Sunday Sweet Spot: Book cheap flights to and around Canada with Aeroplan

news7g10/03/2022

4 5 minutes read

Canada is one of my favorite countries to visit – in large part because of how dynamic it is. You can experience European vibes in places like Quebec City and Montreal, or head to Banff National Park to experience the beautiful Canadian wilderness near the US border.

However, despite being so close to home, flights to Canada can be costly. Even short road trips like New York to Montreal can hit $300 economy during peak business and leisure travel days. Additionally, flights within Canada can also be expensive, adding to the cost of a multi-country tour.

One of my favorite ways to save on flights to (and around) Canada is to book with Air Canada Aeroplan the point. Under programyou can book flights for less than 10,000 points one way – depending on when you’re flying.

Here, I’ll show you how to book these flight deals and how to earn the points you need to book.

Why is it special?

Air Canada Aeroplan Order conversion prices for flights from the US to Canada are as low as 6,000 points on some routes and dates, according to the airline’s award rankings.

Program stuck on a standard award leaderboard for partner awards but pricing its own flights dynamically. In turn, the price you’ll pay will vary depending on the route you book, when you fly, and the date you book if you’re flying with Air Canada.

There are a lot of great deals to be done. On the low end, you can book flights under 500 miles for 6,000 Aeroplan points and $47 Canadian (about $34) in taxes and one-way fees. This includes popular routes like O’Hare International Airport (ORD) arrive Toronto Pearson Airport (YYZ) and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) arrive Montreal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL).

Flights from 501 to 1,500 miles cost 10,000 Aeroplan points plus tax and savings on partner airlines, which is still a solid deal compared to the cost of cash flights in time Peak. Not the same with British Airways Avios prizes, you will not have to pay extra points for connecting tickets. Sometimes these tickets cost a little less than the prize chart price if you have an Air Canada operated segment.

Aeroplan can also be a great way to book Canadian domestic award tickets on Air Canada. These types of tickets typically cost less than 6,000 points one way, like this Toronto to Montreal ticket that costs 5,600 miles and CA$42 ($31) one-way taxes and fees.

All in all, you can consistently find these prices on a variety of domestic and international flights to Canada – which can save you significant money on your next vacation. You may pay a little less on some routes when you book with Etihad guest – one of Air Canada’s newest partner – but booking with Aeroplan allows you to receive United-operated awards from the US and flexible, low-cost prizes on Air Canada flights.

Additionally, you may be eligible for priority rates if you have Air Canada priority status or Aeroplan credit card.

How to order this prize

You can book these award tickets right on the Air Canada website. Look towards the middle of the page and enter your desired itinerary. Remember to select the “Book with points” option before you search.

All available flights will appear in the center of the screen. You can also see the lowest prize prices for the days surrounding your search at the top of the screen, which is useful if you have a flexible plan.

When you find a flight you like, click on its price and follow the onscreen prompts to book your award ticket.

How to earn points for this award

Air Canada Points have become a lot easier to earn for readers in the United States over the past few years.

Recently, Air Canada launched Aeroplan credit card with Chase. Currently, this card offers 70,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. Plus, it includes travel perks like TSA PreCheck or Nexus member credit, free checked baggage, and 500 bonus points for every $2,000 you spend in a calendar month, up to 1,500 bonus points. every month.

Related: Aeroplan credit card review

Alternatively, you can transfer Rewards for American Express members, Bilt Rewards, Capitalize one and Chase the ultimate reward points to Aeroplan with 1:1 transfer ratio and instant transfer.

Marriott Bonvoy points are also transferred to Aeroplan in a ratio of 3: 1, with the transfer of 60,000 points will receive 5,000 bonus points.

If you less than 5/24 and be eligible to open a Chase credit cardsYou might consider one of the following cards:

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card – Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.
Ink . Business Preferred Credit Card – Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $15,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.
Chase Sapphire Reserve – Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.

Also, consider opening one of these American Express to increase your Membership Rewards balance:

American Express® Gold Card: Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $4,000 on qualifying purchases with your new card within the first six months of your card membership. Sword 4 points per dollar when dining in restaurants4 points per dollar at US supermarkets (up to $25,000 per year; then 1 point per dollar), 3 points per dollar on airline tickets purchased directly from airlines zero and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases ($250 annual fee; see rates and fees).
Platinum® Card from American Express: Earn 100,000 membership bonus points after you spend $6,000 on card purchases during the first six months of your card membership. Earn 5 points per dollar on airfare purchases directly from airlines or through American Express Travel (up to $500,000 for these purchases per calendar year), 5 points per dollar on bookings prepaid hotels with American Express Travel Travel and Hotels + Resorts in Amex Fineand 1 point per dollar on all other purchases ($695 annual fee; see rates and fees).

As a general rule, you should only transfer points once you’ve found the flight you want to book. Otherwise, you may be stuck with spots that you cannot use.

Key point

Flights to, from and around Canada can be expensive, but using Aeroplan points to book them can save you a lot of money on your next trip.

Bookmark this guide and refer to it the next time you need to book a transfer or domestic flight to Canada. Usually, you’ll save points when you book with another loyalty program – plus keep cash in your pocket for other expenses on your trip.

For Platinum Card rates and fees, click here.
For Amex Gold Card rates and fees, click here.