Canadian Airlines Plus - Merging Points from CP+ to Aeroplan

Has anyone heard if and when we will be able to merge our CP points into Aeroplan?

I hope it doesnt end up that we can only use those points on AC and not have the benefit of using them towards award travel with other Star Alliance carriers.

AC has always said it plans to fold Cdn+ into Aeroplan. It would not make sense to maintain two accounts [an old and a new one] for all Cdn+ members, so once the June 1st deadline for redeeming points from Cdn+ on other oneworld carriers has passed, the merging of accounts will likely occur. (It also appears Cdn's debt will be restructured by then, and AC will conclude the next stage of its purchase.) As well, it is likely at least half of Cdn+ members are also Aeroplan members, so a matching of databases must also occur, determining elite levels, etc.

I think it would still take a while for the accounts to merge since deadline for redeming on CX is Aug and some other airlines. AC would want us to use up as many of our points before they combine them and when they are combine, I am sure they will increase the award levels big time.

I wonder what will happen to the Canadian Plus Visa card and the Amex Canada MR program when the full merger occurs http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/confused.gif

[This message has been edited by Flyaway (edited 03-16-2000).]

My guess on Amex is that it will become (DL| CO|AA) instead of (DL|CO|CP). Sometimes hard to remember CP isn't the only airline partner.

Not sure about the Points Accelerator, though I'd guess it would stay for at least the first year to encourage loyalty.

A while back I suggested it might go to AC, but I read that CIBC has an exclusive on Aeroplan credit cards.

andrew

If CIBC has an exclusive right to Aeroplan, where does Diner's Club fit in I wonder?

American Express cards that have membership rewards are also not technically credit cards, but charge cards. Hopefully, this will allow them to negotiate with AC.

Being a AMEX Platinum holder, I am hoping this is the case. Otherwise, its Aerogold for me.

Diners Card is likely lock in for quite a while since AC made a long term agreement with CitiBank when they bought out the enroute credit card operation from AC. And of course there is the lounge provisions of the enroute version of the card. I think Amex is locked out of the market for the time being, and will as pointed out rely on the other carriers it is allied with. (Hope details emerge soon, since we need to transfer points somewhere before the 3,500 point levy comes into play, and it may be beneficial to move them into a combined Aeroplan/Cdn+ account rather than my piddly DL one. AA is not a Canadian Amex partner yet, is it? Don't think so. There is also the STARWOOD option, but the point conversion doesn't appear very positive.)

As for Royal Bank, they may go the route of some of the U.S. credit cards which have a different form of airline program which is more like AIRMILES (i.e. more than one airline for redeeming miles with), i.e. you can cash in your points for tickets on any of these carriers, but not top-off your account with the carriers. It blends Amex approach with their (and Diners) U.S. programs which don't have such a direct airline tie in to a given carrier also.

Last note: On an Alberta-wide talk show this morning, a Cdn airport agent talked about the future of Cdn+, indicating that June 1st is the target to merge with Aeroplan, or at least to put Cdn+ into STAR. So there won't be an orphan period vis a vis lounge access (for high end elites) and point redemption. Also, he was clear that anyone with both a Cdn+ and an Aeroplan account would have their Cdn+ account merged into their existing Aeroplan one. (I suppose automatically if names and addresses are identical. Any variance would likely confuse the computer and set up a new Aeroplan account and require manual merging.)

[This message has been edited by Shareholder (edited 03-17-2000).]