Aeroplan let us know that they will provide an automatic extension of Aeroplan Elite status, they are instituting an elite status jump start program and are further extending the pause on points expiry.
A new year means a new cycle to elite status benefits and the most prevalent in Canada happens to be Air Canada Aeroplan's Elite Status. If you hold status with Aeroplan that means you get to pick your select benefits for the year now. The benefits you get to select over and above your standards benefits depends on which level of Aeroplan status you hold. Those are as follows:
Yesterday we brought you the details of two of Air Canada's multiple Black Friday promotions, the Aeroplan eStore bonus and the Buy Aeroplan points bonus. In the Aeroplan eStore post we mentioned another promotion that would be considered the umbrella of all of Air Canada's Black Friday deals and that is the bonus points offer for taking part in multiple Black Friday offers. In this post we take a closer look at the multiple offer bonus.
With the new Aeroplan program now live the first thing you'll see when you log in is an option for a tutorial about their new dashboard. I took screenshots of the tutorial as I choose to see what is new on the site:
It’s finally here - after more than three years the new Air Canada Aeroplan is now live. What follows is a recap of the what the new program entails as we originally published back in August. As you may have seen over the weekend all the new credit card welcome bonuses were revealed here on Rewards Canada and then as the week goes on you can expext more articles looking at the ins and outs of the program as we now to get experience it all live. As always we welcome your feedback, comments and questions in the comment section below. Feel free to let us know how things go for you when playing around on their new site - if you find some amazing sweet spots, program anomalies (both good and bad) and anything else you deem worthy of being mentioned!
And our final post of the night for the new Aeroplan cards is for CIBC's entry level card the CIBC Aeroplan® Visa* Card.
Post number four covering the new suite of Aeroplan co-brand payment cards takes us to the new American Express® Aeroplan®* Reserve Card
Air Canada announced today that they will be deploying their fleet of all business class AC Jetz charter aircraft on popular routes for the Christmas season. You'll be to purchases tickets or redeem Aeroplan miles to fly on these planes that feature 58 business class seats on routes like Montreal to Barbados, Toronto to Cancun and Vancouver to Phoenix.
The aircraft, which features a cabin of 58 business class seats, will be departing from prime locations, minimizing walking time in the airport, and begin boarding only 35 minutes before departure. Enjoy an exclusive travel experience with a spacious cabin configuration that offers more comfort and less waiting time when boarding and deplaning, as well as Chef Park’s menu and a wine selection curated by VĆ©ronique Rivest.
Customers will be able to book their Jetz flight beginning October 21, 2020 for travel during the Christmas period between December 12, 2020 and January 6, 2021, with a second schedule for March Break flights currently under development. Customers should consult aircanada.com/acjetz for schedule details, including operating daysThe routes that will feature these planes are as follows:
In a little over two weeks the Aeroplan we know now will be gone and the new Aeroplan will be here. There's a lot of anticipation in the air for the new Aeroplan program and as can be expected with any such migration there is a need to pause certain aspects of the program. Aeroplan let us know this morning what we can expect to happen from now until November 8th and beyond:
Generally speaking, between the evening of Nov. 6, 2020, and the afternoon of Nov. 8, 2020, Aeroplan will be temporarily unavailable. However, some features will be put on hold ahead of Nov. 6, to make the transition more seamless.
Detailed information can be found at aircanada.com/aeroplanupdate, but here are some notable highlights:
· Flight Rewards - Flight rewards will be temporarily unavailable for new reservations, changes and cancellations from the evening of Nov. 6, through the afternoon of Nov. 8. If a member is traveling during that time and needs immediate support for a previously booked flight reward reservation, they can contact the Aeroplan Contact Centre at 1-800-361-5373.
· Non-Air Rewards – Members will be unable to redeem points for merchandise (including gift cards) and other travel rewards starting from the evening of Nov. 6, through the afternoon of Nov. 8.
