The Greatest SkyTeam Packages for Canadians

Within the Miles & Factors world, we frequently deal with Star Alliance and Oneworld airways. With nice loyalty applications to select from, akin to Aeroplan, British Airways Avios, and Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, it’s fairly straightforward to earn and redeem factors for a few of the greatest airways on the earth.

Whereas this covers two of the three main airline alliances, it leaves out redemptions for SkyTeam-member airways.

Certainly, there are a good few SkyTeam applications with factors which can be both comparatively straightforward to gather in Canada, or supply the occasional pockets of worth even when they could be tougher to gather.

Individually, they aren’t essentially sturdy sufficient so that you can deal with them as a main program for incomes and redeeming factors, however the particulars are not less than price familiarizing your self with, so let’s go forward and just do that.

1. Air France/KLM Flying Blue

Air France/KLM’s frequent flyer program is called Flying Blue, and whereas there are a couple of the reason why it’s best to have this system in your radar, the primary purpose is due to Promo Rewards.

Redeeming factors for flights between North America and Europe is usually a troublesome activity. With a lot competitors for flights, and with journey demand at an all-time excessive, it’s common to run into hurdles when looking for an award seat throughout the Atlantic.

Fortunately, Air France/KLM Flying Blue has been rising in prominence in recent times, and for good purpose. 

To begin, you’ll be able to earn Flying Blue miles by the next strategies:

Like Delta SkyMiles, Flying Blue is a dynamic award program, and the worth level varies based mostly on the underlying money fare. Flying Blue additionally has the quirk of not having the ability to ebook combined cabins – your whole flights should be in the identical class of service to rely as a single itinerary.

By and huge, the very best purpose to exit of your option to earn Flying Blue miles is to benefit from this system’s Promo Rewards, that are particular offers on sure routes and cabins which can be refreshed each month. Prior to now, we’ve seen offers akin to a one-way Toronto–Paris flight on Air France enterprise class for 35,000 Flying Blue miles + about $300 (CAD) in taxes and charges, which is a fairly nice deal for transatlantic enterprise class.

We’ve additionally seen offers akin to flights between Montreal and Europe for as few as 27,500 Flying Blue miles. It doesn’t get any cheaper than that for a lie-flat seat to Europe or again.

The Promo Rewards apply a set low cost (normally 25% or 50%) to regardless of the dynamic pricing mannequin spits out. Subsequently, if a sure date was going to price 80,000 Flying Blue miles and there’s a 25% low cost occurring, you’ll pay 60,000 miles; if a sure date was going to price 53,000 Flying Blue miles and there’s a 50% low cost occurring, you’ll pay 26,500 miles; and so forth.

Air France and KLM’s routes to Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, and Quebec Metropolis may also be “in play” throughout Promo Rewards, and also you’ll need to hold an in depth eye on the Promo Rewards web page to see which new offers get launched each month. When you discover one thing that piques your curiosity, be able to switch any of your Amex MR factors, Amex US MR factors, Chase Final Rewards factors, Capital One miles, or Citi ThankYou factors over to this system if you happen to see a deal you’d prefer to ebook.

When you’re headed throughout the Pacific as a substitute, you can too contemplate searching for a flight with China Airways by way of Air France/KLM Flying Blue. Whereas it may not be pretty much as good of a candy spot as, say, the “Asia 3” candy spot with Aeroplan, you’ll not less than have an alternative choice at your disposal in case your Star Alliance and Oneworld choices are restricted.

2. Delta SkyMiles

Other than Air France/KLM Flying Blue, Delta SkyMiles is maybe essentially the most enticing SkyTeam program for Canadians. You’ll be able to earn Delta SkyMiles in a good few methods from north of the border:

Specifically, if you happen to’re a frequent WestJet flyer however don’t see a lot worth in accumulating WestJet {Dollars}, then crediting your flights to Delta SkyMiles could also be extra invaluable when it comes to finally redeeming these miles for a high-value premium cabin.

The SkyMiles program permits you to ebook with any SkyTeam companion, together with Air France/KLM, Korean Air, China Jap, and many others., in addition to Delta’s non-alliance companions akin to Air Tahiti Nui, Hawaiian Airways, Mandarin Airways, Virgin Atlantic, and naturally WestJet.

The foremost limitation with Delta SkyMiles, nonetheless, is the truth that this system stopped publishing its award charts again in 2015, making it extremely opaque and troublesome to plan round.

Delta-operated flights are usually priced based mostly on a dynamic mannequin, whereas companion flights technically have fastened costs, however these may be adjusted at any time with out discover as a result of lack of printed award charts.

Needless to say Delta’s search engine isn’t the strongest, both. For instance, it’s possible you’ll not see any search outcomes present up whenever you search for Toronto–Auckland direct, however maybe you’ll whenever you search New York–Auckland and Toronto–New York individually.

A Delta SkyMiles telephone agent ought to give you the option that can assist you piece it collectively for a similar price as New York–Auckland, though “ought to” is de facto the operative phrase right here.

Then again, the Delta search engine does have a really helpful calendar characteristic that permits you to simply determine the dates with the lowest-cost flight redemption.

If we had been to match Delta’s costs to, say, Aeroplan Delta SkyMiles might need a bonus in very restricted circumstances, however not likely whenever you look throughout the board.

One instance could also be for travelling inside the USA or on flights to Hawaii. If the fee with Aeroplan is considerably excessive attributable to results of dynamic pricing, make sure to try Delta SkyMiles.

