JetBlue flights until February 14th and SWA flights 'til Jan 7th

So the most affordable way (and reliable) to get to southern destinations is Southwest and JetBlue.  Today, JetBlue opened its availability calendar 'til February 14th.  Back on May 18th, Southwest opened theirs until January 7th.

Firstly, SWA:
To begin, I LOOOOVE SWA.  They are a well established airline with a very good reputation, even lately.  The flexibility of cancelling your ticket even an hour before the flight, and getting a SWA credit towards your next flight is hands-down better than their competition, even their US competitors, so much more so compared to CDN competitors.
Love that no matter what class you fly or how much your ticket cost, you get 2 checked-in bags per person for free.  You also get snacks and drinks for free.  That's already better than pretty much the best of all airlines that fly within North America.
I haven't bothered reporting the availability calendar opening as far as January 7th, as I have been back and forth with Customer Relations of SWA.  I've been finding that the website claims that flights in the cheapest class "Wanna Get Away," (WGA) have been listed for many flights as "unavailable" or "sold out".  Misinformation.  In fact, when a flight to San Juan from Buffalo is going for $704 one-way, does anyone in their right mind believe that these flights, at the lowest economy fare are "sold out"?  Keep in mind, I knew what day and approximately what time the flights went on sale, and I KNOW there is no way this "sold out" or unavailable status happened in about 3 minutes of the tickets going on sale, so it turns out, SWA has a new booking system (started around May 9th) and SWA's marketing department is being quite crafty as to when they're actually going to release the bulk of their WGA flights, or lower rates on the WGA flights that they have already released.  No one is paying $414USD for a one-way ticket from Buffalo to San Juan in WGA economy when they can get a flight cheaper out of Toronto in CDN$.  First I was told that the tickets would be released in the next one to two weeks---well, that's past now and they still haven't released them.  They will at some point, or they'll find they're flying empty planes.  I don't think this is a glitch in their knew booking system.  I think that they hope there are people foolish enough to pay these rates, and then they'll drop them.  Crazy thing is if anyone knows the rules with SWA, they know that if the price drops with a sale (or for any reason), SWA will give you the difference as a sort of gift card that you can use for future SWA flights--and if you booked it with points, they'll refund you the differential, so they have every reason to release the cheapest seats soon so they can fill their planes faster.

JetBlue I am not as knowledgeable about but I suspect they are doing the same thing in the sense that they are not releasing all their flight availability nor their cheapest rates, especially during the holiday season.  Wait it out and check in regularly to see if the flight you're looking for becomes available, and if the time you want to leave is available, you may wish to book it now and hope the price drops before your flight leaves.

At least, with Southwest, they apparently drop their ticket rates, sometimes even hours before the flight.

WOW Airlines Ain't So WOW At All

Want flights on the Icelandic airline WOW to their newest destination--Tel Aviv?  Flights in October from Toronto to Tel Aviv, with an overnight stopover in Iceland starts as low as $199 CDN one way (VERY limited availability now)!  But that barely includes the air.  One personal item that is 17" x 13" x 10" is free, but unless you are willing to pay $50USD in advance ($70USD at check-in) for a carry-on bag that meets THEIR standards (if it's slightly bigger, they can nail you with an additional $60USD), $70USD in advanced for a regular checked-in bag up to 44 lbs.
No wifi, no entertainment, no drinks or food at that price or the next class up.  Only their business class includes food.
A WOW plus ticket includes: a carry-on, a checked bag, cancellation protection, and priority boarding.  The business class ticket includes all that, extra legroom, and food.
United has fought back with a fall sale, with return trip tickets from Newark to Tel-Aviv direct for $616USD.  This includes the regular overseas allowance for a checked in bag and carry on, and of course, food.
You can cancel and get a full refund more than 24 hours in advance if you email them with your cancellation confirmation.  That's already better than United and most of the other airlines that don't allow that option.

