 | Flytrippers cofounder |
I once again redeemed my precious Aeroplan points for the best possible redemption option, namely a flight in a luxurious lie-flat business class pod seat. This Montréal–Europe flight cost 4494 CAD… but I only paid 80 CAD and the number of points you can get with a single welcome bonus (not the 449,400 simple points many travelers would pay)!
I got a value of 6,8¢ per point! Business class flights booked this way are the best deal in the entire world of travel. The newly increased welcome bonus on the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card gives you enough points for a flight between Eastern Canada and Europe that would otherwise cost thousands of dollars. Wild.
If you want luxury, that deal can be better than the record-high deal for 15 free hotel nights (or get both the same day if you have more expenses). Flytrippers helps you travel for less with its free newsletter specifically about travel rewards, its ranking of the best current offers, and its infographic summarizing all the basics.
Here are the details of my most recent Aeroplan points redemption.
How I get deals on business class flights
If you like good deals, you really need to get into business class flights booked with airline points. It’s truly the best deal possible (in terms of money saved).
If you like luxury, you need to get into this even more. It’s so amazing to take a long flight in a lie-flat pod seat. A little too amazing, even… my girlfriend no longer wants to be at the back of the plane to go to Europe at all.
By the way, if you want to see my business class experience tonight, you can follow my personal Instagram account (I do daily stories during all my many trips).
You too can try this, and it’s really easier than it looks. If you just put in a little effort to learn.
In short, you simply need to:
- Get airline points
- Be flexible on your flight routing
That’s it.
I won’t repeat everything, as I already shared the detailed ultimate guide with all the simple steps on how to travel in business class.
Here, I want to use this new concrete points redemption example to help you once again, since so many people are still missing out on these wonderful luxurious flights. I explain it all in a shorter way.
How to get airline points
It’s so easy to get plenty of points once you understand the most important thing: welcome bonuses. This is what speeds everything up.
To give a concrete example, between Montréal/Toronto/Halifax, the guaranteed fixed low price of a business class flight on partner airlines is 60,000 Aeroplan points (it’s a bit more from other cities farther West).
That’s what I paid for my girlfriend and I’s summer trip last year: 60,000 Aeroplan points for Lufthansa’s excellent A350 business class between Montréal and Munich (instead of the cash price of $3000+).
As mentioned, you’ll get 62,000 points by unlocking the welcome bonus on the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card thanks to the offer that just increased this week (52,000 if you already had a same-level Aeroplan card, since Aeroplan’s special rules aren’t enforced).
This is one of many cards that give you plenty of points to save thousands of dollars with a single welcome bonus. Don’t forget you can also transfer your Amex points to Aeroplan at a 1-to-1 rate (that’s the best redemption of Amex points).
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Best credit cards for Aeroplan points |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 LUCRATIVE60k/100k
 Valuation (BONUS)(≈ 6.6% back on $12k)
Rewards: ≈ $791
Annual fee: $0 $139 (≈ 6.6% back on $12k)
Rewards: ≈ $791
Annual fee: $0 $139
Spend required:
$12k in 12 mos. (or $3k)
Best for: 62,000 pts (50k pts with bonus + 12k by unlocking it) & free checked bags
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 LUCRATIVENo min. inc.
Valuation (BONUS)(≈ 7.8% back on $12k)
Rewards: ≈ $1180
Card fee: $250 (≈ 7.8% back on $12k)
Rewards: ≈ $1180
Card fee: $250
Spend required:
$12k in 12 mos.
Best for: 72,000 pts + 8 lounges and $100 travel credit
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LUCRATIVENo min. inc.
Valuation (BONUS)(≈ 7.9% back on $9k)
Rewards: ≈ $900
Card fee: $191.88 ($15.99/mo.) (≈ 7.9% back on $9k)
Rewards: ≈ $900
Card fee: $191.88 ($15.99/mo.)
Spend required:
$9k in 12 mos.
Best for: 60,000 pts + 5X the points best card in Canada
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Our flight tonight is a bit peculiar; I’ll get back to that below.
But I had also already booekd 4 other long-distance business class flights with my Aeroplan points, and they were all at the guaranteed fixed low price on partner airlines. That’s the key.
