Year: 2022

Over the weekend, I landed in Vancouver from my home base in Edmonton. The agenda included an action-packed evening of food, drink and merriment.

But before heading to Vancouver I visited several lounges at Edmonton International Airport, the first of which was Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge Edmonton.

Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge Edmonton – Access

This lounge is located directly next to Gates 54 and 56.

These are found on the left immediately after the safety exit, and (not coincidentally) the gates from which the highest traffic routes to Toronto and Vancouver depart.

Passengers traveling in business class with Air Canada or Star Alliance Airlines, Aeroplan 35K members and above, Aeroplan Premium credit card holders and those who have a one-time lounge pass are granted access.

I entered the second floor and was presented with a sign-in desk, no line-up and was allowed to enter within seconds of scanning my boarding pass and presenting my American Express airplane reserve card.

The desk attendant even gasped for a better shot at the entrance when I told him I was taking pictures.

One feature of the design was that as soon as I entered, I came to the bathroom on the left.

This is a somewhat weird setup, especially on busy days when a bathroom lineup could potentially block more traffic to the lounge.

Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge Edmonton – Seats

Once I finished working in the washroom, I saw the rest of the lounge, which was found immediately to the right of the bathroom hallway.

The first seating had a misplaced fireplace accent; It’s a nice touch if you know how a -40˚C, smoother-in-ever-dark Albertan winter feels.

The plush chairs were comfortable enough for my back, it was burdened by a single carrying luggage piece.

Although the lounge looks small on the outside, and although it is narrow, it is actually much longer.

This gives Air Canada the Maple Leaf Lounge Edmonton a deceptively larger capacity than initially thought, and it’s nice to know that there’s space available for guests to stay during busy trips like the annual Christmas Travel Bonanza.

The upholstery was consistent with the entire Maple Leaf Lounge brand; I’m sure all the furniture comes from the same supplier, and it’s updated because it’s worn from an airport to keep the next experience somewhat identical.

There’s also a good view over Gates 54 and 56, which is convenient if you’re on the Toronto or Vancouver route because you don’t have to guess when your flight is boarding; You can just see if the passengers have started queuing up by zone.

At the very back, past the dining station and bar, there was an alcove with a television.

They were running news, but they have satellite connections, so it will be possible to ask staff to change the channel if CBC or CNN proves to be very frustrating in the future.

Just behind the television area, there is also a phone charging station if you need extra juice from any electronic device.

Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge Edmonton – Business Center

What surprised me most about this lounge was its business center. In the middle of the lounge, right next to the food station, was found a separate room, much larger than the ones I had seen in Toronto or Vancouver.

It has multiple PC workstations, many of which do not seem to be connected, as well as the printers were offline.

Combined with the bright halogen light, it gives a wonderful feeling, as if it came directly from the Apple Show Separation.

Of course, computers are online, and it is possible to ask employees to flip printers online if you need to.

There is also a paper shredder if you no longer need a secure disposal for those high-class documents.

In the era of on-app boarding passes, it strikes me as unnecessary, but then again I’m not in a job that relies on physical paperwork.

Therefore, travelers who need last-minute printing or similar facilities may find it more useful. For me, the emptiness of the business center was uncomfortable, so I left immediately.

Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge Edmonton – Dining

I want to talk about the food at the Edmonton Maple Leaf Lounge. Alas, it is not possible.

I did not encounter any hot meals while I was there and no timeline was given as to when I might return. Then again, based on the quality of the Maple Leaf Lounge food that I ate elsewhere, it was probably not the biggest loss.

The cold and preserved food cafeteria had a normal proliferation of fountain pops, bottled water, chips, cookies, fruit and granola bars. I ate a cookie; That was fine, but nothing from Hilton Doubletris.

While the presence of chips in all garments was undoubtedly a great comfort for Canadian patriots, the absence of other food options left much to be desired. If they had gone the potato chip route, they could have got at least some Miss Vickies salt and vinegar.

For non-alcoholic beverages, there was a cooler full of canned pop (which to me usually tastes better than the fountain variety because it is not watered) and a tea station. The espresso machine was inoperable.

When it comes to alcoholic beverages, the selection was standard like other maple leaf lounges.

Edmonton has not yet moved to self-service, so I still had to request a port of wine to pour, which was delightful. Perhaps they are concerned about the thirst of Albertan travelers (admittedly sometimes great).

Also, no cocktails were ordered except mixed hybrids and classic Caesar. Perhaps a drink, garnished with some all-dressed chips, could really prove to be the “most Canadian” maple leaf lounge.

Conclusion

If I had entered this lounge with any high expectations, I would have been disappointed. The food rental was threadbear, the layout was a bit weird and the bar service was nice enough but not so much that anyone could order a sajrak, let alone an old fashioned one.

But I didn’t enter the entertainment claim – it’s an outpost on the Maple Leaf Lounge network at a small regional airport. It provided comfortable seating, a quiet environment and salt-laden food to nourish the stomach and soul.

My final assessment of the Edmonton Maple Leaf Lounge? Not great, probably not even good, but very good and I want to go again.

Etihad Airways has announced that it is launching The first NFT collection, Dubbed EY-ZERO1.

This is an exciting innovation, the first in the aviation industry. These NFTs are a triple threat: they are a valuable collectible, they offer real-world utilities and are designed to be sustainable.

NFTs will be available for minting July 21, 2022 For the public, or July 18, 2022 For Etihad guest members.

What are NFTs?

A Non-fungible token A type of digital asset stored in a blockchain.

What sets an NFT apart from a currency is that each NFT is unique and identifiable. Money is fungus – it doesn’t matter if I have this bitcoin or that bitcoin, it’s worth the same – but a Non-Achieves its value from the uniqueness of the fungible token.

Tokens, whether coins or individually collectibles, have been around since the dawn of civilization, but counterfeiting has been a scourge ever since. Enter blockchain: A cryptographically protected digital laser. By being able to verify the origin, ownership and transaction history of an NFT, blockchain technology is an innovation that supports asset value.

2021 marks the beginning of the NFT era, where most of the hype centers on the digital industry. This sensitive experience can still be faked for Presentation; However, they cannot be forged Sale, Because the blockchain guarantees the correct owner of the true version. Ownership has a lot to do with ownership To know You own that item for which you have a taste.

But NFTs can be much more than just the digital version of going to the hobby store. For example, they may offer material benefits to the owner, or they may be a digital representation of real estate ownership.

Combined with the authenticity of the blockchain, owners can easily prove their ownership, thus ensuring that they reap the benefits appropriately.

Etihad Airways has launched NFT

By forming the EY-ZERO1 NFT collection, up to 2,003 tokens will be created to commemorate the founding year of Etihad.

The NFT models represent Etihad’s signature 787 Dreamliner fleet, with 10 different Lever designs displayed as limited edition collectibles. The models are 3D and interactive.

With these NFTs, Etihad is bringing their unique real-world designs to the digital world, including exclusive ownership of Metaverse. For any pilot, including the Dhaka desk with miniature model aircraft, it represents the next step in the collectible future.