The Future of Aeroplan and What To Do

So by now, everyone should have heard about  how Air Canada will reabsorb its frequent flyer miles program and leave Aeroplan to the wolves.  Good they gave three years notice (June 29, 2020).  If you have American Express Membership Rewards points that you convert to Aeroplan (or British Airways Avios), you will be happy you've invested your credit card option in a card that you only convert points as you need them to frequent flyer mileage programs.  Click HERE for business and click HERE for the personal version to find out why AMEX is the way to go, especially with the welcome bonuses offered on the personal and business cards!  The posts are not new, but they are still up to date.
This is important as you never know when (NOT if) a frequent flyer plan will devalue their program, rendering it less lucrative.  This is partly why I recommend the AMEX Membership Rewards card.  Years back, I took a flight with my family to South Africa and Israel with Aeroplan points.  Whatever points I short, I instantly transferred them into Aeroplan as I had the agent on the line making the booking.  I still use my AMEX points the same way, as I find there's never a need to rush to convert points to Aeroplan--to other airlines such as BA Avios or Alitalia, you may need to as the conversion process can take a couple of business days or longer.
So the future of Aeroplan...doesn't look good.  If I owned shares in Aimia (assuming they're a publicly traded company), I would have LOVED some insider trade's notice as the stock must have taken a trip to the toilet after the news got out last week.
I think Aeroplan will implode.  All of the Star Alliance will go with AC's new system, leaving Aeroplan without its partner airlines.  So will the credit card company's--TD, CIBC, and AMEX will all jump ship to AC's new program.  Aeroplan may attempt to, in the short term, offer some tempting deals to credit card holders or super new welcome bonuses, but at the end, it will all be for naught.
It may offer YOU some super short term opportunties to pick up some Aeroplan welcome bonuses to use to book flights as far as June 20, 2021 (within Air Canada's 356 day booking window) but then, your points will be as useless as Spirit Airline and Air Miles points.

At 1pm Today, Marriott Gift Cards 20% Off!

Daily Getaways, a US Travel organization, has been giving deals for the last month or so.  They do this for about a month every year (around now).  Today's deal is Marriott E-Gift Cards at 20% off. They have 3 different denominations--$100 (1070 available), $250 (252 available), and $500 (200 available) for 20% off.  They have a VERY limited supply, and they sell out within SECONDS, so you need to buy them right at 1pm EDT today to take advantage of the deal.  Anyone with a US or Canadian address is eligible, and you can pay with an AMEX, Mastercard or Visa.  The cards are in US$.
You do not need to use up the entire value of the card in one use.  Also, you may only buy up to 3 of the $100USD ones, 2 of the $250 and/or 1 of the $500.
Click here to be taken to the website.  Click on the pics of the different e-cards on the right to see each of the 3 denominations.

Here are the details:

• Marriott eGiftCards can be used like cash at over 4,000 participating properties, including any EDITION®, JW Marriott®, Autograph Collection® Hotels, Renaissance® Hotels, Marriott Hotels®, Delta Hotels and Resorts®, Marriott Vacation Club®, Gaylord Hotels®, AC Hotels by Marriott®, Courtyard®, Residence Inn®, SpringHill Suites®, Fairfield Inn & Suites®, TownePlace Suites®, Moxy Hotels®.
• Marriott eGiftCards may also be used at participating Ritz-Carlton® Hotels.
• eGiftCards do not expire.
• All sales are final and no refunds or substitutions will be provided after the transaction is complete.
• Items purchased cannot be brokered, bartered, sold or altered in any way. Such offers will be voided, confiscated and/or canceled.
• Marriott GiftCards may be used at participating EDITION®, JW Marriott®, Autograph Collection® Hotels, Renaissance® Hotels, Marriott Hotels®, Delta Hotels and Resorts®, Marriott Vacation Club®, Gaylord Hotels®, AC Hotels by Marriott®, Courtyard®, Residence Inn®, SpringHill Suites®, Fairfield Inn & Suites®, TownePlace Suites®, Moxy Hotels® and participating hotel outlets: retail, spa, golf and food and beverage.
• Marriott eGiftCards may also be used at participating Ritz-Carlton® Hotels.
• The following Marriott Hotel Brands DO NOT accept Marriott or The Ritz-Carlton GiftCards: Protea Hotels by Marriott®, Marriott Executive Apartments®, St. Regis®, The Luxury Collection®, W®, Westin®, Le Méridien®, Sheraton®, Tribute Portfolio™, Four Points® by Sheraton, Aloft®, Element®, Design Hotels™.
• eGiftCard is a prepaid card, not a credit card or debit card, and is the property of and issued by MI Fulfillment Services, LLC.
• The eGiftCard does not expire.
• eGiftCard is not redeemable for cash in any amount except when otherwise required by applicable law.
• eGiftCard becomes inactive upon use of all card value.
• eGiftCard may not be used for deposit, advance purchase or to secure a reservation. * Each transaction will be debited against card balance, if transaction exceeds balance, user must pay the difference.
• eGiftCards are transferable.
• Lost, stolen or damaged cards will be replaced only if previously registered. Value of replaced card will equal balance on card at time it was reported lost, stolen or damaged. To check card balance, click here or call 1.800.442.6132.
• For questions, please contact Customer Service via email at gifts@marriott.com or dial 801.468.4167.

