Starting with a high level overview of Aeroplan we will examine how to best maximize your reward. From last-minute short haul flights to complicated mini-round-the-world redemptions, all your questions will be answered. Shout out your points balance and watch the experts weave an itinerary that will blow your mind.

1. Travel Hacking Strategies
PointsU Calgary
2017
Maximizing Aeroplan

2. Introductions
PointsU Calgary

3. Who are we?
MATT
Victoria, BC
A Whistle & A Light
awhistleandalight.com
ALLAN
Ottawa, ON
Pekflyer
pekflyer.com
KENDRICK
Richmond, BC
Travel & Live Free
travelandlivefree.com

4. Who are you?
?
NAME
Where you from?
1 thing you want to learn here

5. Today’s session
Starting with a high level overview of Aeroplan we will examine how to best maximize
your reward. From last-minute short haul flights to complicated mini-round-the-world
redemptions, all your questions will be answered. Shout out your points balance and
watch the experts weave an itinerary that will blow your mind.
Earning &
Redeeming
Aeroplan
Mini RTW
Discussion and
Demonstration
30 mins 30 mins 30 mins

6. What do you know?
Beginner Expert
Earning & Redeeming Aeroplan

7. PointsU Calgary
Earning Aeroplan

8. Air Canada Aeroplan – Ways to Earn
Shop CardsFlights

9. Air Canada Aeroplan – Ways to Earn
Flights ShopCards
YCD-YVR
Spend = $100
Earn = 33 miles
YVR-FRA
Spend = $1000
Earn = 5,000 miles
Esso
Spend = $30
Earn = 10 miles
Fairmont
Spend = $300
Earn = 500 miles
Amex Gold
Spend = $150
Earn = 25,000 miles
Amex Biz Platinum
Spend = $399
Earn = 75,000 miles

10. Credit Cards – Ways to Earn
SpendSignup Refer

11. Co-Branded - Earn Aeroplan points directly
TDCIBC AMEX

12. Flexible Programs - Convert to Aeroplan
MR SELECT
1→0.625 (via SPG)
MR
1→ 1
SPG
1→1.25

13. Ways to Earn - Flights - Resources
Where to Credit
Air Canada Earn Chart GCMap
Aeroplan Partner Earn Charts

14. Ways to Earn - Shop - Resources
Aeroplan Partners
Aeroplan eStore SHOP.ca

15. Ways to Earn - Cards - Resources
Blogs
r/churningcanada Milesbuzz Canada (FlyerTalk)

16. Questions?
Comments, queries, concerns?
Earning Aeroplan

17. PointsU Calgary - Maximizing Aeroplan
Redeeming Aeroplan

18. Things to consider
Routing Rules & Stopovers
Taxes and Fees
Mileage
Routing Options
Availability

19. Routing Options
Routing Options

20. How do I get there?
Direct Star Alliance flights from Calgary

21. www.flightconnections.com
Routing Options - FlightConnections

22. Routing Options – Fltmaps/Innovata
Star Alliance Route map
http://starmap.fltmaps.com/en

23. Routing Options – Kayak Direct
https://www.kayak.com/direct/

24. Routing Options – Kayak Direct
See which days they operate – save time searching
See what connection times would be like

25. Routing Options – Google Flights
Star Alliance Filter

26. Mileage
Mileage

27. Award Chart – Region based

28. Mileage - AwardHacker
http://www.awardhacker.com/

29. Mileage - AwardHacker

30. Availability
Availability

31. Availability - Award.Finder
Award.Finder

32. Availability - AwardFinder

33. Availability - AwardFinder

34. Availability - AwardFinder
Search multiple days (+1 or +31)

35. Taxes and Fees
Taxes and Fees

36. Taxes and Fees
www.princeoftravel.com

37. Taxes and Fees
www.princeoftravel.com

38. Taxes and Fees
www.princeoftravel.com

39. Taxes and Fees
www.pointsnerd.ca
The Comprehensive List of Star Alliance Partners and Fuel Surcharge

40. Taxes and Fees
www.princeoftravel.com
X
X X
X
XX
X

41. Stopovers & Routing Rules
Stopovers & Routing
Rules

42. Aeroplan Routing Rules
One way
● No Stopovers
Canada → Canada/Cont. USA
● 1 stopover/1 open jaw
● Point of turnaround
Canada → Hawaii/PR/Mex/Ctrl
America/Caribbean
● AC Only
○ 2 stopovers / 1 stop + 1 open jaw
○ Point of turnaround
● Star Alliance
○ 1 stopover + 1 open jaw
○ Point of turnaround
LAY
OVER
<24h
STOP
OVER
>24h
OPEN
JAW
A A
A A
A B
Intercontinental
● 2 stopovers / 1 stop + 1 open jaw
● Point of turnaround
Intra-continental
● 1 open jaw
POINT
OF
TURN POTA B

