, or even vacations. This preparation allows you to compare prices and wait for the best deals.
2. Watch for Deals Starting in November
As early as November, major banks and loyalty programs launch their promotions. Subscribe to the Milesopedia newsletter and those of your favourite loyalty programs so you don’t miss out on any offers.
Check your Amex, TD, Scene+, or Avion offers in your account.
Regularly consult Milesopedia’s guide to the best Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals for daily updates.
To see where Black Friday fits in the year, check our calendar of Canadian sales and the cards that pay the most.
3. Use Online Shopping Portals
Before any purchase, always go through an online shopping portal like the Aeroplan eStore, Airmilesshops.ca, Rakuten Scene+, the Boomerang Club or other. Points multipliers or cashback offers are often boosted during these days.
4. Take Advantage of the Opportunity to Unlock a Welcome Bonus
The high volume of Black Friday purchases is perfect for meeting the minimum spend requirement to earn a welcome bonus on a new credit card. Plan your applications a few weeks in advance to ensure you have the credit card in hand in time to make your purchases.
Some offers are particularly interesting right now:
| Credit card | Annual fee | Welcome offer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0 | |||
| $150 | |||
| $0 | |||
| $0 |
5. Renew Your Subscriptions Strategically
Subscriptions to certain apps, streaming platforms, VPNs, or mobile services: wait for Black Friday to renew. Offers may include several free months or significant discounts.
Personally, I always wait for this time to buy yoga class packages or classes at my fitness center.
Keep an eye out for potential discounts on eSIM cards like Holafly, Saily or Airalo, and on VPNs like NordVPN.
Team Tips
I asked the team members for their winning strategies for Black Friday. Use these tips to save money and reward yourself.
Aline
In recent years, there were often additional Scene+ bonus points promotions on gift card purchases at IGA in November.
My main strategy for my Black Friday purchases, which are mostly gifts for children and family, is therefore to synchronize these points promotions with Black Friday discounts and the bonus cashback usually offered by Rakuten during this period.
This allows me to benefit from a quadruple advantage:
- my credit card points,
- the bonus points from the Scene+ promotion,
- Black Friday discounts,
- and increased cashback from Rakuten.
When it comes to which credit card I use, I usually choose the one with a welcome bonus to unlock. My purchases during Black Friday and the holiday season are quite consistent from year to year, depending on the budget I keep updated. This allows me to plan one or more new credit card applications towards the end of October, depending on current offers and our short-term goals.
This year, the TD First Class Travel® Visa Infinite* Card particularly catches my attention, as its offer is at an all-time high right now. We always need points for our accommodations on Expedia for TD, so TD Rewards points will be very useful for our big family trip planned for next spring.
In the past, I often took advantage of Black Friday to buy organized tours with G Adventures. Before having children, I booked three to four trips a year, and it was really during Black Friday that the best prices were offered. With several bookings per year, the savings were substantial and definitely worth it.
Caroline
Last year, Expedia for TD had a promotion of 40% off and more on hotels. I hope there will be one this year too, as I will take advantage of it to book our next family winter vacation. This will allow me to use my annual $100 travel credit and my TD Rewards points received from the TD First Class Travel® Visa Infinite* Card.
Right now, our family is making a list of things we need to buy soon, and we’ll take advantage of Black Friday promotions to purchase everything through the Aeroplan eStore portal. There might be, like last year, additional eStore multipliers when paying with an Aeroplan credit card, which we will announce in our Aeroplan and Air Canada Black Friday deals guide. I’m counting on that to stock up on Aeroplan points for a trip during summer 2026!
Miranda
The main way we take advantage of Black Friday deals is by planning our big purchases around this period. For example: appliances, furniture, entertainment. This year, we plan to buy a good dishwasher. We will use our brand new TD First Class Travel® Visa Infinite* Card to take advantage of the generous welcome offer.
In the past, we got good deals during Black Friday. For example, last year, we took advantage of a 20% discount on an excellent mattress, which allowed us to save $750. We also bought a laser projector with a $210 discount, turning our living room or backyard into a real home theatre.
Marie-Ève
As for me, I anticipate my purchases weeks in advance by creating lists to monitor prices, take advantage of discounts, and earn more points by going through the Aeroplan eStore. I check my AMEX Offers online in advance and take advantage by combining these statement credits with retailer discounts. That way, I was able to double up on savings at lululemon last year.
I have a few travel bookings to make, so I plan to wait for deals to be released to help guide my choices. This way, I can maximize my savings and earn as many points as possible.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday – Tips to Follow
Maximize Every Dollar Spent
For every purchase, choose the credit card that will give you the best return based on the type of spending. If your goal is to unlock a welcome bonus, your strategy should be to consolidate all your purchases on a single card to reach the required minimum spend faster and earn your points.
Consider buying gift cards; you can earn 6 points per dollar when you purchase them at IGA using the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card.
Watch for annual bonus events, especially with PC Optimum at Shoppers Drug Mart, Scene+, and AIR MILES, which offer optimized points or miles exchange rates. This way, you get a higher value than the usual exchange rate for each point earned!
Plan your Trips During this Period
Many travel providers offer discounts or points multipliers on bookings during Black Friday/Cyber Monday (e.g. : Air Canada Vacations, Marriott Bonvoy).
For example, Caroline booked her hotels via Expedia for TD and managed to get 40% off, in addition to being able to use her TD Rewards points and her annual travel credit from the TD First Class Travel® Visa Infinite* Card.
Stay Vigilant on Prices
Alexe from the Milesopedia team highlights the importance of tracking actual price changes before Black Friday, as some retailers temporarily inflate prices before advertising a “discount.” Compare between different retailers (Amazon, Costco, Best Buy) and claim the best price guarantee when possible.
Bottom Line
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Black Friday and Cyber Monday are more than just sales events; they’re perfect opportunities to reach your points-earning goals and optimize your budget. Start planning your purchases now, watch for deals, and make the most of Milesopedia’s strategies to travel more… while spending less!
When is Black Friday?
Black Friday will take place on November 28, 2025, that is, the day after American Thanksgiving.
How to prepare for Black Friday?
Prepare your shopping list and monitor prices in the coming weeks. Take advantage of it to create a strategy that will allow you to optimize the rewards earned by using the right credit card.