The EY-ZERO1 collection is part of Etihad’s environmentally sustainable efforts, linked to their commitment to be carbon-neutral by 2050.

NFTs are built on the Polygon (MATIC) protocol, a solution built on top of the Ethereum blockchain to help it work in a more energy-efficient way. Also, all profits from the NFT collection will be used to buy sustainable aircraft fuel, and the production of NFTs has been a carbon-neutral project.

It’s very refreshing to look at, on two fronts. Aviation is naturally an environmentally taxing industry, and requires purposeful efforts to make it sustainable.

Similarly, the cryptographic algorithms that guarantee the non-fungibility of these tokens are also quite power-intensive, and it is most important to follow the improvements if these technologies can ever advance in our world. I am so excited to see the two spaces collide in a lined, forward-thinking manner.

What do you get for owning an NFT with Etihad Airways?

Will be EY-ZERO1 The first utility-powered NFT collection in the airline industry. This means that the owner of the NFT only gets some material advantage beyond holding a valuable collectible.

First and foremost, NFT owners are granted Etihad Guest Silver Status. While the elite amenities of entry-level will not take off your socks, you will have access to the Al Reem Lounge at Abu Dhabi International Airport and other airport lounges operated by Etihad, priority check-in, overweight baggage allowance, complimentary seat selection. , And 25% discount on in-flight Wi-Fi

These facilities will be most useful for travelers who often have economy class connections through the Middle East, as many similar facilities are offered on business class tickets.

NFT holders who are part of the initial round minting will be entered into one Draw for free Etihad tickets. The 10 winners will be rewarded for free travel to Abu Dhabi from anywhere in the world where Etihad flew. There will be a draw July 27, 2022.

Also, more rewards are expected in the future for NFT holders, as well as things like early access to future NFT collections and other Web3 projects.

On the roadmap, more practical benefits are yet to come. NFT holders will unlock access to special Etihad events in the 3rd quarter of 2022. Years later, keep an eye on a club, only for NFT holders, with special benefits – I’m imagining something parallel to elite status, but a twist

Tokenization of loyalty

Etihad’s first NFT collection is another step towards the massive tokenization of loyalty programs.

Although many have ridiculed NFT Gold Rush as a fad, I’ve always been more interested in NFT’s real-world applications, and I believe that loyalty programs are a great use.

At its core, blockchain technology is about trust – or more precisely, distrust. You don’t need to trust the other side of your transaction if instead uninterrupted cryptographic algorithms are a verifiable source of your truth.

In a way, loyalty is also about trust, in the sense that it is really about mutual engagement. Loyalty programs that see the strongest engagement are designed to be mutually beneficial. (On the other hand, poorly designed programs suffer from poor engagement and low levels of trust.)

It breaks down more easily than gaining faith. Think of each time you filed a missing point request on the Aeroplan eStore, or every time you claimed the Marriott Forest Fear Elite Qualifying Right was missing, or each time your flyer number failed to attach to your ticket for Star Alliance Gold Lounge access. . These moments discourage customer participation, which ultimately hurts both parties.

However, tokenization in blockchain helps reduce friction. This is a verifiable system to make sure you get your benefits and show that you are entitled to them.

We’ve already seen this in other industries, such as music, with some sophisticated artists offering benefits like backstage passes and royalty shares for their NFT-bearing fans. And an artist or creator phantom is not completely different from being a member of a brand loyalty program.

I am very interested to see what Etihad does in their roadmap, providing more utility to NFT holders. What’s more, Etihad has labeled EY-ZERO1 as its “first” NFT collection. Looks like they’re opening the door to future NFT collections, probably each with their own unique bundle facility – of course verifiable on the blockchain.

How to get an Etihad Airways NFT

The EY-ZERO1 collection is sold to the public July 21, 2022 at 2pm UTC. Each NFT will cost US $ 349 Plus local sales tax.

Etihad guest members have an access Exclusive Presale on July 18, 2022 at 7pm UTC. Here, you can make an NFT mint for this 49,900 Etihad Guest Miles.

If you transfer the American Express Membership Reward to an Etihad guest to pay for your NFT purchases, you’ll need 66,534 MR points 49,900 MR points from Amex Canada, or Amex US.

This redemption value works for less than one cent per point, although it will give you initial access to a limited-edition product, which can be an invaluable advantage in your eyes.

Also, I have to say it Super cold That we can use frequent flyer miles to buy tokenized digital assets. Bring more integration!

Finally, you can register your interest at etihad.com/zero1 to participate in the draw for 20 free NFTs.

Conclusion

Etihad Airways is launching the EY-ZERO1, the first utility-powered NFT collection in the airline industry. If you are an Etihad guest member, get your unique token on July 21 or July 18

You can learn more about the models, proprietary benefits, and sustainable efforts at the Etihad website and at Arcube, the company that has partnered with Etihad to develop this project.

This is a weird month in the world of credit card points.

Both Staples and Sobes have dropped Air Miles.

BMO has decided to stop loafing and, for the first time in years, has tasted its in-house BMO rewards program for casual enthusiasts.

Eventually, Sin + Jugarnet remained irresistible, as its credit card portfolio became the most competitive in Canada.

The last place from which one would expect to see a Paris was the direction National Bank – But Canada’s sixth-largest bank is actually responding by force.

A collection of products of the National Bank

National Bank is one of the smaller players in the Canadian financial scene. Their presence is primarily limited to the province of Quebec, where they have a small but dedicated customer base.

However, none of this prevents Canadians from getting their excellent travel-based premium credit cards: National Bank World Elite MasterCard and National Bank Platinum MasterCard.

Before we get into the real exciting news, let’s take a quick look at the benefits of these products for cardholders.

Keep in mind that both are going to get much better, the world elite is ready to join The most lucrative prize in the country is the credit card.

These two credit cards are the in-house earnings of National Bank A la carte prizes, Which has a flat redemption price of 1 cent per point (cpp) for travel purchases through the National Bank’s in-house travel agency.

While this is not the most flexible redemption option, it is a much better value than the 0.83cpp that National Bank provides using the À la carte reward for direct cash back.

The World Elite Card requires a traditional আ 80,000 personal / $ 150,000 household income requirement for the high-end MasterCard, the current offer has no annual fee for the first year and offers a welcome bonus of À 20,000 la carte rewards, or $ 200 per tripAfter spending $ 3,000 in the first three months.

On top of this, you get up $ 250 credit For convenience, such as airport parking, luggage fees, and seat selection fees.

For those with an annual income of more than $ 15,000, the Platinum Card remains an effective choice for its À 20,000 la carte reward for the same cost requirement of $ 3,000 in the first three months. The annual fee of $ 99 has been waived.

Coming September 1: The highest earning MasterCard in Canada

The earnings rates on these cards are going to experience some exciting changes Let’s get started on how being pumped by World Elite’s daily awards More than double the current value As of September 1, 2022:

By pressing a few buttons on the keyboard, National Bank is replacing their World Elite MasterCard with an old tiered cost rewards system. One of the only true 5x point cards on the market.

