🔥 URGENT: Double Bonus Alert - Get 10% More Aeroplan Points (Ends Oct 31st)

Dear Points Collectors,

I'm writing this urgently because a rare double-transfer bonus opportunity has just appeared, and it ends on 31st October 2025 - that's in just a few weeks. If you collect Aeroplan points and hold UK Amex cards, you need to read this carefully.

Two significant transfer bonuses are running simultaneously:

1. Amex UK → Marriott Bonvoy: 30% bonus (ends 9th November 2025)

2. Marriott Bonvoy → Aeroplan: 15% bonus (ends 31st October 2025)

When you chain these together, something remarkable happens: you can convert UK Amex points to Aeroplan at a better rate than transferring directly. Let me explain the maths.

Here's what happens when you transfer 30,770 Amex Membership Rewards points:

Step 1: Amex UK to Marriott Bonvoy

The standard rate is 1 Amex point = 1.5 Marriott points. With the 30% bonus, you receive 1.95 Marriott points per Amex point. Therefore:

30,770 Amex points → 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points

Step 2: Marriott Bonvoy to Aeroplan

Marriott's standard transfer ratio to Aeroplan is 3:1, with a bonus of 5,000 Aeroplan points for every 60,000 Marriott points transferred (making it effectively 60,000 Marriott → 25,000 Aeroplan normally).

But with the current 15% bonus on top:

• 60,000 Marriott points = 20,000 base Aeroplan points

• Plus 15% bonus = 3,000 additional Aeroplan points

• Plus standard 60k bonus = 5,000 additional Aeroplan points

• Total: 28,000 Aeroplan points

The Final Result

30,770 Amex points → 28,000 Aeroplan points

This gives you an effective transfer rate of approximately 1.1:1. Since Amex UK normally transfers to Aeroplan at 1:1 directly, you're getting roughly 10% more Aeroplan points by routing through Marriott during these overlapping bonuses.

Here's where I need to be transparent with you. A 10% bonus isn't earth-shattering - it's not going to revolutionise your points strategy. But there are specific scenarios where this makes absolute sense:

1. You're Already Planning Aeroplan Redemptions

If you've identified a specific Aeroplan award you want to book - perhaps business class to Asia via a Star Alliance partner, or taking advantage of Aeroplan's excellent partner award chart - then getting an extra 10% on top is genuinely valuable. For example, if you need 75,000 Aeroplan points for a redemption, you'd only need to transfer approximately 68,000 Amex points instead of 75,000.

2. You Value Optionality

Aeroplan offers access to all Star Alliance partners, plus additional airlines like Air India, Etihad, and several others. If you're building a flexible points balance that can access routes beyond oneworld (which your British Airways Avios already cover well), this bonus sweetens the deal.

3. You're Sitting on a Large Amex Balance

If you've accumulated significant Membership Rewards points and want to diversify into Aeroplan, this is the best rate you're likely to see. The overlapping bonuses don't happen often.

Here's what you need to know about timing:

Aeroplan 15% Bonus Ends: 31st October 2025

This is your hard deadline. You must complete the Marriott-to-Aeroplan transfer by 31st October to receive the 15% bonus.

Amex to Marriott Bonus: Available until 9th November 2025, but...

Whilst the Amex transfer bonus runs slightly longer, there's a crucial detail buried in the terms: whilst your base Marriott points should transfer from Amex within 5 business days, the 30% bonus points can take up to eight weeks to arrive.

In practice, many report receiving their bonus points much faster - I received mine almost instantly when I tested this with my recent Dubai trip earnings. However, if you're cutting it fine and want to guarantee you receive all your Marriott points (including the 30% bonus) in time to transfer to Aeroplan by 31st October, you should initiate your Amex-to-Marriott transfer as soon as possible.

My recommendation: If you're planning to take advantage of this strategy, transfer from Amex to Marriott this week (by 24th October at the latest) to give yourself a comfortable buffer for the bonus points to post before the Aeroplan deadline.

