Flights with Avion points

[dennise]

Has anyone ever booked a flight into one airport and out of another with Avion? Want to fly into St Pete, out of Orlando. Same airline, but they say it would be two one way flights. Would take 100,000 as opposed to 70,000 going in and out of same airport. Those points are for two of us.

 

[mom_rules]

I just looked online to book your itinerary-there is a multi-destination option. When I put in some dummy dates it came out to total points 35000 per person (you pay the fees and taxes).

 

[dennise]

Thanks, I will check. I thought you could use points to pay taxes now. Must check that out as well.

 

[Maddysdaddy]

I recently had the same question as you, so called RBC to find out the answer, and I can confirm what mom_rules has said above. If you use the multi-destination option, you can fly into and out of different airports on the same itinerary.

Not sure I quite understand your follow-up question with respect to taxes. Are you asking if you can use points to pay the taxes & fees that are ordinarily excluded from what Avion covers?

 

[mom_rules]

I think you are correct although not the best use of your points. You can use additional Avion points to cover fees etc.

 

[dennise]

Maddysdaddy, I thought the points were good for a trip up to $750. If the actual flight was $500 and taxes $250 would it still be 35000 points or $35000 points plus the $250 fees?

 

[Maddysdaddy]

It would be 35000 points plus the fees.

 

[dennise]

Thanks

 

[shaycamp21]

We book flights with Avion points all the time and found ways to maximize our points. First we book using Southwest as they are the only airline w/o cancellation fees (plus they allow two checked bags). We book a flight from BUF to NYC (LaGuardia) and use the least amount of points (15 000 per ticket which gives us up to $350 per ticket) once reimbursed by visa we cancel the flight and the money is put into a credit with SW (you have a year in which to use the credits) and then use the credit to book the flight we want. Which is usually a flight from BUF to MCO usually there is enough credit to cover the cost. We have been doing this for years and have never had an issue.

 

[damo]

We book flights with Avion points all the time and found ways to maximize our points. First we book using Southwest as they are the only airline w/o cancellation fees (plus they allow two checked bags). We book a flight from BUF to NYC (LaGuardia) and use the least amount of points (15 000 per ticket which gives us up to $350 per ticket) once reimbursed by visa we cancel the flight and the money is put into a credit with SW (you have a year in which to use the credits) and then use the credit to book the flight we want. Which is usually a flight from BUF to MCO usually there is enough credit to cover the cost. We have been doing this for years and have never had an issue.

I'm confused. Why wouldn't you just book the flight you want in the first place? And when you say "once reimbursed by Visa" what are you being reimbursed for since you booked your flights using points and haven't cancelled anything yet.

 

[shaycamp21]

.

I'm confused. Why wouldn't you just book the flight you want in the first place? And when you say "once reimbursed by Visa" what are you being reimbursed for since you booked your flights using points and haven't cancelled anything yet

To book the flight we want (long haul Canada to US, or from one state to another) would require 35 000 points a person which is a lot of points to accumulate (esp for our family of 5), so we book a short haul flight (within a province or in our case within a state --NY) which only requires 15 000 points per person (which =$350). With RBC travel some airlines like Southwest you cannot book just with points. Rather how it works is-- you find the flights you want on their (SW) site call RBC travel rewards to open a file and give them the flight info, then you go ahead and book your flight with SW paying with visa and submit your information from SW (confirmation) to RBC and then your visa is reimbursed after a few business days. Then we cancel the "dummy" flight and use the funds to book what we want , this way we can travel more often using less points. Hope that makes sense.

 

[damo]

.


To book the flight we want (long haul Canada to US, or from one state to another) would require 35 000 points a person which is a lot of points to accumulate (esp for our family of 5), so we book a short haul flight (within a province or in our case within a state --NY) which only requires 15 000 points per person (which =$350). With RBC travel some airlines like Southwest you cannot book just with points. Rather how it works is-- you find the flights you want on their (SW) site call RBC travel rewards to open a file and give them the flight info, then you go ahead and book your flight with SW paying with visa and submit your information from SW (confirmation) to RBC and then your visa is reimbursed after a few business days. Then we cancel the "dummy" flight and use the funds to book what we want , this way we can travel more often using less points. Hope that makes sense

Interesting! When we've booked with Avion points we've never dealt with Southwest. I just assumed it was done the same way as with Air Canada or United, etc.

 

[dennise]

From Halifax, they are 35000, short haul would take us to New Brunswick, which is only an hour from home. I am wondering if it would be better to convert to West Jet dollars, at least it would cover one way, even the taxes. I think I may check out using points for hotels. We normally pay about $500-550 return, the taxes using points would be almost $300. Seems like a waste of points. Have to research this some more.

 

[Mike2023]

.


To book the flight we want (long haul Canada to US, or from one state to another) would require 35 000 points a person which is a lot of points to accumulate (esp for our family of 5), so we book a short haul flight (within a province or in our case within a state --NY) which only requires 15 000 points per person (which =$350). With RBC travel some airlines like Southwest you cannot book just with points. Rather how it works is-- you find the flights you want on their (SW) site call RBC travel rewards to open a file and give them the flight info, then you go ahead and book your flight with SW paying with visa and submit your information from SW (confirmation) to RBC and then your visa is reimbursed after a few business days. Then we cancel the "dummy" flight and use the funds to book what we want , this way we can travel more often using less points. Hope that makes sense.

Great tip! I'm going to use this.

 

[damo]

.


To book the flight we want (long haul Canada to US, or from one state to another) would require 35 000 points a person which is a lot of points to accumulate (esp for our family of 5), so we book a short haul flight (within a province or in our case within a state --NY) which only requires 15 000 points per person (which =$350). With RBC travel some airlines like Southwest you cannot book just with points. Rather how it works is-- you find the flights you want on their (SW) site call RBC travel rewards to open a file and give them the flight info, then you go ahead and book your flight with SW paying with visa and submit your information from SW (confirmation) to RBC and then your visa is reimbursed after a few business days. Then we cancel the "dummy" flight and use the funds to book what we want , this way we can travel more often using less points. Hope that makes sense.

What are the avion fees for a flight like that? Do they charge you extra for doing the booking with them by phone?

 

[mom_rules]

Please correct me if I'm wrong but they aren't fees charged by Avion, they are airline fees and taxes that you pay for. Avion points would cover the base airfare only.

 

[damo]

Please correct me if I'm wrong but they aren't fees charged by Avion, they are airline fees and taxes that you pay for. Avion points would cover the base airfare only.

I believe that is correct but that number seems to be different for each rewards company. When I've booked the same flight using both air miles and aeroplan, the fee that I paid was different. Since the flight in question is based in the US where the extra fees and taxes are lower to start with, I was wondering how much lower the actual cost would be compared to what I am used to with Canadian based flights.

 

[mom_rules]

I believe that is correct but that number seems to be different for each rewards company. When I've booked the same flight using both air miles and aeroplan, the fee that I paid was different. Since the flight in question is based in the US where the extra fees and taxes are lower to start with, I was wondering how much lower the actual cost would be compared to what I am used to with Canadian based flights.

I agree with you also on this. Seems Canadian airlines and Canadian airports have some of the highest fees around. Pays to shop.

 

[NikP]

Great tip! I'm going to use this.

Did you have any success with this? I was wondering if this is still possible.

 

[dis_guy]

I agree with you also on this. Seems Canadian airlines and Canadian airports have some of the highest fees around. Pays to shop.

I have Aeroplan (for now, looking at my options once I use my points up) and was checking out a bunch of flight scenarios from YEG to MCO. The taxes for connecting in YUL were a fraction of what they were for YYZ. Indeed, do check all your options.