Unprecedented: American Express Transfer Bonus to Air Canada Aeroplan (Targeted)

You won’t see this offer unless you’re logged into your American Express Membership Rewards account, but some people at least are targeted for a 20% transfer bonus to Aeroplan and I do not recall ever seeing an Aeroplan transfer bonus before though no doubt readers will correct me if my memory fails. I’m targeted myself:

I find though that I use Aeroplan quite frequently (at least as a Membership Rewards transfer partner) for 55,000 mile business class one-way awards between the US and nearer Europe. However I’m not taking advantage of this — I have half a million Aeroplan miles already and Air Canada is launching a new frequent flyer program in 2020 at which point Aeroplan will lose access to Star Alliance awards. I don’t see Aeroplan as a long term store of value.

That said points transfer instantly, and with Aeroplan you can even have a stopover (visit a city along the way to or from your destination) on a roundtrip award and an open jaw (either come back from a different city than the one you arrive in, or return to a different city than the one you started in).

Aeroplan does add fuel surcharges to award tickets on some of airlines. However you can book award tickets on Star Alliance partners without fuel surcharges if you stick to travel on specific airlines like Air China, Air New Zealand, Brussels Airlines, EgyptAir, EVA Airways, Scandinavian, Singapore, Swiss, Turkish or United.


Copyright: ronniechua / 123RF Stock Photo

Fuel surcharges are whatever would be charged on a similar, paid itinerary. LOT fuel surcharges are low, so booking an Aeroplan award on LOT Polish isn’t very costly.

Aeroplan doesn’t put awards on hold. So you can’t lock in an award with available space now, and then make the transfer. But you can call, set up an award, and make the transfer while you’re on the phone.

If you do proactively make a transfer bear in mind that you eed activity in your account every 12 months to keep miles from expiring.

(HT: Mommy Points)

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