Let me be clear about when this strategy doesn't make sense:

Skip if you fly predominantly oneworld airlines. If your travel patterns revolve around British Airways, Qatar Airways, Finnair, or other oneworld carriers, keep your Amex points flexible or transfer them directly to British Airways Executive Club. Aeroplan is a Star Alliance programme, and you'd be creating points in a system you won't use effectively.

Skip if you have better uses for Marriott points. As a Marriott Titanium member myself, I know the value of Bonvoy points for hotel stays, especially with the fifth night free benefit on award stays. If you have specific Marriott redemptions in mind that would give you better value than flights, this routing doesn't make sense.

Skip if you don't have a plan for the Aeroplan points. I never advocate speculative transfers. Points lose value when they sit unused, and loyalty programmes can devalue awards at any time. Only transfer if you have a specific redemption in mind or an upcoming booking window.

If you've decided this makes sense for your situation, here's exactly how to proceed:

Step 1: Verify Your Aeroplan Account (Do This First!)

Before transferring any points, ensure your Marriott Bonvoy account name matches your Aeroplan account name exactly. Mismatched names will cause your transfer to fail. If you don't have an Aeroplan account, create one here using the same name as your Marriott account.

Step 2: Calculate Your Transfer Amount

Work backwards from the Aeroplan points you need:

• For every 60,000 Marriott points you transfer, you'll receive 28,000 Aeroplan points

• To get 60,000 Marriott points, you need approximately 30,770 Amex points

Here are some common conversion amounts:

• 30,770 Amex → 60,000 Marriott → 28,000 Aeroplan

• 61,540 Amex → 120,000 Marriott → 56,000 Aeroplan

• 92,310 Amex → 180,000 Marriott → 84,000 Aeroplan

Important: Always transfer in multiples of 60,000 Marriott points to maximise the bonuses. If you need to top up smaller amounts, it's better to transfer Amex points directly to Aeroplan at 1:1 rather than going via Marriott for odd amounts.

Step 3: Transfer Amex to Marriott

Log into your Amex Membership Rewards account and navigate to 'Use Points'. Select Marriott Bonvoy as your transfer partner. You should see the 30% bonus clearly displayed. If you don't see the bonus, don't proceed - either you're not eligible or something's wrong. Do a small test transfer first (the minimum is 400 Amex points) to verify the bonus posts correctly.

Step 4: Wait for Your Marriott Points to Arrive

Check your Marriott Bonvoy account. The base points should appear within 5 business days, with the 30% bonus following (though in my experience and many others', it's been instant or within a day or two).

Step 5: Transfer Marriott to Aeroplan

Once your full Marriott points balance (including the bonus) has posted, log into your Marriott Bonvoy account and navigate to 'Redeem Points' → 'Convert to Miles'. Select Air Canada Aeroplan and enter your transfer amount in multiples of 60,000 points.

Note: The 15% Aeroplan bonus is managed by Aeroplan, not Marriott, so you won't see it mentioned in your Marriott account. The standard 5,000 bonus per 60,000 points transferred will show, but the additional 15% will be added by Aeroplan afterwards.

Step 6: Receive Your Aeroplan Points

The base Aeroplan points from your Marriott transfer typically appear within 24-48 hours. The 15% bonus points can take 8-10 weeks to post according to the terms, though many report seeing them much sooner. The important thing is that your transfer must be completed by 31st October 2025 to qualify for the bonus, even if the bonus points take longer to appear.

If you're new to Aeroplan or haven't used the programme recently, it's worth understanding why UK collectors should care about building an Aeroplan balance:

Star Alliance Access

Aeroplan gives you access to all Star Alliance carriers at reasonable rates. This includes Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, ANA, Thai Airways, and many others - airlines that aren't bookable with Avios. From the UK, this opens up excellent options like:

• Lufthansa First Class from Frankfurt or Munich (70,000-95,000 points one-way from Europe)

• Singapore Airlines business class (from 87,500 points one-way London to Singapore)

• ANA First Class (from 110,000 points London to Tokyo)

Partner Airlines Beyond Star Alliance

Aeroplan has expanded its partnerships beyond Star Alliance to include airlines like Etihad, Gulf Air, and Air India. This gives you flexibility for routes to the Middle East and India that might be expensive with other programmes.

