RANT - aeroplan - venting

[braddillman]

Just ignore this, I just need to vent. ARRRRGH!
ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGH!

I've been finding new ways to collect AP points, but every time I check flights Halifax to Orlando, they keep going up (points for reward). For example, I'm accumulating about 50k pts/yr., and I used to be able to get flight for 4 for only 100k pts. Now it is closer to 400k - which would take 8 years - but since pts expire after 7 years, I can never afford it.

BTW, I read AC is planning to cancel their "every seat on the plane" program, since no one was using it. Given the amount of points they wanted for those seats, no one is surprised that they weren't used.

OTOH, it isn't costing me much to accumulate the 50k pts/yr, and I could use them for other things.

Also, Continental is supposed to partner up with AC, which might open new routes. I'll hang in there for another year I guess.

Anyway, it seems to be 1/2 price to drive to Bangor then fly (I have a very fuel efficient TDI and our family is fine on long road trips, eg Ottawa). And it's not the fees that make the price double - the fees just make it worse.

Does anyone know when (how far in advance) the charters (e.g. CanJet, Transat) publish their fares and schedule?

Thanks.

 

[CanadianPaco]

Good to know - thanks for sharing - venting and letting us know!

 

[sean-1966]

Use the points for admission tickets. We did this year. It was cheaper to fly out of Buffalo and pay for the tickets on Southwest then use my AP points for flightrs and pay the taxes.

 

[minnie56]

The trick to Aeroplan is booking ahead, as soon as you are able to in fact (350 days prior or something like that??) Then you can get the seats on the flight you want for minimum mileage. My friend lucks out consistantly by doing this. She literally will book at 1201 am on the day the flts become available.

 

[amw]

I know sometimes if you do a search, the points amount are ridiculous ... but when you're officially logged onto the website, you can get the regular 25,000-point seats. This may be because my DH accumulates a lot (do they have status levels for aeroplan? ) but we're always able to get the 25,000 seats on any flight as long as that flight is not completely sold out. That's only if we're logged in on his account.

I find the program super-useful, but then it is a frequesnt-flyer program, and works best for those who fly often. My DH flies to the U.S. weekly, and we accumulate enough for at least 6 seats a year ... we take advantage of it for our girls to have Daddy time at the world.

If flights are not your thing, you can use your points for WDW tickets, WDW hotels, or car rentals ... or simply "credit card" gift cards that can be used anywhere.

 

[braddillman]

Thanks for the tips. I am logged on when I search.

I'll definitely try searching at 1201am the day the flights become available, that would probably help. In fact, I can test that by looking for some flights I don't intend to take, just to see if it works.

I usually don't accumulate enough status miles to get prestige or elite, but this year I've already made prestige and hope to make elite. Maybe that will make a difference, but I won't know until march 09. That's OK, I want to go march 2010, and I should be able to book at 350 days out I think.

I'm not sure about booking for tickets, they don't look like good value for the points - same as car rental - but I guess I'd do it before the points expire.

Again, thanks for the tips!

 

[Ted in Halifax]

Sent you a PM .... see transatholidays website for Canjet Charters. They have them into next spring!

 

[amw]

I usually don't accumulate enough status miles to get prestige or elite, but this year I've already made prestige and hope to make elite. Maybe that will make a difference, but I won't know until march 09. That's OK, I want to go march 2010, and I should be able to book at 350 days out I think.

That's it ... my DH is super-elite. I think that's the level you have to be to have all seats available at 25,000 points.

 

[minnie56]

I travel very seldom with AC. Once to London last Nov and will this Sept to Rome. I have a lot of Aeroplan miles sitting there, but mostly accrued via Aerogold Visa and a Platinum-Amex. Keep that one because it gives me 1.5 miles per $1 and Maple Leaf Lounge access. It's tough spending all this money to fatten up my acct, but someone has to do it!!!

I won't waste the miles on Florida, but perhaps might use for Australia or Dubai that we are eyeing.....at some point!!

 

[Subrbnmommy]

We have started using our points for hotels. Last month we stayed 3 nights at the WDW Dolphin & one night athe DTD Best Western. All with aeroplan points.

