Through tomorrow, you can get 125% bonus miles when you buy 80K or more Air Canada miles.
A purchase of 80K points would earn 180K points after the bonus, at a cost of $2,800 CAD, which is currently $2,055 USD. That’s just 1.14 cents per point.
You can buy up to 500K points, which would earn 1,125,000 points after the bonus, at a cost of $17,500 CAD, which is currently $12,846 USD, also about 1.14 cents per point.
It’s worth noting that you can also currently transfer Chase points into Air Canada points with a 20% bonus through 7/31. If you value your Chase points at 1.25 cents each, that would be like “buying” Air Canada points at 1.04 cents each. If you value your Chase points at 1.5 cents each, that would be like “buying” Air Canada points at 1.25 cents each. Chase Air Canada cardholders can get a 30% bonus for transfers of 50K or more, for up to 250K in transfers per calendar year.
In general, I don’t recommend buying miles or transferring miles to airline programs without an immediate redemption due to the risk of devaluation, but this bonus may be good enough to justify it you might need for the near future thanks to the airline’s use of a stable partner award chart.
Air Canada brought the Aeroplan program in-house 3 years ago and eliminated fuel surcharges from their program. Alas, they do charge a C$39 booking fee (currently US$28.70) on all partner awards.
Air Canada miles are quite valuable for partner award travel, especially for last minute tickets. They also have expanded award availability on products like Singapore long-haul business class that are blocked from partners like United.
Unfortunately, United now blocks a lot of saver award space from partners, so be sure to check for availability before transferring!
With United devaluing their miles, other Star Alliance miles like Air Canada become more and more valuable.
Air Canada can book Star Alliance awards and awards on other partner airlines like Aer Lingus, Air Mauritius, Air Serbia, Azul, Canadian North, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Etihad, GOL, Gulf Air, Oman Air, SriLankan, Virgin Australia, and Vistara. Plus, unlike US carriers, they are committed to keeping award charts.
For example, while United now charges 15K miles for a last-minute Cleveland to Newark flight, Aeroplan charges just 6K miles as per their short-haul award chart.
A short-haul round-trip flight is 12K miles plus $54 CAD ($39.65 USD). If you buy miles at 1.14 cents each, that’s like paying $136.80 for the miles plus $39.65 for the taxes for a total of $176.45.
A business-class flight to Europe is 60K miles plus $77 CAD ($56.54 USD). If you buy miles at 1.14 cents each, that’s like paying $684 for the miles plus $56.54 for the taxes for a total of $740.54.
United charges 80,000 miles for this flight.
A first-class flight to Europe is 90K miles plus $77 CAD ($56.54 USD). If you buy miles at 1.14 cents each, that’s like paying $1,026 for the miles plus $56.54 for the taxes for a total of $1,082.54. Or fly in business class for 60K miles ($684 when buying miles).
United charges 140,000 miles for this flight in first class or 88K in business class.
Air Canada also allows stopovers for 5K miles and you can build round-the-world tickets and more.
A big benefit of booking with Air Canada is free lap child awards within the US/Canada and just C$25 (currently $18.40) for a lap child anywhere in the world on Air Canada or partner airlines! That’s a real bargain compared to the 10% of the full fare that US airlines charge, which can make lap children tickets cost prohibitive on a premium cabin award ticket.
Air Canada also allows families to pool their miles together!
Here are Air Canada’s award charts.
If you just want to search for the award cost between 2 cities, you can search here.
Air Canada broke the world down into 4 regions, North America, South America, Atlantic, and Pacific:
There are 10 award charts to sift through.
Overly complicated? Definitely.
But it’s a very interesting approach to award chart pricing. It allows Air Canada to accurately price every journey, something that is very difficult for a region based award chart and for a distance based award chart.
In other words using United’s region based award pricing, it can be too expensive to book some awards. Using BA’s distance based award chart it can also be too expensive to book some awards, NYC to Tokyo for 217K miles in business class is ridiculous and adding a connection makes it even more cost prohibitive.
By using a hybrid region and distance based award chart, Air Canada creates valuable award pricing for every route.
Each region has a distance based award chart for travel within that region and to other regions.
