To the point
AIR MILES had announced at the end of 2018 a big change: replacing TRANSAT with Redtag.ca for vacation and cruise packages. As of 08 January 2019, the booking site is up and running. Overview.
Steps to book a vacation or cruise with AIR MILES and redtag.ca
There are different steps to know in order to book a vacation package with AIR MILES and redtag.ca to redeem and/or earn AIR MILES miles.
Login to the AIR MILES booking site
To make a booking, you must first go to the AIR MILES website and select:
- Rewards
- Dream Rewards
- Travel
- Dream Rewards
On the next page, you must select:
- Vacation and cruise packages
- See options
- Discover the vacation and cruise packages
- See options
Once connected, you will land on this page, where you will find:
- Your AIR MILES Dream Miles balance
- Your AIR MILES status
- And the value of your Dream Miles for travel rewards
Booking a vacation package on AIR MILES
Once you have entered your search fields, a list of packages will be displayed.
You can sort this list as you wish, with interesting categories like:
- Type of facility
- Près de la plage
- Family
- Casino
- …
- Provider
- Air Canada Vacations
- WestJet Holidays
- Transat
- Sunwing
- …
Here is the information provided in the list about a facility offering different packages:
Once on the facility’s page, you will be able to choose from a whole list of vacation packages, and sort it between:
- Deals Package
- Or Calendar
I find the website to be excellent and user-friendly.
Here is all the information given about a facility:
- Amenities at the property
- Maps & attractions (shopping, activities and parks…)
- Customer reviews (Tripadvisor / Redtag)
For some packages, you can pay a deposit to confirm the booking and pay the balance later.
Using AIR MILES miles for vacation packages
When you are ready to book, you will have the option to pay for the entire booking with your credit card:
Or choose an amount of Dream Miles to use for this reservation (909 Dream Miles = $100 off)
Note that when you use miles, you get the same amount of miles as when you don’t use miles (here, 189 miles).
What about booking cruises?
As of December 12, 2019, it is also possible to book cruises in the same way.
Bottom Line
The AIR MILES vacation package booking site, powered by Redtag.ca, is fun and user-friendly. Unlike Transat, you’ll find more vacation packages, including those from Sunwing, Air Canada Vacations or WestJet Vacations. This ultimately gives you more diversity.
The exchange rate of 909 Dream Miles for $100 means a value of $0.11 / Dream Mile, which is a little higher than the value of Cash Miles (95 miles = $10 or $0.105 / Cash Mile).
If you are used to booking flights, it may be more attractive to use your Dream Miles in this way, especially for short-haul flights. It is not uncommon to be able to get a value of more than $0.20/mile… even $0.40/Dream Mile!
How to earn AIR MILES miles
There are 10 AIR MILES affiliated credit cards issued by American Express and BMO. You can find a complete list on this page.
The most interesting ones are:
AIR MILES Frequently Asked Questions about redtag.ca
Will I be able to use my AIR MILES® Dream Miles towards the taxes for a vacation package?
Your Dream Miles can only be used towards the base price of the trip, whereas taxes and fees can be paid by credit card only.
Can I use any amount of Dream Miles for my booking?
You can only use increments of 909 Dream Miles, which converts to a cash value of $100.
Can I use Cash Miles towards a booking?
No. At this time you can’t use Cash Miles towards your booking, but you can use Dream Miles.
Does it cost anything to use my Dream Miles?
Yes, there is a $30 non-refundable processing fee, including HST, per booking when you use your Dream Miles.
What happens when redtag.ca has a promotion? Will I be eligible to also get and/or use Miles?
No, AIR MILES cannot be combined with any redtag.ca promotions and/or discounts
Do I still earn AIR MILES by paying a deposit on my booking?
AIR MILES are earned when the booking is paid in full. We can accept the deposit; however, the miles will be earned when full payment is applied
What happens if more than one person on my booking has an AIR MILES card?
Only one AIR MILES member can earn per booking.
If I booked my vacation package before this program started, can I add my AIR MILES number to the file?
The AIR MILES Program excludes previous purchases, including bookings made with a deposit.
How long will it take to see the AIR MILES earned in my account?
It may take up to 30 days from the date of final payment for the miles to be credited to your member account.
Who do I contact if I want to change, modify or cancel my booking?
Contact a redtag.ca specialist at 1-866-973-3824 who will assist you with changes on your booking if changes are permitted by the supplier. Please note that change fees may apply
What happens if I have to cancel my booking?
Cancelled reservations will result in a recalculation of earned miles and may result in the deduction of those miles. No miles will be refunded as a result of a change in benefits from a trip made; or if the booking is cancelled, AIR MILES used in the initial purchase of the trip are non-refundable and non-transferable (You can protect your AIR MILES by getting a Manulife travel insurance policy, see more information below)
How will I know how many Miles I have and/or have used?
Both Miles you get and Miles you use (if applicable) will appear in your Collector Account(s) under “Transaction History”.
I didn’t receive my booking confirmation email. Who can I contact?
Please contact redtag.ca at 1-866-973-3824
Will I be able to use my Transat Travel Certificate or Cash eVoucher through redtag.ca?
redtag.ca will not accept any Transat Travel Certificate or Cash eVouchers
Manulife Travel Insurance
In the event that you need to cancel your trip due to a risk covered in the insurance policy, your AIR MILES will be reinstated in accordance with the Terms and Conditions of the policy.
To protect your AIR MILES Reward Miles, Manulife Insurance has provided three (3) policy options:
- All inclusive
- Non-Medical Inclusive
- Trip Cancellation and Interruption
Please note: If you purchased your vacation package and used Dream Miles on airmiles.redtag.ca and decide to purchase Manulife Travel Insurance at a later date, you must return to airmiles.redtag.ca to complete this transaction.
Can I use Dream Miles to pay for my deposit?
No, you can’t use Miles to pay for your deposit or for your administration fee. You can, however, pay for your deposit using your credit card and apply Dream Miles in increments of 909 Miles at the time of booking as part of your deposit. Please note that you can’t use Miles to pay for any outstanding balance at time of final payment later on.
Couldn’t find what you were looking for?
You can contact us directly at 1-866-973-3824.
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