How I Use Aeroplan Points To Minimize My Trip Costs

Before I discuss how I reduce my trip costs with Aeroplan points, I should explain how I earn so many points to put toward these trips. The credit card I use the most is the American Express Cobalt Card. It earns me 5 points per dollar spent on food and drinks (including grocery stores), 3 points per dollar on streaming services, 2 points per dollar on transit and gas, and 1 point per dollar on everything else.

Even though there’s a monthly cap of $2,500 on the “eats and drinks” category, I maximize it by buying gas and store gift cards, such as Amazon and Google Play, at the grocery store. This gives me an earning rate of 5 points per dollar spent in purchasing the gift card instead of the 1 point I had paid directly. By maximizing the bonus categories, I earn 150,000 points yearly, which doesn’t even account for my other purchases. American Express Membership Rewards can be transferred to Aeroplan at a 1:1 ratio, so the American Express Cobalt Card is highly lucrative.

Additionally, I’ll typically apply for one new Aeroplan credit card each year. Not only do I get a welcome bonus of around 50,000 Aeroplan points, but I’ll also get some great Air Canada benefits, which I’ll get into later.

Aeroplan allows me to book any available seat on Air Canada with no blackout dates or restrictions. Some airlines only offer limited seats when buying with points or miles, so having more availability via Aeroplan makes things a lot easier. There’s one catch: Air Canada—and many other airlines in the Star Alliance partnership that accept Aeroplan points—uses dynamic pricing. That means the more popular routes or times will cost more points.

I like to stretch out my points, so I am fine choosing early morning or afternoon flights since they cost me fewer points. I also try to plan my travels a year in advance, when seats are typically cheaper. While I love the occasional business class flight, booking economy seats on points is much cheaper and allows my family to travel more. For example, I just booked a flight from Toronto to Rome for next June, which only cost 37,300 Aeroplan points (one-way) in the economy. The same flight in business is 275,000 points.

Generally, I value one Aeroplan point at 1.5 to two cents each. If my redemption falls within that threshold, I’ll book my trip on points. However, I’ll pay cash if the value is less than 1.5 cents per point (CPP).

To calculate the CPP of a redemption, I use the following formula:

For example, I recently booked a flight to Orlando for 11,600 Aeroplan points plus $115 in fees. The cash fare would have been $373. In this scenario, the formula would look like this:

That’s an incredible value. However, if I took an earlier flight that cost 23,000 points, my CPP value would drop to 1.12. That’s not worth my points.

Related: The Value Of An Aeroplan Point

I typically stay at Marriott Hotels during my travels, but Aeroplan has an exciting value proposition. With Aeroplan’s HotelSavers, I can save up to 30% in points with select hotel partners. This is incredibly handy when I want to try a luxury property where I don’t have any loyalty points at specific chains such as Fairmont, Shangri-La and Intercontinental. It’s also of good value when I need a budget hotel such as Ibis or Alt Hotels.

Admittedly, the CPP for hotel stays isn’t as high as for flights, with most redemptions falling between 1.2 to 1.5 CPP. However, I’ve also found rooms with a value above two CPP.

As an Aeroplan credit cardholder, I also have access to the HotelSavers “Get a 4th Night Free” offer when I book three nights on points. This has significantly increased my CPP and is great when I only need four nights. For reference, Marriott only gives you the fifth night free when booking four nights on points. However, the one downside of the fourth-night-free promo is that it’s set to end on December 31, 2024.

Related: Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card Review

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Annual Fee

$599

Credit Score description

Good/Excellent

Regular APR (Purchases) / Regular APR (Cash Advances)

20.99% / 22.99%

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Pros & Cons

• Extensive travel insurance benefits
• High Aeroplan earn rates
• Earns double the Aeroplan points on eligible Air Canada purchases (including Air Canada Vacations®)

• $599 annual fee
• $150,000 minimum personal income requirement
• $199 additional cardholder fee

One of the credit cards I never leave home without is the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite Privilege* Card. I originally applied for the card because I wanted the free Maple Leaf Lounge access in North America, but it’s helpful in many ways.

The included Zone 2boarding is arguably my favourite benefit since it gets me on the plane quicker, so there’s no need to fight for overhead space when I only have carry-on luggage. Even if I decide to check a bag, the card includes the first checked bag free for me and up to eight travelling companions on the same itinerary. Considering a checked bag can range from $35 to $75 each way, that’s a fair amount of potential savings.

The other benefit I find extremely useful is the included travel insurance package. It covers travel medical expenses, and I’m protected in case of any delays. This insurance was convenient during a recent delay. When my delay hit four hours, I knew I was entitled to a hotel, meals and other reasonable expenses. There was no need to wait in the airport; I just booked a hotel and made the best of the delay while I waited things out.

To maximize my Aeroplan points further, I have set up a Family Sharing account. This allows my wife and daughter to pool their points with me. However, Family Sharing is currently closed to new members, but it’s expected to be available again in the fall. While dynamic pricing can make some flights expensive when booking with points, I’m flexible, so there’s always a deal to be had.

Regardless of the situation, I’m constantly monitoring Aeroplan for cheap flights and promotions where I can minimize my trip costs.