Master Thread American Express Aeroplan cards
#17
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Toronto, Ont., Canada
Programs: Aeroplan; Marriott Platinum; IHG Platinum; Best Western Diamond
Posts: 2,131
#18
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 3,359
One of the great values in having Aeroplan be a transfer partner for AE is that you know you can use your reward points across a variety of * partners and other airline partners like Canadian North. What's unclear about the new program (and would greatly impact the value of the Aeroplan points) is whether there would be such partner availability in the new program and secondly if it would follow an award chart found on most * airline FFPs. I suspect part of this will depend directly on how many award seats AC releases to their * partners. Sure there's a ton of places AC flies to but partners patch up a lot of the missing coverage in AC's network (i.e. it's been a while since I saw a LHR bound AC flight departing from FRA). Similarly, it will be a real shame if I can't redeem my Altitude points in 2020 for flights to YFB or if the cost is quite prohibitive.
Safe Travels,
James
#19
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC SEMM / HH Diamond
Posts: 3,140
I believe you that you believe it .... but I'd like to understand more about who said it, when it was said, and the context in which it was said.
#20
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 3,359
Key takeaways from the report:
- AC ranks second in award seat availability globally with some 96.4% of routes having availability overall during the report period
- Even for long haul rewards, AC ranks a strong second with 94.3% of routes having availability
- AC ranks relatively low in terms of the value of points 2.4% return for non-elites and 4.8% return for elites (compare that to 1.8% and 8.9% respectively from WS)
Safe Travels,
James
#21
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: トロント
Programs: IHG Gold
Posts: 4,809
I would like to see a premium AMEX card with similar benefits to P25K or E35K. The card would come with a high annual fee ($1000+), but the benefits would be worth it. I know many FFs would not like seeing the priority lines a little longer from credit card benefits, and not from Altitude status.
I think I would pay for a good AMEX card that came with priority boarding, lounge access, free checked bags, etc. Some do exist already, but they seem to have considerably more limitations on them when compared with what I would like to see.
I think I would pay for a good AMEX card that came with priority boarding, lounge access, free checked bags, etc. Some do exist already, but they seem to have considerably more limitations on them when compared with what I would like to see.
#22
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 314
There are the CIBC/TD Visa Infinite Privilege cards which are essentially the same as P25K status (priority checkin, some AC lounge passes) for $399/year already so I agree $1000 would be a tough sell.
#23
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 3,359
- BA Premium Plus Credit Card (UK)
- 195 quid annual fee
- 25,000 Avios sign up bonus
- 2 for 1 travel voucher after spending 10,000 quid each year
- 1.5 Avios per quid spent everywhere or 3 Avios per quid spent on BA
- Delta Reserve Credit Card (USA)
- $450 annual fee
- 75,000 sign up bonus
- Earn 2 miles per dollar spent at DL, 1 mile everywhere else
- MQM (Status) Acceleration
- Earn 5,000 MQM sign up bonus
- Earn 15,000 MQM after spending $30,000 in a year
- Earn another 15,000 MQM after spending $60,000 in a year
- Annual Companion Travel Certificate
- Delta Sky Club Access
- Main Cabin 1 Boarding
Safe Travels,
James
#24
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: YYT
Programs: M-Bonvoy Platinum Elite, Aeroplan 50K, DragonPass, AMEX MR, NEXUS
Posts: 1,715
P25K would just be a start. I didn't want to push that agenda too much knowing how many SE100Ks are on here! AMEX cardholders getting the equivalent of E35K for a $1000 yearly card would not likely go over well.
#25
Formerly known as newbie elite
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: YUL
Programs: IHG Diamond Ambassador, Accor Platinum, AC50K
Posts: 2,919
The best airline status I ever got by credit card was the short lived Marco Polo Gold (OW Sapphire) via Amex Plat which paid for itself in BA CW seat reservation fees. Think it only lasted one year.
#27
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Windsor/Detroit
Programs: AC*SE, Wyndham Dimond, Marriott Plat, Amex Plat CND & USA, active military, Yoga teacher.
Posts: 148
I used to have the card before I had status. The card is good for when you fly 3-5 round trips a year with bags.
Get your bag checked free.
You get to use the Mill free in international that 35K does not get.
The 2 for 1 redemption is worth $500, you get a $200 travel credit.
So you are paying $199 for a priority pass membership and entrance, Mill pass, 5 free checked bags, priority check in.
