As of March 16, 2026, AIR MILES has formally transitioned its journey reserving platform to Expedia. All new journey bookings — flights, motels, automotive leases, and trip packages — are actually processed by means of the Expedia platform, marking essentially the most vital operational change to this system since BMO accomplished its acquisition again in 2023.
The transfer brings some genuinely welcome flexibility to how collectors can use their miles, however it additionally raises some necessary questions on redemption worth and whether or not journey bookings are even the most effective use of your AIR MILES steadiness.
What’s Modified
The headline enhancements are simple. Underneath the brand new Expedia-powered system, there may be no minimal miles requirement — you’ll be able to redeem as little as a single mile in direction of a reserving. Miles can now be utilized to your complete value of a reserving, together with taxes and costs, which was a long-standing frustration with the previous platform. And the now-discontinued Flex Pay characteristic has been completely retired.
On the floor, this seems like a significant improve. Extra flexibility, extra choices, fewer restrictions — what’s to not like?
The Worth Query
Right here’s the place it will get fascinating — and never completely in a great way. All journey redemptions by means of the Expedia portal now supply a flat worth of roughly 10 cents per mile, no matter whether or not you’re reserving a flight, a lodge, or a automotive rental.
That’s a fixed-value proposition, which basically adjustments the redemption calculus. With applications like AIR MILES, you’d sometimes hope for outsized worth on aspirational redemptions — a premium cabin flight or a high-end lodge the place the points-to-dollar ratio works in your favour. However at a flat 10 cents per mile, there’s no candy spot to chase. The worth is similar whether or not you’re reserving a finances lodge in Winnipeg or a beachfront resort in Cancún.
What makes this notably noteworthy is that present card redemptions presently supply 10.5 cents per mile — that means you’d truly get higher per-mile worth by redeeming for present playing cards and utilizing these to pay for journey as an alternative.
A Sensible Method to Journey Redemptions
That mentioned, should you do wish to use the Expedia portal for journey, the technique is much less about chasing aspirational bookings and extra about discovering the finest bang for the buck — utilizing your miles in direction of bookings you’d in any other case hesitate to pay money for, however that really feel worthwhile as a factors redemption.
Consider it this fashion: a $200 home flight you wouldn’t trouble buying turns into much more interesting when you’ll be able to cowl it with 2,000 AIR MILES that had been sitting idle in your account. It’s not the enterprise class redemption of your desires, however it’s a sensible method to extract worth from a steadiness that may in any other case go unused.
Right here’s a take a look at a YYZ–YVR search on the portal:
And a YVR–TYO seek for worldwide flights:
It is a basically totally different mindset from how most of us method applications like Aeroplan or Marriott Bonvoy, the place the aim is to maximise cents-per-point on premium redemptions. With AIR MILES through Expedia, the ceiling is understood — so the sport shifts to discovering bookings the place spending money would really feel wasteful however spending miles feels painless.
Resort Search
The lodge search expertise is powered by Expedia’s full stock, which does offer you a broader choice than the previous AIR MILES portal. Right here’s a take a look at the interface:
Once more, the identical flat 10-cent-per-mile math applies right here. A 5,000-mile lodge redemption will get you $500 in lodge worth — the identical $500 you’d get from a present card redemption. So the comfort of reserving immediately is the principle draw, reasonably than any outsized worth.
Some Notable Gaps
The transition to Expedia’s stock does develop the number of accessible bookings, however it’s not with out its blind spots.
One instance: when looking for flights in Asia, AirAsia — persistently rated among the many finest low-cost carriers within the area — doesn’t seem within the search outcomes. That’s a significant omission for anybody trying to stretch their miles on budget-friendly routes by means of Southeast Asia.
Right here’s a BKK–DPS search on the AIR MILES Expedia portal — no AirAsia in sight:
And right here’s the identical route on Google Flights, the place AirAsia reveals up as one of the crucial reasonably priced choices:
AirAsia is very helpful for strategic routing, like flying into Bangkok’s Don Mueang Airport (DMK) as an alternative of the perpetually congested Suvarnabhumi (BKK). It’s a savvy transfer that skilled Asia travellers know nicely, however one which’s presently invisible on the Expedia-powered portal.
Given the mounted 10-cent-per-mile worth, low-cost carriers like AirAsia would truly be perfect redemption candidates — reasonably priced base fares the place the points-to-value ratio holds up nicely. It’s a missed alternative for the platform to not floor these choices.
The Case for Present Playing cards
Personally, until the redemption worth adjustments when the Blue Rewards transition occurs, I’ll in all probability proceed redeeming through the present card technique. It’s easy, it’s straightforward, and it immediately offsets on a regular basis spending.
At 10.5 cents per mile, a $50 Amazon present card prices simply 476 AIR MILES. That’s a simple, no-frills redemption that places actual {dollars} again in your pocket — no have to plan round journey dates, evaluate Expedia costs, or fear about cancellation insurance policies.
When journey redemptions supply much less worth than present playing cards, the maths speaks for itself. Why undergo the hassle of reserving by means of an OTA portal when you’ll be able to seize a present card at a greater fee and use it nonetheless you need?
Cruises Stay Separate
It’s value noting that cruise bookings are excluded from the Expedia transition. These proceed to be dealt with by means of Crimson Tag Holidays, and apparently, they provide a barely higher redemption fee of 11 cents per mile. Present minimal mile necessities nonetheless apply for cruise bookings.
The Blue Rewards Rebrand
This transition to Expedia is only one piece of a broader transformation. As we coated intimately, AIR MILES is turning into Blue Rewards in summer season 2026. When that occurs, your miles will likely be transformed to Blue factors at an equal worth.
Whether or not the Blue Rewards rebrand will convey improved journey redemption charges stays to be seen. However for now, the Expedia transition is essentially the most tangible change that collectors will expertise of their day-to-day interactions with this system.
What About Present Bookings?
Should you made a journey reserving earlier than March 16, 2026, it’ll proceed to be managed by AIR MILES customer support below the unique phrases and situations. New bookings fall below Expedia’s insurance policies and privateness assertion.
Credit score cardholders — primarily these with BMO bank cards — will proceed to earn 3x miles on purchases made by means of the platform, which does assist offset the modest per-mile redemption worth.
Conclusion
The transition of AIR MILES Journey to Expedia is a combined bag. The added flexibility is welcome — no minimums, full value protection, and a broader stock are all real enhancements over the previous system. However the flat 10-cent-per-mile worth, mixed with the truth that present playing cards supply a greater fee, makes journey redemptions a troublesome promote for value-conscious collectors.
For now, present playing cards stay the smarter play — easy, straightforward, and a greater per-mile worth that immediately offsets your day by day spending. Except the Blue Rewards rebrand brings improved journey redemption charges, that’s the place I’ll proceed placing my miles.
As this system evolves into Blue Rewards later this 12 months, we’ll be watching intently to see whether or not the economics shift. For now, the Expedia transition is a step in the precise route for comfort — even when it’s not fairly the worth play collectors had been hoping for.
