Canadian Travel Hacking

Tag: avios

  • American Express Membership Rewards – 25% Transfer Bonus to British Airways Avios

    AMEX is offering a 25% bonus on Membership Rewards (MR) points transferred to British Airways Avios until November 12, 2017.

    I love this program as a transfer partner as it really opens up the possibilities.

    You can redeem on partners like:

    • American Airlines
    • Alaska Airlines
    • Finnair
    • JAL
    • Cathay Pacific
    • LAN

    The Avios program is distanced based so their chart has some sweet spots, all for 15,000 Avios return.

    • Victoria – Seattle
    • Toronto / Montreal – New York.
    • Edmonton – Seattle
    • Calgary – Dallas
    • Edmonton – Phoenix
    • Halifax – Philadelphia

    Here are some great flights for 25,000 points return.

    • Bellingham/Seattle – Hawaii

    Here is a nice flight for 50,000 points return.

    • Vancouver – Tokyo

    You can earn 75,000 Membership Reward Points easily with the American Express Platinum Business card.

    This would be worth 93,750 Avios.

    Here is a link to the promotion.

  • American Express Membership Rewards 25% Transfer Bonus to British Airways Avios – Ends September 30, 2015

    Through September 30, 2015, transfers from American Express Canada Membership Rewards Points to British Airways Avios will be at a 1:1.25 ratio.

    amex-transfer-bonus

    This means instead of transferring 25,000 Reward Points you will get 31,250 – quite a nice savings.

    With flights starting at just 4.5K Avios in coach and 9K Avios for a lie-flat business seat there are some real steals with Avios.

    The 25% bonus that means that a coach award will start at just 3,600 Membership Rewards Points and a Business award will start at 7,200 Membership Rewards Points.

    This is great news for us Canadians as the US program has a 1000:800 ratio coming up in October.

    Avios is the loyalty program for British Airways. This airline flies from Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, Montreal to cities in Europe. Additionally, they have a code-share with WestJet that lets you earn Avios.

    One major benefit of the Avios program is that you can combine Avios points from different Avios schemes (British Airways) into one family member’s accounts. This can make it easier to redeem your acquired points.

    The Avios program works on distance, so you can find some great buys.  A one-way flight between Toronto and New York can be had for only 4,500 Avios points (9,000 round trip), compared to 15,000 Aeroplan Miles for the same flight (round-trip).

    Here are some good value redemptions with Avios:

    • Vancouver, BC (YVR) to Los Angeles, CA (LAX), 15,000 Avios
    • Toronto, ON (YYZ) to Miami, FL (MIA), 20,000 Avios
    • Victoria, BC (YYJ) to Seattle, WA (SEA), 9,000 Avios
    • Calgary, AB (YYC) to Dallas, TX (DFW) 20,000 Avios
    • Edmonton, AB (YEG) to Seattle, WA (SEA) 9,000 Avios

    Even a trip to Hawaii from Seattle is only 25,000 Avios round-trip!

    Positives:

    • No blackout dates for redemption.
    • Can create a Household Account that enables you to share your Avios with the other members of your household for free.
    • Fantastic redemptions with Avios on short-haul flights (Montreal or Toronto to New York or Chicago, Calgary or Edmonton to Seattle) using American Airlines or Alaska Airlines (9,000 round trip).
    • The taxes are next to nothing (except for standard airport fees).

    Negatives:

    • No retail partners in Canada to earn extra Avios.
    • Charged for extra stopovers as an additional flight.
    • Major fuel surcharges charges.

    One of easiest ways to earn Membership Reward Points with very little cost is the Gold Rewards Card (comes with 25,000 free bonus miles after spending $500 the first 3 months).

    Here is a link to the promotion.