· Crediting points – For points earned with partners between Oct. 30 and Nov. 9, there will be a delay in points crediting. They will automatically be credited beginning Nov. 10.
· Altitude members – As in previous years, Altitude status members must choose their Select Privileges no later than Oct. 31. All status benefits, including eUpgrades, will remain available throughout the transition period.
· Star Alliance Upgrade Awards (SAUA) - Star Alliance Upgrade Awards will be paused for Aeroplan members starting Oct. 31. Members will be able to request these upgrades again later in 2021.
(We made the difficult choice to temporarily pause Star Alliance Upgrade Awards to allow for more focus on the implementation of new program features. This decision was reinforced by lower international travel demand as a result of COVID-19, and a related drop in demand for SAUA. We’re eager to reintroduce this product later in 2021. In the meantime, take note that Star Alliance Upgrade Awards will continue to be available on Air Canada flights for members of partner frequent flyer programs.)
When you visit Aeroplan's migration update page there are two more notable disruptions to be aware of:
· Between October 17 and the afternoon of November 8, 2020, it will not be possible to request missing Aeroplan points for flight activities.
· Between the evening of November 6 and the afternoon of November 8, 2020, the option to convert partner points to Aeroplan points will be unavailable.
Many of these disruptions to the Aeroplan are to be expected and given that most of them will take place over the weekend of November 6 to 8 it should hopefully not affect a lot of members. When you think about it this is the perfect time for Aeroplan to make the transition - November tends to be quiet for travel regardless of the year but now with the travel being so much lower due to COVID-19 it is the perfect time for the switch and it provides Aeroplan time to also work out the kinks before they see an uptick in travel again.
Some of you may be disheartened about the pause of Star Alliance Upgrade Awards until 2021 and it is unfortunate if you had this award in your sights over the next few months but at least Aeroplan has made the promise to reintroduce them in 2021. In all likelihood the SAUA makes up a very small percentage of awards redeemed for by members so it shouldn't affect too many members.
Yet another Fairmont Hotels offer to pass along! This offer is for those
who are Air Canada Altitude 25K and 35K members, I mean you can try to book it without being one they may not check your credentials at check in but that's a risk you must but willing to take should they do ask.
This offer provides a room upgrade (based on availability at check in), daily complimentary breakfast for 2 and a $50 hotel credit on stays of 2 or more nights.. It is valid at most Fairmont locations in Canada and lots of locations in the Caribbean, US and Mexico.
The offer must be booked by December 31 for stays until March 31, 2021
Here's a look at the rates for the Air Canada Altitude offer at the Fairmont Chateau Laurier:
And here are the CAA rates (note this hotel isn't part of the CAA offer we posted about just over a week ago)
That's $57 less per night for the CAA rate, or $114 total for a 2 night stay. Compare this to the Air Canada Altitude offer that provide a $50 credit and daily breakfast for 2 and you might come out slightly ahead. If you don't have CAA then of course the AC Altitude offer is the better bet. As well we only look at one hotel here, this offer might be even better or worse depending on the location and the dates of travel.
The Waitlist Offer is valid for eligible applications received by American Express by December 31, 2020 through the link and RSVP code provided in the waitlist email that you will receive once you sign up.
- To qualify for a waitlist bonus of 10,000 Aeroplan points, prospect must apply and be approved for the American Express® Aeroplan® * Reserve Card or the American Express® Aeroplan® * Business Reserve Card
- To qualify for a waitlist bonus of 5,000 Aeroplan points, prospect must apply and be approved for the American Express® Aeroplan® * Card
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| Amex's Email sign up page |
On top of this, if you currently hold an American Express® AeroplanPlus®* Platinum or American Express® AeroplanPlus®* Reserve Card, your Card will be changing to the NEW American Express® Aeroplan®* Reserve Card and you will receive an exclusive offer in the first year which includes 1,000 Bonus Aeroplan points for every $1,000 in purchases, up to 10,000 points, 2X the points on eligible grocery purchases, up to $5,000, and a $100 credit towards the annual fee for the Card.
