Aeroplan (Air Canada) is now selling points

[luxury-lizard]

Thanks for that @mel-Traveller - I did buy the Aeroplan points and am waiting for my dates to open.

As an aside - I called AA (about another booking I was making with AA points) and asked the agent if he could see EY awards which are not showing up online - he said "oh yes - you need to call us for those" and I gave him a sample date and routing for an EY award which was showing up on AC but not AA and he said he could see it.

However I intend to use my newly purchased AP points for the EY booking I want as it is cheaper - since the AP points were $.016 each and previously purchased AA points were more like $.025 - and the award is the same number of points using AP or AA.

When "playing around' searching for AC awards I saw it throw out some pretty convoluted routings - e.g. AUH-SYD showed not only the direct flight on EY but AUH-LHR (EY)-YVR-SYD (AC) - both for 100,000 in business.

 

[Mattg]

When "playing around' searching for AC awards I saw it throw out some pretty convoluted routings - e.g. AUH-SYD showed not only the direct flight on EY but AUH-LHR (EY)-YVR-SYD (AC) - both for 100,000 in business.

Yes, one of the great things about the new Aeroplan program is basically no award routing rules. If flights are available, you can pretty much book them.

I've also seen EY flights (for example) SYD-AUH-ICN on the Air Canada website which are just charged at the intra-Pacific zone rate.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Thanks for that @mel-Traveller - I did buy the Aeroplan points and am waiting for my dates to open.

As an aside - I called AA (about another booking I was making with AA points) and asked the agent if he could see EY awards which are not showing up online - he said "oh yes - you need to call us for those" and I gave him a sample date and routing for an EY award which was showing up on AC but not AA and he said he could see it.

However I intend to use my newly purchased AP points for the EY booking I want as it is cheaper - since the AP points were $.016 each and previously purchased AA points were more like $.025 - and the award is the same number of points using AP or AA.

When "playing around' searching for AC awards I saw it throw out some pretty convoluted routings - e.g. AUH-SYD showed not only the direct flight on EY but AUH-LHR (EY)-YVR-SYD (AC) - both for 100,000 in business.

For 100K I'd take AC! Their flagship MapleLeaf lounge looks rather nice. But the only flights I saw with AC included were dynamically priced, starting at 387K points each way to Europe, and mostly with economy class TATL. In fact PEY was coming in over twice the J class flights on EY.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Yes, one of the great things about the new Aeroplan program is basically no award routing rules. If flights are available, you can pretty much book them.

I've also seen EY flights (for example) SYD-AUH-ICN on the Air Canada website which are just charged at the intra-Pacific zone rate.

yes but still distance based, and it adds the segments. SYD-ICN on OZ would be 60K, via AUH comes in at 90K. Strangely via BKK (6939 miles according to greatcirclemapper ) also comes in at 90K. (Swapping BKK/ICN for DMK and GMP still bring it under the 7K mileage band. Odd.)

 

[luxury-lizard]

For 100K I'd take AC! Their flagship MapleLeaf lounge looks rather nice. But the only flights I saw with AC included were dynamically priced, starting at 387K points each way to Europe, and mostly with economy class TATL. In fact PEY was coming in over twice the J class flights on EY.

Yes AC's dynamic pricing on its own aircraft (even on mixed airline itineraries) is very frustrating - but they do offer some flights at the "saver' rates you just have to look hard for them. Of course lots of Canadians bought and/or have through credit card spend/travel etc - millions of points to burn so we are competing with them for seats to/from North America in particular. (I'm not sure if have AC status gives them better inventory).
If AP has another sale in the future I would only buy more points if I was looking for EY awards - I still have a stack of LifeMiles I would like burn when travel opens up ... one of these years.

 

[luxury-lizard]

Update on my first redemption using my recently purchased AC/AP points - booked SEZ-AUH-SYD on EY in J for 100K pp for early April 2022 (from about mid-March EY no longer offer / sell First on this route) (Sigh!!).

I experienced the same issue as @mel-Traveller with the address field on the payment for fees and taxes - on calling AP I was advised to just enter any valid Canadian address (setting the country to Canada of course) - and abra-cadabra it worked - I was surprised that the transaction wasn't declined by AmEx with the incorrect address but I guess with low-value transactions AmEx does not check the address field.

