It hasn’t been a great couple of years for Air Miles.
They’ve slowly been losing partners, like Rona, the LCBO, and Rexall.
Their major partners have remained intact, however. But that’s all changing this year.
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Sobeys dropping Air Miles and joining Scene+
Air Miles is set to lose arguably their biggest partner.
Sobeys’ parent company, Empire, is getting a 33.33% stake in Scene+, making them equal partners with Scene’s other owners – Scotiabank and Cineplex.
In fact, Empire isn’t paying anything for their share – they’re earning it by being able to expand the base of members participating in the program.
And as such, Sobeys and all the other stores under the Empire chain will be making the switch.
These stores include:
- Safeway,
- Foodland,
- IGA,
- FreshCo,
- Needs,
- Thrifty Foods,
- Les Marchés Tradition,
- Rachelle Béry and,
- Lawtons Drugs.
All of these sores will be making the switch from Air Miles to Scene+.
That’s a lot to take in – here are a few initial questions you may have. You can see more details and comments from Scene+ owners here and here.
When will the change in rewards programs happen in stores?
The first biggie – when will the changeover actually commence?
For now, it’s looking like they’ll roll out the change for all the affected stores in Atlantic Canada first, starting in August 2022.
From there, they’ll gradually roll out the program to the rest of the country in early 2023.
How many Scene+ points will members earn at Sobeys stores?
As of now, it’s not been announced. None of the releases we read stated what you’ll earn for Scene+ points at Sobeys grocery stores.
To get an idea of what you could get, here’s what you earn at Cineplex theatres and Recipe Unlimited restaurants:
- Cineplex Theatres – 5 points per $1 spent
- Recipe Unlimited restaurants – 1 point per $3 spent.
We would obviously expect Sobeys stores to offer a similar level of rewards.
What about redeeming points at Sobeys stores?
Again, nothing has been said about redeeming points at Sobeys.
The typical redemption rate at Cineplex Theatres (for things that aren’t movie tickets) and restaurant partners is 500 points for $5 in savings.
We would also expect Sobeys to follow this.
And that’s all we know for now – we’ll follow up with more details once Sobeys and Scene+ releases it.
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All about the Scene+ program
New to the Scene+ program? Here are the basics on what it offers.
The Scene program was initially launched as a joint venture between Scotiabank and Cineplex in 2007. In 2021, they rebranded the program to Scene+ and gave the program a bit of an overhaul.
Currently, here’s where you can earn points:
- Cineplex Theatres,
- Recipe Unlimited restaurants, which includes Swiss Chalet, Harveys, and East Side Marios,
- Expedia’s Scene+ travel rewards portal,
- Rakuten,
- Scotiabank Scene+ credit cards, and
- Scotiabank debit cards.
As to what you can use your points for? Here are the best ways you can use them.
The best option is by redeeming for free movie tickets at Cineplex Theatres. The value varies by the type of ticket purchased, but we give an overage value of 1.05 cents per point when redeeming points for free movie tickets.
You can also look at these options, all of which give a value of 1 cent per point:
- travel through Expedia and Scene+,
- other Cineplex products, and
- free food at Recipe Unlimited restaurants.
There are a few other ways to use your points – here’s each one and what your points are worth.
Scotiabank Scene+ credit cards
If you have an Air Miles credit card, there’s a good chance you may be looking to move on with this news.
So what do Scotiabank Scene+ credit cards have to offer? Here are their 3 best options for you to look at.
It’s possible there may be some changes coming to them in light of this news, but here’s what they offer at this time.
| Credit Card | Welcome Bonus | Earn Rates | Annual Fee, Income Requirements | Apply Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scotiabank Gold American Express Card |  $60 GeniusCash + Up to 50,000 bonus points, first year free (terms) |
* 6 Scene+ points per $1 spent at Sobeys, Safeway, FreshCo and more * 5 Scene+ points per $1 spent on groceries, dining, and entertainment * 3 Scene+ points per $1 spent on gas, select streaming services, and transit * 1 Scene+ point per $1 spent on foreign currency purchases * 1 Scene+ point per $1 spent on all other purchases |
* $120 * $12K personal |
Apply Now |
| Scotiabank Scene+ Visa Card | 5,000 bonus points (terms) | * 2 points per $1 spent at Sobeys, Safeway, Home Hardware, and Cineplex * 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases |
* $0 * $12K personal |
Apply Now |
| Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card | $30 GeniusCash + 35,000 bonus points (terms) |
* 3 Scene+ points per $1 spent at Sobeys, Safeway, FreshCo and more * 2 Scene+ points per $1 spent on groceries, restaurants, entertainment, and daily transit * 1 Scene+ point per $1 on all other purchases |
* $150 * $60K personal/$100K household |
Apply Now |
1. Best Scene+ credit card
×1 Award winner 
GC: $60
1x Award winner
The best Scene+ credit card is the
What makes this card the best? The rewards. You’ll earn plenty of points at these rates:
- 6 Scene+ points per $1 spent at Sobeys, Safeway, FreshCo and more
- 5 Scene+ points per $1 spent on groceries, dining, and entertainment
- 3 Scene+ points per $1 spent on gas, select streaming services, and transit
- 1 Scene+ point per $1 spent on foreign currency purchases
- 1 Scene+ point per $1 spent on all other purchases
Based on a typical $2,000 monthly spend, we get an average return of 2.45%.
This card offers more than just rewards. Here are a few other things you’ll get:
- no foreign exchange fees,
- 12 types of insurance, and
- typical Amex benefits like Amex Offers.
The annual fee? A standard $120, and a low personal income requirement of only $12,000.
2. Best Scene+ credit card with no annual fee
If you prefer not to pay an annual fee, the
Here’s what you’ll earn for rewards:
- 2 points per $1 spent at Sobeys, Safeway, Home Hardware, and Cineplex
- 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
You’re earning 1% back on all your purchases, with bonus rewards when going to the movies.
It doesn’t offer much else, but this card has it where it counts.
3. A Scene+ credit card with rewards and perks
GC: $30
To get some premium travel perks with your rewards, the
Here’s what you’ll get for rewards on purchases:
- 3 Scene+ points per $1 spent at Sobeys, Safeway, FreshCo and more
- 2 Scene+ points per $1 spent on groceries, restaurants, entertainment, and daily transit
- 1 Scene+ point per $1 on all other purchases
Not as much as the Gold Amex, but it offers more perks, on top of being a Visa card.
You’ll get:
- no foreign exchange fees,
- Priority Pass membership and 6 free passes,
- 11 types of insurance, and
- Visa Infinite benefits.
The annual fee is $150, and the card also has income requirements of either $60,000 personal or $100,000 household.
Your thoughts
It’s a big shakeup in the rewards program landscape. Air Miles is losing one of their major partners, and the Scene+ program is that much stronger.
For me, this probably marks the end of being a major Air Miles collector. I have an electric car and rarely get gas. And now I can’t earn Air Miles when getting groceries or going to a drugstore.
What are your thoughts on the changes?
Let us know your plans in the comments below.
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