Ep 010 – From Zero to Points Hero

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In Episode 10 of Miles Ahead: The Canadian Points Podcast, Josh, Danny, Kirin, and Jeff discuss the steps to go from a miles and points beginner to a points hero.

Starting with the basics, the team covers how to determine what kind of points are best to earn, in addition to how you can leverage product switching to earn even more miles and points. How to evaluate welcome bonuses plays a key part in becoming a points hero, and the team also discusses how they work backward when making their redemptions. Plus, they focus on a few credit cards that are worth adding to your wallet sooner rather than later as a result of the benefits they provide.

The episode wraps up with questions from listeners about search tools for award flights and the extended perks of the Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Cards.

(01:35) Guess That Card!

Danny shares hints about a certain credit card while the rest of the team attempts to guess the card that he is thinking of.

(10:34) Keeping You Miles Ahead: Miles & Points News

There are a few news pieces that are worth digging into in the world of miles and points:

  • Air Canada will continue to offer free beer and wine in economy class on an ongoing basis. This benefit applies to all flights within North America (which means Mexico flights are not included).
  • Air Canada basic economy fares no longer include a piece of carry-on luggage, only a personal item. If you have a core or premium Aeroplan credit card, you will still receive one carry-on bag at no charge.
  • Marriott Bonvoy has expanded the clearance window of Nightly Upgrade Awards (NUAs) to 5 days before check-in, up from 3 days prior for many brands within the portfolio.
  • Read More: Nightly Upgrade Awards & Asking For The Hotel Upgrade You Want
  • Passengers can now earn status qualifying miles on Alaska Airlines award flights at a rate of 1 mile flown = 1 status qualifying mile.

(21:41) Promo or No’mo: Loyalty Promotions

There are a few notable loyalty program promotions that might be worth taking advantage of:

  • Hilton Honors is running a double points promotion. Earn double points on all stays from January 1 to April 30.
  • Correction: The Marriott Bonvoy double elite qualifying night promotion is actually now live! Earn double elite qualifying nights plus 1,000 bonus points for each eligible paid night. The promotion runs from February 11 through April 28.

(25:39) Main Event: Learning to Get Miles Ahead: Zero to Points Hero

The team discusses the six steps to how to go from zero knowledge about points to an absolute hero in redeeming. To kick it off, the team reviews the basics of fixed value points versus flexible points.

(31:44) Maximizing American Express Membership Rewards Points

American Express Membership Rewards points are the king currency in miles and points in Canada. They have many transfer partners and are fairly easy to earn, making them a great option to earn for future travel redemptions.

(35:44) Choosing the Best Miles & Points for Your Needs

The best points can be situational based on your travel plans. If you are using flexible points, don’t transfer until you actually plan to make a redemption.

(38:02) The Basics of Product Switching

The basic concept of product switching is that you can switch an existing credit card you hold into a different credit card with the same financial institution. This can be a low-hanging fruit when it comes to earning miles and points.

(40:08) Product Switching Strategies in Canada

Product switching is different with each financial institution in Canada, and what you can expect will vary greatly. There are a few strategies that can be worth implementing.

(48:42) Evaluating Credit Card Welcome Bonuses

Welcome bonuses in Canada often involve a first purchase bonus and a minimum spending requirement component to earn the second part of the bonus. Lately, we have been seeing offers that include making a purchase in month 14, introducing the question of how many annual fees will you need to pay to earn the full bonus.

(55:16) Planning Your Trip Backwards

Planning your trip backward is the best way to make your dream redemption happen. Figuring out what carriers fly to your destination is the first step in determining how many points are required and what routing you can utilize to get to your destination.

(01:00:55) Using Fixed Value Points for Activities

Fixed points such as Scene+ Rewards, TD Rewards, and BMO Rewards points are great tools for wiping away additional travel costs, including things such as Disneyland tickets and Maldives seaplane flights. Don’t sleep on these points if you are looking to save money.

(01:02:42) Applying for New Credit Cards

Welcome bonuses are most important as that is what funds our travels, but before applying for a new credit card, consider the benefits that are offered as well such as airport lounge access or free checked baggage on a certain airline carrier.

(1:04:37) Credit Cards Worth Signing Up for ASAP

While we recommend researching credit card options before applying, there are a few strong credit cards that are worth considering adding to your wallet sooner rather than later.

(01:08:49) Questions of the Month: Maple Leaf Lounge Access & Flight Award Searching

Is Maple Leaf Lounge guest access on the Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege cards still applicable in 2025? Listener Maddy asks the best way to search for Oneworld and Star Alliance availability at the same time.

(01:13:51) Conclusion

If you have any episode-specific questions, leave a comment below. If you have any questions you would like us to answer on Miles Ahead, submit them here.

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2 comments on “Ep 010 – From Zero to Points Hero

  1. Hi Reed, I haven’t listen to episode yet but im sure its filled with great knowledge.

    I have question about the “Fixed Value Points for Activities” can the fixed points be used for sporting events like UFC/MMA fights, boxing fights or Hockey Games?

    Reply
    • Hi Mike,
      That would really depend on the specific fixed points currency. If you’re talking about something like TD Rewards, which can be redeemed via TD4Expedia, then you can really redeem the points for anything you can find on Expedia. There are also luxury experiences you can redeem points for like Marriott Bonvoy Moments. All that being said I am not aware of a specific way to redeem points at their highest value for an NHL game or UFC fight. It might be easier to just use the Refundable Hotel Trick to cash out the points for that purpose.

      Reply