Finally after the payment failed, the seats I wanted seemed to disappear (on subsequent searches) but the agent said she could see them - she again advised me to re-started my computer (not just the browser) and the seats re-appeared.

now all I need is for our international border to re-open in time for our trip. . . . Oh and Mauritius and the Seychelles to get Covid back under control.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Another miles sale has just started... up to 80% bonus. At that level it works out to ~1.78 aussie cents a mile. Not as good as the 1.55 cents we had last time, but not too bad (example redemptions: 100K/130K for J/F one way Australia to Europe on Etihad, 45K one way in J from the east coast to Bangkok flying VA to PER and TG PER-BKK).

 

[MEL_Traveller]

And another 80% sale hit today. Now around 1.81 Aussie cents per mile, giving a J class return to Europe of AUD3600 plus actual taxes. Availability is quite good on NH, OZ, EY (although beware EY is cancelling flights into 2022 and is reluctant to reaccommodate award bookings on the flights that are still going).

 

[Secco]

Hi, is anyone able to give a suggestion for someone in Australia as to how they can earn some Aeroplan points (just 1 point will do) to keep the activity going.

 

[luxury-lizard]

the obvious one for most programs is car hire but that is not that practical during lockdown - you could always book a dummy reward then cancel (AC had a no penalty COVID cancellation policy - but I'm not sure that's still in effect) - you can also pay more points and get a 'flexible' reward and/or one when you use points to pay the taxes. Hope this helps - others may have more creative ideas.

I'm sitting on the fence over this sale - just when I'd decided to not buy any more points in any program - I'm tempted particularly with our international border opening next month. If only their were more *A options ex-Australia - remember the good old days then TG was the universal 'fallback' option - like "oh dear - looks like it's be TG first class again"

 

[MEL_Traveller]

the obvious one for most programs is car hire but that is not that practical during lockdown - you could always book a dummy reward then cancel (AC had a no penalty COVID cancellation policy - but I'm not sure that's still in effect) - you can also pay more points and get a 'flexible' reward and/or one when you use points to pay the taxes. Hope this helps - others may have more creative ideas.

I'm sitting on the fence over this sale - just when I'd decided to not buy any more points in any program - I'm tempted particularly with our international border opening next month. If only their were more *A options ex-Australia - remember the good old days then TG was the universal 'fallback' option - like "oh dear - looks like it's be TG first class again"

The free cancellation only applied to bookings made by September 30. From October 1, bookings made prior to September 30 get free changes to 31 October, and from 1 November, a single free cancellation (or change).

The 'free change' (not cancel) policy will continue for bookings made by 31 October. From 1 November, one free change only will be allowed to bookings made by 31 October.

Miles validity has been extended on all accounts to 31 January 2022.

More flexibility for our members

 

[luxury-lizard]

Thanks @mel-Traveller - your input should address @Secco's issue. I have an award I am planning to cancel - made over 6 months ago - will rebook for 2023 - hopefully EY will still be an AC partner (one of the good value AC awards SYD-AUH-SEZ for 100,000 pp in J (F no longer offered on this route - but maybe that will change post-covid) with good availability. (All of a sudden my cancelled cruise in the Seychelles in March 2022 might have been possible - I might even re-book come January - I cancelled and re-booked the cruise for 2023 but kept the fights - planning to cancel later on).

 

[Secco]

The free cancellation only applied to bookings made by September 30. From October 1, bookings made prior to September 30 get free changes to 31 October, and from 1 November, a single free cancellation (or change).

The 'free change' (not cancel) policy will continue for bookings made by 31 October. From 1 November, one free change only will be allowed to bookings made by 31 October.

Miles validity has been extended on all accounts to 31 January 2022.

More flexibility for our members

Thanks

 

[Secco]

the obvious one for most programs is car hire but that is not that practical during lockdown - you could always book a dummy reward then cancel (AC had a no penalty COVID cancellation policy - but I'm not sure that's still in effect) - you can also pay more points and get a 'flexible' reward and/or one when you use points to pay the taxes. Hope this helps - others may have more creative ideas.

I'm sitting on the fence over this sale - just when I'd decided to not buy any more points in any program - I'm tempted particularly with our international border opening next month. If only their were more *A options ex-Australia - remember the good old days then TG was the universal 'fallback' option - like "oh dear - looks like it's be TG first class again"

Thanks

 

[bernardblack]

Bought Aeroplan miles last week during sale, to immediately confirm LHR-xYYZ-DEN in business on Air Canada metal (B777 Signature class transAtlantic; A220 short-haul), for four pax in May next year. Total AUD cost per pax was ~$1700, being ~$1250 for 68k Aeroplan points and ~$450 for ridiculous UK APD. If we have to cancel, the $450 is refundable to cash and the points are generally valuable for Star Alliance redemptions and some good partners (esp Etihad).

