Originally Posted by
ylwae
You can use your points for things which don't incur a fuel surcharge, like a gift card or a golf club.
Unless you have masses of points that you couldn't hope to redeem on flights, the exchange of points for merchandise is well-regarded as a blatant rip-off. You'd be far better to purchase the items or benefits using cash.
Originally Posted by
ylwae
You can find flights which incur much less in the way of extra charges if you're willing to be flexible with routing and carriers.
For the most part that's possible only if you swallow an extra cost and phone an Aeroplan agent who has the ability to arrange redemptions that the website fails to offer.
Originally Posted by
ylwae
Or, if neither of those options works, you can leave AP and sign up with a program which you think offers you a better deal. Unfortunately, AP/AC won't notice you're gone.
Individually, perhaps not. But if enough people vowed off AC for a while, you can guarantee that would get Montie's attention.