Flying on frequent flyer points best

Sue Wheeler will tell you that flying on points is a favourite pastime in Canada.

The fan of the Ontario loyalty program tries, whenever possible, to use her points for overseas travel to visit relatives, something that Sue and her husband Mike do on a regular basis.

“We’ve got thousands of points and use them when we can,” she said.

“Mostly, we want them for trans-Atlantic flights, so they can be difficult to use as you have to book a long way in advance. We also use them to give to family for flights in North America.”

Another Canadian fan of frequent flyer points, Jenefer Haynes, returned from a recent stay in Panama and has wasted no time in booking her next trip, which will be to Europe, and also by using her points.

“Ten years ago, the program was absolutely fantastic,” she commented. “Now, it’s still a good deal, but you have to be very organized and book way ahead.”

She feels that it’s a reasonable trade-off for travel opportunities that take her around the world.

Canada’s premier travel reward programs are Air Miles and Aeroplan, both of which operate in conjunction with numerous air carriers.

Members can earn points towards flights by using designated credits cards to pay for flights, by shopping, hiring cars, staying at hotels, travelling by train or taking a cruise.

www.aeroplan.com