Here's a quick review of the details of the two new American Express Aeroplan consumer cards:
The NEW American Express® Aeroplan®* Reserve Card, made from precision-cut and engraved 13 g metal, will offer the following:
The Reserve card benefits and details don't end there - stay tuned for more exciting news coming to your American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card soon.
The NEW American Express® Aeroplan®* Card, created using 70% reclaimed plastic as part of American Express' commitment to sustainability, will offer the following:
The entire suite of cards also get Access to Entertainment and more through American Express® Experiences:
The American Express® Aeroplan® * Business Reserve Card will also be available (Annual fee $599) and is eligible for the Waitlist Program. The Card also offers a suite of business expense management tools and resources to help business owners stay on track.
Now we just have to wait to
see what the actual welcome offers will be but no matter what they will be if you have any inclination of getting one of these new American Express cards you need to get on the waitlist for those extra points. I mean why wouldn't you? You'd be throwing away 5,000 to 10,000 Aeroplan points which at Rewards Canada's current valuation of those points is no less than $60 to $120 in value and in many cases they'd be worth even more than that. My recommendation is that you sign up for the waitlist right now so that you don't forget in the future. This is the same mantra I have always used for registering for flight or hotel bonus offers before you know any of your travel plans. Register for it right away and that you don't have to worry about later and potentially miss out on that bonus if you forget about the offer at that later date. So do the same here - get your name on that list now and then if you apply and are approved for one of the cards between November 8 and December 31 you are golden as you'll get that waitlist bonus.
For some background here are our past articles on the new Aeroplan program:
Air Canada reached out to us today to let us know of a new benefit being added for their top tier Super Elite members. This benefit will kick in once Air Canada's on-board service returns to offering Air Canada Bistro service.
Here is what Air Canada told us:
Complimentary In-Flight Refreshment
Beginning when we reintroduce Air Canada Bistro service onboard, and subject to the product selection available on your flight, Aeroplan Super Elite members can enjoy one free alcoholic beverage and one free snack item when traveling on Air Canada, Air Canada Express or Air Canada Rouge in Economy Class. Note that alcoholic beverages up to a value of $6.95 are eligible, while meal and fresh snack options (such as sandwiches and salads) are not eligible.
This new benefit is being added on top of those new benefits already revealed on August 11 that will come when the new Aeroplan program launches on November 8. You can learn more about those changes here: https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/home/aeroplan/status.html
Although it might seem minute, this is nice little gesture and benefit for those top tier flyers who are in the back of the bus and didn't clear any upgrades to be bumped up front. My only thought is that it would be nice to have one major meal items or fresh snack option included however as that cost would be minimal for the airline in regards to a traveller that generates a decent amount of revenue for them.
With the new Aeroplan program only a few short months away from launching the marketing efforts from them and their financial partners are going to start ramping up. Given that travel has been curtailed for the better of almost half a year now credit card issuers moved money away from their travel card portfolios and that included TD with their Aeroplan cards. That's starting to change now - travel is slowly coming back and of course with Aeroplan going ahead with launching their new program in November efforts are returning to the marketing of these cards. It all starts today with the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card seeing its welcome bonus boosted 10,000 Aeroplan Miles (soon to be points) from 15,000 to 25,000 while retaining the no first year annual fee on both the primary card and the first additional card. This offer is available for new applications until November 7 (which makes total sense seeing the new Aeroplan cards launch on November 8) This means as long as you can meet the minimum spend requirement of only $1,500 in the first three months you'll get the full 25,000 miles at no cost outside of that spending.