While BA’s distance based award chart dings you for every connection made, Air Canada won’t charge separately for connecting segments. You can create awards with out of the way stopovers, which can be quite lucrative.
Here is the distance chart for flights within North America. Prices listed on all of the award charts chart are one-way, but sample routes below are priced as round-trips.
- A round-trip flight from LaGuardia to Toronto or Montreal on Air Canada starts at 12K miles in coach or 30K miles in business as it’s between 0-500 miles.
- A round-trip flight from Cleveland to Newark on United is 12K miles in coach or 30K miles in business as it’s between 0-500 miles.
- A round-trip flight from Chicago to LaGuardia on United is 20K miles in coach or 40K miles in business as it’s between 501-1,500 miles.
- A round-trip flight from Los Angeles to Newark on United is 25K miles in coach or 50K miles in business as it’s between 1,501-2,750 miles.
- A round-trip flight from Miami to Vancouver on United is 45K miles in coach or 70K miles in business as it’s 2,751+ miles.
- A round-trip flight from Newark to Honolulu on United is 45K miles in coach or 70K miles in business as it’s 2,751+ miles.
- A round-trip flight from Toronto to Honolulu on Air Canada starts at 35K miles in coach or 70K miles in business as it’s 2,751+ miles.
If you’re flying from North America to Europe, Africa, India, or the Middle East, you’ll have to consult this chart:
- A round-trip flight from Newark to London on United is 70K miles in coach or 120K miles in business as it’s between 0-4,000 miles.
- A round-trip flight from Newark to Frankfurt on Lufthansa is 70K miles in coach, 120K miles in business, or 180K miles in first as it’s between 0-4,000 miles.
- A round-trip flight from Newark to Tel Aviv on United is 80K miles in coach or 140K miles in business as it’s between 4,001-6,000 miles.
- A round-trip flight from Newark to Cape Town on United is 110K miles in coach or 180K miles in business as it’s between 6,001-8,000 miles.
- A round-trip flight from Los Angeles to Cape Town on United is 140K miles in coach or 220K miles in business as it’s 8,001+ miles.
If you’re flying from North America to the Far East or Oceania, you’ll have to consult this chart:
- A round-trip flight from Seattle to Tokyo on ANA is 70K miles in coach, 110K miles in business, or 180K miles in first as it’s between 0-5,000 miles.
- A round-trip flight from JFK to Tokyo on ANA is 100K miles in coach, 150K miles in business, or 220K miles in first as it’s between 5,001-7,500 miles.
- A round-trip flight from JFK to Singapore on Singapore is 120K miles in coach, 170K miles in business, or 260K miles in first as it’s between 7,501-11,000 miles.
- A round-trip flight from Los Angeles to Sydney on United is 120K miles in coach or 175K miles in business as it’s between 7,501-11,000 miles.
- A round-trip flight from Newark to Perth on United and Air New Zealand is 150K miles in coach or 230K miles in business as it’s 11,001+ miles.
If you’re flying from North America to South America, you’ll have to consult this chart:
- A round-trip flight from Newark to Bogota on United is 40K miles in coach or 80K miles in business as it’s between 0-2,500 miles.
- A round-trip flight from Newark to Lima on United is 60K miles in coach or 100K miles in business as it’s between 2,501-4,000 miles.
- A round-trip flight from Newark to Sao Paulo on United is 80K miles in coach or 120K miles in business as it’s between 4,501+ miles.
Want to earn Aeroplan miles?
You can earn miles with the Chase Aeroplan Card.
You can instantly transfer AMEX, Chase, Or Capital One points to Air Canada at a 1:1 ratio or Marriott points at a 60K:25K ratio.
If you, a member in your household, or an authorized user has one of the following Chase cards, you can transfer points into miles:- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card has a 60K signup bonus for spending $4K in 3 months, earns 2.1 points per dollar on travel after the card's 10% anniversary bonus, 3.1 points per dollar on dining, streaming, and online groceries after the card's 10% anniversary bonus, has a $50 hotel credit, can transfer all Chase points into miles, and points are worth at least 1.25 cents each for paid travel ($95 annual fee). Read more here.