World Elite Gas / EV, recurring bill payments and À la carte Rewards travel portals are also seeing an increase in revenue.

Getting a productive 5% return on the trip makes this product the equivalent of a Scotiabank Gold American Express card, and can even pay for an American Express Cobalt card in exchange for its money.

The $ 2,500 cap on 5x per month in grocery and restaurants is attractive because it has been broken down monthly rather than annually.

However, at a cap of যোগ্য 30,000 per year, the grocer / restaurant eligible for the highest prize category has the same prize ceiling as the National Bank World Elite MasterCard Amex Cobalt Card.

What makes it even better than cobalt is its base rate savings, which are reduced by just two points per dollar spent after hitting this cap. (In Cobalt, after hitting the annual ceiling, the base rate returns to one point per dollar spent.)

For my money, these changes are a direct shot across the bow of the National Bank, proving to big players like Scotiabank and BMO that this rogue financial institution is not over yet.

The 5x multiplier in the grocery and restaurant category, increasing the base rate after hitting the 30,000 cap, and the ability to redeem 1cpp on travel or 0.83cpp on everything else also feels like a swipe against the BMO award, whose signature card, BMO eclipse Visa Infinite, is just 5x in name And costs have a “true” earnings rate of 3.67% per dollar.

World Elite is the shining star of two National Bank products that are getting a facelift, the Platinum card is also getting a decent improvement:

No one is likely to complain about this improvement, but it is not enough to market the card on its own merits. After all, a base rate of 1 point per $ 1.5 cost, or 0.66%, discourages the long-term effectiveness of this product.

Travel Credit: Flexible $ 250 to Flexible $ 150

On a more unequal front, National Bank World Elite MasterCard is seeing a travel credit of $ 250 for airport parking, baggage fees and seat selection fees. Decreased to 150.

Although the amount you are getting refunded is declining, the flexibility is much nicer. One of the most consistent complaints I’ve heard about NBC’s travel spending credit is how difficult it was to settle them.

The new ability to redeem the modified $ 150 credit for accessing the airport lounge or upgrading your seat makes this credit easier and more relevant to use.

Think about the consequences of leaving your “Player 2” outside the airport lounge because you don’t have unpaid hospitality. With the change of NBC, you don’t have to face them.

Insurance: One step forward, two steps back

National Bank MasterCard family insurance changes where my feelings are most mixed.

First, the good news. As of September 1, 2022, both Platinum and World Elite products are getting mobile device insurance to protect your device from damage, theft or damage up to $ 1,000.

This assumes that you bought your phone entirely through a single purchase on your National Bank card, or made uninterrupted pre-authorized payments for your phone and pre-arranged bills on your National Bank MasterCard.

The downside is that some of National Bank’s traditionally strong insurance coverage will weaken.

World Elite is losing $ 2,000 coverage for personal items lost or stolen from a rental car.

Platinum, meanwhile, is also losing personal car rental car coverage, as well as its trip cancellation coverage falling from $ 1,250 to $ 1,000. Plus, its trip disrupted insurance is going to be about half of $ 2,500 to $ 1,500.

Mobile device insurance is welcome, but in the era of record long lineups at Canadian airports, the inconvenience of reducing security is unpleasant.

Conclusion

The past month of insanity in the world of credit cards and loyalty programs is now at the top with another impressive effort – this time by National Bank – to curb the price offer of their products. Let’s hope gambling pays off for them.

It is interesting to see a small player like National Bank feel fit to launch such a dynamic new product with a 5x income rate. As Canadian credit cards gradually become more competitive, we expect other banks to notice and strengthen their offers accordingly.

Until next time, collect a 5% return on all your groceries.

The Star Alliance recently announced the addition of an intermodal partner, Deutsche Welle, As the first non-airline member of the world’s largest airline alliance.

This follows the spring announcement of a Star Alliance credit card from Star Alliance for some time in the near future. At the time, the coalition suggested that more exciting things were about to come, and that this seemed to be a development.

Deutsche Welle has become the first non-airline partner

When the partnership is fully implemented on August 1, 2022, passengers traveling by train in Deutsche Welle will be able to connect seamlessly with any flight left on any Star Alliance airline.

Similarly, passengers will be able to complete their inter-German journey by train after boarding any Star Alliance airline.

For example, you will be able to fly Air Canada in Frankfurt and then continue on the train to Berlin on the same ticket, even enjoying premium service if your flight is in business class.

This is the first such intermodal partnership for the Star Alliance, part of a larger initiative aimed at integrating airline services with trains, ferries, buses and other modes of transport. This model provides passengers with a seamless travel experience, as well as the alignment of the loyalty program.

Deutsche Vehicle has previously partnered with Lufthansa under the Lufthansa Express rail program, which has existed for decades. With the Lufthansa Express train, passengers traveling with or arriving with Lufthansa can combine a train ticket, in any direction, with their airfare at a single reservation.

This week’s announcement is basically an extension of the program to all Star Alliance member airlines.

Once implemented, passengers will be able to book trains sold as flight numbers on their booking platform for all Star Alliance member airlines. After checking in, passengers get boarding passes for both train and flight.

Instead of making separate reservations for air and train travel, both methods of travel will be combined on the same ticket. Seat reservations for trains and planes will also be available after booking.

To sweeten the deal, passengers booked on such trips will benefit from priority services such as priority baggage handling upon arrival at the airport.

In addition, passengers traveling in Business Class and First Class will be given additional benefits, such as access to a rail lounge operated by Deutsche Welle. It is unknown at this time what he will do after leaving the post.

After all, these intermodal bookings will be eligible to earn loyalty points in any Star Alliance program, although the earnings structure has not yet been announced.

Will there be more Star Alliance Intermodal partnerships?

In the recent past, some EU countries have banned short-haul domestic flights in an effort to reduce emissions. What constitutes a short-haul flight varies between countries, but in general, flying options between cities with adequate rail service will be much lower than in previous years.

The partnership between Star Alliance and Deutsche Welle seeks to provide convenient door-to-door booking options without relying on short-haul flights.

Such a partnership makes sense in areas with a well-developed and efficient transportation network. A great example of Europe, where traveling by train, bus or ferry is part of daily life.

I would not be surprised to see similar partnerships established in other countries in the near future. In fact, the Star Alliance has announced that it plans to move forward with such a partnership.

In Switzerland, the Swiss Air Rail program already allows uninterrupted connection with air or rail. I imagine that expanding it to other Star Alliance carriers serving Swiss service is a very reasonable next step.

As a train travel enthusiast, I am excited about the idea of ​​booking a train with the same reservation as my air ticket. In some cases, it may be easier to connect to another city by train than by plane when considering the connection time.

Loyalty program points are not given only in the booking of Deutsche Welle. One potential draw to book individual train tickets with Deutsche Welle as an intermodal partner is the ability to earn airline loyalty points.

I am also interested in whether intermodal bookings will be loaded into the loyalty program redemption and if so, what the corresponding costs will be. Connecting to a premium cabin on a train from a business class flight seems quite ideal to me, especially with lounge access.