Now the real question you have to ask yourself is "do I get the card now or do I wait for the new cards to launch in November?" This is question we here at Rewards Canada do not have the answer to but sure wish we did. Here are some things you'll want to consider and right now the predicament we are in is just like playing the stock market. Do you play it safe by jumping in now or do you risk it and wait for a potential bigger reward but also stand a chance at being rewarded less?
If you choose to go sign up for the card now here's what you can expect:
If you choose to play with fate and want to risk it by waiting until November 8 here's what you can expect:
Like I already mentioned in this post - I don't have the answer to what the new card will offer as a welcome bonus. All I have written above is pure speculation and can be totally wrong. I'm just putting it out there so that you can consider your path, ultimately choosing your own adventure. Will you play it safe or take a risk? It's all up to you and the page you choose.
Now if you choose to go with this current offer, which by the way is quite good in its own form you are looking at receiving 10,000 miles upon
your first purchase and another 15,000 miles when you spend $1,500 on
the card within the first 90 days of opening your account. For most
people this shouldn't be too hard as that will equate to $500 in
spending per month.no fee etc. However if you want to be able to get the miles as soon as possible you'll want to try to get that $1,500 in spending done quickly so that the miles post after your first statement. That way you can still redeem the miles under the old award chart system that will be in effect until November 7. Here is a broad example of what 25,000 Aeroplan Miles can get you under the current program:
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| Air Canada reward chart valid only to November 7 |
As of November 8th the above chart will no longer be applicable as the new Aeroplan program will be live. Here is what can expect for those 25,000 miles in the new program:
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| Air Canada's new redemption rates (click to make bigger) |
Another great benefit of the new program is the Family Sharing plan you will be able to create a group of 8 people to pool points from to make it easier to reach those reward goal. Savvy collectors take note - get yourself two cards if you can with this current promotion and you'll have 50,000 Aeroplan Miles which will open up even more redemption options. For example you get your own TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card then have your spouse or partner get their own account as well. As long as you are both approved and both meet that minimum spend threshold you'll each have 25,000 miles that you can pool into one come November 8. And the great thing is both of you pay no annual fee on the cards for that first year. This can also be a way to curb the risk of waiting in some sort, perhaps apply for one card right now to get the 25,000 miles with no fee and then have the partner/spouse wait to November 8 to apply for the new card with whatever sign up bonus it comes with.
There you have it! TD's new offer for the Aeroplan Visa Infinite card definitely presents a dilemma as it raises the question, do I get the card now or do I wait until November 8. I wish I could answer that for you but your guess is as good as mine right now. Hopefully though I was able to present enough information in this post to at least give you a little more guidance as to making the right choice for you.
Learn more about and apply for the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card here.
The card matrix below shows the latest offer on this card and may not be representative of the discussion above:
This is quite an appealing offer as receiving 5 Aeroplan Miles per dollar spent is more than you would earn with any credit card out there for Air Canada flights. On top of that you also get whatever miles or points you earn on your credit card for the actual gift card purchase, so the earning potential is very attractive. The only concern that you need to take into account with using gift cards for flights is that you may not be covered by your credit card insurance for those flights in terms of trip interruption, cancellation, baggage delay and so on.
Learn more about this offer here.
Here are the terms and conditions of this offer:
This post is a reminder to our readers that Delta's SkyMiles Status Match Challenge has been open to Air Canada Altitude members and some other international airlines for nearly a year now. Prior to that it was only available to a handful of U.S. airlines. The challenge will grant you status with Delta for three months that is comparable to the status you have with another airline, in this case we're mainly concerned with Air Canada and here is how they match up:
To learn more about each of Delta's elite tiers I recommend checking out this page on Delta's website.
If you want to extend your status past three months you'll need to meet
the following requirements (Note The qualifying dollar component is not
required for Canadians)
You do have be aware however that your
Air Canada Altitude status had to be earned by flying - so if you are
thinking hey I just got my 25K status a few months ago thanks to the
Travel at Home promotion and now I can get Delta status think again as
they won't match status earned from promotions like that.
