woolfie

Hi

Bottom line...I need help
I have 1.2M Aeroplan points (collected them over the years) and have no idea how best to use them
Yes - Business or First class...however, Im a newbie when it comes to maximizing them etc. and just go to aeroplan.com
Two questions. Family of 4
What is the best RTW option...given these points are going away in 2019....should I convert them to something else?
Any advice appreciated.
Any reccomendations for a paid travel service also handy
Thanks

rankourabu

When I work with my clients, I ask them for 3 destinations if they have a month to travel, and we go from there.
If you are just taking your family for a quick vacation, dont try to do to much. Maybe two roundtrips, that will be 600 (4 people) for each one in J.

Think of 2 or 3 places in the world you would like to go. You have enough miles to take the whole family. In advance availability should be ok.

Jumper Jack

NA - EU- Asia - Aus for J is 160K per person (YYZ - LHR - PVG(via CPH) - SYD/MEL - YYZ(via YVR) for ex
But even that is like.... 640K/1.2M

You don't really need a paid service, a EF subscription is sufficient imo, alternatively work out an agreement with your employer who comp you for using points for work travel.

FlyerGoldII

the theory and practice are 2 very different things.

The theory - you can get business or first class on any flight in the world.

The practice - more and more- esp long haul North American business class tickets or transatlantic or transpacific or intercontinental flights- business and first class awards will more likely be only available to the top tier/"elite" passengers of that airline. For example, if you want a long haul North American or overseas flight in business class on AC - basically you need to be a SE to get access to those flights (known as priority awards). Even economy is difficult to get on a reliable basis - unless one is a SE; if a passenger has onbe of the Elite levels (35k, 50K, 75K), - one can get on a reliable basis such awards (also known as priority awards) by using 2x the usual number of Aeroplan miles.

And it is seldom possible to get (at least a non-priority award) more than 2 award seats in a premium cabin on the same flight on any airline.

ChrisA330

Jasper2009

There is a dedicated thread listing and discussing various award booking services:
Award booking services - a list and some reviews

As mentioned above by FlyerGoldII, finding availability for four passengers would be a major challenge, though not entirely impossible if you are flexible date-wise.

drvannostren

It should be said, the points aren't GOinG AWAY either per se. Sure we don't know exactly what's gonna happen, and I'm a bit worried too, so I'm trying to earn enough for 1 redemption then burn them before next year too, but based on what AP has said, they'll still have plenty of airline partnerships. I can't imagine they "transfer" the points 1:1 then jack up the redemptions 10 fold. I'm assuming there'll be a deval, but to me the bigger fear is that the redemptions just won't be as good or the partnerships will be with random-ish airlines. With 1.2 million points, you could try a RTW in J for the whole fam, it'll be hard to find, but it would exhaust most of those points. Alternatively and easier, you could try and get an RTW in economy for 4, or for 2y2j or 3y1j kinda thing and burn a good chunk, then burn the rest on gift cards or trinkets.

Of course you could always donate a big chunk to me, I can burn them

rankourabu

That may be the case for the non-desireable flights on AC metal (that will cost the OP $4000 in scamcharges), noone really wants those flights, so the extra availability to SEs doesnt really affect the OP.

Other airlines will be hard for four tickets, but not impossible. I just sent 3 people on TK and LX to Asia with just 4 months advance notice.

woolfie

Good Morning.
Thanks for the post.
Sorry for the ignorance...what is an 'EF Subscription"
As for an employer....good alternative but I work for myself..
Thank you

woolfie

Thanks Jasper!

24left

https://www.expertflyer.com

rankourabu

You dont really need an EF subscription. You can search for free on aeroplan.com and united.com (award search - saver awards) and call into Aeroplan to book.

24left

Maybe.

But Jack wrote:

Then OP asked

So I replied with the link, because we all try to be helpful here on FT.

FlyerGoldII

Please give me actual examples of areas you disagree with.

I can give you one example- I have looked for UA availability to Hawaii in Nov in any cabin (economy or premium) between many UA mainland hubs and Honolulu - using both KVS tool and expert flyer and the Aeroplan web site - nothing for several dates.


I can give you a second example - between YOW/YYZ/YUL and MCO in Sept (on several dates) - there are a relatively few (I am not saying "zero") non-priority economy or business class Aeroplan award seats on AC.

Third example- I booked flights (about a month ago) on AC in mid Oct between Canada and Munich. I booked a latitutde fare -got upgrade because of Z class availability; no R class - so no priority awards on those flights for business class. This means no regular Aeroplan award business class availabitity for those flights..

longtimeflyin

Within 2 weeks of departure as an example, it is easy to book 4 people on EVA Air as an example from Toronto to Taipei in business class. In fact I recently made a booking for 8 on the same flight (I too am guilty of not using my Aeroplan miles until recently as I try and light those points all on fire lately). Turkish Airlines - I recently booked 4 in business class as well (Istanbul to Toronto). Aegean - recently booked 3 from Istanbul to Athens in business.