With world travel coming to a screeching halt, now is a great time to look ahead. Did your trip get cancelled? Why not look on the bright side and start planning for a better trip later this year or early next? Not bright enough? How about making that trip (relatively) free?? With some strategic spending and knowledge on where to earn Aeroplan points fast, it’s super easy to build up enough for a trip around the world, even in business class. Don’t believe me? Read on as I put my points where my mouth is.
In This Post...
Clearing Out My Account
Just before Aeroplan axed one of its allowable stops on return tickets, I pulled the trigger on a crazy trip – 12 flights in business class around the world, all for just 150,000 Aeroplan points. This low balance had me concerned about my next trip so I worked on topping up my account. This gave me a good opportunity to see how fast I could do it.
- READ MORE: My Aeroplan Mini-RTW Trip Examples
In just four short months, not only was I able to get my account back up to my previous balance, I blew past it! I accumulated almost 180,000 Aeroplan points! Even crazier, the actual number is 250,000 Aeroplan points if you factor in AMEX Points …but I will explain what I mean by this below.
The point is, I was able to do get my balance back and then some in a relatively short period. This is how I did it.
Where to Earn Aeroplan Points Fast?
OK, so how did I earn 180,000 Aeroplan points so fast?? By capitalizing on bonus points and offers along with some creative spending. Specifically…
Aeroplan Credit Cards
It’s well known that credit card signup bonuses are the fastest way to earn Aeroplan miles fast so it shouldn’t be a surprise this tops out my list. In total, in bonus points alone, I earned a whopping 75,0000 Aeroplan points through three credit card signups alone:
- CIBC Aerogold Visa Infinite (20,000 points)
- TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege (50,000)
- AMEX Business Platinum Card (5,000 points*)
*The AMEX Platinum Business Card actually gets you 75,000 AMEX points through a referral program and is by far the best deal out there. The reason I only put this down as 5,000 is that is all I ended up transferring over (AMEX to Aeroplan is 1:1). I did this as it is still unclear where Aeroplan is going in 2020. This way I can covert the rest to a different rewards program later if I want…but I digress.
In reality, those three cards alone can get you 145,000 points, which is only 5K less than what I used for my last trip! On top of that, over four months I earned thousands of points on everyday purchases thanks to the 1.5 multipliers you receive for every dollar spent! If you are interested in earning points through credit cards like this, stay tuned. I am going to breakdown the myths that hold people back (credit score effect, is it legal etc…) in an upcoming post!
Minimum Spending and Buying Smart
Now a caveat with some of these cards is you have to spend a certain amount to unlock all the bonus points. This can be tricky but with some careful planning (and less impulse buying) you can pull this off. A good example is the TD or AMEX Aeroplan Privilege required a $3,000 spend in the first 3 months. On top of switching over all my bills to this card, a minor inconvenience in the grand scheme, I also held out on a couple of big purchases, one being a new laptop. This came in around $2,000 and, on top of getting me closer to those credit card bonus points, I got an additional 20,000 bonus points by shopping through Aeroplan’s eStore. More on that below.
Fees and Perks
I should be clear, this tip on where to earn Aeroplan miles fast does come at a cost. On top of the money shelled out for the products to get to my minimum spend, some of the cards come with a fee. It’s not all bad though.
The CIBC Aerogold card, for example, has a $120 fee which is offset by a $120 Air Canada voucher. As long as I close that account before the year is up (I already have), those points are “free.”
- READ MORE: WHAT A YEAR OF FLIGHTS COST ME.
The TD Aeroplan Privilege came at a cost of $399. This may seem steep but, knowing the incredible value Aeroplan points can get you (hello 12 flights in business class!), this is a minor fee to me. On top of that, I have enjoyed some of the card’s perks, namely getting priority access at airport security and front of the line access for cabs at airports.
Coming in with the highest fee is the AMEX Business Platinum Card. At $499, it will turn most people off but, again, I am not most people. I know the value 75,000 points bring and I was happy to trade for that. On top of that, the AMEX Business Platinum gets you access to Plaza Premium lounges, something I used last month in both Vancouver and Toronto, as well as access to the high-end Centurion Lounges. I checked this one out in Vegas and will have a review soon!
In short, in these 3 lounge visits, I probably saved over $100 if you add up the food and drinks I had.
Aeroplan eStore Promotions
Next up on where to earn Aeroplan points fast is the Aeroplan eStore. In four months it got me over 35K Aeroplan miles thanks to the frequent promotions they run. If you collect Aeroplan points, go through the eStore before you buy something online. Chances are, with partners like Amazon, The Bay, Apple, and Microsoft, you can find what you need there.
Not only will you “double-dip” by earning using your Aeroplan credit card to pay and getting points through the eStore, but you can also often find amazing promotions. My new laptop, for example, earned me 20,000 in bonus points alone! Thanks to a Black Friday sale which added a 10x Aeroplan points multiplier to Apple purchases, I earned 22,000 points in total by simply waiting for this offer to pop up.
Shop Smart
Another good example of shopping smartly through the eStore was while shopping around for a Google Home Max, I came across a promo that offered 5x Aeroplan Points at, of all places, Bed Bath and Beyond. Microsoft was offering a similar bonus, however, on top of the bonus, Bed Bath and Beyond offered a $100 store credit for purchases over $300. It certainly pays to shop around!
- READ MORE: HOW TO AVOID AEROPLAN TAXES AND FEES
Transfer Bonuses
Last up on this list of how to earn Aeroplan miles fast is keeping an eye out for transfer bonuses. Aeroplan seems to offer these quarterly and rewards those looking to transfer points from another program with a bonus. In my case, I got 30% more Aeroplan points when I transferred my Best Western Points over. This doesn’t offer the best value but, as I was trying to top up my Aeroplan account, I pulled the trigger.
In total, I transfer 16,000 points which netted me an extra 4,800 Aeroplan points bringing the total conversion to 20,800.
What Are You Waiting For?
As you can see, earning over 150,000 Aeroplan points in four months is easily doable. In total, I spent ~$800 (-$120 AC credit) on credit card fees plus the minimum spend to achieve getting 180,000 points+. That may seem like a lot but again, with manufactured spending on things I genuinely needed (or wanted) and buying many of those items through the eStore, it’s really not that bad. Plus, factor in the cost of what a trip around the world in business class would cost you and the value is clearly there.
So, if you are getting cabin fever, why not look ahead to an epic trip next year? With some relatively easy planning, discipline, and patience, you can quickly earn enough points to do some truly incredible things. As always, once the dust settles, I will be here to assist with Aeroplan bookings. If you want a quick boost into your account, be sure to use the AMEX links in this post if you are interested in that card. Not only is it the only way to get you 75,000 AMEX points in bonuses, but it also sends me 25,000 as well!
Stay safe all and stay tuned. I will be breaking down how to make the most of those Aeroplan Credit Cards in an upcoming post!
What say you?
Thoughts on this Case Study and Where to Earn Aeroplan Points Fast?
Let’s hear it!
Looking for more Aeroplan Hacks?
Great post.