Delta is part of the SkyTeam alliance which means you'll get some perks flying on any those airlines. Outside of Star Alliance, SkyTeam is the next biggest alliance serving Canada with multiple airline partners like Air France, KLM, Korean Air, AeroMexico and others all flying here. This means there are many more potential opportunities to enhance your travels from this status match especially if you happen to get Delta Medallion Gold or higher status as you'll be a SkyTeam Elite Plus member which provides lounge access and more.
I wouldn't recommend signing up for the challenge right now unless you know you will be flying Delta over the next three months so that you can enjoy the elite benefits. Plus you'll want to time it right so that you can reach the requirements to have that status extended to full blown status that will run until January 31, 2022. On the other hand if you are only planning on flying Delta as a one off and will never fly them again it wouldn't hurt to sign up for the challenge so you get those perks for that one flight! š
Basically I just wanted to let you know about this offer again at this time so it doesn't go forgotten by our Air Canada Altitude readers and that
you have in the back of your mind for the future if and when the opportunity may arise that you can get the most value out of this challenge.
Learn more about the Delta SkyMiles Medallion Status Match Challenge here.
Today we welcome a new contributor to Rewards Canada as we collaborate with Anshul Singh of Points, Miles & Bling. Based in Ottawa, Anshul is well known in the Canadian points and miles circuit hosting weekly virtual points & miles events, having presented at PointsU and much more. His first contribution to Rewards Canada is a look back at Air Canada's event this past July announcing the new Aeroplan program. The timing for this post was perfect as Rewards Canada was not able to attend this event in Montreal. We look forward to more collab's with Anshul! Now here's his recap of the event:
Having waited over a year for details on the new Aeroplan program, I was excited to receive an invitation from Air Canada, for a sneak peak into the new Aeroplan program. Without hesitation, I confirmed my availability for the media event, which was held in Montreal on July 29th, 2020. The event was to host a group of up to 20-25 people, including AC folks, in Montreal.
The day of the event started with a scheduled pickup at the hotel. In keeping with strict COVID guidelines, each guest was provided with a separate car and brought to the event venue. In fact, the Health and Safety guidelines for the event were shared in advance:
Health and Safety
“Please note that all attendees must wear masks/face coverings throughout all indoor areas as mandated by the province of Quebec. Masks will be available at the event, however please ensure you have your own upon arrival to the venue. Upon registration we are pleased to provide you with your own Air Canada CleanCare+ kit which contains hand sanitizer, antiseptic wipes, and a face covering.
With an abundance of caution, the presentation will take place in a tented outdoor area at L’espace Canal with physical distancing seating arrangements in place. Masks may be removed while eating or drinking.”
The venue L’Espace Canal, is a chic urban space with waterfront terrace, which made for a picturesque setting to this marquee event. Once at the venue, I followed the Air Canada signs through the building to access the event space in the rear of the building. Air Canada event staff was on site to guide me to the terrace for the presentation. Upon registration, I was handed a welcome package in an Air Canada bag which included AC cloth masks, a CleanCare+ kit (hand sanitizer, antiseptic wipes, bottle of water), name tag, AC branded pen and book! With registration completed, I was able to network and chit-chat with AC staff and other guests arriving at the venue - Masks on!
The Agenda for the day was presented as following;
AgendaThe presentation area (media tent) on the terrace was setup with physical distancing in mind, including the snacks and coffee section which was managed by the venue staff, who helped serve the items on hand:
10:00 – Arrival and Registration
11:00 – Session begins
12:45 – Lunch
17:00 – Session concludes
The sessions were led by senior Air Canada executives, Mark Nasr, VP – Loyalty and eCommerce, and Scott O’Leary, Managing Director – Loyalty Planning and Development. Before they did that, the attendees were instructed to keep their phones and recording devices in a sealed envelope (provided with the welcome package), while AC staff came around to make sure that was happening. What?! This was the first indication that this was going to be a special presentation and not just a bullet points of takeaways. It became pretty evident that this was no run of the mill media event, since the Air Canada team not only showcased the new Aeroplan program, but they were also keen to hear first reactions from the group. The conversations were candid, and feedback was genuine. Mark and Scott did not shy away from any uncomfortable conversations, including current program shortcomings, and even disclosing some of the rationale behind the final decisions that went into features of the new program.