The LHR-YYZ space was actually available to partners, and initially I got it priced through LifeMiles (of which I already had heaps and would have been glad to redeem them) but then they stopped showing it, and I figured my wife and kids would be less tolerant of changes forced on us by LifeMiles quirks if I did try to book them.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Aeroplan has just announced an 'up to' 100% bonus sale. Max bonus for 100K or more base miles purchased.

Heads up to Lucky at OMAAT: Air Canada Aeroplan Selling Points With 100% Bonus

Note however that the cost of base miles has now increased to CAD0.35 per 1000 (up from 0.30) and the AUD has fallen against the CAD to ~0.89 as of today.

Buying 100K miles - giving you 200K after bonus and enough for a return trip to Europe in business class - will therefore set you back ~AUD3900, before any taxes (there are no carrier fees levied by Aeroplan).

This is up from ~AUD3100 last year.

I think this still represents good value unless the bottom falls out of the business class market ex AU.

 

[luxury-lizard]

Agree with @MEL_Traveller - even better value is OZ-Canada for 85000 miles - lots of availability SYD-YVR or YYZ or other cities .... on AC metal - but watch out for AC's variable pricing - best to use UA to search first as it will only show AC flights at the 85K level. You can also stopover on one-way awards for an additional 5000 points. I'm tempted BUT still stilling on lots of AA, SQ and AC points due to lack of travel in the past 2 years. Also - AC partners with EY so routes like SYD-AUH-SEZ are good value at 100K in business.

One more consideration - while a bit more expensive than Lifemiles (another *A option) - the AC website works well and offers all sorts of 'interesting' routings and the ability to cancel/change bookings. During Covid all change fees were waived (but no sure of the situation at present). The AC call centre is staffed by very helpful (in my experience) Canadians (so no language problems).

 

[jgm]

For anyone booking with Aeroplan you may encounter an issue when it comes to the payment screen. I got repeated 'mismatch' error messages, with the problem indicated as the Aussie postcode (all fields were set to Australia, including the choice of states, so it wasn't an issue with a US or Canadian zip code).

It had however created the booking and generated a booking reference. The stated number to call is for Air Canada, but they will transfer you to Aeroplan regardless. I got cut off twice, so just call Aeroplan direct. You'll also need a tele-PIN. Set one up in your account before calling.

Agent couldn't initially find the booking, and when they did there was a bit of a delay with processing the CC (agent was saying something about 'a foreign address'). CC payment processed just fine.

In this case the EY availability was not phantom, and I had cross-referenced availability on EY's site before attempting to book.

I've had the same issue 5 times now. It appears to be a regular expression error when trying to parse an Australian postcode, but this ONLY occurs when trying to pay for an award - it doesn't happen on cancellations and points purchases. I've mentioned it to the agent on each occasion, but nothing seems to happen. I haven't been able to find any way to email Aeroplan to be able to push this through to someone in their website or APP team.

Be aware that you need to call Aeroplan direct, and theire hours are now 8AM to midnight Toronto time. Also the PNR now seems to only hold for about 3 hours, and you can be on hold for a long time (1.5 hours a few weeks ago for me).

I now have EY flights MAN-MEL, TK BKK-IST-YVR & ret.

 

[luxury-lizard]

The funny thing is about a week ago I booked an award on Air Mauritius using AC (PER-MRU) and the payment worked with my Australian credit card and Australian address. However I was paying for the taxes and 20% of the miles (as a single payment) - so maybe that transition is a bit different when only paying taxes.

As you would have seen AC have a points sale with 100% bonus until 22 March 2022 - points work out at $.02 (AUD) each - when buying points when you book an award they work out at $.02 AUD - so pretty much the same.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

The funny thing is about a week ago I booked an award on Air Mauritius using AC (PER-MRU) and the payment worked with my Australian credit card and Australian address. However I was paying for the taxes and 20% of the miles (as a single payment) - so maybe that transition is a bit different when only paying taxes.

As you would have seen AC have a points sale with 100% bonus until 22 March 2022 - points work out at $.02 (AUD) each - when buying points when you book an award they work out at $.02 AUD - so pretty much the same.

Oh - that's a good tip! Maybe that's the way forward. I'll try it next time.

@jgm: the points purchase is through points.com - which is a separate entity I think? Also have had no issue with buying through them with Aussie card.