If you’re planning summer travel, a TikToker shared a genius travel tip you could use to pay for your plane ticket.
TikToker @sarahsdailypov shared a hack she uses to fly for free and it’s super easy.
“I’m getting free flights on three trips this year, and so can you,” she begins her video, posted earlier this month.
She then outlines a step-by-step process that can help travelers pay for their trip and get some cheap flights.
Step one, she says, is to get an Aeroplan account number. Registering for an Aeroplan number is free, easy and can be done quickly on Air Canada’s website.
You will be asked for some personal information, including your name as it appears on your passport. After registering, you will receive an Aeroplan number that you can use to collect points.
From there, travelers will want to sign up for a “credit card with a great welcome bonus,” says Sarah.
“You will use this card for everyday expenses to earn Aeroplan points,” she says.
She notes that there are many travel credit card options that can be used to earn points, but some may have higher spend to qualify for welcome bonuses or higher annual fees.
As a credit card with a low minimum turnover, Sarah recommends the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card.
While the credit card has an annual fee, it comes with a one-time discount, so your first year is free.
That’s where the hack comes in: credit card holders can earn 10,000 Aeroplan points when they make their first purchase, and 45,000 more Aeroplan points if they spend $1,000 or more in the first four months.
This means you can earn 55,000 Aeroplan Points by making regular purchases with the card.
You can also earn 1.5 points for every dollar spent on eligible purchases like gas and groceries, and 1 point for every dollar spent on everything else.
According to Aeroplan’s Flight Awards table, 55,000 points is more than enough to cover the cost of an Economy, Premium Economy, or even Business Class flight within North America, on both Air Canada and its partner airlines.
It also covers travel expenses between North America and the Atlantic Zones (aka Europe and Africa, the Middle East, West Asia and parts of South Asia) and the Pacific Zones (East Asia, East Russia, the rest of South Asia). and Australia and New Zealand) for most Economy and some Premium Economy travel.
Other route options are available, but the gist of the message is that 55,000 Aeroplan points will be enough to cover travel expenses in most cases.
As an example, Sarah shares in her video that she flies from Toronto to Phoenix, Arizona, which would cost 45,000 Aeroplan points for a round trip.
However, you can also redeem some of the points for airfare and pay the balance, which is what she did.
If you sign up for the credit card and don’t want to pay the annual fee, Sarah shares that one option is to cancel before the year is out, but stresses that option may not be right for everyone.
Of course, additional conditions must be observed when registering for a credit card. But it sounds like this could be a great way to book some free travel in 2023.
Bon Voyage!
Before you set off, read our responsible travel guide to help you be informed, safe, smart and most importantly, respectful on your adventure.