Reasonable Taxes and Fees

Unlike British Airways Avios, where you can face hefty carrier-imposed surcharges on British Airways and Iberia flights, Aeroplan generally passes through lower fees on partner airlines.

Stopover Allowances

Aeroplan's award chart allows you to include stopovers on many redemptions, meaning you can visit an extra city en route for no additional points. This is particularly valuable for complex itineraries.

Before you commit to this strategy, it's worth considering what else you could do with those Amex points:

Amex to British Airways Avios (1:1)

If you primarily fly oneworld airlines, transferring to British Airways Avios gives you immediate access to BA, Qatar Airways, Finnair, and all other oneworld carriers. Amex now transfers to BA instantly, which is brilliant for last-minute bookings.

Amex to Virgin Atlantic (1:1)

Virgin Points offer excellent value for transatlantic business class and for booking ANA First Class. If you're planning trips to the US or Japan, this might be better value than Aeroplan depending on availability and routing.

Keep Your Amex Points Flexible

Remember, there's no obligation to transfer at all. Amex Membership Rewards points don't expire as long as you hold a points-earning card, and they can transfer to 17 different partners (including airlines and hotels). Sometimes the best strategy is patience - waiting for the right redemption opportunity or a better transfer bonus.

I'll be transparent about my own situation: I'm not making this transfer myself, and here's why.

As someone who holds British Airways Gold status and flies predominantly oneworld airlines (BA, Qatar Airways, and Finnair make up about 65% of my long-haul flying), Aeroplan doesn't fit naturally into my travel patterns. My Amex points are earmarked for British Airways Avios and occasional Virgin Atlantic transfers for specific high-value redemptions.

However, I know many of you reading this newsletter have different travel patterns. If you:

• Regularly fly Star Alliance carriers

• Want to book airlines not available through Avios (like ANA or Singapore Airlines)

• Have a specific Aeroplan redemption in mind

• Want to diversify your points across multiple airline programmes

Then this double-bonus opportunity genuinely makes sense. The 10% boost isn't massive, but it's free money if you were going to build an Aeroplan balance anyway.

This double-bonus window is rare - we don't see Amex-to-Marriott and Marriott-to-Aeroplan bonuses align very often. The last time Aeroplan offered a transfer bonus was October 2024 (also 15%), so these opportunities are infrequent.

If this strategy fits your travel patterns and you have specific Aeroplan redemptions in mind, the effective 10% bonus is worth capturing. But don't feel pressured to transfer just because a bonus exists - strategic patience is often the most valuable tool in the points collector's arsenal.

The critical deadline is 31st October 2025 for the Marriott-to-Aeroplan portion of this strategy. If you're going to take advantage of this, I'd suggest initiating your Amex-to-Marriott transfer this week to ensure everything processes in time.

If you're planning Aeroplan redemptions, these tools will help:

Award Travel Finder - Search for award availability across multiple airlines simultaneously, including Air Canada and Star Alliance partners

Aeroplan Award Chart - Check how many points you'll need for your desired routes

Great Circle Mapper - Measure the distance between airports for Aeroplan's distance-based pricing

And if you don't yet hold the Amex cards that earn Membership Rewards points, these are the ones I currently use:

American Express Business Platinum Card - Premium business card with excellent travel benefits and lounge access

American Express Business Gold Card - Strong earning rates on business spending with a lower annual fee

American Express Platinum Card - Personal card with comprehensive travel insurance and airport lounge access

That's all from me for today. If you do decide to take advantage of this opportunity, I'd love to hear what Aeroplan redemptions you're planning. Reply to this email and let me know!

Safe travels,

Jack

P.S. If you're interested in maximising your Marriott Bonvoy points more generally (whether for hotels or airline transfers), I published a comprehensive guide on the 30% Amex-to-Marriott transfer bonus earlier this year that's worth reading.