It’s widely known that Amex MR points can be transferred to airline programs at a 1:1 ratio, while Amex MR Select points cannot, and are limited to hotel partners. But did you know there’s a hidden opportunity to convert MR Select points into Aeroplan points at a favourable ratio?
Right now, Air Canada has a flexible booking and cancellation policy that lets you voluntarily refund any Air Canada ticket into Aeroplan points with a 65% bonus.
At the same time, the Amex Fixed Points Travel reward chart allows you to book round-trip flights at a fixed value of up to 2 cents per point.
Combine the two together, and interesting things happen. Let’s talk about those interesting things.
Without further ado, you can watch the video below:
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Thank You for the example of using MR – Select points but I am still a bit confused. If I have 100,000 MR points, what is the potential return in aeroplan points with paying cash for the taxes or using points to cover the taxes? Thanks!
You could redeem 90,000 points for six short-haul popular route tickets (6 x 15,000 = 90,000). You’d pay ~$600 for the taxes and fees, and you’d get about 133,000 Aeroplan points at the end.
Alternatively, you could redeem ~100,000 points for four short-haul popular routes while covering the taxes and fees with points (4 x ~25,000 = ~100,000), and you’d get about 89,000 Aeroplan points at the end.
Hmmm! If this is the case would I be better off transfer MR to Aeroplan directly to get 1:1 ratio? 100,000 MR = 100,000 Aeropints points?
Yes, but you cannot transfer MR-Select Points to Aeroplan points directly. You need to transfer to Marriott and then transfer again from Marriott to Aeroplan. Transfer Ratio would be much worse than the trick described above.
Hi Ricky: You said, “Right now, Air Canada has a flexible booking and cancellation policy that lets you voluntarily refund any Air Canada ticket into Aeroplan points with a 65% bonus.” But is this correct? From the recent Air Canada press release re: new policy:
“For new tickets purchased on or after April 13, 2021, Air Canada will provide customers an option for a refund to the original form of payment in instances where Air Canada cancels their flight or reschedules the departure time by more than three hours, irrespective of the reason. Air Canada customers will also have the option of accepting an ACTV or Aeroplan points with a 65% bonus.
FOR CUSTOMERS WHO MAKE VOLUNTARY CHANGES, NORMAL FARE RULES WILL APPLY. Air Canada has also extended its existing goodwill policy so that customers can make a one-time change without a fee for all new or existing bookings made through May 31, 2021 for original travel until May 31, 2022.”
Can you please clarify?
Later on in the video, I show the correspondence with AC confirming that the Aeroplan points with a 65% bonus is still active even for voluntary cancellations on tickets issued after April 13. I’ve also gone ahead and processed a conversion myself on a ticket issued after April 13, and Amex Travel confirmed that the policy remains in place.
Hi Ricky, when you processed the conversion, did you have to call in to Air Canada? On AC’s website, the option for Aeroplan miles conversion + 65% bonus no longer shows.
For travel agency bookings, call the travel agency (in this case Amex Travel) to initiate the conversion.
Hi Ricky,
I had a booking with 110K Aéroplan on Etihad First class Sydney-JFK. After having to change dates 2 times because since I booked it (last departure date was Aug. 17, 21) I cancelled it a few days ago. I did it online. My 110K points are back into my account but no sign of a 65% bonus. Should I call Aeroplan? Thanks!
Sorry, Ricky! I read Alex’s comment.
Thanks Ricky. I meant bookings from the AC website directly. I did figure it out. It seems they disabled that function and now you have to fill out a form online or have an agent assist you. You are 100% correct that Aeroplan conversions for voluntary cancellations of all fares are still being allowed. This was confirmed by the agent I spoke with.
I was told by some friends this doesn’t work…can someone confirm?
Still works – just did one myself.
Yeah this method doesn’t work anymore, because of the changes to the AC refund policy for basic tickets
This doesn’t work. I booked a ticket on April 14 under the fixed chart and AMEX travel told me that my ticket was non-refundable and could not be converted into Aeroplan points or a voucher. I’m stuck with the option of using the ticket by changing it within the next few years. Do you have any advice on how to facilitate this process now, given the hurdles I’m facing?
Try calling again and asking the agent to clarify the policy. It’s worded in a confusing way so they may have misinterpreted it, but as I mentioned in the video the Aeroplan conversion with 65% bonus is still active for voluntary cancellations on all tickets issued before May 31, 2021 (including non-refundable, basic, or travel agency-issued tickets).
Hi Ricky,
This information is out of date. Under the new fare rules implemented on April 13, 2021, the fares purchased through AMEX Travel (Basic) are no longer eligible for future travel credits, and thus, are not eligible for conversion to an Air Canada Travel Voucher or Aeroplan points. You would be permitted only a 1 free change for the value of the original ticket purchase, expiring 2 years from the date that you booked the ticket.
You are correct that fares purchased before April 13, 2021 with Air Canada would have been eligible for Aeroplan points conversion, but this is no longer the case post-bailout.
Shelley
There’s been no change to the policy as it relates to Basic fares. Like I mentioned in the video, voluntary cancellations on tickets issued before May 31 can still opt for the Aeroplan points conversion with a 65% bonus.