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.
Bookmarks