- Chase Sapphire Reserve® has a 60K signup bonus for spending $4K in 3 months, earns 3 points per dollar on dining/travel, has a $300 travel credit, can transfer all Chase points into miles, and points are worth at least 1.5 cents each for paid travel ($550 annual fee with $300 travel credit). Read more here.
- Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card has a 90K signup bonus for spending $8K in 3 months, and earns 3 points per dollar on up to $150K of annual spending on shipping, advertising, and travel, can transfer all Chase points into miles, and points are worth at least 1.25 cents each for paid travel ($95 annual fee). Read more here.
- Limited time offer: Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card has a $900 in the form of 90K point signup bonus for spending $6K in 3 months, and earns 1.5 points per dollar on business purchases ($0 annual fee). Read more here.
- Ink Business Cash® Credit Card has a 35K signup bonus for spending $3K in 3 months and another 40K signup bonus points for spending another $3K in 6 months for a total of 75,000 Chase Ultimate points, plus if you have a Chase business checking account open on the card's first anniversary you will get a 10% points bonus on all earnings from card spending, this card earns 5 points per dollar on the first $25,000 in combined purchases on cable, TV, telecom, cellular, and office supply stores, plus 2 points per dollar on dining and gas on up to $25,000 in purchases ($0 annual fee). Read more here.
- Chase Freedom Flex has a 20K signup bonus, plus 5 points on rotating categories, 5 points per dollar on travel purchased through Chase Travel, and 3 points per dollar on dining and drugstores ($0 annual fee). Read more here.
- Chase Freedom Unlimited® has a signup bonus that earns an extra 1.5% cash back in the form of 1.5 points per dollar everywhere on up to $20K of spending during your first year, on top of at least 1.5 points per dollar everywhere, 5 points per dollar (marketed as 5% cash back) on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, and 3 points per dollar on dining and drugstores ($0 annual fee). Read more here.
- Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is offering 75,000 bonus miles for spending $4K in 3 months, plus earn 2 miles per dollar spent on every purchase, $300 annual travel credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, 10K anniversary bonus miles, Global Entry/Pre-Check, Capital One lounge access, Priority Pass Lounge membership, Hertz President's Circle status, free lounge access and status for free additional cardholders, transfer miles to airlines and hotels, 5K MLB redemptions, and more. $395 annual fee. Read more here.
- Capital One Venture X Business is offering 150,000 bonus miles for spending $30K in 3 months, plus earn 2 miles per dollar spent on every purchase, $300 annual travel credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, 10K anniversary bonus miles, Global Entry/Pre-Check, Capital One lounge access, Enhanced Priority Pass Lounge membership, transfer miles to airlines and hotels, 5K MLB redemptions, and more. $395 annual fee. Read more here.
- Limited time offer: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is offering 75,000 bonus miles for spending $4K in 3 months, plus get a $250 Capital One travel credit for use in your first cardholder year, plus 2 miles per dollar spent on every purchase, transfer points to airlines and hotels, 5K MLB redemptions, and more. $95 annual fee. Read more here.
- Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card is offering 20,000 bonus miles for spending $500 in 3 months, transfer miles to airlines and hotels, 5K MLB redemptions, and more. No annual fee.
- Capital One Spark Miles for Business is offering 50,000 bonus miles for spending $4,500 in 3 months, 2 miles per dollar spent on every purchase, Global Entry/PreCheck, transfer miles to airlines and hotels, 5K MLB redemptions, and more. $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
- New offer: Capital One Spark Cash Plus is offering $2,000 cash back (convertible to 200,000 miles) for spending $30,000 in 3 months, plus get another $2,000 cash back for every $500K spent in your first year, 2% back everywhere, $40 MLB redemptions, annual fee refund when you spend $150K/year, and more. $150 annual fee.
- AMEX Blue Business Plus is offering a rare bonus to earn 15,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within your first 3 months of Card Membership and offers 2 points per dollar spent on up to $50K spending annually 1 point per dollar thereafter, plus transfer points to airlines and hotels and keep AMEX points alive. Read more here.
- AMEX Platinum Business is offering a 150K bonus for spending $20,000 in 3 months and offers over $1,000 in annual credits, lounge access, and much more. Read more here.
