Value of Aeroplan Points

There is a lot of talk about valuing points and as with any kind of discussion there are a variety of opinions on this.

Aeroplan is one of the programs I use and collect a lot- so what is the value of Aeroplan Points?

One way to value points is to look at what you can buy for an equivalent cash value. 60,000 Aeroplan for example can get you a 500 dollar gift certificate at Future Shop. This works out to less than one cent per point (around 0.8 cents per point). Not a great value but better than nothing.

A one hundred dollar card for Futureshop will cost you 13,000 points, which is an even lower value- around 0.7 cents per point.

The best value is usually to look at the number of points it will take you to fly somewhere. Last year I took a trip to Scotland which cost me 80,000 points + 350 dollars in airport taxes. This same flight would have cost me 1,600 dollars if I had bought the ticket at a regular price. So in this case my points were worth 1.5 cents per point. If you are redeeming points for flying, you usually get best values when you fly further.
On average, the rule of thumb is that you should get more than one cent per point. Two or more points is really good. If you are not getting that much you should pay cash. But this rule of thumb ignores the fact that you may not always have cash for a trip.

The best advice I can give is that if you are a member of a points program, look everywhere for opportunities to collect them, because at some time in the future they may add up to be enough for that trip you have always wanted.

Check out my Aeroplan page for some ideas.

Tags: Aeroplan, Frequent Flier, tips