Conclusion

The Star Alliance recently announced that Deutsche Welle will be the first non-airline partner in the alliance from August 1, 2022.

More planned for the future, especially when countries move to curb emissions caused by short-haul air travel that might otherwise be met by land transport, this is the first step in the alliance’s initiative to add partnerships outside airlines.

I look forward to seeing what further developments the Star Alliance and their intermodal partners have, and to take some of my own integrated air and rail trips in the future.

Vancouver has certainly become popular with the announcement of new routes lately, with Air Canada launching both Vancouver-Osaka and Vancouver-Bangkok, as well as JetBlue launching the Vancouver-New York JFK.

In the latest announcement of good news for the city, a brand new airline will arrive in Canada for the first time via Vancouver: Fiji Airways.

Vancouver represents Fiji Airways ’first entry into the Canadian market, providing additional South Pacific connections for Canadians and Americans alike. Let’s take a look at the details.

Fiji Airways’ new Vancouver-River flight

Fiji Airways will start flights to Vancouver November 25, 2022, Operates flights twice a week. Flights will depart both Mondays and Fridays based on the following daily schedules:

• FJ880 Nadi (NAN) to Vancouver (YVR), departs at 10:15 pm and arrives at 1:20 pm
• FJ881 from Vancouver (YVR) to Nadi (NAN) will depart at 9:40 pm and arrive two days later at 5:30 pm

The flight will be operated by an Airbus A330 with 24 2-2-2 angle-flat seats in Business Class and 249 seats in Economy.

The northbound flight is only 11 hours on the clock, and the southbound flight will last about 11 hours 50 minutes, so having at least one angled flat seat in business class, although not as comfortable as a false-flat seat, will certainly come in handy.

In terms of onboard products, Fiji Airways’ Airbus A330 is by no means revolutionary. Rather, it’s about the convenience of flying to Fiji as a non-stop option for travelers to the West Coast.

In fact, it would represent Canada’s only direct link to Fiji. In North America, Fiji Airways also operates in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Honolulu.

Fiji Airways prides itself on a decent network of points outside the South Pacific, including flights to Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide in Australia, as well as flights to Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington in New Zealand.

Fiji Airways’ new Vancouver-River flight booking

First off, we can take a look at the cash prices. There is no price difference across the entire calendar: Vancouver-Fiji flights consistently sell for $ 754 one-way or $ 838 round-trip economy.

Business class costs about $ 4,841 one-way or about $ 6,117 round-trip.

When it comes to booking points, it is worth noting that Fiji Airways has its own loyalty program called Tabua Club. However, they do not have a credit card transfer partner, so this is one that we usually gloss over.

Rather, the best way to book Fiji Airways is to use the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan, a highly reasonable reward chart, as well as American Airlines AAdvantage Miles.

Using Alaska Miles, Fiji Airways will cost a direct flight from Vancouver to Nadi 40,000 miles One-way in economy class or 55,000 miles In business class.

However, note that “South Pacific” also refers to New Zealand in the awards chart, which would represent a great sweet spot. The cost of traveling from Vancouver to New Zealand with a free stopover in Fiji is only the same as a flight from Vancouver to Nadi.

Business class award space is hard to find in Fiji Airways, the economy is much more common. A few months ago, we saw Alaska Airlines offering up to 50% discount on redemption of Fiji Airways, and I would like to see this promotion back in the coming years with the new Vancouver-Fiji route.

How is the business class of Fiji Airways?

On the Airbus A330-200s flying in Vancouver, Fiji Airways will offer a 2-2-2 angled flat product with a total of 24 business class flights.

Note that Fiji Airways ‘new Airbus A350s have full lie-flat seats, but those planes are currently only flying to Fiji Airways’ North American destinations in Los Angeles.

Needless to say, the angled-flat seats are less than ideal for 11-hour flights across the Pacific Ocean. In terms of choice and flexibility, even if I were in Vancouver I would probably choose a more comfortable connection to Los Angeles.

For Canadians in other parts of the country, flying through Los Angeles is a no-brainer because you have to connect anyway. However, keep in mind that you will be at the mercy of prize space availability, so your choices may be narrow.

In general, flying in the South Pacific doesn’t usually come with the glitz and glamor of the world’s best premium products, as it is primarily a leisure market that is low-income and price-sensitive. Convenience and availability will probably outweigh the comfort when planning a trip to this part of the world.

Thus, those of us who book new Vancouver-Fiji flights will be primarily inspired by the destination, so I don’t see the relatively weak business class product as a contract-breaker.

Conclusion

Until November 25, 2022, Fiji Airways will operate round-trip flights twice a week from Vancouver to Nadi on Mondays and Fridays.

Although the route will be served by an Airbus A330 with angle-flat seats, it is still a welcome development that offers a new nonstop option for Western Canadians to fly to Fiji, as well as visit Fiji as a stopover on the way to Australia or New Zealand. .

In particular, the standard offer of using 55,000 Alaska miles one-way from North America to Fiji or New Zealand is excellent, providing that you are able to find a place of reward.

On a recent trip to New York City, I had to spend one night in Manhattan, and I decided to book a night. Sheraton New York Times Square.

I didn’t expect it to be as luxurious as other New York residences I’ve had in the past, such as Park Hyatt New York or the nearby JW Marriott Essex House, but I was happy to try a brand that I don’t see often.

Let’s take a look at my stay experience.

Sheraton New York Times Square – Booking

For my one night stay, cash rates were best available US 220, The 46,000 Marriott Forest Fear Point has been compared to the point redemption cost. In general, depending on the season, the property seems to be in the range of 40,000 to 50,000 forest per night.

Based on our target assessment of Forest Fear Points at 0.7 cents per point (USD), paying cash in this case was a better deal than redeeming points. I chose to save my points for the future, where I could get more value out of them.

Also, the hotel charges a destination fee of US $ 30, which is added to the US $ 30 property credit from the hotel.

I Suppose the hotel gave it because they hoped that many guests would not actually use it, which, alas, happened exactly in my case. I only needed a hotel bed for the night and breakfast was included, so I didn’t have the opportunity to use my property credit.

Thus, effectively, my room was in charge US 250 Including destination fee. However, it was still a good deal compared to other suburban hotels in Manhattan, as rates were raised across the board in June and I hope it stays good in the summer.

Sheraton New York Times Square – Location

The hotel is located in 7 in an invisible building in Midtown ManhattanM Avenue and 53rd The road, a relatively central location that undoubtedly makes this hotel a popular choice.

Like other New York hotels, its midtown location keeps guests within walking distance of many of New York’s most popular attractions. Central Park is just a few blocks north, and Radio City Music is just a few blocks south.

Despite the name of the hotel, Times Square is still several blocks to the south, so the inclusion of it in the name of the hotel may be somewhat extended.

In the case of New York City, to get further around Manhattan, you have to walk the subway. Nearest subway line, 7th Avenue StationLocated just half a block north of the hotel.

The three major airports in the city are within reach of those who travel to hotels after a flight to the city. New York JFK is 35 minutes away, LaGuardia is 25 minutes away, and Newark is 30 minutes by car. Cheap but slow public transit options are also available from each airport.

