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Points & Travel Guides

Plain-English guides for Canadians who are new to travel rewards. No jargon, no fluff — just clear steps to free travel.

📖Basics
What Are Travel Points and How Do They Work?
A friendly intro to how credit card points, miles, and cash back rewards actually work — and why Canadians are leaving thousands on the table.
5 min readRead →
💳Basics
How to Pick Your First Travel Credit Card in Canada
Should you start with Aeroplan, Amex Cobalt, or a no-fee card? Here's a simple framework to choose based on your spending habits.
8 min readRead →
✈️Programs
Aeroplan Explained: Canada's Best Loyalty Program?
Air Canada's Aeroplan program is incredibly powerful when used right. We break down how to earn, how to redeem, and what the sweet spots are.
10 min readRead →
🌎Programs
Amex Membership Rewards: The Most Flexible Canadian Points
Amex MR points can transfer to 8 airline programs including Aeroplan, Avios, and more. Here's how to get the most from them.
7 min readRead →
🧠Strategy
The Card Stack: Using 2–3 Cards to Maximize Every Dollar
One card for groceries, one for dining, one for everything else. The "card stack" strategy can nearly double your earning rate without spending more.
9 min readRead →
👨‍👩‍👧Family Travel
How We Took Our Family to Europe for Under $800
Real numbers, real bookings. We break down exactly how we used Aeroplan and Amex points to fly our family of four to Europe and barely paid cash.
12 min readRead →
🏨Strategy
How to Use Points for Hotels: Marriott, Hilton & More
Flights get all the attention but hotel points can be just as valuable. We show you which hotel programs work best for Canadian cardholders.
6 min readRead →
🎁Basics
Welcome Bonuses: How to Earn $500+ in Free Travel Fast
Welcome bonuses are the fastest way to earn a huge pile of points. Here's how to find the best offers and meet spending requirements naturally.
6 min readRead →
🔀Strategy
Transfer Partners: Canada & US Complete Table

Every transfer ratio for Amex MR, RBC Avion, Chase, Capital One and Amex US — verified from Prince of Travel and r/CreditCards.

Read Guide
🍁Family Travel
Best Canadian Destinations to Redeem Points For
From Banff to PEI to Quebec City — the best domestic redemptions for Canadian families using Aeroplan and WestJet Dollars.
8 min readRead →

Quick Reference

When Do Your Miles & Points Expire?

Not all loyalty programs are created equal. Some miles vanish after 12 months of inactivity — others never expire. Know before they disappear.

Never expire
Expire on inactivity
Expire after fixed period
🔍
Showing 28 programs
Airline / Loyalty Program Miles & Points Expiration
Air Canada Aeroplan⏱ Inactivity Expire after 18 months of inactivity
Air France-KLM Flying Blue⏱ Inactivity Expire after 24 months of inactivity
Alaska Mileage Plan✓ Never Miles do not expire
All Nippon Airways (ANA) Mileage Club📅 Fixed Expire 36 months after earning
American AAdvantage⏱ Inactivity Expire after 24 months of inactivity
Avianca LifeMiles⏱ Inactivity Expire after 12 months of inactivity
British Airways Club Avios⏱ Inactivity Expire after 36 months of inactivity
Cathay Pacific Asia Miles⏱ Inactivity Expire after 18 months of inactivity
Copa ConnectMiles⏱ Inactivity Expire after 24 months of inactivity
Delta SkyMiles✓ Never Miles never expire
Emirates Skywards📅 Fixed Expire approximately 3 years after earning
Etihad Guest⏱ Inactivity Expire after 18 months of inactivity
EVA Air Infinity MileageLands📅 Fixed Expire 36 months after earning
Finnair Plus Avios⏱ Inactivity Expire after 18 months of inactivity
Frontier Miles⏱ Inactivity Expire after 12 months of inactivity
Iberia Club Avios⏱ Inactivity Expire after 36 months of inactivity
JetBlue TrueBlue✓ Never Points never expire
Japan Airlines (JAL) Mileage Bank📅 Fixed Expire 36 months after earning
Korean Air SKYPASS📅 Fixed Expire approximately 10 years after earning
Lufthansa Miles & More📅 Fixed Expire 36 months after earning
Qantas Frequent Flyer⏱ Inactivity Expire after 18 months of inactivity
Qatar Airways Privilege Club Avios⏱ Inactivity Expire after 36 months of inactivity
Singapore KrisFlyer📅 Fixed Expire 36 months after earning
Southwest Rapid Rewards✓ Never Points never expire
Spirit Airlines Free Spirit⏱ Inactivity Expire after 12 months of inactivity
Turkish Miles&Smiles📅 Fixed Expire 36 months after earning
United MileagePlus✓ Never Miles never expire
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club✓ Never Points never expire
😕 No programs match ""
⚠️
Worried your Aeroplan or Amex points might expire? The easiest way to keep them active is to earn or redeem at least once within the window — even a small purchase counts. Not sure how your specific points work? Book a quick session and we'll sort it out.
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Quick Reference

