Any tips for using AVION miles?

[mickeywho?]

We're planning a big family trip this summer to Ireland. The fares are expensive! Because my hubby will be traveling separate form the rest of the group we thought maybe we would try flying him on our avion points. Anyone have any tricks/tips/advice to get the most from these. Right now he has about 45000.
Thanks!

 

[MikeyNS]

We're planning a big family trip this summer to Ireland. The fares are expensive! Because my hubby will be traveling separate form the rest of the group we thought maybe we would try flying him on our avion points. Anyone have any tricks/tips/advice to get the most from these. Right now he has about 45000.
Thanks!

We love our Avion points, but you definitely don't have enough for that trip. British Airways, about twice a year, let's you transfer Avion to BA points at 1.5, so that would give you almost 70,000 pts (quick math), but I'm not entirely sure that would be enough for a round trip ticket. Keep looking for fares and if you can fly out of the US you should be able to get a better rate.

 

[Northern_Julie]

I live up in Yellowknife and found out at Christmas that there is a cap on the dollar amount of the ticket. Yellowknife to Ottawa can be 1200-1400 depending on things. I think the cap was 1000 so I had to pay the differance (which was still a deal to me). I actually called them up a week before and they were very nice and helpful so I wouldnt hesitate in asking questions. Even booking the ticket was not simple.
If you don't have enough points then you can buy them too.
I was surprised that I got aeroplan points for the trip as well.

 

[surfer_ed]

I actually called them up a week before and they were very nice and helpful so I wouldnt hesitate in asking questions. Even booking the ticket was not simple.
If you don't have enough points then you can buy them too.
I was surprised that I got aeroplan points for the trip as well.

I used them several times with no issue. Went to WDW on March Break once, could not get anything on AeroPlan. I also had to pay a premium, because it was over the cap, but it came to about $700 for 3 tickets...which at March break was a deal.

Be aware that I think they now have a 14 day rule and you have to book 14 days before the travel. Where possible, the father-out you book the better will make sure you do not bump up against the max price per ticket.

 

[nelljay1973]

This is taken straight from Avion rewards chart.

65,000 Long-haul: Europe From a major gateway in Canada/U.S. to select destinations in Europe $1,300


It costs 65,000 miles that will cover you up to $1,300 in ticket value..excluding taxes, because you have to pay them anyway. Any tricks, the only one that I came across when booking with them, is that they often don't have access to the super cheap fairs that we see through consolidators - do you research yourself before booking with flight numbers, dates, times etc taken from travel websites, makes it easier. They can honour cheap sales offered directly through the airlines, so if you see a fair on a airline site under $1,300 RBC will book it for you at that price.

I've never had any trouble booking for trips, and we are using them to go to Orlando in 4 weeks and have travelled to Australia with RBC..best thing I like is that you can also earn reward miles with other programs with these tickets because they are not classed as reward tickets.

 

[MikeyNS]

Once when I booked a flight to Orlando I was over the $750, but I was in front of my computer and had a flight all picked out and it was coming out cheaper, so they just went on the site and purchased the ticket, and from what I can tell they just use their credit card to do so. The fact that I get aeroplan points on the purchase is a nice bonus. This is why we put absolutely everything on our Avion card. Flights galore every year! I haven't paid for a ticket (other than the fees) in years.

 

[mickeywho?]

Can you book a ticket and ask for a particular airline. I'm thinking I ask for continental airlines for a flight within the US - once we have the booking I could cancel the flight, take a credit with the airline, and rebook using that credit to fly to Ireland. Paying the difference to the airline rather than buying additional avion points from rbc. Possible?

 

[nelljay1973]

Oh yes you can choose your flights. I give the agent the flight number and they go book. It fact, it makes it easier for them as opposed to giving you all the options and possibilites out there.