Aeroplan - Use miles to book a flight

[Symcor]

I am trying to book a flight to Vancouver in October and I have 45,000 aeroplan miles. It cost 25,000 classic rewards and 37,500 avenue rewards for a round trip as the website indicated. Here is my question,

1. What is the difference between classic rewards and avenue rewards?

2. Will it be always 25,000 (37,500) miles or there will be some kind of promotion between now and October?

3. Other than use 25,000 (37,500) miles, are there any extra cost or handling fee I need to be aware?

Thanks in advance for all your help

[HighFlyer]

1. What is the difference between classic rewards and avenue rewards?

Nothing, really.

2. Will it be always 25,000 (37,500) miles or there will be some kind of promotion between now and October?

Difficult to say. They're quite rare, if any.

3. Other than use 25,000 (37,500) miles, are there any extra cost or handling fee I need to be aware?

$30 if you call an agent vs. $0 for online bookings.

If available, I would strongly recommend that you spend the extra 2,500 miles (total of 40K) for Executive Class.

[nance]

We've booked flights to Vancouver and England with our points.
Book now! There won't be any deals likely and the 25,000 pts is the same as the 37.500 (we had to pay the 37,500 for Vancouver because the same economy seats for 25,000 pts were gone) My husband is an elite flyer with Air Canada and we couldn't spend the extra 2,500 pts to fly business class, even though we wanted to, because they were "no longer available" unless my husband was a super elite flyer.

Once the cheap point allotment is full, they make you pay more points, so don't wait as we unfortunately did!

Also, even online bookings require you to pay taxes, but you do save the per ticket cost of administration if you book online & you can request seats. Check out the plane they say you're using and do a google search on the plane and you can see exactly how the seats are arranged so you have better knowledge of what to book. (The one advantage to booking with a rep.is that you instantly know your seats, but you find out after you book online too, so no worries)

[PC-stuff]

I am trying to book a flight to Vancouver in October and I have 45,000 aeroplan miles. It cost 25,000 classic rewards and 37,500 avenue rewards for a round trip as the website indicated. Here is my question,

1. What is the difference between classic rewards and avenue rewards?

2. Will it be always 25,000 (37,500) miles or there will be some kind of promotion between now and October?

3. Other than use 25,000 (37,500) miles, are there any extra cost or handling fee I need to be aware?

Thanks in advance for all your help

1. AN EXTRA 50% IN POINTS. OTHERWISE NO DIFFERENCE.

2. NO PROMOTION.

3. You will pay taxes landing fees etc. if you book online (and extra $30 if you book by phone)

[gqbluez]

I am trying to book a flight to Vancouver in October and I have 45,000 aeroplan miles. It cost 25,000 classic rewards and 37,500 avenue rewards for a round trip as the website indicated. Here is my question,

1. What is the difference between classic rewards and avenue rewards?

2. Will it be always 25,000 (37,500) miles or there will be some kind of promotion between now and October?

3. Other than use 25,000 (37,500) miles, are there any extra cost or handling fee I need to be aware?

Thanks in advance for all your help

1. Classic rewards is the reward option which allows you to use 25000 points to book an "anywhere in continental North America" free. Aeroplan uses a system which allocates 6% of seats for classic rewards (6% of seats on an entire aircraft not just in Y so it includes J,F,Y classes). Avenue rewards require 37,500 points but the entire inventory of seats are available to you, not just 6%. I would only recommend Avenue if you cant book classic rewards for the flight you want as there is no service difference.

2. If anything number of miles will only ever increase. Use em or lose em.

3. You will have to pay taxes on top of everything. No handling charges or service fees but you must pay Navcan, GST, Fuel Surcharge.

My Advice, If youre looking to burn your aeroplan points fast, use your 40000 points and book yourself in J class (executive first) provided there is availability as a business class rewards return ticket is only 40000.

[charliebrown]

Booking business reward flights:

A little oddity on the online booking system -- even though you select the business flight to Europe (or some other location where you change flights), be careful in selecting the flight segment.

E.g. Toronto - Montreal - London/Frankfurt/whatever

They may just give you "business" on the toronto - montreal segment, then economy for montreal - london/frankfurt

[HighFlyer]

Booking business reward flights:

A little oddity on the online booking system -- even though you select the business flight to Europe (or some other location where you change flights), be careful in selecting the flight segment.

E.g. Toronto - Montreal - London/Frankfurt/whatever

They may just give you "business" on the toronto - montreal segment, then economy for montreal - london/frankfurt

Yes, but you are entitled to standby for J class on the day of departure. If there is an empty J seat, and you are confirmed in Y, you are entitled to that seat before the upgrades for SE/E/P are processed. You would only lose out if there is a paid J ticket holder competing with you. Of course this depends on the GA handling the flight and his/her interpretation of the rules. To increase your chances of getting the seat you are entitled to, you need to inform the check-in agent that you have a business class award and that you now would like to confirm your J seat. Do not use the word 'upgrade' as it technically isn't one. If unsuccessful, then ask the agent at MLL (which you are entitled to because you have a J ticket). Otherwise, go to the GA as a last resort.

Nevertheless, if your only option is an Avenue vs. a Classic business award, the extra 2500/5000 miles is still an excellent gamble.... and that is exactly what I would do in that situation. Of course, you'd have to be willing to settle for Y if you can't get J.

[commie]

I am trying to book a flight to Vancouver in October and I have 45,000 aeroplan miles. It cost 25,000 classic rewards and 37,500 avenue rewards for a round trip as the website indicated. Here is my question,

1. What is the difference between classic rewards and avenue rewards?

2. Will it be always 25,000 (37,500) miles or there will be some kind of promotion between now and October?

3. Other than use 25,000 (37,500) miles, are there any extra cost or handling fee I need to be aware?

Thanks in advance for all your help

1) like the other poster mentioned....the classic awards has a limited number of reward tickets...Once they are booked..thats it...no more availability...
Avenue awards have a bit more availablity..
If you don't have frequent flyer status with Air Canada....Start booking now..as spaces for reward travel is limited.

2) not likely will have any 'promotions'....there hasn't been something like that for a while....IRC since AC took over CP.

3) you will have to pay the taxes and surcharges....roughly $130-$200 per ticket...depending on your destination..

Log onto their website,,..and start booking early.

[gqbluez]

Yes, but you are entitled to standby for J class on the day of departure. If there is an empty J seat, and you are confirmed in Y, you are entitled to that seat before the upgrades for SE/E/P are processed.

I was under the impression that now Aeroplan seats are no longer considered paid J or rather a "devalued" J. On some segments such as YYZ-YVR SE/E/P would get priority over a reward ticket, at least unofficially according to the new Aeroplan reward ticket status. There have been instances where confirmed J pax on reward tickets were asked to downgrade in order for SE/E/P with upgrade certs to be bumped up to the front.

[HighFlyer]

I was under the impression that now Aeroplan seats are no longer considered paid J or rather a "devalued" J. On some segments such as YYZ-YVR SE/E/P would get priority over a reward ticket, at least unofficially according to the new Aeroplan reward ticket status. There have been instances where confirmed J pax on reward tickets were asked to downgrade in order for SE/E/P with upgrade certs to be bumped up to the front.

Yes, there have been reports on flyertalk that AC has unofficially changed the upgrade priority. But on two separate calls to the AP centre, the agents have confirmed that the old policy still exists , that is D awards have priority over SE/E/P upgrades.