  • 50% Transfer Bonus for RBC Rewards (Avion only) to Avios – Nov 1 to Dec 31

    Special British Airways Executive Club offer for RBC Avion® cardholders – Convert your RBC Rewards points into Avios and receive 50% more◊. Offer valid from November 1, 2014 to December 31, 2014. Convert your points today!

    rbc-rewards-logo

    RBC Avion cardholders and clients who hold other eligible RBC Royal Bank products or services that earn RBC Rewards points, have the option of converting their RBC Rewards points to Avios. As a member of the British Airways Executive Club they can spend them on a range of rewards, including flights with BA and their oneworld® partners, flight upgrades, hotel accommodation and car rental¤.

    You must be a member of the British Airways Executive Club in order to convert your points.

    Please allow 3 business days to ensure that your BA Executive Club member number has been activated.

    Here is a link about the promotion.

  • Canadian RBC Avios Visa Infinite – 45,000 Signup bonus

    I love Avios! We are using them to get from Victoria to Seattle but for our Canadian friends in other cities can go Toronto to New York or Chicago.

    Avios bonus.
    Avios bonus.

    Apply today and receive 15,000 Avios upon approval. Plus, for a limited time, get an extra 30,000 Avios if you spend $3,000 in each of the first 3 months using your RBC British Airways Visa Infinite card. That adds up to 45,000 Avios to help you get to your dream destination faster!

    The RBC British Airways Visa Infinite card is the only credit card in Canada that allows you to earn Avios on every purchase you make. And for a limited time,earn 2x Avios when you make grocery store and gasoline purchases with your card. Avios can be redeemed for travel on British Airways and oneworld partner airlines.

    Annual fee is $165. The first year fee is not waived.

    • 1 Avios for every $1 CAD you spend on the card and 2 Avios for every $1 CAD you spend on British Airways.
    • Companion Award eVoucher when you spend $30,000 or more on your card in any calendar year.
    • Comprehensive insurances including Out of Province/Country Emergency Medical Insurance.
    • 10% off BA flights departing from Canada

    Apply for the card here

  • American Express Canada Rewards Promo 25% bonus – End August 31st

    I am the owner of the American Express Canada Gold Rewards Card and when I logged into my account today I noticed that they have a redemption bonus of 25% (until August 31, 2013).

    American Express Canada Gold Rewards Credit Card
    American Express Canada Gold Rewards Credit Card

    Usually 1,000 American Express Membership Rewards points = $10 credit toward travel spending. Your new return will be $12.50.

    This credit card has several perks when you register for this card:

    • Earn 20,000 Bonus Membership Rewards® points
    • Earn double points on many travel and everyday Card purchases (grocery, gas, and drugstores) and earn one point for every $1 in Card purchases everywhere else.
    • No annual fee for the first year.

    With the bonus American Express Membership Rewards points you would receive $250 off any travel booked! 

    How the redemption works is easy:

    On your account summary page, choose the hyperlink, “Use points for qualified travel transactions“.

    Hyperlink to use points for travel
    Hyperlink to use points for travel

    Then on your account summary page you will see the new bonus:

    Use your points against balance
    Use your points against balance

    What I like about this card is that it is flexible.

    Many people spend their travel dollars differently and you can use a travel agency, tour operator or even an online travel website to book your travel plans with these membership reward points that you earn. Charge last-minute flights, seat sales, car rentals, cruises, and more to your Card. Your points can even cover taxes and fees.

    Once it charge appears on your statement, call American Express to redeem your points. You will not see any blackouts or seat restrictions in your way when you redeem.

    You also have the option of transferring to to Aeroplan or other frequent flyer and hotel programs (usually on a 1 to 1 point basis).

    [button href=”http://canadiantravelhacking.com/go/amex-gold” align=”left”]Register for the American Express Canada Gold Reward Card[/button]

     

    [styled_box title=”Disclosure Statement” color=”black”]I own this credit card and by clicking on my referral link, you will earn a Welcome Bonus of 20,000 Membership Rewards points when you charge $500 in purchases to your Card in your first 3 months of Cardmembership. I earn a referral bonus of 10,000 commission Membership Rewards points if you successfully apply for the card. [/styled_box]