- AMEX Gold Business Card is offering a 100K bonus for spending $15,000 in 3 months and offers up to $240 in annual business credits, Walmart+ membership, up to 4 points per dollar spent with a $150K annual spend cap, and more benefits. Read more here.
- The Platinum Card® from American Express is offering a 80K bonus for spending $8,000 in 6 months and offers over $1,000 in annual credits, lounge access, and much more. Terms apply. Read more here.
- American Express® Gold Card is offering a 60K bonus for spending $6,000 in 6 months, 20% back in statement credits for restaurants worldwide, up to $100 back-Complete Offer: Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Plus, receive 20% back in statement credits on eligible purchases made at restaurants worldwide within the first 6 months of Card Membership, up to $100 back. Limited time offer. Offer ends 11/6/24. Terms apply. Read more here.
- AMEX Green Consumer Card is offering a 40K bonus for spending $3,000 in 6 months and offers up to $189 in annual CLEAR Plus® credits, $100 LoungeBuddy credit, plus transfer points to airlines and hotels and keep AMEX points alive.
- AMEX Everyday Preferred Consumer Card is offering a 15K bonus for spending $2,000 in 6 months and offers 4.5 points per dollar on up to $6K in annual groceries when you use card 30 times that month, plus transfer points to airlines and hotels and keep AMEX points alive.
- AMEX Everyday Consumer Card is offering a 10K bonus for spending $2,000 in 6 months and offers 2.4 points per dollar on up to $6K in annual groceries when you use card 20 times that month, plus transfer points to airlines and hotels and keep AMEX points alive. All information about the AMEX Green, AMEX Everyday Preferred, AMEX Everyday has been collected independently by DansDeals.
Marriott cards with transferable points include:
- Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Consumer Card
- Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card
- Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express®Card
- Marriott Bonvoy Bold Card
Will you buy any points with this sale?
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17 Comments On "Buy Air Canada Points For Just 1.14 Cents Each; Short-Haul Flights $68, Transatlantic Business Class $684, Or First Class $1,026!"
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Does this purchase earn 5x on amex platinum
Chase aeroplan card offers pay yourself back with points for travel purchases. Is this coded as an air Canada purchase for travel? If so, you would also earn 3 points per dollar spent, plus be able to redeem for 1.3 cents per mile
Actually, looks like the transaction is done through points.com, so probably won’t code as travel
Doesn’t code as travel only 1 PPD
Can I use these points to redeem for 1.25 cents on my Aeroplan card?
Anyone have an answer for this?
From the Pay Yourself Back T&T:
“Only Aeroplan Points earned under the Aeroplan Program, the Chase Aeroplan Card, and Chase Ultimate Rewards can be used for Chase Pay Yourself Back. Points converted from other programs are not eligible. If you proceed contrary to these terms, the Aeroplan Program and Chase Aeroplan Card reserves the right to reverse your point redemption or freeze your Aeroplan Membership account.”
I can’t figure out if purchasing points is considered “Points earned under the Aeroplan Program”
@Dan, do you think they’ll let use these points for PYB??
Update: I used the points I bought with this deal for PYB & didn’t have any issues. Now it’s too late for this deal[/MS…] but maybe in the future (seems unlikely because the PYB option is gonna be capped next year-that is if they don’t postpone it yet again). But if you bought you can use the points for PYB.
On the terms it looks like you can buy 2x 500k as it goes for the year and this isn’t excluded
How does their chart compare to lifemiles? And is the availability identical in both programs?
Can’t see any first class to TLV
There was earlier this week:
https://www.dansdeals.com/points-travel/milespoints/unicorn-united-polaris-business-class-saver-award-upgrade-space-nonstop-newark-tel-aviv-just-53-8k-miles/
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a united flight available on points thru air Canada in the last year, and that’s with checking 3+ months in advance
Erm…
What routes are you looking at?
Specifically ewr to Lon or gva
There’s literally a screenshot I took yesterday in this post…
i have a sapphire preferred and my wife has the aeroplan card. how can i/she transfer into her aeroplan account? do i have to call chase? my wife doesnt have any transfer-eligible cards.