Flying Free or Not - Trip to Chile - Opinions needed

Looking for some opinions on when or when not to use Airline Frequent Flyer points.

Here is my potential happy dilemma. I seriously thinking of flying to Chile at the end of the Summer. I have two options:

1) Use 50000 Aeroplan points (Air Canada) and flight mostly FREE from Ottawa to Santiago. Yes, I can still select some of the days I'm looking at.

2) Just noticed the Air Canada seat sale. Ottawa-Santiago (same days I'm looking at) for $850 CDN (return trip). That's an excellent price compared to when I last checked a month ago.


Advantages/Disadvantages.

I'm using a lot of points for a $850 CDN plane tickets. A North American flight cost 25000 and isn't necessarily less than $400 CDN with AirCan. It would seem logical to use these points to flight at expensive North American destinations like Yukon or other non-main destinations.

Paying $850 CDN to fly to Chile. Raking many more points.

One small problem. Air Canada know has a 7 year expiration date on their points starting Jan 1 2007 meaning I have to be able to use 60000 points by 2014. I've never used the Aeroplan points, I was never able to because they didn't have the space on the flights I wanted.

There is also....the use them when you can atitude.

So what would you do?

1) Waste some points to ski this Summer in South America.

2) Waste less points and try to use them this Winter in North America.

3) Waste less points and try to plan for some vacations time in the Yukon next year. Big saving cash wise.


Any thought and opinions from some of the more experienced travelling Maggots would be greatly appreciated.

mileage plan points NEVER increase in value.

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Originally Posted by cj001f

mileage plan points NEVER increase in value.

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Thanks cj001f,

I know by my other Mileage points plan (Air Miles).

However the way I see it is that I can (if I can book them) use the same amount of points to make two trips out West (25000x2) instead of one in South America (50000). I was going to use my points when the plane tix was over $1000, but I'm not sure now.

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Originally Posted by MadPatSki

I've never used the Aeroplan points, I was never able to because they didn't have the space on the flights I wanted.

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You answered your question right there. If you can use them on a flight to SA that you want... USE THEM!!!

Don't save them for an imaginary future trip to Iqaluit that may or may not happen before the ice cap melts and/or your points expire.

where is option d where you think for yourself and make a decision instead of having random people on the interent hold your hand?

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Originally Posted by davep

You answered your question right there.

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exzactly

call them and see if they have space for trips out west (you can plan up to 330 days in advance). if they don't, the choice is made.

international travel >> domestic travel

Good to SA now!!! I don't know how it works in Canada, but you will likely find good fares for most western locations.

BTY you sure didn't miss anything a Mammoth this year, most of the season sucked. I just got back, and it is dismal. I tried to climb the Dana couloir,, but found it to be entirely blue ice even at 12,500 feet.

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Originally Posted by cj001f

call them and see if they have space for trips out west (you can plan up to 330 days in advance). if they don't, the choice is made.

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Keep trying. Calling them once is never enough.

Catching the day to day releases of air miles seats and lucking into a helpful call center employee is the key to air miles.

Option #2 sounds good. However, airfare seems to have gone up in the recent weeks. It seems like it might be an epic season down south... so choice #1 IMO.

Man, I would use the points if you get a return ticket... I'm off to SA in about a week, I had orginally booked one way from Australia to Chile on points and planned to purchase the way back. When I went to book the one way flight back to Aus it was more expensive than a return ticket! Cancelled the first flight, got *most* of the points back, and bought a return ticket.

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Originally Posted by hutash

Good to SA now!!! I don't know how it works in Canada, but you will likely find good fares for most western locations.

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Originally Posted by 801 jav

Option #2 sounds good. However, airfare seems to have gone up in the recent weeks. It seems like it might be an epic season down south... so choice #1 IMO.

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Hi Hutash and 801 jav

If I can make it happen (non-monetary issues), I WILL go to SA (free ticket or not). I might find good fares to the West, but the current fare for Chile is great ($850 CDN - return). The difference here is that I'll use double the points for a plane ticket versus a Western trip from Ottawa + that SA plane ticket isn't double the price than one for the West.

That price for a Chile trip is currently approximately the same that Air Canada is currently charging for the Yukon (on family short list of non-skiing travel). Yes, I know, I'm getting ahead of myself. :rolleyes:

BTW Dave, my ski streak is still alive. :eek: Not much, but I got some Eastern July turns for month 22.

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Originally Posted by cj001f

call them and see if they have space for trips out west (you can plan up to 330 days in advance). if they don't, the choice is made.

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Just checked with the Aeroplan website. I can pretty much reserve anything for next Winter right now. I was told that since the last time I've tried booking with points, I was only 2 months ahead + they charged their policy on available seats (more an echange with the 7 year expiration date on points :mad:). My boss was able to use his points for the first time this Winter, so maybe it's true that it's easier now?

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Originally Posted by cj001f

international travel >> domestic travel

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An ex-collegue at work was a specialist on flying on points. He always said do not flight on international trip (other continents). They generally require too many points versus the value of the plane ticket. Flight into remote areas within North America is the best deal (I tested this out last year by using my AirMiles (not the same type of miles) to fly into Bozeman, MT from Ottawa. In a 4 year period, he used his points to fly from Ottawa to Baffin Island (Nunavut) twice and once to Newfoundland.

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Originally Posted by cincystar

where is option d where you think for yourself and make a decision instead of having random people on the interent hold your hand?

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And you have never asked anyone OPINION in your life? I didn't ask anyone to make a decision for me.

:fuckyou:

Some people might have some experiences and informations they're willing to share. For those who did, it is greater appreciated.:)

the key to any ski trip is flexibility. the second key is taking advantage of the moment.

use your points now...that way you can be flexible with other trips...go to the yukon, don't go to the yukon, etc. booking now seems silly.

it sounds like you're trying to plan too far in advance. fuck that. spend 'em if you got them.

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Originally Posted by MadPatSki

An ex-collegue at work was a specialist on flying on points. He always said do not flight on international trip (other continents). They generally require too many points versus the value of the plane ticket. Flight into remote areas within North America is the best deal (I tested this out last year by using my AirMiles (not the same type of miles) to fly into Bozeman, MT from Ottawa. In a 4 year period, he used his points to fly from Ottawa to Baffin Island (Nunavut) twice and once to Newfoundland.

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It all depends on who you have points with, where you are going to and from, when you want to go, and how flexible you are.

Just to update.

I bought my plane tickets on Monday. I decided to use my points another time.

Cool, have fun, and write a nice TR for those of us less fortunate.

I find that is generally a better value to purchase long haul tickets and then use your miles to upgrade to 1st class.

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Originally Posted by MadPatSki

Just to update.

I bought my plane tickets on Monday. I decided to use my points another time.

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The fact that your going is all that matters! :D When I checked on using my points, SA flights for the offseason (8/15-11/05/) were only a-boot one third more points than any domestic flight cross country. Prior to 8/15 they were running as you said, double the points of any domestic flight...