Award Change & Cancellation Fees

Before you book, know what it costs to change your mind. Fees vary wildly across programs — some charge nothing, others take back up to 75% of your miles.

No fee
Fee applies
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Showing 23 programs
Airline / Program Change Fee Cancellation Fee
Air Canada Aeroplan 100 CAD 150 CAD
Air France-KLM Flying Blue70 EUR 70 EUR
Alaska Mileage Plan None None
ANA Mileage Club None 3,000 miles
American AAdvantage None None
Avianca LifeMiles $150 $50–200
British Airways Executive Club$55 $55
Cathay Pacific Asia Miles$50 $120
Delta SkyMiles None None
Emirates Skywards $25 $75
Etihad Guest 400 AED Up to 75% of miles
EVA Air Infinity MileageLands$50 None
Finnair Plus 50 EUR 50 EUR
Iberia Plus 25 EUR 25 EUR
Japan Airlines Mileage BankNot allowed3,100 JPY
JetBlue TrueBlue None None
Qantas Frequent Flyer 5,000 pts 6,000 pts
Qatar Privilege Club $25–100 $25–100
Singapore KrisFlyer $0–50 $50–75
Southwest Rapid Rewards None None
Turkish Miles&Smiles$70 $70
United MileagePlus None None
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club$100 $100
😕 No programs match ""
💡
Booking through Aeroplan? The 150 CAD cancellation fee stings — but knowing this upfront means you can plan around it. Not sure which program gives you the most flexibility for your trip? That's exactly what a consulting session is for.
Ask Us →

Quick Reference

Canadian Points Value Guide

How much is each point actually worth? All values are in Canadian dollars (CAD). Source: Prince of Travel Q3 2025 — a general guide based on best-case redemptions. Your mileage will vary.

High value (2¢+)
Mid value (1–2¢)
Fixed / lower value
🍁 Canadian Transferable & Airline Programs
Program Value (¢ CAD / pt) Bar
Amex Membership Rewards (CA)
Best transferred 1:1 to Aeroplan or British Airways Avios
 2.2¢
2.2¢
Aeroplan
Premium cabin partner flights regularly hit 3–10¢; domestic economy ~1.5–2¢
 2.1¢
2.1¢
RBC Avion
Best via British Airways Avios or Cathay Pacific Asia Miles transfers
 2.0¢
2.0¢
AIR MILES
Cash Rewards redeemed at 95 miles = $10 baseline
 10.5¢
per mile, not per point
10.5¢
🏦 Fixed-Value Bank Programs
Program Value (¢ CAD / pt) Bar
CIBC Aventura
Up to 2.2¢ via Airline Rewards Chart; 1¢ via travel portal
 1.0¢
1.0¢
Scene+ (Scotiabank)
Fixed value — great for hotels, cars, travel portal purchases
 1.0¢
1.0¢
MBNA Rewards
Travel portal; useful for car rentals & independent hotels
 1.0¢
1.0¢
National Bank À la carte
1¢ via travel portal; 0.83–0.91¢ as statement credit
 1.0¢
1.0¢
WestJet Points
Fixed-value; 1¢ toward WestJet base fares
 1.0¢
1.0¢
BMO Rewards
Travel agency or investment account at 150 pts = $1
 0.67¢
0.67¢
TD Rewards
Best via Expedia for TD at 0.5¢; lower for gift cards/merch
 0.5¢
0.5¢

Values are guidelines based on best-case redemptions, not guarantees. Premium cabin awards can far exceed these figures. Source: Prince of Travel, Q3 2025.

Try the Calculator →
🎯
Amex MR and Aeroplan are Canada's highest-value points currencies — and most Canadians don't realize how much they're sitting on. If you have either program, a 30-minute audit session could reveal thousands in travel value you've never used.
Book a Session →

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