This unique promotion which we saw last year has returned for September 2023. Along with all these recent forest fires, storms and natural disasters, if you happen to feel charitable, here is a great way of earning some Aeroplan points to go along with your donation to the Canadian Red Cross.

I have to hand it to to the Canadian Red Cross for an interesting promotion opportunity that also happens makes you feel good about yourself while participating.

Innovative: Canadian Red Cross Launches Promotion with Air Canada; Earn Aeroplan points on Donations

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The Canadian Red Cross has announced an interesting promotion with Air Canada that allows for Air Canada Aeroplan points to be earned on donations to the Canadian Red Cross.

The Essentials of the Promotion:

Earn Points on Donations:

The Canadian Red Cross has come up with a promotion that partners with Air Canada’s Aeroplan.

The details of the promotion are as follows:

• The promotion is intended for Canadian Residents.
• Earn 100 Aeroplan® points per $5 given to the Canadian Red Cross.
• This offer is only valid for donations made online at www.redcross.ca/rewards from September 1, 2023 to September 30, 2023
• The promotion dates are between September 1 – September 30, 2022
• Points will post to the Aeroplan Account within 30 – 60 days from the date your donation was made
• Donors who elect to receive Aeroplan points for their donation are not eligible to receive a charitable tax receipt.

The donation page offers an interactive sliding scale that allows you to see how much your donation will potentially earn.

Double Your Impact:

Get Matched by Air Canada:

New this year is the ability to get your donation matched by Air Canada at 100%.

This means that a donation of $100 will be matched by Air Canada with an additional $100 for a total of a $200 donation.

On the matched donations, you do not receive Aeroplan miles.

These donations do happen to qualify for a tax receipt for the personally donated amounts.

The full terms and conditions of the promotion are also posted on the website.

Enter a Contest to Win 250,000 Aeroplan Points:

In addition to the earning promotion, there is also a contest to win two grand prizes of 250,000 Aeroplan points.

The ways to enter the contest are as follows:

• Make donation(s) of one hundred Canadian dollars (CAD$ 100.00) or more on www.redcross.ca/rewards (the “Contest Campaign Page”), during the Contest Period. Donations made online on pages other than the Contest Campaign Page are not eligible for entry.
• For no purchase entry, go to www.redcross.ca/rewards/no-purchase-entry, fill in the Contest form with all requested information, including without limitation, your name, address, email, phone number, and Aeroplan account number, and submit form by clicking on the Submit button during the Contest Period.

The promotion is marketed though both Canadian Red Cross websites and Air Canada direct email marketing campaigns.

What Can You Use Air Canada Aeroplan Points For:

Air Canada Aeroplan points can be redeemed for out right redemptions into a solid Premium Economy product. The Air Canada Premium Economy product is available on their wide body aircraft that include the Boeing 777 series, their Boeing 787 series and their Airbus 330 products.

Air Canada also offers an excellent Air Canada Signature Executive Business Class product that is offered on all their wide body aircraft, including on select domestic flagship routes within Canada.

The Air Canada Signature Business Class offers a fully lie flat seat in a reverse herringbone configuration that is exceptionally private. It is a great way to travel on a medium or long haul flight.

The seats offer a terrific combination of relaxing space and work space thanks to a side table. Overall, it remains among my favourite business class cabins out there.

My Thoughts on the Promotion:

Air Canada Aeroplan Points are incredible useful for Canadians. As the leading frequentt flier program in Canada, it makes sense to participate in the program.

Air Canada Aeroplan regularly sells miles for 3.5 cents per mile; at full price. This means that it would typically cost you $175 CAD for 5,000 Air Canada Aeroplan points. There are occasional bonuses that allow for discounted rates that would allow for earning at greater capacities.

Under this promotion, a donation of $250 CAD will earn you the same 5,000 Air Canada Aeroplan points. As a result, you’ll be paying an additional $75 CAD for the same amount of points.

The difference is that your donation will allow you to feel good about yourself knowing that your donation will be going to help disasters around the world.

It may also be the right opportunity for someone looking to keep their adult child’s Aeroplan account active from expiring, from an 18 month expiration rule. This is constantly a challenge for me, since I don’t live near an LCBO where I can add a couple of miles with a simple purchase.

Unfortunately, the donation with the earning of Aeroplan points doesn’t allow for a further tax deductible receipt under Canada Revenue Agency rules. Perhaps this is the only drawback of this promotion.

Initially, I was very much sold on this promotion and planned to donate several hundred dollars until I read the fine print which pointed out a tax deductible receipt is not offered.

Ultimately, you won’t come out further ahead on a value proposition by earning points through the Red Cross campaign, than by purchasing points directly through Air Canada. However, you’ll perhaps sleep better at night knowing that your money will be going towards a good cause on a humanitarian basis.

In Summary: The Canadian Red Cross Offers a Promotion Allowing to Earn Air Canada Aeroplan Points on Donations.

The Canadian Red Cross and Air Canada Aeroplan have announced a promotion that allows you to earn miles by donating through their portal between September 1 – September 30, 2023.

While you won’t be allowed to claim a tax receipt for your donation, this may be an opportunity for the right person that prefers to do something philanthropic with their money, while earning a fairly generous amount of Aeroplan miles at the same time.

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Will you be taking part in the return of this innovative promotion ?

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