43. Open Jaw
POINT
OF
TURN POTA B

44. Domestic - Layover v Stopover

45. International - Layover v Stopover

46. Questions?
Comments, queries, concerns?
Redeeming Aeroplan

47. PointsU Calgary
Mini RTW

48. What is a Round the World trip?

49. Regular Round the World
Doesn’t have to go literally around the world.
Usually just has to start/end in same place or region
$2,500 - $7,000
Star Alliance
- Up to 16 segments
- Up to 15 stopovers
- 26,000 – 39,000 miles
SkyTeam
OneWorld
OR Travel Agent (Flight Centre)

50. Aeroplan’s official RTW

51. Aeroplan Mini RTW - What you can do
Aeroplan Luxury
• Trip
– Calgary →
– Istanbul →
– Cape Town →
– Rio de Janeiro →
– Calgary
• Details
– 450,000 miles
– $1080 total
– 3 people
– Business Class
– Retail value = $27,000

52. Aeroplan Mini RTW - What you can do
An Example ( 2016 )
• Trip:
Ottawa→Toronto→Taipei→Seoul→Beijing→Tokyo→Sydney→Istanbul→Bologna→Co
penhagen→Toronto→Ottawa
• Detail: 320,000 miles | $800 total | 2 people | Business Class | Retail value = $40,000

53. Aeroplan Routing Rules
One way
● No Stopovers
Canada → Canada/Cont. USA
● 1 stopover/1 open jaw
● Point of turnaround
Canada → Hawaii/PR/Mex/Ctrl
America/Caribbean
● AC Only
○ 2 stopovers / 1 stop + 1 open jaw
○ Point of turnaround
● Star Alliance
○ 1 stopover + 1 open jaw
○ Point of turnaround
LAY
OVER
<24h
STOP
OVER
>24h
OPEN
JAW
A A
A A
A B
Intercontinental
● 2 stopovers / 1 stop + 1 open jaw
● Point of turnaround
Intra-continental
● 1 open jaw

54. Aeroplan Mini RTW - Terms to know
• Origin: The city from which your itinerary begins.
• Stopover: A stop in a city other than your destination for more than 24 hours
• Layover: A stop in a city other than your destination for less than 24 hours
• Open-jaw: A break in your itinerary where you make your own way between
two cities
• MPM: Maximum permitted mileage for an itinerary between an origin and a
destination
• Destination: The city farthest from your origin in which you stop for more than
24 hours

55. Destination?
A BB C C D
Origin
DA
Which one is the Destination?

56. Destination?
Which one is the Destination?

57. What is MPM?
BBB
AAA
1,000mi
1,000mi
Maximum permitted mileage for an itinerary between
an origin and a destination
MPM
AAA - BBB = 3,000mi

58. What is MPM?
Destination
Origin
1,000mi
Stopover
500mi
500mi
✅
MPM
AAA - BBB = 3,000mi
Total = 2,000mi

59. What is MPM?
Destination
Origin
1,000mi
Stopover
1,000mi
1,000mi
✅ Total = 3,000mi
MPM
AAA - BBB = 3,000mi

60. What is MPM?
Destination
Origin
1,000mi
Stopover
1,001mi
1,000mi
❌ Total = 3,001mi
MPM
AAA - BBB = 3,000mi

61. Why is this all so important?
Only as much as the cost to the
Destination

62. MPM?
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/air-canada-aer
oplan/1624770-aeroplan-city-pair-mileage-new
-pseudo-mpm.html

63. •Pick a city you want to go to
•Find out the MPM to that city from
your city
•Add stopovers that satisfy the rules
•Check for availability
•CALL TO BOOK
Gameplan

64. Let’s test!
One way
● No Stopovers
Canada → Canada/Cont. USA
● 1 stopover/1 open jaw
● Point of turnaround
Canada → Hawaii/PR/Mex/Ctrl
America/Caribbean
● AC Only
○ 2 stopovers / 1 stop + 1 open jaw
○ Point of turnaround
● Star Alliance
○ 1 stopover + 1 open jaw
○ Point of turnaround
LAY
OVER
<24h
STOP
OVER
>24h
OPEN
JAW
A A
A A
A B
Intercontinental
● 2 stopovers / 1 stop + 1 open jaw
● Point of turnaround
Intra-continental
● 1 open jaw

65. Questions?
Comments, queries, concerns?
PointsU Calgary

66. Thanks!
MATT
Victoria, BC
A Whistle & A Light
awhistleandalight.com
ALLAN
Ottawa, ON
Pekflyer
pekflyer.com
KENDRICK
Richmond, BC
Travel & Live Free
travelandlivefree.com