heraclitus

On a related note, I noticed that I now have enough AMs to consider going overseas (until now my redemptions have all been within NA). However, the fees imposed by Air Miles are downright savage, as bad as AE if not worse.

Is there any way to reduce the fee damage for flights to Europe, as you can with AE by booking flights on non scamcharge airlines like UA, etc.?

YYCCL3

I'm not sure if this is the only answer, but really the only value for booking flights via AM these days is oddball itineraries within North America on short notice. Like Whitehorse to Fort Mac or something like that.

I had enough AM last year to book a couple of round trips to Europe but instead found much better value in watching for Onyx discounted items such as a high end baby stroller, high end car seat, video monitor, discounted ski resort tickets etc.

heraclitus

^ Thanks for the insights.

I will say that as a non-elite on AC, AM whips AE when it comes to North American offerings. It is almost impossible for me to use AE to get to Hawaii without a really annoying overnight on the way, whereas AM offers up a plethora of options that would get me there quickly. Surcharges are under $200... not cheap, but not crazy like the ones for Europe where they are more than half the price of a regular Y seat.

I guess I'll just use the AMs for more travel in or around NA, and avoid overseas flights. I feel badly for the grandmas who have been saving AMs for years only to find out that at best they might save a couple hundred dollars on a Tango seat for their trip to Old Blighty.

rowenb

My elderly parents in Canada have accumulated over 10000 AM 'dream miles' over the years, and occasionally ask me to help them try and find ways to spend them.

Yesterday I found what seems like a pretty good use for them - flying YGK-MSP on AC. With 4 months' notice, the cash fare was C$737, but with Air Miles I could get the ticket for 1840 AM + C$132 in taxes/fees. So, that's an implied value of 33 cents per AM, which seems favorable.

smallmj

Looks like a great deal, if they have any reason to go to MSP.

Oh, I see that MSP is one of your locations, so a family visit is a pretty good reason.

I burned all of my dream miles on hotels after I learned that they were useless for my intended purpose -- TATL flights.

1Newflyer

I don't know what else you are seeking? Getting that much for your points is a lottery. I spent my on hotels at 12-13 c per mile. And it was hard work. These bookings are not refundable so I needed to wait until the last minute to book when I was certain I will travel. O yes and you can not get the room within the 2 days from the booked date. That means I can not book it for today or tomorrow or day after. Too many restrictions, I am giving up on these. 1000 or so left to get rid off and I will be done. I changed the card to cash but earning few miles as other vendors are cheaper than the ones affiliated with AM.

smallmj

I'm down to 40 dream miles that I'll never use. Cash miles are much less frustrating to spend.

I earn a decent number of cash miles. Most of them come from gas and groceries. The only gas station in my town is an Irving, so it's easy to earn them there. My grocery spend is split between Sobeys/Foodland and Superstore/YIG. I often pick based on who has the best bakery bread. Foodland>>>Superstore/YIG>Sobeys>>>>>>>>>>>Walmart.

Ontariotraveller

I, as well, have collected airmiles most of my adult life. We used miles to get family flights to Florida over the years, movie passes, attraction tickets...
In the past years, we have had no luck getting the flights we looked for (even 10 months out) although we saw flights available on Westjet or AC sites. If there were flights they were not direct and for many extra miles. Again taxes are crazy.
Our best redemption last October was for a car rental in Florida. 15 days for 2,200 and $55 cash for taxes, picked up in Miami (by cruiseport), drop off at Fort Myers airport. I will use my remaining miles for car rentals while travelling over the next years.
i no longer have a AM credit card but have switched to West jet and SPG (for amazing hotel redemptions).

Symmetre

As others have noted, I always found the best value was in last-minute short-hauls. I don't know if AM sometimes had seats they were happy to purge or what, but I've had some good redemptions on YYZ-YOW turns, for example, booked at the 11th hour.

Error 601

I use them for rental cars and just about nothing else.

mahasamatman

Bingo.

sokolov

Last year, there was an option to donate Dream Miles to the Canadian Red Cross for Fort McMurray. It was 95 dream miles per $10 donation. It would trigger a tax receipt from the Red Cross (yay!), but, sadly, also a neverending slew of spam mail. Canada Post must be happy.

Maybe there is a similar thing this Summer.

YXUFlyboy

They are good for last minute air travel over short distances (like in your case, YYC-YVR), but that's not much of an incentive if you are AC*SE with a billion AE miles. I do not have such problems, however, so they are handy for that for me and I easily get the highest redemption rate this way if it's last minute (as the fares are often very high).

sokolov

If you can find availability.

Last year, my friend tried to book YHZ-YYZ, and she could not find availability with Air Miles over a two month (!) period. There are dozens of flights per day on that route!

On a few dates, the air miles websit said something like "sorry, no flights available, unless you want to pay a higher price", i.e. more airmiles. And, no, that was not business class.

The company is simply leading Canadians on.

1Newflyer

Its their business model. Most companies operate on the basis to make money by deceit. Just look up the advertisement budget in Canada by goods and service providers.