Sheraton New York Times Square – Check-in

I arrived at the hotel around 9pm, and was informed that I would be staying in the traditional King Room.

No upgrades were forthcoming, and I didn’t put too much pressure on one by “suit-talking” because I just needed a place to sleep for the night. Since I would be leaving in the morning, I didn’t plan to spend too much time on the property.

The marble-clad lobby was spacious and simple. Check-in staff acknowledged my Titanium Elite status and mentioned that I had breakfast at Hudson Market Restaurant as part of my convenience.

Check-in was smooth and pleasant. Which was less smooth, however, there was a group of guests in the elevator.

In fact, the hotel was very crowded during my stay, which was to be expected at a central New York City hotel during the busiest summer of many years.

The hotel has recently undergone a soft renovation, which includes the addition of a modern touch panel outside the elevator. I pressed my floor number and the panel told me which elevator to enter.

Through the rushing crowd and after getting on my elevator, I found room number 3011 of the elevator bank on the 30th floor here.

Sheraton New York Times Square – Traditional King Room

Located at 30M On the floor, the traditional King Room is no surprise – it is a classic Manhattan base-level room, featuring standard-issue rooms and space at a premium.

The whole house is made up of a king-size bed, a small workstation and a chaise longue near the window.

The bed had a wooden headboard and with it two bedside tables, each with a round-based lamp.

The Chase Longout sat just below the window, offering a comfortable seat on which I could enjoy a coffee in the morning.

The bedside table and workstation had a USB port and power outlet. The workstation consists of a small area to the left of the dresser that extends the length of the walls at the foot of the bed.

Similar to the bedroom, the bathroom was quite small, with nice faux marble countertops and a bathtub and shower combo. Like the recently renovated hotels, the mirrors were backlit by LED lighting.

The coffee machine in the room was satisfactory. A more advanced coffee machine would certainly be appreciated, but for a Sheraton in North America, it’s about the quality you’d expect.

Overall, the room was uncomfortable, but it was exactly what I expected. I would say it was passable for a Manhattan crash pad, which I needed to have this stay, but not ambitious in any way.

Sheraton New York Times Square – Breakfast

Hotel Breakfast is served on weekdays from 6: 30-11 am and on weekends from 7-11: 30 am Hudson Market Restaurant downstairs.

Seeing how busy the travel scene has become and the high occupancy at this particular hotel, I was seen standing in line for 15 minutes to have breakfast at 9am.

After I waited, I was assigned a table and presented with a menu. I was told that the entitlement for Marriott Forest Fear Elite members is breakfast for two, and since I was eating myself, the server confirmed that I could order two portions.

I went ahead and ordered an all-American breakfast and traditional hot oatmeal. For a balanced diet, both choices were perfectly adequate, but not to be forgotten in terms of quality.

Then again, these days, perhaps the convenience of an elite breakfast at a Marriott hotel in North America is also a matter of cheering in the first place.

I have found many hotels across the continent that are looking for ways to avoid full breakfast arrangements and instead try to get away with offering a continental breakfast, so I was happy to have a full hot breakfast here this morning at Sheraton New York Times Square on the right note To start.

Sheraton New York Times Square – Other facilities

The fitness center was located at basement level and was fairly spacious for a hotel that otherwise seemed to lack class footage. In fact, the size of the fitness center is much larger than you might expect when looking at guest rooms and public areas.

The workout area runs down several hallways and has extensive equipment, including peloton bikes.

Being located in the basement, there was no view of Manhattan, but this well-equipped fitness center had more than enough equipment to accommodate the huge number of hotel guests.

A full-service Starbucks outlet is located in the main lobby, with a wide menu of simple drip coffee and specialty drinks.

There were also grab-and-go food items with some hot options. When I first arrived at my 15-minute wait for breakfast, I asked if the breakfast voucher at Starbucks was redeemable, but was told no.

Hotel bar, Library bar, There is an extensive alcoholic beverage menu, as well as a light bite and a complete dining menu. The Library Bar is open every night until 11:59 pm.

Lastly, although I haven’t finished using it, it’s worth noting that the hotel’s US $ 30 property credit can be used for Starbucks, Library Bar, Hudson Market and in-room dining.

Conclusion

Sheraton offered exactly what I needed at a relatively friendly price from a crash pad in the center of New York Times Square Manhattan, but it didn’t really offer anything special outside of that.

It was good to get a free breakfast in the morning as part of my titanium facility and to pad my elite worthy night balance, but in the end, I will not rush to stay in this hotel again. If I lived in New York and wanted to experience better quality accommodation, I have a long list of other hotels to choose from.

However, if I need one more in-and-out night at the right price point, especially around Midtown, I would consider returning to Sheraton based on this consistently satisfying experience.

Chase Airplane Card has launched a new promotion, which could be a great opportunity for Canadian-based cardholders to easily collect 15,000 Airplane points.

From July 1 to September 30, 2022, all cardholders will earn a total of 10x Airplane points when using their Chase Airplane cards for international purchases – cost up to 500 1,500 (all figures in USD) or earned 15,000 Airplane points.

Keep in mind that “international purchases” include all charges made outside the United States, so all purchases made in Canada will be counted.

10x points on international purchases, up to 15,000 points

Between July 1 and September 30, 2022, all international purchases made on the Chase Airplane card will earn 10x Airplane points, up to a total of 15,000 Airplane points (equivalent to the cost of $ 1,500). All cardholders are eligible and no registration is required.

It is important to remember that 10x bonus points IncludingRather In additionRegular earnings rate of the card.

Since Chase Airplane cards typically earn 3x points on grocery, dining and Air Canada flights and vacations, a bonus of 7x points will be added to these purchases. Meanwhile, all other costs, which typically earn a base rate of 1x points, will earn an additional 9x points for a total of 10x points.

To clarify which regions are considered “international shopping”, the following regions have been excluded from the promotion:

• All 50 U.S. states
• Washington DC
• Guam
• Puerto Rico
• U.S. Virgin Islands
• US military installations

Significantly, purchases made through third-party payment accounts or digital wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay, or PayPal) are also excluded from this offer, so be sure to remove the physical card when making purchases.

In addition, to qualify, purchases must be posted to the account within a specified period of time, and purchases made on supplementary cards are not counted.

Spend $ 1,500 in Canada to increase the bonus

As you can see, Canadian Shopping actually qualifies as an international territory on the Chase Airplane card, so all Canadian-based cardholders can spend ঘরে 1,500 (USD) on the card at home to earn the maximum airplane bonus this summer.

Significantly, the Chase Airplane card has no foreign transaction fees, so spending in Canada and the rest of the world is frictionless in terms of exchange rates.

The most optimal way to earn would be to spend only on sections that do not include the 3x multiplier, since you will thus gain an increased bonus of 13,500 Aeroplan points based on the increasing 9x multiplier.

If you spend a fraction of the 500 1,500 in the 3x category, such as groceries, dining, or Air Canada flights and vacations, you’ll earn 7x points as a “just” bonus and represent the remaining 3x points you’ve earned on the ‘Anyway Card’.