If you’re interested, I gave the details of my 9 business class flights of 2025, which includes 2 booked with Aeroplan points specifically. An also the details of my 4 additional ones for Asia this spring (my 2 outbound ones with Aeroplan and my 2 return ones with Avios).
How to be flexible on the flight routing
Being flexible is the key to saving money on literally everything in life. So logically, being flexible is also the key to maximizing the value of rewards of the more lucrative type (like airline points). To find available seats at the guaranteed fixed low price.
To give a concrete example, we’re starting this trip this week in the Baltic states. Of course I wasn’t searching for business class flights to the Baltic states!!! Of course I didn’t search just once.
My girlfriend has a normal job, and therefore her travel dates were not flexible at all (like most people). So we needed to be flexible about the flight routing (because we couldn’t be flexible about the dates).
We took the best business class flight across the ocean on our desired date. No matter where it landed. You just book a separate positioning flight to where you actually want to go. Flights are very affordable in Europe.
Our transatlantic flight is Montréal–Frankfurt, and we’re taking a cheap positioning flight to our true destination tomorrow.
It’s really that simple.
That’s also what we did last summer, and what I did for literally all my 10+ lifetime business class flights.
Last year, our business class flight was Montréal–Munich, so we even took advantage of this to visit Munich for many days. An additional destination on top of the ones we already had! This time, we’re not visiting since it’s Frankfurt (if you know, you know). You can do whatever you prefer.
With a positioning flight, you are almost assured of finding an available seat to do the long flight in luxury. Literally every time I’ve wanted to fly business class in my life, I’ve found a seat. Even with very fixed dates. Even in summer.
You just need to be flexible on the routing. And know how to concretely find the seats. That means searching often!!! You’ll obviously never find the best price in cash the first time you search for a flight. It’s exactly the same for points!
Flytrippers has a new section with business class deals to make your life easier, but you should still learn to use the seats.aero tool! We’ll have more details on how to master it like a pro very soon.
Our business class flight tonight
My girlfriend and I love going to Europe every summer, avoiding the terrible months of July and August, of course, as everyone who can should obviously do.
(While we’re on the topic of such common mistakes, we don’t always just go to Western or Southern Europe like so many sadly do; the best spots are in Central and Eastern Europe!)
Last summer, to go to Montenegro and Croatia, our transatlantic flights were in business class, and my girlfriend decided she wouldn’t do another long overnight flight in economy class again.
That’s very sincerely the biggest downside of business class: it’s addictive. It’s really no fun to go sit in the back again once you’ve tasted this amazing luxury. Traveling in economy class becomes so much worse than it is for those who’ve never experienced business class.
So I needed business class flights this year too.
Anyway, a few weeks ago I found something extremely rare: a flight on Air Canada that was (almost) at the same price as the guaranteed fixed low price on partners!!!
Yep, it happens sometimes! It’s rare, but it happens. So that’s what’s peculiar about our flight tonight; it’s on Air Canada.
The flight cost 65,000 points and 80 CAD in taxes.
The same flight cost 4494 CAD in cash.
(The roundtrip price of 8988 CAD divided by 2, to be fairer because long-distance one-ways in cash are often priced higher!)
So, that gives a value of 6.8¢/pt!!!
With Aeroplan, economy class flights on partners give a value of ≈ 1.5¢, and on Air Canada it’s usually even worse at ≈ 1.1¢. With simple points, it’s even worse at 1¢/pt.
Here, I got 6 times more value with the same number of points!!!
If you redeemed points of the more simple type to pay for a $4494 flight, you’d need 449,400 points. Some actually redeem their precious Amex points this way. Ouch.
That’s the incredible value you can get with points of the more lucrative type!
We’ll probably return from Europe in business class too. I’ll share more details in my trip overview post very soon.
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Summary
I once again used my precious Aeroplan points for the best possible use, namely flights in luxurious business class that give incredibly high value (6.8¢/pt). Instead of paying 4494 CAD+, I only paid 65,000 points (a single welcome bonus) and 80 CAD.
What would you like to know about my business class flight to Europe? Tell us in the comments below.
See the flight deals we spot: Cheap flights
Discover free travel with rewards: Travel rewards
Explore awesome destinations: Travel inspiration
Learn pro tricks: Travel tips
Featured image: Air Canada Signature business class (photo credit: Air Canada)