Get your bag checked free.
You get to use the Mill free in international that 35K does not get.
The 2 for 1 redemption is worth $500, you get a $200 travel credit.
So you are paying $199 for a priority pass membership and entrance, Mill pass, 5 free checked bags, priority check in.
#28
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Ottawa
Posts: 202
I looked at it years ago when I lost my status with Air Canada and came to a similar concision - $900 is an awful lot for what you get.
The actual cost may be less though, The $200 travel credit lowers the actual cost of the card since anyone considering a travel card presumably spends more than that on travel a year. The annual aeroplan partner ticket may have a similar value. The unlimited lounge access seems great, but you can buy an awful lot of lounge access for that annual fee.
In then end, I went for the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege which has a very similar features (excluding the $200 travel credit and aeroplan partner ticket, and "only" 10 lounge accesses annually) and costs much less but still not cheap ($400 annually) . I easily get back considerably more in benefits/extra miles than the cost difference from a standard $100 annual aeroplan Visa Infinite so it works well for me, but of course the value of the features depends on the user. That - with Nexus - seems to be a really good combination if your traveling a reasonable amount without status like I do.
The actual cost may be less though, The $200 travel credit lowers the actual cost of the card since anyone considering a travel card presumably spends more than that on travel a year. The annual aeroplan partner ticket may have a similar value. The unlimited lounge access seems great, but you can buy an awful lot of lounge access for that annual fee.
In then end, I went for the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege which has a very similar features (excluding the $200 travel credit and aeroplan partner ticket, and "only" 10 lounge accesses annually) and costs much less but still not cheap ($400 annually) . I easily get back considerably more in benefits/extra miles than the cost difference from a standard $100 annual aeroplan Visa Infinite so it works well for me, but of course the value of the features depends on the user. That - with Nexus - seems to be a really good combination if your traveling a reasonable amount without status like I do.
#29
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: YYZ
Posts: 72
I have had this card for two years, and I am happy with the value overall.
I'm basically a person who does a fair amount of personal travel (8-10 roundtrips on AC metal per year) but I redeem Aeroplan points for many of these trips, so I have not had status for the past few years. I also do a small amount of NA business travel. I probably put about 100K/year on the card, including about 10K of AC spend, with some of that being OPM. Importantly, AC spend is 2 Aeroplan points per dollar on this card.
Both years, I've been able to use the Aeroplan 2-for-1 for a booking I would have wanted to make anyway. So I value the "free" 25,000 points at about $300.
I use the $200 travel credit for a travel purchase I would have made anyway (I compare prices on Amex travel to other sites when booking to ensure that Amex travel prices aren't inflated for the specific purchase). So I look at that as basically $200 cash-equivalent.
So those two things are about $500 in value.
I probably use the free bag more than 5 times per year ($30/bag). Yes it is capped at 5 bags per year in the terms and conditions. Implementation varies, however
So now we're at, at least, $650 in value.
At this point, the residual cost of $250 is similar to, if not better than, other Aeroplan premium cards. For that remainder, the MLL lounge access, priority check-in, unlimited priority pass access, insurance benefits etc. are worth it to me, personally. I understand my situation may not apply to others.
I'm basically a person who does a fair amount of personal travel (8-10 roundtrips on AC metal per year) but I redeem Aeroplan points for many of these trips, so I have not had status for the past few years. I also do a small amount of NA business travel. I probably put about 100K/year on the card, including about 10K of AC spend, with some of that being OPM. Importantly, AC spend is 2 Aeroplan points per dollar on this card.
Both years, I've been able to use the Aeroplan 2-for-1 for a booking I would have wanted to make anyway. So I value the "free" 25,000 points at about $300.
I use the $200 travel credit for a travel purchase I would have made anyway (I compare prices on Amex travel to other sites when booking to ensure that Amex travel prices aren't inflated for the specific purchase). So I look at that as basically $200 cash-equivalent.
So those two things are about $500 in value.
I probably use the free bag more than 5 times per year ($30/bag). Yes it is capped at 5 bags per year in the terms and conditions. Implementation varies, however
So now we're at, at least, $650 in value.
At this point, the residual cost of $250 is similar to, if not better than, other Aeroplan premium cards. For that remainder, the MLL lounge access, priority check-in, unlimited priority pass access, insurance benefits etc. are worth it to me, personally. I understand my situation may not apply to others.
#30
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 161
Is that $200 per calendar year or cardmember year?