Chase airplane card available

For those looking to get the card, keep in mind that the Chase Airplane card is only available in the United States. For Canadian-based Airplane members, the card will only be accessible if you travel on a U.S. credit card.

The Chase Airplane card is also subject to Chase’s “5/24 rule”, which means you are unlikely to get approval if you have opened five or more US-issued credit cards in the last 24 months.

For the signup offer, Chase Airplane Card is currently offering a Welcome Flight Reward Certificate worth 50,000 Airplane points worth করলে 3,000 in the first three months. Also, you will receive a 10x bonus on all travel and meals up to 51,000 bonus points in the first six months.

There’s also an arguably higher in-path offer, which gives you 20,000 airplane points if you spend $ 1,000 in the first three months, a welcome flight reward certificate worth 60,000 airplane points if you spend $ 10,000 in the first six months, and a credit statement for কেন 250 on first purchase.

Both of these welcome bonuses will stack up to 10x points running on international purchase offers until September 30th, so now would be a great time to apply for the card if you qualify for it.

Conclusion

From July 1 to September 30, 2022, Chase Airplane cardholders will earn a total of 10x points using their Chase Airplane cards internationally outside the United States.

Canadians with these cards can therefore earn 15,000 airplane points (technically an increased amount to 13,500 points) by spending $ 1,500 at home this summer.

To earn the most bonus points, be sure to spend on unclassified purchases to earn 9x bonus points compared to 7x bonus points for grocery, dining and Air Canada purchases.

One of the best features of the Aeroplan Loyalty program is power Book a stopover for an additional 5,000 airplane points.

By taking advantage of the Aeroplan stopover, you can add more destinations to your journey and turn one trip into multiple trips at a modest extra cost.

Let’s take a look at everything you need to know about the stopover feature of Airplane.

Summary of the stopover rules of the airplane

Since the launch of the new airplane program in November 2020, there have been several ongoing changes to the stopover policy. The information below represents the current situation for airplane stopovers

The price of the stopover is 5,000 points

You are allowed to add a stopover to an intermediate point with a one-way bound for one Additional 5,000 airplane points Per passenger.

In a round-trip booking, which is basically just a two-way border, you are allowed two stopovers (one on each side) for a total of 10,000 airplane points.

Stopovers cannot occur in Canada or the United States

Stopover allowed everywhere Other than Canada or the United States. Booking a stopover between Canada or the United States will create two one-way borders, so it’s best to make two one-way bookings to get you started.

Stopovers are allowed elsewhere in North America, such as Mexico, Central America, or the Caribbean.

Stopover can be up to 45 days

Stopover is limited Duration 45 days. This means that for any stop within 24 hours to 45 days, you will be charged an additional 5,000 points per person.

If the length of any stopover is more than 45 days, it will be considered as a separate booking and will be priced accordingly.

A connection must be more than 24 hours to be counted as a stopover. Less than 24 hours is considered a connection layovers Instead, and are not subject to additional point surcharges.

Stopovers must be booked through the Airplane Contact Center

At the moment, stopovers can only be booked over the phone via the Airplane Contact Center. In the future, it will be possible to book stopovers online on the Airplane website.

However, from October 1, 2021, and until this feature goes live online, Aeroplan will waive the usual $ 30 phone booking fee for travel, including stopovers.

From our experience, booking a stopover over the phone may not always be a smooth experience. You may have to try a few times before reaching out to an agent who can predict the value of the itinerary.

An example of a booking airplane stopover

To better understand how to maximize airplane stopovers, let’s take a look at a few sample routing.

One-way stopover

Consider a routing of Toronto-Istanbul-Singapore. If you don’t want to stop in Istanbul for more than 24 hours, it will be worth it 85,000 airplane points According to the North America-Pacific Awards Chart.

If you want to add a stopover of more than 24 hours and less than 45 days in Istanbul, the cost will increase by 5,000 points, paying the total. 90,000 airplane points For the whole ride.

If you try to book this itinerary online as a multi-city reward, the engine does not recognize Istanbul as a stopover point. Instead, it sets the price for a significantly higher cost of travel.

As you can see below, the Toronto-Istanbul-Singapore stopover costs 150,000 points (70,000 points + 80,000 points for the separate Toronto-Istanbul and Istanbul-Singapore awards), but more than 90,000 airplane points.

Until the online stopover booking feature is turned on, you will need to make a call to the Aeroplan Contact Center to complete this booking.

Two stopovers on a round trip

Suppose you want to go to Tokyo and Bangkok for summer vacation next year. You are flexible with routing, and consider flying through the Middle East on your outbound flight.

For your outbound flight, you board Etihad Airways from Toronto to Abu Dhabi, a 13-hour flight in its Dreamliner Business Class.

After staying in the UAE for a week or more, you then proceed to Bangkok, again boarding a Dreamliner of Etihad Airways.

Booked separately, these flights will cost 145,000 airplane points in business class. When booked as one-way with a stopover, however, the cost drops to just 90,000 points: 85,000 for a flight and 5,000 for a stopover.

Similarly, on the way back, you can fly from Bangkok to Tokyo in ANA Dreamliner Business Class, add a stopover of up to 45 days and then fly back to Toronto via Chicago, again in ANA Business Class but this time on a Boeing 777.

It will cost 120,000 airplane points to book them two-way, while booking one-way with a stopover will cost 90,000 points. In total, your round-the-world routing will cost 180,000 airplane points.

More applications to add stopovers are almost endless. In fact, stopovers can be a great way to plan a short trip to a new city or country that you will consider visiting in the future, giving you a taste of a new part of the world on your way to your final destination.

The logistics of airplane stopover booking

Once you have an idea of ​​where you want to go, you will go through the booking process.

In my experience, booking a stopover requires more work than that. Aeroplan should address this annoyance after enabling the stopover feature on its online platform.

The best way to get to the booking stopover is to plan ahead, and then proceed with the stopover booking.

Start by finding a place of reward on the flight you want to take. Be sure to calculate the distance using the Great Circle Mapper, making sure you are not crossing more distance bands and spending more points unnecessarily.

When you find a flight that works, write down the date and flight number and start the booking process.

It is possible to book a flight online and then call an airplane to add a stopover flight, or to book everything over the phone, as the $ 30 booking fee for travel with stopover is currently waived.

I personally prefer the former method, as I want to be guaranteed to book at least one flight, and I have noticed that not all Aeroplan agents are familiar with the policy of waiving the 30 booking fee for stopovers.

After booking, call Aeroplan and specify that you would like to make a booking change. Give them a booking reference for the flight you just booked online and tell them you want to add another flight and make the original destination a stopover point for 5,000 points now.

Give the agent the flight number and date of the flight of your choice and the agent should be able to proceed with the correction in your booking. As mentioned above, sometimes you need to try some agent before the price of the booking should be as it should be.

Once it’s booked, you’ll be able to select your seat in all parts of the ride and then start looking forward to flying into it.

Is Aeroplan Stopover a good deal?

