SAAG

I'll be here in Canada for another 12-18 months, so still have time to collect points via spending on credit cards and bonuses for successfully applying for various credit cards.

I've already saved up enough aeroplan miles for 4 of us to fly business class one way from Canada to Malaysia (which will be our home base of sorts while we live and travel around SE Asia for a year or two).

However, I'd like to see if I can get enough points of some kind for the 4 of us to fly business class back home to Canada for a visit (and preferably a return flight since I don't think we'd be staying for long, but heading back to SE Asia for more exploring).

Any advice? or am I best off sticking to Aeroplan points for now?

lin821

See if this recent thread will give you some ideas:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/miles...-websites.html

SAAG

Just finished reading through it - thanks so much for the link!

If anyone else has any ideas, please keep 'em coming

arcticbull

Probably best converting AP to US while they're still in Star, assuming you're okay with round trips.

SAAG

The first trip (the one for which I already have enough miles saved in AP points) will be one-way.

After this, future trip could be round trips since I'd be flying "home" to visit family for a month or two, then back to SE Asia to live and travel.

Will have to search more for how it works to convert AP miles to US (assuming you mean US Airways? Sorry... not totally literate yet on the FT abbreviations... working on that!!)... I've found where you can convert US Airways points to AP, but not the other way around yet... will keep looking to see how it works, pros and cons etc.

If you have the time to write more, what is it about converting the AP point to US that you think is more beneficial vs. carrying on with AP?

arcticbull

You can send Aeroplan to US Airways via points.com at 1:0.85 if you have a US address on file. They're great at the moment since they only charge 90,000 miles round trip Business from North America <-> Asia1 (vs. AC's 125K) and they don't charge fuel surcharges, allow routing via Europe and a free stopover in Europe.

They are merging with AA so if you wanted to use their chart it would have to be sooner rather than later.

Also, 110K North America <-> Australia via Asia1 in Business.

SAAG

Thanks so much for the clarification! Helps this noob a lot

teriyaki

For SE Asia travel. One of the more lucrative ways to travel around is on BA Avios points.

4500 points get you a short-haul one way flight vs typical AC 25,000 for RT short-haul. Downside of the BA program is its limited to OneWorld partners, so this makes it very hard to redeem in North America but in Asia it has partners with Cathay Pacific, JAL and Malaysia Airlines so there should be plenty of available flights.

I'm personally burning a portion of my miles for my upcoming trip in september. BKK-HKG-TPE in Business J for 15K+9K points. Insane deal.

For CC bonuses, afaik there are two easy ways to acquire BA points for cheap and fast. There is the RBC BA card. Believe it requires $30,000 spend and has an annual fee, but it earns you a good 50,000 points so enough points for the whole family.

The way I did it was with the AMEX Gold Rewards. First year fee waived and 20,000 first year bonus amex points that transfer 1:1 to BA Avios with a referral. Referred my travelling companion and we're both doing the BKK-HKG-TPE run together. They can then refer to a 3rd person, that also gets the bonus and book their own flights and so on if you get my drift. imo better than the RBC offer.

SAAG

Thanks much for the suggestion Teriyaki I'll take a look at that for sure!

Cymro

Next year Qatar Airways will also join One World and their business class is sublime - better than BA in my opinion and aside from the menus, nearly identical to first - and often one of the cheaper products.

(Not that their food leaves anything to complain about, either).

Whereabouts in Canada are you? So far they only fly out of Montr�al but Chicago could also be an option, and their network is growing all the time.

SAAG

Oooo... sublime business class sounds nice

I'm in Winnipeg - desperately trying to escape the cold!!