Comments on: Air Canada Aeroplan: My New Favorite Airline Frequent Flyer Program?

By: Robert in Montreal

Robert in Montreal — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 15:37:24 +0000

Aeroplan has degraded year after year, now new charges for travelling on Air Canada plus fuel surcharges (even if the miracle happens that you can get a flight), routing on Airlines you don’t want to use like US Air, making you connect even if the direct flight was the same price on Air Canada. No logical relationship between cost and availability. Its a crap shoot everytime even if you try one year in advance. I cancelled everything Aeroplan credit cards, point accumulation everything. Time for Canadians to wake up and let Aeroplan go where it should bankrupcy.

By: abcx

abcx — Sat, 15 May 2010 22:55:05 +0000

Never mind, just realized that India is 240k in F. That’s poor value.

By: abcx

abcx — Sat, 15 May 2010 22:50:10 +0000

Gary,

How loose are Aeroplan routing rules and segment limits? I’m currently doing SFO-LAX-FRA-LHR(stop)-ZRH-DEL(dest)-ICN(stop)-IST-JFK(overnight)-SFO on a US F award to India for 160k but I might think of brokering a trade on FT’s CC to go ICN-SFO direct on the return instead.

Will Aeroplan have a problem with my outbound, i.e. SFO-LAX-LHR-ZRH-DEL?

By: nun

nun — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 15:20:15 +0000

To the comments about refreshing your aeroplan account to keep miles from expiring. Re-read the first comment in this thread. Miles expire individually after 7 years. It is not 7 years from date of last activity. It is 7 years since the mile was earned.

By: 1500 Bonus Aeroplan Miles with Hotel Point Transfers - Points Miles and Martinis

1500 Bonus Aeroplan Miles with Hotel Point Transfers - Points Miles and Martinis — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 12:40:31 +0000

[...] has been a lot of discussion on BoardingArea on how Air Canada is a great program, see this post on View From the Wing. While this is a good bonus if you’ve already had a plan to transfer the points to miles, [...]

By: Ray

Ray — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 19:45:57 +0000

I have benefitted from Aeroplan, with a fair number of reward flights. But I’m very careful.
I put a value of $.02 on each Aeroplan point. If I can buy the ticket for less than the number of points at that rate, I buy the ticket, and save the points for another day. So, if a flight to England is going to cost me more than $1200 (60,000 aeroplan points X .02), then I’ll use the points. Otherwise, I buy the ticket.
I also try, when travelling overseas on rewards, to fly with one of Air Canada’s Star Alliance partners. The ticket costs the same (say 60,000), but the partners don’t add in the fuel surcharges. I had to change a flight to Australia last year, ending up going on Air Canada rather than United. Result? same 75,000 points, but about $300 more in fuel surcharges.
Then, there’s the upgrade certificates. I pretty much can’t make use of them. I fly a lot, but always on flight passes or low-cost airfares. Those tickets (which Aeroplan sent me with regularity) are unusable on such flights. I would pretty much need to buy a ticket at full economy to get the upgrade. For the short hauls I generally do (about 3 hours), it’s simply not worth it. Those certificates lie there on my desk, mocking me.
So, by all means enjoy Aeroplan and its rewards program. But know the costs, and select accordingly.

By: Eric Hoffman

Eric Hoffman — Fri, 08 May 2009 07:45:49 +0000

Do you want to know why Air Canada is headed toward bancruptcy again? They do everytrhing in their power to alienate customers. On aeroplan reward business tickets you used to be able to standby for available business class seats. Effective Jan 19 Air Canada would prefer to keep the business class seats empty instead and force you to fly economy on business class reward tickets. A NICE way to reward loyal customers. I have in excess of 2,000,000 miles and think I should just join VISA points. At least you know if you book economy you get economy.

By: Robert Rodger

Robert Rodger — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 22:32:07 +0000

I have aeroplan miles that expire on Monday 16 February. I’m visiting Arizona at present and an Exxon-Mobile gas station I visited to buy gas and keep my aeroplan miles active had not heard of this option. Gas at Esso in Canada certainly does work.

What’s your suggestionS?

By: Thierry

Thierry — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 00:02:54 +0000

Miles expire after seven years even if you have credit cards affiliated to aeroplan?

By: samuelsidler.com » Where I Was in 2008

samuelsidler.com » Where I Was in 2008 — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 22:06:04 +0000

[...] as much travel. I’m also considering switching my mileage to Air Canada instead of United for several reasons, though this year I *will* qualify for Premier Executive status which is nice. That might make it [...]