Across the airline loyalty program, it is fairly rare to allow stopovers on one-way bookings. Other programs, such as British Airways Avios, simply add distance and charge you accordingly.

Some other programs, such as the Alaska Mileage Plan, allow you to add stopovers to one-way flights at no extra charge, which is more convenient than Aeroplan’s 5,000 point “stopover fee”.

However, it is noteworthy that Airplane’s flexible routing policy allows travelers to cover a lot of ground on their way to their destination. This makes it possible to stop in Europe on the way to Asia or in the Middle East on the way to Australia, while Aeroplan’s 45+ partner airlines do mixed-and-match.

Indeed, the ever-expanding network of airplane partners adds even more impact to the already powerful program. As we have seen, carriers such as Oman Air, Virgin Australia, Etihad Airways and Vistara add to the wider Star Alliance global network accessible via Airplane Point.

Compare this with other airline programs, including the stopover feature: The Alaska Mileage Plan allows you to book a partner airline with Alaska Airlines, which is available at no additional charge but limits the overall usefulness of the feature.

Conclusion

Aeroplan’s stopover rules allow travelers to stay on one-way trips to most parts of the world for only 5,000 extra points.

Personally, I have used stopovers in many airplane bookings since the feature was first launched. I am grateful for how I can visit multiple countries on one trip without having to be unnecessarily penalized for booking separate routes.

Calling the Airplane Contact Center is a bit tricky, especially when the hold time is long and we wait for more powerful multi-city booking tools to make stopover booking easier on the Airplane website. .

With the ever-changing landscape in the world of hotel reward points, I am always prudent to choose whether to pay in cash or with points.

When the point value doesn’t align with my target assessment, I’ll instead look for ways to reduce my out-of-pocket costs, through special discounts or unique booking channels that extend the value I get from each dollar – a prime example is American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts (FHR) Activities.

Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts is offered through American Express Travel, the financial institution’s internal travel agency. Eligible Cardholders who book accommodation in selected luxury properties will receive lots of additional benefits and advantages.

The title Fine Hotels and Resorts (FHR) is reserved for high-wealth or luxury organizations, where the “mid-range” or “advanced” category is more likely to be part of the property. American Express Hotel Collection, Although the two programs work similarly.

How to book Amex Fine hotels and resorts

The Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts program is reserved only for the most premium clients of American Express: Platinum Card, Business Platinum Card, or Centurion Card issued in any country.

(Although any Amex cardholder can Books Hotels that are part of the FHR program through American Express Travel, only Platinum cardholders have access to FHR Advantage For them to stay.)

To get started, click here to access the Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts landing page, or you can navigate to the American Express Travel Portal from the menu at the top of the Amex website.

Here, you can search like any other booking site, indicating the location where you want to search, the date of your stay and the number of guests.

The hotels participating in the Fine Hotels & Resorts program will look like this, clearly indicating that there are additional facilities to enjoy while you are staying.

Aside from the added benefits of hotels, one of the main reasons to look at fine hotels and resorts is that the Canadian-issued American Express Platinum Card offers $ 200 annual credit per membership per year, while US-issued Platinum Card per year Offers an annual US $ 200 credit.

The annual US Platinum Card credit, in particular, is only eligible for direct bookings with American Express Travel for hotels participating in the FHR or Hotel Collection program, so if you want to maximize your benefits from the card, you’ll want to book this way at least once a year.

It is noteworthy that unlike other hotel booking channels, sometimes the FHR rate will be higher than the flexible rate, membership rate or discount rate that the hotel itself advertises publicly.

In this case, you should think about how much you value the increasing Amex FHR benefits compared to the rate difference to determine which channel to book through.

The last thing to note is that when booking a non-prepaid stay through FHR, you will be asked to settle your bill after checking out using an American Express card; However, it doesn’t have to be the American Express card that you originally used to secure storage.

What are the advantages of Amex Fine Hotel and Resort?

You will be offered a standard facility whenever you book through the Fine Hotels and Resorts program. These include:

• Every morning breakfast for two
• 4pm late checkout confirmed
• 12pm Early check-in, subject to availability
• Room upgrade, subject to availability
• US $ 100 unique property credit for each stay

The first four facilities listed here are standard across all Amex FHR properties, where US $ 100 unique property credit can vary from hotel to hotel.

It usually takes US $ 100 credit to spend on any event on the property, but sometimes it can be more limited in nature, such as food and beverage credit, spa credit, or airport transfers.

Some of these features may sound familiar, as they actually match the hotel’s elite status levels such as Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite, Hilton Diamond, or Hyatt Globalist.

In fact, if you choose to live in an Amex FHR property where you are also an elite member, there will be some overlap in the benefits you get.

Some of these elite benefits may be stacked on your Amex FHR facility, while others may not. It depends on your specific status level and convenience.

For example, if you are in a luxury hotel brand that includes breakfast as an elite facility like St. Regis, breakfast offered through FHR will not be extended or useful.

Check-out or early check-in facilities at 4pm will not be guaranteed, as these are already available to all Marriott Forest Fear Platinum Elite or High Dignity members.

However, if you book a property that No. Include a free elite breakfast, such as Ritz-Carlton or EDITION brands, then the convenience of Amex FHR-included breakfast is a must pay attention and is a big reason to choose Amex FHR from direct booking.

Meanwhile, an advantage like a complimentary room upgrade can be combined with your elite status, in the sense that a hotel may give you more priority for an upgrade as an elite member who has booked through a premium channel – could potentially upgrade you Twice Compared to upgrades you will get based entirely on elite conditions!

How to make the most of Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts

Now that you know all about American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts, let’s talk about some strategies for when to use the program and how to maximize its offers.

Earn 5x points on Amex US Platinum cards

Most Amex FHR bookings have flexible cancellation terms and you can pay at the time of initial booking and checkout. Remember that you need to present an Amex card for payment on the site.

However, there is a good reason why you might choose to prepaid in advance: both the Amex US Platinum Card and the Amex US Business Platinum Card offer 5x US membership reward points on prepaid hotel bookings made through Amex Travel. The best way to stay at any fine hotel and resort is to earn maximum points.

Elite nights and earning points

Bookings for Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts are eligible for elite qualifying nights and points with major hotel loyalty programs such as Marriott Forest Fear, Hilton Honors, World of Hyatt and more.

Unlike third-party online travel agencies like Expedia or Hotels.com, hotel staff and management members who book through Amex FHR are just as likely to book guests directly (and sometimes even better!).

To take advantage of your elite benefits or if you want to earn elite nights and points, include your subscription number in the appropriate field during your Amex FHR booking process and the reservation should be automatically linked to your hotel loyalty account.

Doing so will enable you to access the hotel’s live chat feature via the app, which is a way to “suit-talk” and request an upgrade before your arrival. Repeating this request at check-in may result in an upgrade that would not have been possible if you had booked directly.

Try a new hotel brand with elite-like amenities

If you are accustomed to enjoying elite privileges through a large loyalty program such as Marriott Forest Fear while staying at your hotel, the Amex FHR program can help you unlock elite-like facilities while trying an independent hotel or A luxury brand with a generally accessible loyalty program.

