Tips on redeeming loyalty miles/points with airlines

[gmark2000]

Just as the title asks, what are some tips on redeeming loyalty miles/points with airlines?

I understand that in most all cases I still have to pay taxes, security and airport improvement fees and fuel surcharges.

What else, besides being flexible with dates and times, should I consider?

I have over 100k in Aeroplan and 600k in BA Miles to burn!

[HighFlyer]

Don't just stick with AC for your AP miles or BA for your BAEC. Use their alliances to the fullest advantage. Sometimes their partners release award seats at different intervals throughout the year. So keep checking.

You'll get the best bang for your buck by booking international long-haul first class tickets. So your 100K AP miles are good for a YYZ-PER business class ticket on AC/SQ, with a stopover in SIN or HKG. If you haven't flown SQ's J or F class, you're in for a treat :cheesygri

First class tickets to Asia on CX can be had for 150K BA miles. Business class is available for 100K. For example, you can do YYZ-HKG-SIN, or YYZ-HKG-BKK, stopping over in HKG.

[sparkplug]

People say first class is the best bang for the buck based on airfare cost, but is it truly the best bang for your points? If you can fly two people in economy for roughly the same points as one person in first class, wouldn't your points go farther buying the economy seats? I'm more inclined to redeem for twice as many tickets/destinations.

[HighFlyer]

A transpacific ticket (ie YYZ-PER/AKL/SYD) in J redeemed from AP on a *A carrier is only 33% more points than economy. I consider that to be extremely good value as you are only 'sacrificing' a north america economy ticket (25K) for such a long flight. A north america economy ticket frequently sells for under $500. So you'll arrive in Sydney well rested, ready to put in a full day with minimal jetlag recovery downtime.

As for a CX ticket using BA miles, yes, the premium for business class is double the economy rate. So it would be a personal decision as to whether 2 economy seats provide better value over 1 business ticket. As it is usually difficult to redeem award seats, I usually end up buying a ticket if I'm unable to get the free seat and I have to be somewhere. This usually 'snowballs' into a large miles balance, so if I'm able to get a ticket, it might as well be a splurge :)

[gmark2000]

Would I have to pay taxes based on the First Class ticket price/value? That could add-up incrementally, no?

[HighFlyer]

Would I have to pay taxes based on the First Class ticket price/value? That could add-up incrementally, no?
Taxes and surcharges on FF tickets are flat. The only destination that charges more tax on first/business class tickets is LHR. The extra 20GBP pays for the fast track immigration/security line.

[charliebrown]

Business & First Class on AC & staralliance

check the schedules CAREFULLY! i was looking at a transatlantic flight and noticed even though it would cost 100000 miles(or whatever it is now), not all flight segments are business/first

e.g. Toronto - Rome via montreal & frankfurt

only the toronto-montreal or frankfurt-rome segment was business; the LONG trip is economy

[TYinYVR]

Try this site for more help http://rewardscanada.ca/

[batcave]

Would I have to pay taxes based on the First Class ticket price/value? That could add-up incrementally, no?
I just booked a ticket on Air Canada in buisness class for Toronto to Vancouver. It cost 40,000 points plus the following:

Canada Security Charge: $9.35 (9-11 tax)
Carrier Admin. Service Charge: $30.00 (this is the Airport Improvement Fees)
Combined Taxes: $34.85 (I dunno. Anyone know?)

[HighFlyer]

Canada Security Charge: $9.35 (9-11 tax)
Carrier Admin. Service Charge: $30.00 (this is the Airport Improvement Fees)
Combined Taxes: $34.85 (I dunno. Anyone know?)
Carrier Admin is the fuel surcharge of $15 each way.
Combined Taxes is the $30 AIF ($15YYZ, $15YVR), and $4.85 is the GST on all of those items.