 

[nflder]

The trick to Aeroplan is booking ahead, as soon as you are able to in fact (350 days prior or something like that??) Then you can get the seats on the flight you want for minimum mileage. My friend lucks out consistantly by doing this. She literally will book at 1201 am on the day the flts become available.

This is what we do all of the time when we book our flights to Orlando. We are booked for next year on April 15th - we booked in mid-May and were able to get two seats at 25,000 points each. We've booked as many as four seats for only 25,000 points each in previous years.

In the three trips to Florida we've taken, they been on Aeroplan and always just 25,000 points.

 

[hematite153]

Just ignore this, I just need to vent. ARRRRGH!
ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGH!

I've been finding new ways to collect AP points, but every time I check flights Halifax to Orlando, they keep going up (points for reward). For example, I'm accumulating about 50k pts/yr., and I used to be able to get flight for 4 for only 100k pts. Now it is closer to 400k - which would take 8 years - but since pts expire after 7 years, I can never afford it.

Where are you getting these numbers? I just checked their rewards chart and it still shows 25k/person for a flight from Halifax to Orlando.

Are you trying to check for a specific day? If so, that's your problem. They offer a fixed number of seats per flight at each rate, so, once someone else books the seat it's no longer available for you.

My issue is that they keep adding costs that aren't part of the ticket purchase price so aren't covered by aeroplan points.

 

[braddillman]

Well, I tried booking as far in advance as I could for various parties, and here are the results:

adults/children
1/0 - 25k pts
1/1 - 50k (25k, 25k)
1/2 - 222k (25k, 25k, 172k ???)
1/3 - 296k (25k, 25k, 172k ???, 74k)
2/3 - 296k (25k, 25k, 172k ???, 74k, 74k)

That 3rd seat must be made out of gold.
Or - gosh - OIL!?!

I had another thought, if anyone cares to feedback - and thanks again for the ideas, it has my creative juices flowing again.

I could book it as multiple flights, say 2 x 25k on one, and 2x25k on another, and pay for the last as cash. On our last trip we got 3 seats at 25k and paid the other 2, my wife is pretty good on the web, she got all the flights identical except the last leg home.

Anyone ever book multiple overlapping trips on aeroplan (like this)?

 

[Tower]

Well, I tried booking as far in advance as I could for various parties, and here are the results:

adults/children
1/0 - 25k pts
1/1 - 50k (25k, 25k)
1/2 - 222k (25k, 25k, 172k ???)
1/3 - 296k (25k, 25k, 172k ???, 74k)
2/3 - 296k (25k, 25k, 172k ???, 74k, 74k)

That 3rd seat must be made out of gold.
Or - gosh - OIL!?!

I had another thought, if anyone cares to feedback - and thanks again for the ideas, it has my creative juices flowing again.

I could book it as multiple flights, say 2 x 25k on one, and 2x25k on another, and pay for the last as cash. On our last trip we got 3 seats at 25k and paid the other 2, my wife is pretty good on the web, she got all the flights identical except the last leg home.

Anyone ever book multiple overlapping trips on aeroplan (like this)?

Try separate bookings. One pair at a time. I tried a mock reservation once for the 5 of us but it went crazy with the point count. Then I tried a booking of one couple and one booking with one parent and 2 kids. Points were all 25000.
If you don't mind being separated for the flights (You may luck out and get all on the same flight) you should be fine.
Of course, try to time departures/arrivals around the same time.

You may want to call Aeroplan directly as well. They may be able to find partner airlines at better points rates (United, US Airways)

 

[braddillman]

I'm getting some good info from www.flyertalk.com, and I should remember it's costing me nothing (very little) for what I get from AP.

I think I understand now why the 3rd seat costs so much. It is probably a limit in the web application that all seats must be in the same class. So the table should be:

Adult/child/total/breakdown
1/0/25k (25k)
1/1/50k (25k, 25k)
1/2/222k (74k, 74k, 74k) - ignores the 2 available cheap seats
1/3/296k (74k, 74k, 74k, 74k)
2/3/370k (74k, 74k, 74k, 74k, 74k)

There are many complaints on flyertalk about the AP web site.

So, now I just have to depend on my telephone manners with the AP call center. Good luck to us all.