Knowing the Benefits of Air Canada AeroPlan
Transcription of A Conversation of A Travel Agent
Female Agent: Aeroplan, this is [unintelligible] speaking.
Monty: Oh yes, how are you today?
Female Agent: I’m good how are you?
Monty: Is this Air Canada Aeroplan?
Female Agent: Yes.
Monty: Okay, I was just talking to Air Canada and they said that you talk about all kinds of credit cards and points and stuff?
Female Agent: Oh yes.
Monty: I guess the point of my call today is, I’m just doing some research to see - I’m comparing different credit cards.
Female Agent: The best is to go to the Aeroplan website, they will give you everything. We basically have the CIBC Visa, American Express…
Monty: CIBC Visa, I’m just going to write this down.
Female Agent: Well the American Express credit cards that are linked with us in the top program.
Monty: What about PD and RBC and stuff?
Female Agent: No.
Monty: Oh I see, not Capital One?
Female Agent: No.
Monty: Can you answer this question? If I spent $2,000 a month on my credit card… What I’m trying to figure out ultimately, if I want to travel from a to b, which is going to be the best credit card, which is going to give me the most points?
Female Agent: Some prefer it to another card like an RBC or TD or whatever. But I can tell you that the CIBC Aero Gold right? There is an annual fee, but for every dollar that you spend you get I point or I mile, and every dollar that you spend on groceries, drugstores or on gas, you get 1.5.
Monty: So I point for $1 and then 1.5 for…
Female Agent: You spend that dollar on groceries.
Monty: So the question is if I spent $2,000 a month, so that’s $24,000 a year, will that get me from Regina to Saint John New Finland? Can you check?
Female Agent: Saint John is 25,000 points.
Monty: 25,000 okay.
Female Agent: Yes, when you sign up with CIBC, for the Aero Gold you get 15,000 points bonus for signing up.
Monty: Is there a way to put a cash value on that?
Female Agent: No, because you cannot really put a cash value, because even I use my CIBC credit card to pay for gas, right? I’m getting gas for the money that I’ve been using right? The points are the bonus.
Monty: Right.
Female Agent: If you look at it that way.
Monty: Well okay, but the point is, so the CIBC Aero Gold, what I really need to do is spend like $10,000 right? Is it a return trip from Regina to Saint John’s?
Female Agent: Yes.
Monty: So, all I have to do is spend $10,000.
Female Agent: Well, pretty much, yes.
Monty: I guess I should go on Air Canada site and do a check and see how much the cash value is.
Female Agent: Go to the Aeroplan website.
Monty: Okay.
Female Agent: And check on what is available.
Monty: Afterwards, what’s the fee for that? The CIBC Aero Gold?
Female Agent: It’s a $120 a year, I believe.
Monty: I’m sure with the $120 annual fee, there’s probably lots of insurances and so on.
Female Agent: Yes, there’s lot of other stuff that you get with the $120. For that, you’ll have to actually check with CIBC. We basically just do flights over here.
Monty: Yes, I know.
Female Agent: But they will give you the nitty-gritty. Then you also have the American Express and the Air Canada Platinum MasterCard, then American Express. Sorry?
Monty: So you’re affiliated with Air Canada? I’m just trying to figure out because it’s so confusing that with every credit card there’s different points. There are different this and different that. And now with Air Canada, it seems like they’re just dealing with CIBC Visa and American Express.
Female Agent: Yes, with Aeroplan.
Monty: With Aeroplan.
Female Agent: But with the Aeroplan points, we are dealing with the whole star alliance. It’s about 33 carriers.
Monty: What is that the whole star alliance?
Female Agent: Star alliance.
Monty: Star alliance okay, and that’s 33 carriers?
Female Agent: Almost, yes.
Monty: In Canada?
Female Agent: We’re all over the world, not just in Canada. In Canada is Air Canada; between Canada and the US and then the US within the US, it’ US United Airline and Air Continental. Internationally it’s Continental, United and New Zealand, Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa, Swiss Air, Brussels Airlines, [Unintelligible] , Asiana, Thai Airways. That means if you have Aeroplan points, you can travel on any of these carriers anywhere in the world.
Monty: Does that take me anywhere in the world?
Female Agent: It will take you anywhere in the world for a price. Within Canada and Canada and the US it is 25,000 points withdrawn. The [short hold flight] which is from your province to the neighboring province and back is 15,000. So if you signed up with CIBC, you would be able to get a flight to the neighboring province and back for 15,000. From Canada to Hawaii is 40,000, to Mexico it’s 35,000, to Europe it’s 60,000 points withdrawn. To Asia it’s 75,000 points withdrawn and it doesn’t matter where you fly. It’s anywhere within Canada and Canada and the US, that’s 25,000.
Monty: So again, these are return flights?
Female Agent: Yes, return flights.
Monty: Then the taxes and airport fees are not included?
Female Agent: No, not included in the points. That goes to the government. Depending on where you are going to, you can pay the taxes. Like if you’re going to London or Frankfurt, whatever taxes that country requires you to pay.
Monty: Okay, is there anything else I need to know?
Female Agent: I don’t think so, your best bet would be to go online and look at the American Express and CIBC, right?
Monty: Right, what is that website again?
Female Agent: aeroplan.com. Also in American Express when you sign up for their platinum card, I believe you get what is called a Partner Ticket every year, which is a free ticket. So you can get to travel once a year.
Monty: Oh is that right?
Female Agent: So if you want to go online, there’s a lot of stuff.
Monty: That’s why I’m calling. That’s why I’m doing, to make sure that I’m getting the best bang for my buck and doing the best comparison. So American Express Platinum gives you a free ticket annually.
Female Agent: You know what I could do though is, I could transfer you to American Express and speak with them directly.
Monty: Okay, do you have their number?
Female Agent: Yes, I second.
Monty: Okay, my other line is ringing. I have to let you go.
Female Agent: Okay.
Monty: Thank you!
See Also
Best Credit Cards Canada
Best Balance Transfer Credit Cards Canada
Best Cash Back Credit Cards Canada
Best Capital One Credit Cards Canada
Best MasterCard Credit Cards Canada
Best MBNA Credit Cards Canada
Best Visa Credit Cards Canada
Best Secured Credit Cards Canada
Travel Credit Cards Canada
KNOWING THE BENEFITS OF AIR CANADA AEROPLAN