Having led us in a deep dive of new brand, and flight rewards, our minds soaked with exciting new information, the AC team had one more trick up their sleeves. As the scheduled lunch rolled up, I chuckled at the sight of venue staff pushing Air Canada food trolley towards us. Lunch included AC Signature Class boxed meals, with 2 main options, Chicken Curry, and Vegetarian Lasagna. Chef Antonio Park himself was in attendance, who shared the sustainable food sourcing vision at Air Canada, specifically the need to engage with Canadian food providers, in a COVID stressed global food supply chain.
Currently, for flights departing Canada, an all-inclusive pre-packaged meal box crafted by Chef David Hawksworth on flights to Europe and Israel, Chef Antonio Park on flights to Asia, and Chef Vikram Vij on flights from Canada to India - feature a hot main course, salad, dessert and packaged bread.
Post-lunch sessions were equally engaging as we discussed the nuts and bolts of new AC status, family account, priority rewards, and the suite of credit card perks . If you haven’t read about the details of the new AP program yet, I recommend the following;
Be sure to check out Points, Miles & Bling!
All images courtesy of Anshul Singh except the title image courtesy of Aeroplan
Many moons ago we used to run a series here on Rewards Canada called Redemption Stories The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. The series had our readers tell us stories about redeeming points or miles from various loyalty programs from the good to the bad all the way down to the ugly. So why not resurrect here with the new Aeroplan program as it is only fitting since Aeroplan was the first program featured in the series way back in March 2012. You can read that original post here.
The original series focused on redemption so I'll bend our own rules with the return of the series covering all aspects of the new Aeroplan program and I'll provide what we think is Good, Bad and Ugly. Ultimately once the program is up and running in its new form I'll reach to the Rewards Canada community to have a reader based version after we all get a chance to experience the new program.
No more carrier/fuel surcharges
Say goodbye to paying hundreds of dollars in extra fees when flying on Air Canada, Lufthansa or any number of other Aeroplan airline partners who had those fees added to their reward flights. Fly on Air Canada and there
are none of those dreaded airline surcharges while the most you'll pay is a $39
booking fee for travel on partner airlines.
Aeroplan Mileage Earn Rates for flying
Think about what it costs to fly in Canada - a lot of times it costs more to fly to St. John's Newfoundland than it does to London, Paris or Tokyo. Or how about being in a small city only served by Air Canada like Sudbury? Chances are you will earn more points now on those flights since it is revenue based and with those tickets being more expensive you'll earn more points than you would have in the old mileage based system. This especially holds true for elite members who earn extra points per dollar spent.
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| The Aeroplan earn rates for a Super Elite member |
Family Sharing
You will be able to create a group of 8 people to pool points from to make it easier to reach those reward goals
Enhanced benefits for credit card holders
From first bag free to earning elite status miles and dollars, companion
vouchers to rollover EQMs, the suite of Air Canada Aeroplan co-brand
cards get some major boosts.
Recommended reading: A closer look at the new Air Canada Aeroplan credit cards
Elite status enhancements
New benefits like Priority Rewards, Status Pass (share status
benefits), additional elite qualifying miles and dollars earning options
and more. The ability to earn elite status without even flying is a great segue for those who had status in the old Aeroplan elite program into the new combined elite program
Better redemption options
From being able to access Signature Suites when you redeem for higher fare awards, to almost endless routing options, to easily combining Air Canada and partner airlines in one booking, the entire redemption process will be better.
