Over the past year I took steps to accumulate Aeroplan points (via premium credit card applications) because these points used to be worth something.

As a resident of a small hick town I am dependent on Air Canada Jazz for my once every month or two trips to civilization, usually a two to three day trip over a weekend.

Starting at the beginning of this year, looking at the Aeroplan awards availability chart for Jazz flights from my hometown to YVR, there is virtually ZERO availabilty to fly out of town for the weekend, all year long. If a Thursday or Friday flight is available, there is no return flight Sunday night or Monday. For weekends with Monday return flight availablle, there is no flight out on the Friday. Very occasionally there is a Friday night flight out with an early Sunday morning return, ie. only one usable day in Vancouver.

It is as if Aeroplan/Jazz said to themselves, "People would like to take a 2 or three day break over the weekend. Let's make it impossible for them to do this, so they will have to buy tickets instead".

I understand limited availability, and I understand you can't always get an award ticket on they days you want. However blocking out every single weekend for an entire year is excessive. Considering I paid good money for premium credit cards to amass these Aeroplan points, I feel ripped off.

Anyway I realize there is nothing I can do about this but as a warning to others, if you live in a small town serviced by Air Canada Jazz, don't bother to get an Aeroplan rewards credit card.