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Aeroplan is bringing the north closer to you with its latest partnership with Canadian regional carrier PAL Airlines. You can now earn and redeem Aeroplan points for flights on PAL Airlines. But perhaps the even bigger news is that Aeroplan teased that it's releasing a new Canadian regional award chart in 2023.
What Is PAL Airlines?
Not to be confused with its Filipino namesake, PAL Airlines is a small Canadian airline serving Northeast Canada from its HQ in St. John’s, Newfoundland, and Labrador.
The airline is based in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, and operates to various destinations in Quebec and eastern Canada. PAL’s fleet of aircraft is all turboprops. The fleet features aircraft like the Beech 1900D and the Dash 8-Q400 in an all-economy configuration.
Most of the routes served by the airline are relatively short in aviation terms. The airline has three major hubs in Northeast Canada: Wabush, Goose Bay, and St John’s.
Earn Air Canada Aeroplan Points With PAL Airlines
Aeroplan members can earn points when flying with PAL Airlines that are subject to the following conditions:
- Points are earned based on actual miles flown.
- Bonus points are earned depending on the booking class.
- Miles earned from PAL Airlines flights do not qualify as Status Qualifying Miles for elite status.
- For shorter flights under 249 miles, members earn a minimum of 250 base points.
The earning rates for each booking class are as follows:
One thing to remember is that short hops under 249 miles can earn you less than 250 Aeroplan points after factoring in the earning rate. For instance, booking a T, K, or D fare on a short flight will earn just 63 points. That's the 250 base points multiplied by the 25% category earning rate, yielding 63 points.
Redeeming Aeroplan Points For Flights On PAL Airlines
At this point, you can redeem Aeroplan plan points for flights on PAL airlines using the standard Aeroplan partner award chart. Pricing for PAL flights starts at 6,000 Aeroplan points plus taxes and fees.
Considering the airline’s footprint, flights will cost either 6,000 or 10,000 Aeroplan points plus taxes and fees. The 10,000-point rate would be for routes that are over 500 miles but under 1,500 miles.
Remember that none of PAL’s aircraft have a range greater than 1,500 miles, so direct flights greater than that distance are simply not in the cards!
New Canadian Regional Award Chart
One item to keep an eye out for in 2023 is a new Aeroplan award chart for Canadian regional flights. Aeroplan teased its members with a new chart for all Canadian regional partners like Air Creebec, PAL Airlines, and Canadian North.
While the details about the new chart are sparse, we do know that Aeroplan said it would be coming “later in 2023.” However, that could be next month or at the end of this year!
Is It Worth Redeeming Aeroplan Points For PAL flights?
The simple answer is yes. There is some stunning value to be had if you are looking at maximizing the cent per point return from your Aeroplan points. Take, for instance, the relatively short hop from Wabush (YWK) to Quebec City (YQB) on April 18, 2023.
The short flight (under 500 miles) will set you back 6,000 Aeroplan points plus CA$48 in taxes and fees.
If you want to book the same flight on the same day for cash, prices start at CA$250. However, only a few seats are available at that price.
Crunching the numbers, you are saving CA$202 on your travels (CA$250 – CA$48 taxes and fees) for your 6,000 Aeroplan points. That works out at CA3.36¢ (~USD 2.45¢) per point. That is excellent value and use of your Aeroplan points.
On average, AwardWallet members have been able to leverage Aeroplan points for a value of 1.27¢ for regional economy awards. Redeeming your points for PAL flights, even at the lowest rates, yields a greater value than your typical award.
The savings may be even substantially better as PAL ticket prices swiftly increase. As shown above, there are only a few seats available at the CA$250 price point. And the next available fare buckets are substantially more expensive, with the cost of the flights nearly doubling. Redeeming Aeroplan points for these PAL Airlines flights would yield significant value.
Our Take
More opportunities to earn and burn points are always great news. It's amazing that you are now able to do so in an area of the world where that option previously didn't exist.
Hopefully, the new regional chart will not be a major devaluation, and some of the outstanding value in this regional award will remain!
Will you be earning and redeeming points for flights on PAL Airlines? Let us know in the comments below.
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Good news!!