Apr 26 Update: Air Canada & Etihad to offer reciprocal Frequent Flyer benefits, 1,000 Bonus Points at select Marriott's across Canada

Last day of the week brings us the following and be prepared as next week is going to be a big week for RewardsCanada and even bigger for FrequentFlyerBonuses.com! Stay tuned...
 
News, Tips & Tricks   
Air Canada and Etihad Airways have sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance their relationship beyond an interline agreement to a full fledged codeshare partnership to offer customers through-checked bags, reciprocal codeshare services and frequent flyer benefits. The following is from Etihad's press release:

The MoU provides for reciprocal codeshare services to Etihad’s Abu Dhabi hub and select points in North America served by Air Canada via its Toronto hub.  The two parties have commenced discussions to finalize details with the objective of introducing codeshare services in the third quarter 2013.

The agreement will also allow frequent flyer mileage accrual on codeshare flights by members of Etihad Guest and Aeroplan programs and reciprocal premium lounge access at Toronto and Abu Dhabi airports for eligible passengers of both airlines.

This announcement follows the recent decision by the Governments of the UAE and Canada to restore the previous visa regime which means Canadian nationals can once again obtain a free visa on arrival in the UAE.

The reciprocal Frequent Flyer benefits is great news for us Canadians and I am looking forward to them! RewardsCanada.ca has a great relationship with both Aeroplan and Etihad (both were sponsors Rewards Canada's 10th Anniversary back 2011) and this may present more opportunities for such events as I imagine Etihad will want to make a bigger push for the Canadian market as has been witnessed by Emirates and their push for Canadian traffic via WestJet and Alaska Airlines (my Emirates contact tells me that they have quite a few of us Westerners using Alaska Airlines to connect to Emirates' Seattle-Dubai flight)

In the bonus offer section we once again see a decent per night bonus from Marriott for stays at select Marriott Hotels across Canada!


Bonus Offers
Best Western Rewards
- 1,000 Bonus Rewards Points PER NIGHT for stays at participating BW Hotels in Ireland. More... Until ?

Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
- Double Asia Miles on Cathay Holidays Limited packages to Australia. More... Book by May 31, 13 for travel until Mar 31, 14
- Double Asia Miles + up to 1,500 Bonus Miles when shopping Chic Outlets in Europe. More... Jun 1 - Aug 31, 13

Emirates Skywards
- 500 Bonus Skywards Miles for stays at any of 14 Marriott Resorts across Europe, Asia and the Middle East and Africa. More... Until Jun 30, 13

IHG Rewards Club
- 1,000 Bonus IHG Rewards Points per stay at any IHG hotel Worldwide. Stay must be made within 90 days of registering. More...Targeted Offer - May not work for everyone

Marriott Rewards
- 1,000 Bonus Rewards Points PER NIGHT for stays at any one of 14 participating Marriott locations in Canada More... Jun 10 - Aug 31, 13
- 2,000 Bonus Points PER NIGHT at the TownePlace Suites Pensacola. More... Until May 28, 13
- 2,000 Bonus Points per stay at the Courtyard Naples. More...Until May 31, 13

Miles & More
- Double Miles & More Miles for LOT flights between Warsaw and Chicago, New York, or Beijing More... Until May 31, 13
- Double Miles & More Miles for LOT flights between Warsaw and Milan, Stockholm, Madrid, Amsterdam, Zurich, Berlin, Vienna, or Budapest and on the routes Katowice to Munich and Wroc?aw to Frankfurt. More... May 1 - 31, 13

Olympic Air Travelair Club (on FrequentFlyerBonuses.com only)
- Double Travelair Miles for stays at Atlantica Hotels & Resorts in Rhodes, Kos, Crete or Corfu. More... May 2 - 7, 13