Points + Cash redemptions
If you don't have enough points for a rewards you can pay with a combination of Points + Cash. You can also use points to pay for taxes and fees at a better rate than was seen in the old program.
Some redemption rates
Some award redemptions have become cheaper. For example some short haul rewards will now only cost 12,000 points versus the old 15,000 for a round trip. You have to remember that the greatest percentage of Aeroplan redemptions are for economy class flights within North America and for the most part those remain very close in points requirements between the old and new programs.
Aeroplan Mileage Earn Rates for flying
Yes we had earn rates in the good section but that's only for a sub-section of flights. Now look at routes where there is lots of competition and the revenue based model will likely see you earning less than the old mileage based model. This is especially so if you don't have elite status to get those earn multipliers. This will also have a big affect on U.S. based members since Air Canada was always undercutting the competition on flights from the U.S. to Asia and Europe (connecting via Canada of course)
Overall Redemption rates
Overall it does appear that members will be spending more on award flight redemption. We know this is true for partner airlines since those are published rates and the majority of those have gone in cost.
Stopover fee
The new 5,000 point fee for adding a stopover on a rewards ticket makes those options a bit more expensive now.
No Stopovers on North America reward itineraries
The new
program won't let you have stopovers on travel within Canada or the
U.S.. You can only stopover in Canadian or U.S. if you are travelling to
an international destination.
Increased annual fees for credit card holders
The mainstay and premium Aeroplan credit cards are going to cost more however you do get more benefits. That being said, there are consumers who don't need all those extras but are keen on the points earning ability of those cards so they will end up paying more.
Redemptions on no fee partner airlines
This is a combination of the new redemption amounts being levied by Aeroplan for their partner airlines along with the $39 booking fee and is in regards to those airlines who didn't charge or charged very little carrier or fuel surcharges in the first place. These are your airlines like SWISS, EVA Air, EgyptAir and so on.
Some redemption rates
Some award redemption options will be jumping significantly in the new program and those are just ugly. Since the award chart is distance based we see some big jumps in price for the longer flights within the new travel zones. Cross country award flights like Vancouver to St. John's become significantly more expensive in terms of the number of points required and many of the longer haul flights to the Atlantic and Pacific zones.
Loss of IKK for Super Elites
The consensus on this seems split - some Super Elites are excited about the new 50% off Priority Rewards while others at mad at the loss of the famous IKK benefit. This was the exclusive benefit for Super Elites which gave them access to many more reward seats at classic flight pricing. Super Elites could use this for up to ten reservations per year whereas the new 50% off Priority Rewards are capped at 11 per year but you don't get them all at once - you have to earn them by reaching various SQD levels.
As you can see there are definitely a lot more 'good' than 'bad' or 'ugly' and ultimately it comes down to each individual member and their earning and redeeming habits as to whether the new Aeroplan program is good, bad or ugly for them. For some even the bad and ugly will outweigh the good and for others it will be the opposite. Regardless of how you feel in the grand scheme of things (and a lot of you are looking at it as bad or ugly) you do have to look at this new program from the big picture. That is, look at Aeroplan as a whole and Canada as a whole. Not from the perspective of a points & miles maximizer, not a credit card churner, but from two other perspectives - the frequent flyer and the everyday average Canadian. That's who Air Canada really focused on for this program. How do we make it better for those who generate revenue flying on Air Canada (the frequent flyer) and those who generate revenue for the loyalty program (the everyday Canadian spending money on their Aeroplan credit cards and earning miles via non-travel partners). Look at what the new program encourages - bringing people back to Air Canada by eliminating surcharges on Air Canada and providing first bag free benefits, by making Aeroplan an attractive program with family pooling and points+cash options for those who don't earn enough points on their own and even opening up elite earning options via credit cards and overall points earning and you can clearly see the path this program wants to take. Support the frequent flyer and support the everyday Canadian who may travel several times per year or only once every few years.