For example, Fairmont, Four Seasons and Shangri-La are known as one of the top hotel brand brands in the world, although none of their loyalty programs make it easy for the brand to earn points and redeem for free stays or gain meaningful benefits without significant loyalty.

By booking through Amex FHR, you will at least get the benefits that are equivalent to a high-level elite status treatment, while sampling a new experience with a different chain.

The same idea applies if you happen to keep any status with a hotel chain By There is an offer of loyalty like Hilton or Hayat.

Alternative one-night stage with partner

A creative way to maximize Amex FHR benefits is to have the option of a one-night stay between you and a partner, if you travel together. Since US $ 100 is applied once per property credit stay, you will technically be eligible to receive credit this way per night.

This will not work if you want to make separate bookings in your own name, since staying in separate bookings in the same guest name is considered to be almost universally the same, resulting in only one property credit.

Of course, before deciding to follow this strategy, it’s worth it if you arrange an alternative overnight stay, as well as the potential hassle of changing how likely you are to take advantage of each US $ 100 property credit. .

Property-specific promotion

Each hotel booking channel can offer their own unique promotions to encourage travelers to book through their channel, and Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts is no exception.

You will often see limited-time discounts or property credit offers for different hotels, which can significantly improve the price offer if you consider staying on this property.

For this reason, it is always worthwhile to check the Amex FHR rate and compare it with your other options when deciding how to book.

Conclusion

As a special feature of the Global American Express Platinum Card, the Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts program allows travelers to enhance their luxury hotel accommodations with a wide range of the world’s best properties through a wide range of amenities and amenities – which continues. Earn elite qualifying nights and points in the Hotel Loyalty program of your choice.

If you live somewhere without ideal points, want to use your annual Platinum Travel Credit, or are interested in splurge on luxury hotels while maintaining elite-like amenities, consider booking through Fine Hotels and Resorts for your next height – stay late .

Now that 3rd quarter of 2022 Come on, it’s time to revisit our points valuations, which we update on a quarterly basis.

Unlike the previous quarter, which brought many valuation changes, mostly due to Qatar Airways joining Avios, this quarter was somewhat quieter.

Before we investigate the assessment, I would like to remind you that this assessment has a focus The goal is redemption value Each point currency, instead Acquisition costs Which can be your cost (which can vary significantly depending on how you choose to earn points).

Wind miles

If you’ve been paying attention to the news lately, you’ve noticed a lot of coverage of the Air Miles Loyalty program’s ongoing, gradual deaths. In late June, I was a guest on the CBC Lunch Hour radio program, sharing my thoughts on the program and the turmoil it has experienced in recent years.

Safeway and Sobeys, two major Canadian grocery stores, decided to close their relationship with Air Miles and move to Scene + instead. Staples has also left the program, representing another big push for Air Miles, which is becoming more of a contemporary player in the landscape of Canadian loyalty.

Air Miles is becoming more difficult to earn, and as its core company stocks sink, the program’s long-term pricing offer is more questionable than ever.

Air Miles can be redeemed for এ 10 at a rate of 95 Air Miles as a cash prize, representing a baseline value of 10.5 cents per mile. While there are occasional redemption bonuses for potentially using Air Miles for extra cost, it is certainly becoming increasingly difficult to do so.

• Previous evaluation: 11.5 cents / mile (CAD)
• Updated rating: 11 cents / mile (CAD) 3

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan

After officially joining OneWorld Alliance, Alaska Airlines is busy adding several partner airlines to monetize and redeem its mileage plan loyalty program.

The latest addition to Air Tahiti Nui gives travelers from two North American cities direct access to an ambitious destination. Compared to other recently added partners, whose redemption rates are much higher than desired, the cost is much more favorable with Air Tahiti Nui.

While this new redemption opportunity offers a valuable new way to unload miles for Bora Bora travel, availability is ultimately fairly scarce.

Here it is worth acknowledging that the addition of Air Tahiti Nui offers an upward increase in the quality of the Alaska Mileage Plan, but we will stop adjusting our assessment until we hear better news from the program.

• Continuous evaluation: 1.8 Cents / mile (USD), 2.3 Cents / mile (CAD)

CIBC Aventura: 1.25cpp extended until 15 September

In the second quarter, CIBC’s Aventura program, through a special promotion, allows cardholders to use points at twice the usual rate for any travel purchase: 1.25 cents / point instead of 0.625 cents / point.

The campaign, which was originally scheduled to expire on June 15, has been extended to September 15.

The promotion gained popularity when CIBC was offering 45,000 Aventura points at no minimum cost and their CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite and Gold cards were waived for the first year, earning a net $ 563 per card you applied for.

For most of the 3rd quarter of 2022, then, the value of the CIBC Aventura point has been temporarily raised to 1.25cpp (points per cent) and we expect this to return to our regular valuation of 1.2cpp (which is the reason for the baseline redemption of 1cpp. In contrast, and the potential upside of the CIBC Aventura Fixed-Value Redemption Chart) when the promotion ends next quarter.

• Continuous evaluation: 1.25 cents / point (CAD)

Scene +

As grocery store chains and other retailers are scrapping their partnerships with Air Miles, Scene + is becoming a more relevant player in the Canadian revenue scene.

Sobeys and its affiliate stores, such as Safeway, Thrifty Foods, and others, will form a partnership with Scene + as they close ties with Air Miles.

While there hasn’t been a big change in redemption via Scene +, it’s worth mentioning this quarter because we can expect to hear more about it in the months and years ahead.

As a reminder, Scene + points can be used to offset travel shopping costs at a rate of 1 cent / point.

• Continuous evaluation: 1 cent / point (CAD)

Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer

Singapore Airlines recently announced an undervaluation for redemption in its KrisFlyer loyalty program, which will begin soon. By July 5, 2022, the redemption rate will be devalued by an average of 10-15%.

Although KrisFlyer Miles is not the easiest point to earn, they represent the best opportunity to book an ambitious flight with airlines such as the Singapore Airlines A380 Suite Class.

There are some more notable sweet spots in the program, the prices of which are rising.

• Previous evaluation: 1.4 Cents / mile (USD), 1.8 Cents / mile (CAD)
• Updated rating: 1.3 Cents / mile (USD), 1.7 Cents / mile (CAD) 3

Point Valuation, Quarter 3 2022

Here is a summary of our point assessment for the 3rd quarter of 2022. You can see the points evaluation page for a complete list with additional notes.

Conclusion

The second quarter of 2022 saw a relatively small improvement in the landscape of loyalty.

Prices have fallen slightly as a result of the announcement of major earning partners with Air Miles, while CIBC’s Aventura program has temporarily expanded inflation redemption rates, a boon for Canadians who earn points in the program.

Remember, consider these numbers only as a suggestion for reasonable target redemption values ​​when deciding to redeem points or pay cash for your next trip.

Ultimately, the value obtained from each redemption will be subject to individual travelers, and our assessments are designed to illustrate an average benchmark across the entire community to help you make your decision while considering your next point redemption.