I've been travelling on AC on and off for the last 10 years. I also haven't done anything with those points so I have over half a million sitting there thanks to flights, Esso, etc.

Now, I know they can be used for booking flights (yeah right, good luck with that mess) and cars/hotels; but I don't see that as the best use of the miles. I'm thinking of cashing them in for gift certicates like the Future Shop ones and let AC buy me a new big screen LCD television. (and I don't mean use the points to buy FS items either). I figure I can get roughly 8 or 9 $500 CDN Future Shop GC totalling up to $4000 give or take.

I'll probably keep adding to my balance over the years, but I refuse to fly AC AC internationally nowadays though.

Any thoughts or ideas on better use of the points? I suppose I could transfer them to another program but I'd only be interested in SPG, Continental or AMEX MR points. And as usual, transferring usually dilutes the value...

TIA