Using Air Miles for flying - how is it worth it?

[Disney Addicted]

For those who use their air miles for flying, do you really find it worthwhile? Am I missing something, or does it just depend on the flight?

I am just short of 7,000 air miles currently. I have been saving them for park attractions (ie, Universal Studios, Blue Man Group, SeaWorld, etc.) But I started to wonder if we would get better value using them for a round-trip flight (OUT OF TORONTO) instead. I have another year of saving to go as we are planning for October 2013.

When I price out an October 2012 round-trip from Buffalo to Orlando using Southwest, I get a price of $998.40.

Air Miles says the fees are $227.96 per person, for a total of $911.84. It looks like WestJet gives the 1st bag free so no luggage fees.

I do not see the attraction... Like I said, I was originally saving for park tickets and it looks like that is my best value for my scenario - but why use them for flights when it is still better to go across the border? Or at least the same deal in this case.

Granted, if I choose an American non-direct flight, the fees drop to $136 something for about $550. I am not sure I want to be on a flight that long and risk losing luggage either...

I would love to hear from you!

 

[trish4bruce]

I think it depends if you have the ability fly out of a cross border city. We do, but the flights only run on certain days on the cheap carrier and United prices are almost the same as Westjet and Air Canada.
So for our flight to MCO this coming March 6th-17th we booked airmiles because there was a huge price savings and we got the times and date we wanted. For two people it cost me $340 using my airmiles. Booking that same flight using cash would cost us $2320!!! Almost a savings of $2000!
I would only use airmiles for flights when the prices are extreme. We would not use them to fly to say Toronto because we can get a seat sale. When we flew to Grand Cayman we used them and saved thousands of dollars.

 

[minnie mum]

I agree with the PP. You have to look around. It depends on where you are going and when, what the cash prices are etc. We usually use our airmiles or credit card bonus points for airfare. But only when it pays for us to do so. Otherwise we pay by credit card which builds our bonus points for our next flight.

 

[tgropp]

The only way that I find an advantage to using airmiles for flights is by going during the High Season. I have used air miles on three different occasions over the Christmas holidays. With the BMO M/C where i get 25% mileage off, I can fly to Orlando for 2250 miles at a cost of approx $180.00/person.

Since there are 7 of us, I need 15,750 airmiles and the total cost with all fees/taxes is under $1,500.00 for the 7 of us. If I were to purchase tickets from Westjet, it would cost over $5,000.00. But as I had previously stated, I would only use them during the High season.

 

[momof2gr8kids]

I'm struggling with the same thing.

We have enough airmiles for 5 of us to fly to Orlando. But with the fees and any insurance you add to protect your miles, it's the same price as flying out of the US.

We also have aeroplan points (well, my mom does and she's offered them to us as she can't travel). It looks like aeroplan points can be used to fly from the states. Fees for 5 of us from the US are $140 total!!! Unfortunately, the aeroplan points are hard to find 5 flights that work for when we need to go.

I think I'll keep my eye out for a good deal from the US and then use our miles and book through Marlin if we do a package or for tickets.

I noticed now that some of the West Jet flights connect with Delta. The WJ taxes and fees with airmiles are higher than AC, and I thought maybe because AC charges baggage fees and WJ doesn't. However, if they connect with Delta then most likely you would be charged baggage fees for the part of the flight with Delta.

So annoying, because I've been saving for so long for 5 flights. Ugh.

 

[sechelt]

I always use airmiles and we've been to Hawaii, Orlando twice and L.A. many times. We're on the west coast though so that might make a difference. I've never used aeroplan but someone I worked with does and he always had trouble getting enough seats for his entire family to fly together. I've never had that problem with Airmiles.

FYI, I just booked four seats to L.A. through AM, at a total cost of $888. The Westjet seat sale right now is $129 pp, for the same time period, and comes to over $1500 by the time all the fees and taxes are added.

 

[Cdn Friends of Pooh]

For those who use their air miles for flying, do you really find it worthwhile? Am I missing something, or does it just depend on the flight?

I am just short of 7,000 air miles currently. I have been saving them for park attractions (ie, Universal Studios, Blue Man Group, SeaWorld, etc.) But I started to wonder if we would get better value using them for a round-trip flight (OUT OF TORONTO) instead. I have another year of saving to go as we are planning for October 2013.

When I price out an October 2012 round-trip from Buffalo to Orlando using Southwest, I get a price of $998.40.

Air Miles says the fees are $227.96 per person, for a total of $911.84. It looks like WestJet gives the 1st bag free so no luggage fees.

I do not see the attraction... Like I said, I was originally saving for park tickets and it looks like that is my best value for my scenario - but why use them for flights when it is still better to go across the border? Or at least the same deal in this case.

Granted, if I choose an American non-direct flight, the fees drop to $136 something for about $550. I am not sure I want to be on a flight that long and risk losing luggage either...

I would love to hear from you!

On our trips to Orlando we always fly on a US carrier from Edmonton with one stop over (usually in Minneapolis) and have never had an issue with luggage being lost - we've been going down twice a year since 2003.

We did look into using our air miles once, however, found that the fare on a US carrier was cheaper than using the miles and paying the fees.

 

[Stan Solo]

For those who use their air miles for flying, do you really find it worthwhile? Am I missing something, or does it just depend on the flight?

I am just short of 7,000 air miles currently. I have been saving them for park attractions (ie, Universal Studios, Blue Man Group, SeaWorld, etc.) But I started to wonder if we would get better value using them for a round-trip flight (OUT OF TORONTO) instead. I have another year of saving to go as we are planning for October 2013.


I would love to hear from you!

I know you did not mention Disney tickets but if you were planing to stay on property and get the dinning plan then don't use your air miles for your park tickets. You need to get at least two days of park tickets from Disney and not from air miles to get the dinning plan. Last year and again this year we used our air miles for the flight and then got free dinning even though it was offered after we booked.

 

[dontthrowsand]

I use them for travel to Europe. I don't find the fees worth it in north America.

 

[cari12]

We booked our flights for our upcoming trip to DL with Airmiles. They are on WestJet, non-stop Vancouver-LA and the cost was $813.00 for 4 of us.
I was pricing flights from Seattle and Bellingham and and the cost would have been $800-$1000 for 4 (if you include the baggage fees that are charged on all the cheap flights down there). However, this way I do not have to drive to Seattle/Bellingham and possibly pay a nights hotel depending on how early the flights are and, I have non-stop which is sometimes hard to get with the cheap fares.

 

[papertraveller]

I use them for travel to Europe. I don't find the fees worth it in north America.

I have run the numbers and run the numbers and run the numbers when I'm considering the Orlando trips. And I still end up paying cash, provided I have a good sale fare or am booking early enough.

I appreciate the comment about Europe. That may be where ours end up being spent!

 

[mkmommy]

I use them for travel to Europe. I don't find the fees worth it in north America.

That is what I use mine for last year, I was looking at the taxes for a flight this year to Barcelona and the taxes and fees were over $600, last year there were $348 so that is a big increase

 

[Kronk N Tink]

Might want to check out the pkg vacations department.... 7000 AMRM should get you about $1000 off of a Disney pkg and you don't have to book the flights from there I believe.

Unless they've changed the rates in the past year.....