Points Guru Chronicles: How the Esso Extra Rewards Program Works
If you find yourself filling up your gas tank more often than expected, you might want to consider signing up for the Esso Extra rewards program.
Like most loyalty programs, it’s doesn’t cost a cent to enroll and there aren’t any annual membership costs. Before signing up, here’s what you should know about the program.
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How to earn Esso Extra points
To begin earning points, you’ll need to get an Esso Extra card, which you can get by enrolling online or at any Esso station (there are more than 1,700 of them across Canada).
You can start earning points with a minimum purchase of at least $1 on any eligible purchase, including gas. If you buy higher grades of gas, you earn more points:
There are often promotions with the Esso Extra program. For instance, you may be able to earn anywhere between two to six times more points on gas purchases, depending on the fuel grade you buy.
You can earn additional points by signing up for the RBC Esso Extra Visa card. You get a welcome bonus of 4,500 points with your first purchase and earn two or more points for every $1 you spend at Esso (except on alcohol and tobacco products as well as Esso gift cards) and one point for every $1 you spend everywhere else.
For a limited time, if you get a Speedpass key tag, you’ll earn 500 bonus points. It can be linked to any credit card, including the RBC Esso Extra Visa. To make a payment, you can just tap and go instead of swiping your credit card. And if you don’t want to earn Esso Extra points, you can choose to earn Aeroplan miles instead with the Speedpass key tag.
When you pay with your RBC Esso Visa card or Speedpass linked to the card, you’ll earn two points for every dollar of Regular grade gas, three points for every dollar of Extra grade gas, and four points for every dollar of Supreme grade gas.
There are some restrictions on earning Esso Extra points though: “At participating Esso stations, points will NOT be awarded for: (a) some cash transactions at isolated terminals including coin-operated car washes and other similar types of circumstances; (b) the purchase of alcoholic beverages or tobacco products; (c) cash advances; (d) the purchase Esso gift cards (but points will be awarded in accordance with these rules when Esso gift cards are redeemed); or (e) bottle deposits. For non-gasoline, single-item purchases at participating Esso stations greater than $150, points will be awarded only at Imperial’s sole discretion.”
How to redeem Esso Extra points
Before you can redeem points, your card must be registered (you can do that either by clicking on Register Your Card on essoextra.com or by mailing in the registration form).
Redeeming your points can be done either at Esso or online. At the station, you can redeem them for free gas rewards, car washes, gift cards for Esso and other retailers, lottery tickets, beverages, gum and candy, potato chips, and washer fluid. Online, you can use your points to get fuel savings cards, gift cards, or a Hockey Canada jersey.
You can also exchange your Esso Extra points for RBC Rewards points if you have an RBC Rewards credit card. You must make a minimum of 2,500 Esso Extra points in exchange for 1,500 RBC Rewards points. And additional points can be exchanged in blocks of 500 Esso Extra points for 300 RBC Rewards points. If you don’t have an RBC Rewards card, you can exchange your Esso Extra points for Aeroplan miles, American Airlines AAdvantage miles, Delta SkyMiles, IHG Rewards Club points, and other loyalty points through Points.com.
If you don’t want to use your points, you can also donate them. For every 200 points redeemed, Esso will give $1 to The Kidney Foundation of Canada or the Hockey Canada Foundation. You can also donate your points to the Esso Extra Hockey Jersey Program. However, tax receipts won’t be issued for donations.
The value of Esso Extra points
The value of your points varies depending on how you redeem them. Your best bet is to use them for car washes because your Esso Extra points are worth more than $0.02 each.
Using your points for gas doesn’t provide you with a better return that it does for car washes. But you’ll get the best value for your points by redeeming them for $70 in free gas (a value of $0.0061/point) versus $10 in free gas (a value of $0.0056/point).
The value of your points also varies with Esso gift cards. But in this case, you’ll get a better return when you redeem more points.