jericho

I'm looking at going back to the UK for a few days next month, and wanted to use my accumulated aeroplan miles.
I have 30,000, and the roundtrip flight is 60,000.
It will allow me to use the 30,000 and then pay for the balance of the ticket on my credit card. Total cost to top is an additional $1600.

If I book direct with Air Canada, using no aeroplan miles, the total cost is $1495.

WTF?

This is the first time I've used (or tried to use) aeroplan miles, but is this common? Shouldnt the total cost of the flight be the same??

dbd33

Yes. Our last free trip to Europe on AC cost more in taxes and fees and whatnot than just buying the same ticket on another airline.

Flossie and Jim

Air Canada now slap some really big "fuel surcharge" type extras on their reward tickets.

Apparently if you select another Star Alliance airline, the surcharges are just a couple of hundred e.g. on United Airlines, although you'll have to go via the states and probably phone the Aeroplan call centre to book which incurs a service fee.

I don't think it is very good value on Aeroplan to do a part miles and part payment option compared to some other airlines. You might be better paying for the AC flight this time round and using the 30k miles for an internal north American trip somewhere (not on Air Canada!)

I've got a couple of hundred thousand Aeroplan miles that I wanted to use for a UK trip for the family but its just not good value any more to redeem with Air Canada, but I don't fancy a connection with two small kids in tow, so we will probably end up using the miles for a trip to the states or somewhere else in Canada, or perhaps a toaster... I'm thinking of ditching Aeroplan for one of the more generic points generators that will give me some more flexibility.

The flyertalk forum is quite good if you haven't delved into it before - theres an AC sub-forum where you might get some ideas on how to get the best value for your Aeroplan points.

lmartin999

The program is meant for the use of earned miles, not to be able to buy top up miles. They are always an expensive option other than to buy a few extra miles. If you need to get a lot of miles quickly then look at something like the Aeroplan AMEX card which generally has a 50,000 miles sign-up bonus which is not bad for the $499 or whatever annual fee.
Only ever redeem miles for business class - that is when you start to see value.
The fees are getting more with other Star Airlines but its still less to do United and connect in the US.

Flying in/out of the US (or somewhere else) is still the best and cheapest option to get to/from the UK and Canada. See Canada as a stop on your journey.

I love AC/Aeroplan - still one of the best frequent flyer programs out there

London Mike

Is that via multi-city?

lmartin999

Yes and No. The cheapest fares will not always allow a stopover. I would price up:

LGA - LHR (or vice versa) which will give you flights through YYZ, but no stopovers.

The idea here is that you would never do the last leg from YYZ to LGA.

Then do multi-city with the stopovers and see what you get. Give you an idea of the difference. The advantage of the stopover is that you can use it for future trips, or to get a weekend somewhere.

For example:

Buy a cheap one way to LGA for a weekend sometime.

Then do LGA - YYZ (stop for as long as you want) - LHR - YYZ (stop again for as long as you want) - LGA (some other weekend)

and start another LGA - LHR ticket.

I do this out of LHR as its actually cheaper.

AC will never be the cheapest way to travel though, so you have to see this in conjunction with earning miles etc.

el_richo

Can you not use AC miles to upgrade class instead? I only use BA miles for that. Not worth using them toward paying for flights.

lmartin999

Only on full or near full Y tickets and hard to do. Their upgrade program for status members is much better than BA though (not using miles). I still manage to use the miles pretty well. I can live with a $800 business class ticket to Europe with a couple of stops in high season.

airbornesapper

Taxes, surcharges etc on an Aeroplan Ticket are comparable to taxes etc paid on a normal ticket..I just ran the same itinerary (Halifax to Heathrow) on AC and Aeroplan...see pics below.

We use Aeroplan to UK only when we can keep the points at 60,000 and within North America at 15,000 - 25,000 or we don't use them.

Certainly always check first...as to what other options are out there.

If you are not interested in collecting points...flying via Austrian operated by Air Canada can save a fair bit...case in point...I have a ticket for $960 and change next week...Ottawa to Vienna..then Vienna to London to Ottawa. Staying a saturday night keeps the cost down.

Ottawa to Vienna back to Ottawa on Air Canada same dates, $1650

May be worth checking if the they can get you to the UK.

All in all, if you plan ahead, and keep the points you are coughing-up to an acceptable level....it is a good program.

AS

el_richo

I find it much easier to redeem my BA points. Plus the have a better club class

These days I mainly use my Amex blue sky. Allows me to redeem on any travel related purchase (which includes local ski hills incredibly).

We just got my mum a free WT+ ticket with BA that I upgraded to Club with miles. Nice

Atlantic Xpat

As LMartin points out, Aeroplan really doesn't work when purchasing the extra miles, only when you have sufficient miles for the trip in question. Costs generally seem to be on a par with booking using Avion points - i.e. you save the cost of the flight itself but still pay the surcharges. We use the RBC Avion card a lot and build up enough points for a trip home every couple of years.

I like AC as well. Although, tbh I have little choice in who to fly with. Routing via the States to Europe is not an option when you are only 4.5hrs away on the direct flight! The e-upgrade credits you get as a frequent flier offer a useful way to get business class travel at economy prices. I recently upgraded Halifax-London both ways (definately worth it for the pod and flat bed) as well as Toronto-Houston (meh, bigger seat but shortish flight so not worth it).

airbornesapper

I know nothing about BA...but find the Aeroplan process and supporting website easy.

Nothing wrong with AC status upgrade process either (very good infact)...and if you know how too work it to your advantage....laying horizontal across the pond can be easily done...I have a pretty good record so far on their new system.

Not sure how much easier it needs to be!!

wolstie

AC's only long haul flights from Ottawa are to to LHR and Frankfurt...

Cyan

I just paid 1,295 CAD for an Air Canada return ticket from Toronto to Heathrow. I do not have an Aeroplan account.

Interestingly, BA was 250 dollars more expensive for the exact same dates. Usually the two are only 10 dollars apart in true price fixing fashion. Guess ppl are scared off AC while there are still risk of strikes and walkouts.

airbornesapper

Yep..fly them enough..

The rest are codeshare on the same ticket with Lufthansa or Austrian...on that itinerary...