Welcome Back!

Hope everyone is having a good week so far - I went to Canada to see the solar eclipse over the weekend, and it was amazing! Of course, my points and credit cards came to use during the trip, and they can do the same for your trips too 😊 

Honestly, this past week did not see much significant news in the credit card points world. But sometimes, no news is good news, eh? With that in mind, I thought today’s issue would be Canada-themed: I’ll talk about maximizing rewards and credit card benefits on my trip, as well as a guide to Air Canada’s mileage program, Aeroplan 🍁 

Don’t worry, you can use today’s tips and tricks to travel anywhere around the world! Now here comes email #2~

In today’s edition:

• 🧳 How I Travel Better with Cards and Points 🛫 

• 🏦 Transfer Bonuses ✈️

• 🍁 🅰️ for Aeroplan: A Solid Transfer Partner 🍁 

• 📰 Stories and Deals 💰️

• 🧩 A Trivia Section 🧩 

🧳 How I Travel Better with Cards and Points 🛫 

Every single trip I take is great, but every trip where I make use of credit card benefits and points definitely adds to the experience, every time! My trip to Canada was certainly no exception 👍️ 

For one, I leveled up my airport experience not only with TSA Precheck and Global Entry to get in and out faster (cards cover this!), but also a visit to the Chase Sapphire Lounge in LGA (might be the BEST lounge I’ve seen in the US). Chase Sapphire Reserve® cardmembers get unlimited access for themselves and two guests, while non-CSR Priority Pass holders like me get access once a year. Already waiting for my complimentary facial at this lounge in 2025 💆‍♂️

As for my accommodations in Canada, I booked a combination of hotels and Airbnbs. To maximize rewards on Airbnb to get me closer to my next trip, I use a card that earns 3 points or more per $1 on travel. These include (but are definitely not limited to):

• 🔵 Chase Ink Business Preferred^® (I use this one!)

• 🔴 Wells Fargo Autograph℠ (and the Journey℠ too)

• 🟢 Amex Green

• 🔵 Citi Custom Cash^® (can earn 5x/5% back on Airbnb, up to $500 per month!)

On top of this, some airlines also award you points when booking Airbnbs. Keep in mind that this would be on top of the credit card rewards you already get:

• 🛫 Delta offers 1 mile per $1 spent on Airbnb

• 🦁 British Airways offers 2 miles per $1 on Airbnb

So for every $1 I spent on Airbnb, I earned 3x Chase UR points and 2 British Airways miles! (British Airways miles can be used for travel on Oneworld airlines, including American.) Did I even mention the additional 5% back on Airbnb through Pepper?

So if you have a card with lounge access, go and enjoy the lounges! If you ever book an Airbnb, maximize your rewards using this info to make sure you don’t leave value on the table 💰️

🏦➡️✈️ Transfer Bonuses

🍁 🅰️ for Aeroplan: A Solid Transfer Partner 🍁 

Aeroplan is Air Canada’s mileage program, but Aeroplan is by no means limited to just Air Canada flights. In fact, its network of partner airlines is extensive, and you can use Aeroplan miles to fly most of these partner airlines. By the way, Amex, Bilt, Capital One and Chase points all transfer to Aeroplan!

To understand more about Aeroplan:

• 📈 It uses a zone and distance-based award chart, meaning costs are based on the distance of your flight and the location of the origin/destination of your flight.

• ⛽️ It does not levy fuel surcharges!

• ⏸️ Stopovers can be added to itineraries for 5k points - Why not press pause in Japan on the way from the US to Singapore for 5k points more, for example?

Some sweet spot redemptions on Aeroplan include (but are definitely not limited to):

• 🌎️ Newark (EWR) to London (LHR) nonstop for 60,000 points one-way in United business class

• 🗼 Seattle (SEA) to Tokyo-Narita (NRT) nonstop for 55,000 points one-way in ANA business class

• 🌏️ New York (JFK) to Bangkok (BKK), with a stopover in Istanbul (IST) for 92,500 points one-way in Turkish business class (without a stopover for 87,500 points one-way)

The redemption opportunities are plenty in this program - take advantage of them for your next big trip!

📰 Other Stories 📰

• 🪪 Global Entry is raising its membership fees from $100 to $120 - credit cards that cover the $100 fee for this will just raise the credit to $120, right? 🤞 

• ⭐️ SAS is leaving the Star Alliance on August 31, 2024 and will join Skyteam. With SAS switching over and Finnair in Oneworld, who’ll cover Northern Europe for Star Alliance? 🤷 

🧩 Travel Trivia 🧩

What was 2023’s busiest US domestic route by seats flown?

📤️ Spread the Word! 📤️

Thank you so much for subscribing! This newsletter is committed to providing you all with helpful info and tips to maximize your points and rewards, at no direct cost to you! (appreciate using any of my referral links, though!)

If you do find this newsletter informative, helpful, or entertaining, I’d greatly appreciate you spreading the word about it! If not, please do give me feedback on how I can improve your Sense per Point experience.

Also, if my newsletter helps you to book travel using points, let me know! It’ll make me so happy 😄 

💰️ Tips & Deals💰️

• 🏨 Get 1000 Delta SkyMiles for your next Hilton stay!

• 🚕 Speaking of Delta and Hilton, connect either of them to your Lyft account to earn points for your rides!

  • 🚖 And/or connect your Marriott membership to your Uber account as well 🪙 

🧩 Answer 🧩

Honolulu to Kahului, at 3,612,212 seats flown for 2023! Also definitely bookable with points🌴 

Source: OAG

Hope that all makes sense! That’s all for today’s edition of Sense per Point.

Have a wonderful day ❤️ 

- Sean Kim

PS: If you want to make sure Sense per Point doesn’t get caught in your spam, you can move this email to your primary inbox, or Reply “Hello!” directly to this email by clicking the link and hitting send 📩