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UPDATE: The booking window for this promo is now closed
Air Canada has taken some of the most aggressive and innovative steps to keep its loyalty members engaged during the lockdown. We've seen the airline offer flexible change and cancelation policies, the ability to buy Aeroplan miles at 1¢ a piece, the ability to earn 10X miles on Uber Eats orders, and the opportunity to earn elite status from home simply by transferring miles—all while continuing to roll out its partnership with Etihad as planned.
Well, Aeroplan still has some tricks up its sleeve. Aeroplan just announced that certain domestic and trans-border award redemptions will be eligible for a 50% mileage refund—effectively halving the award price:
Key Terms
- Offer valid on new bookings made by July 1, 2020 for travel between July 1, 2020 and October 15, 2020
- Award redemptions for travel within Canada or between Canada and the U.S. can receive 50% of the miles back
- Flights must be operated by Air Canada to be eligible
- Aeroplan miles will be credited back within three weeks after the qualifying flights are completed
- Applies to one-way or round-trip fixed mileage and market fare flight rewards; not applicable on Star Alliance Upgrade Awards, AC Bid upgrades, or when using miles to pay for the taxes, fees and surcharges associated with a flight reward
Half-Priced Award Tickets
Aeroplan's award chart lumps Canadian domestic flights together with trans-border flights to or from the continental U.S., further breaking down the award price into ‘Short-Haul' and ‘Long-Haul'.
Here is what the standard Air Canada award chart looks like for domestic and trans-border flights:
And here is how much the same awards will effectively cost (after the refund) if booked during the promotional period:
One of the most popular Air Canada short-haul routes is the 370-mile hop from New York (LGA) to Toronto (YYZ). Under this promotion, members can score a one-way economy ticket for just 3,750 miles, or a business class ticket for only 7,500 miles.
In my opinion, it's the long-haul options that present an even better value. Air Canada utilizes wide-body aircraft fitted with comfortable long-haul business class seats on some of these North American itineraries.
For example, take this one-way itinerary from Vancouver (YVR) to Toronto (YYZ). Air Canada operates a Boeing 787 Dreamliner on some of these segments, featuring its Signature Business Class product. Cash rates are often around $700 one-way. But under this award promotion, you can book this flight for just 12,500 Aeroplan miles after the 50% refund. That's an incredible deal!
Getting Aeroplan Miles
Want to take advantage of this deal but don't have Aeroplan miles yet? Don't worry! Aeroplan is a transfer partner of:
- American Express Membership Rewards (1:1 transfer ratio, immediate transfer)
- Capital One Miles (4:3 transfer ratio, immediate transfer)
- Marriott Bonvoy points (3:1 transfer ratio with a 5,000-mile bonus for transferring 60,000 points, 4-5 day transfer)
Final Thoughts
Air Canada continues to impress with its ability to pivot and innovate to continue providing value to its customers. While limiting this promotion to domestic and trans-border routes restricts the number of people who will find this valuable, it's still a very compelling price if you were planning a trip like this anyway.
Are you booking Air Canada award flights with a 50% mileage rebate?
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