Planning on going to Germany and wanted to know if anybody knows which airline in economy would give the most miles for this around 10,000 mile round-trip from Montreal or Toronto?. I know that miles depend on Fare-Classes and sometimes a class is not known until ticket has been bought. I have not travelled cross atlantic in the past 10 years.
What is the best miles program for trans-atlantic flights?
- Thread starter azzaro
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The question isn't which airline you should fly but just what do you plan on doing with only 9~10k airmiles? That's not enough for a free ticket and most airmiles expire after 18 months. The question you and others should ask is how do I get to Europe for free. Credit card deals are the answer, look at this website to see if a credit card and its bonus offers (with a spending requirement is right for you).
Air canada is on that list, you get 25k airmiles after spending a grand. The only question is what does that 25k airmiles do for you? What type of free flights can be had for 25k? Here's there rewards chart You can't get to Germany for free with their credit card offer. But signing up for their card and then buying your flight on their airline would give you 34K airmiles (25+9). That would be good for 2 free 'short haul flights'.
Another question is can Canadians apply for US credit cards and vice versa? Don't think so. So can I, as a US resident, apply for an aircanada credit card? Doubtful.
So which is the best rewards program with a credit card offer (in my mind) to get my ass to Europe and back? The american airlines card is the best option by far. And if people were smart they signed up for the US airways card before it was pulled (50k airmiles after your first purchase...a buck even...and a $89 yearly fee). Those 50k then got transferred over to American after the merger. If you then signed up for an American card, spent 3 grand within 3 months (yearly fee at the end of the year, so cancel card in 10 months), you'd have gotten another 50k airmiles (plus 3k miles from your spending). 103k airmiles for $89 and some spending (I pay off all my bills by 4 months). With the AA mastercard, they refund 10% of your miles. Offseason rates to Europe is 40k airmiles, with the refund its only 36k airmiles. So for 108k airmiles I can fly to Europe 3 times for free all for $89 and the applicable tax's. fyi i've earned close to 400k airmiles on american and have NEVER bought a ticket from them.
Fyi I haven't paid for a flight in over 10 years, I've been using the credit card deals for years (and still have a fantastic credit rating fyi). Problem is as the airlines merge, there's less and less credit card offers. And the airlines are getting smarter, they used to only have $1k spending and wait a year between cards. Now spending is $2k to $3k and you have to wait 18 months to a year.
So is it worth all the hastle to remember which card you signed up for, spend all that money and have to pay it off right away eating into savings? I think so, my flights would easily run me 2 grand a year, that money goes towards the girls.
fyi the delta credit card offer is only good once, no double dipping. United and American also have business card options, very easy to apply for your own business while registering as a sole proprietor.
can't forget to add that many of the US airlines have shopping websites (united, american and delta). you log in, click the link to 'sears' and earn the bonus miles on each purchase (sometimes as high as 12x's the miles depending). you need that airlines credit card to get the miles. say your heading to home depot to pick up $3 grand in wood for a deck, buy it online and then pick it up, earn 3x's that amount. Change your cell phone provider, do so thru a shopping website and earn close to 3k airmiles, same with cable provider.
Air canada is on that list, you get 25k airmiles after spending a grand. The only question is what does that 25k airmiles do for you? What type of free flights can be had for 25k? Here's there rewards chart You can't get to Germany for free with their credit card offer. But signing up for their card and then buying your flight on their airline would give you 34K airmiles (25+9). That would be good for 2 free 'short haul flights'.
Another question is can Canadians apply for US credit cards and vice versa? Don't think so. So can I, as a US resident, apply for an aircanada credit card? Doubtful.
So which is the best rewards program with a credit card offer (in my mind) to get my ass to Europe and back? The american airlines card is the best option by far. And if people were smart they signed up for the US airways card before it was pulled (50k airmiles after your first purchase...a buck even...and a $89 yearly fee). Those 50k then got transferred over to American after the merger. If you then signed up for an American card, spent 3 grand within 3 months (yearly fee at the end of the year, so cancel card in 10 months), you'd have gotten another 50k airmiles (plus 3k miles from your spending). 103k airmiles for $89 and some spending (I pay off all my bills by 4 months). With the AA mastercard, they refund 10% of your miles. Offseason rates to Europe is 40k airmiles, with the refund its only 36k airmiles. So for 108k airmiles I can fly to Europe 3 times for free all for $89 and the applicable tax's. fyi i've earned close to 400k airmiles on american and have NEVER bought a ticket from them.
Fyi I haven't paid for a flight in over 10 years, I've been using the credit card deals for years (and still have a fantastic credit rating fyi). Problem is as the airlines merge, there's less and less credit card offers. And the airlines are getting smarter, they used to only have $1k spending and wait a year between cards. Now spending is $2k to $3k and you have to wait 18 months to a year.
So is it worth all the hastle to remember which card you signed up for, spend all that money and have to pay it off right away eating into savings? I think so, my flights would easily run me 2 grand a year, that money goes towards the girls.
fyi the delta credit card offer is only good once, no double dipping. United and American also have business card options, very easy to apply for your own business while registering as a sole proprietor.
can't forget to add that many of the US airlines have shopping websites (united, american and delta). you log in, click the link to 'sears' and earn the bonus miles on each purchase (sometimes as high as 12x's the miles depending). you need that airlines credit card to get the miles. say your heading to home depot to pick up $3 grand in wood for a deck, buy it online and then pick it up, earn 3x's that amount. Change your cell phone provider, do so thru a shopping website and earn close to 3k airmiles, same with cable provider.
Wow, this is SUCH helpful information Breadman!!! I'm always confused as to who offers what, and when and where I can use this and that and by what date. Thanks for the info! 
Wow, this is SUCH helpful information Breadman!!! I'm always confused as to who offers what, and when and where I can use this and that and by what date. Thanks for the info!
Should also note that when applying for some of these cards you might have to register and log into (say United's) the airlines website to see the higher offer. If you see 30k bonus miles instead of 50k, you'll have to log in and try the link again.
There might be airmile bonus's or perks where if you were to buy a premium seat you get more airmiles (or hit a certain reward level). But im of the belief that a free ticket in economy is the best way to go.
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