I just came across an old Aeroplan email dated May 14, 2013 ...

The email said I became an Aeroplan member in 2005 (I think after Canadian Airlines folded) and earned 1,324,958 Aeroplan points since joining.

I figure less than 100,000 were earned through flying, 300,000 were from a deal I made with Air Canada for some old memorabilia I bought on E-Bay for $50 (thank you Charlie McKee) and the rest from buying PCs for where I worked on my own Visa card that I then expensing them back to the company I worked for (a negotiated "benefit" )....

I retired in 2010 (my wife was still working) and did three RTWs and a trip to Africa all in First Class and NZ/Perth in business. Lots of trips to Hawaii, Europe and within Canada/US in business class as well.

To this day I still pay everything with my CIBC Visa and hound CIBC each renewal date for bonus points. I am down to about 265,000 now. Likely use them for some business class tickets to Hawaii, San Francisco and visit friends in Whitehorse.

Not too many complaints about Aeroplan from me .....