Amazon.CA Offering $10 Promotional Certificate after purchasing $50+ Gift Card

Check your Amazon.CA account by logging in and seeing if there are any banners on the screen for this offer--there are once again offering some customers a $10 promo credit on your account if you purchase a $50 or more gift card.  It can be an e-gift card (no physical card--the activation code for it is emailed to the recipient) or a physical card.  It can be to yourself. The purchase must be made by May 31.  The promo certificate will take a day or two to show up in your account.
Here's the details:

Enjoy this exclusive Gift Cards offer: Surprise someone with an Amazon.ca Gift Card, and get a $10 promotional code to spend on yourself. Just purchase at least $50 in Amazon.ca Gift Cards in a single order by May 31, 2017, and receive a $10 promotional credit automatically applied to your account after the qualifying order has shipped. An email notification will also be sent within three (3) days after shipping, confirming your Amazon.ca Promotional Credit.

Enter "0517GIFTCA" at checkout or click the button below to qualify

Important Notification: This offer is valid ONLY to eligible customers. Terms and Conditions apply; scroll down to learn more.

IHG Hotel Point Breaks Are Out!

Today, IHG posted it's IHG Point Breaks.  It means stays cost (in cash value) about $30USD per night for any stay listed on their list.  Click here for the newest list of IHG Hotels around the world that are allowing one to stay for only 5K IHG Points per night!
Included is the Holiday Inn Finger Lakes region this time!
IHG allows for up to 200 reservations per hotel, for as long a stay as you would wish between May 1 and July 30th.  Each IHG member can make up to 2 reservations per hotel.
Through the Daily Getaways website you can purchase IHG points at a discount.  Through this link, you can purchase 15K IHG points for $89 USD.  With Point Breaks, that's just under $30USD per night for a 3 night stay, and through Daily Getaways, you can purchase more points if you wish.

HOT Deals, Including $30USD per night for a Hotel Stay

Every year for about a month, dailygetaways.com offers deals to Canadian and US customers.  Many of these deals sell out with minutes, even seconds.  The sales begin at 1pm EDT so be ready to go to the website and click "Buy" as soon as the 1 o'clock hour hits!
Click here to see all the deals involved by week, including the current IHG deal, getaways to NYC, Busch Gardens park discount passes, Best Western point purchases, Marriott e-gift card purchases at a 20% discount, fancy Lowes hotel stays in Miami, Santa Monica, San Fran', and other cities.  Also throughout the month, they'll be deals for Caesar's Entertainment, Universal Studios Hollywood Front of the Line with 1 day admission passes, Omni Hotels and Resorts, Hilton Hotel point discounts, Avis car rentals, some of the Choice Privileges group of hotels including Comfort Suites (be careful as sometimes the deals are POINTS you are buying that may NOT be enough to stay for the number of nights they advertise), an Orbitz promo code for $650 worth $1K, Hertz, Hyatt and Fairmont hotels in Hawaii and San Fran'.
Currently, an IHG (Intercontinental Hotels Group) deal is live and has not sold out.  This is not a surprise as Americans have access to an IHG credit card to receive a welcome bonus and accumulate points with, while in Canada, Capital One discontinued its IHG card several months back.
The deal involves buying IHG points at a discounted rate.  If you are not part of the IHG family, or even if you are but are not aware of "IHG Point Breaks," IHG point breaks is a way to stay at different IHG properties for 5K IHG points per night.  Regularly stays can be upwards of 60K a night depending on where you are staying.
The deals on Dailygetaways.com start at 15K IHG points for $89, which works out to about $30USD per night on a point break getaway!  This is your foot in the door to taking advantage of IHG point breaks!
The IHG Point Breaks tend to get released on their website on the last Monday of every third month.  The next one being this month.  The hotels that are advertised as being part of the IHG Point Breaks will offer up to 200 reservations per hotel at the 5K IHG point break rate. It's only a standard room, but if there's availability, they will upgrade you, and some of the hotels on point breaks include long term stay suites such as the Candlewood Suites and Staybridge Suites, which include 1 and 2 bedroom suites in many of their properties (Staybridge has the 2 bedroom ones).
The deals are all over the world.  Holiday Inn is the best known chain in the IHG family. Holiday Inn hotels outside North America can be quite fancy so don't get thrown off by your North American experience.  Even then, there are decent Holiday Inns in North America.  ALWAYS go to TripAdvisor.com to get advice for any particular property you plan on staying at.
I find that IHG Point Breaks is a great way to discover new places to go.  Last year, my family spent a few nights in the summer in Canton, OH, at a relatively new Staybridge Suites, and got upgraded for free.  The room with a full kitchen was superb, with 2 bathrooms and 2 bedrooms.
DON'T expect to find NYC, Miami--basically any hot vacation town on sale during peak travel times, but that still might work out fine for your vacation plans!