For instance, you’ll be able to fly in financial system from New York to Maui for as few as 19,500 SkyMiles.

To different elements of the world, nonetheless, Delta’s pricing is way much less aggressive. For instance, Aeroplan’s pricing for enterprise class flights to Asia ranges between 55,000 and 87,500 factors relying on the gap, whereas Delta SkyMiles costs rather more for any transpacific flight.

Nonetheless, if you happen to’re curious about sampling as many various enterprise class merchandise as attainable, then Delta’s program might one other option to check out a few of the lesser-flown SkyTeam companions, akin to Korean Air enterprise class or China Airways enterprise class.

(Word that SkyTeam applications typically don’t have entry to different companions’ First Class flights, so that you couldn’t use SkyMiles to ebook Korean Air First Class, for instance).

One thing else to look out for is Delta’s SkyMiles Offers, which provide decrease redemption charges on sure metropolis pairs for travelling on Delta-operated flights. Primarily, these characterize the events when Delta’s dynamic pricing mannequin can really work in your favour, though their unpredictability makes them troublesome to plan a visit round.

Total, hold Delta in thoughts as an possibility if you happen to fly inside the USA or if you happen to’d like so as to add some SkyTeam airways to your flight log. In any other case, the opposite applications we normally discuss, like Aeroplan, Alaska, or Avios, are in all probability a greater guess.

3. Aeromexico Membership Premier

Aeromexico Membership Premier is one other SkyTeam program which may be of curiosity… however just for the actually devoted mileage geeks.

That’s due to the very distinctive Aeromexico round-the-world award that they provide, which lets you ebook as much as 16 flights on SkyTeam companion airways world wide on a single ticket, with a stopover of prolonged period between every flight.

That’s proper, you’ll be able to have 15 stopovers on the identical ticket with the Aeromexico round-the-world award. We’ve really written an in depth publish about this candy spot up to now, so head over there for the complete particulars, listing of examples, and many others.

The Aeromexico round-the-world award prices 224,000 and 352,000 Aeromexico factors, respectively, for financial system and enterprise class. Because you’re probably going to be curious about enterprise class if you happen to’re going out of your option to ebook this behemoth of a redemption, it’s best to notice that 352,000 factors is equal to 303,448 Amex US MR factors, as a result of distinctive 1:1.16 switch ratio there.

Nonetheless, I’d solely advocate tackling this award if you happen to’re a really skilled with reserving award tickets: initially, mixed-cabin awards will not be permitted, so you could discover enterprise class house all the way in which if you wish to ebook a enterprise class award.

Then, the Aeromexico round-the-world award can solely be booked over the telephone, and the decision centre brokers, by all accounts, aren’t the simplest to work with within the first place are prone to be unfamiliar with this award as properly. You’d undoubtedly have to have sturdy drink or two in hand, each for planning out the journey and for really getting it ticketed over the telephone.

Outdoors of this very area of interest however doubtlessly very enticing candy spot, the Membership Premier program presents minimal worth. For journey to Mexico, you’ll be able to anticipate to pay 28,000 or 52,000 Aeromexico factors one-way in financial system class or enterprise class, respectively.

Factoring within the 1:1.6 ratio from US MR, and that’s equal to 17,500 or 32,500 US MR factors. Bus since Aeroplan is priced much more favourably, beginning at 12,500 or 25,000 factors, respectively, there’s no purpose to burn your extremely invaluable US MR factors right here.

4. Virgin Atlantic Flying Membership

OK, so Virgin Atlantic isn’t actually a SkyTeam airline… but. The UK-based airline is set to formally turn out to be an official SkyTeam member in early 2023, however the Flying Membership loyalty program represents arguably one of the best ways to ebook many SkyTeam-member airline flights.

To earn Virgin Atlantic Flying Membership factors, you’ll have to become involved in US bank cards. Amex US MR, Chase Final Rewards, Citi ThankYou factors, and Capital One Enterprise miles all switch to this system with a 1:1 ratio.

In any other case, you’ll need to switch Marriott Bonvoy factors on the best ratio of 60,000:25,000.

When you’ve earned the miles, you’ll be able to then ebook a few of SkyTeam’s greatest merchandise at a decrease price.

For instance, you’ll be able to fly in Delta One from North America to Europe for as few as 50,000 Flying Membership factors.

When you’re okay with flying in financial system, you will get some excellent offers on flights to or from Europe. For instance, you will get a flight for as few as 12,000 factors between Jap North America and Western Europe with Delta, Air France, or KLM.

The trick goes to be discovering award house, particularly for increased courses of service. Nonetheless, if yow will discover the coveted seat, you’re in all probability getting the very best deal round by reserving with Virgin Atlantic Flying Membership.

Will probably be attention-grabbing to see if any adjustments include the complete integration of Virgin Atlantic Flying Membership into SkyTeam. We’ll you should definitely hold you abreast of any adjustments and developments as they arrive alongside.

Conclusion

In the meanwhile, the SkyTeam alliance doesn’t fairly supply as many alternatives to redeem factors for excellent worth in comparison with the extra acquainted domains of Star Alliance and Oneworld’s airways and award applications.

Of all SkyTeam-member airways, Air France/KLM’s Flying Blue loyalty program is essentially the most enticing possibility, with month-to-month Promo Rewards that may supply vital reductions on flights to Europe.

In any other case, there are some area of interest redemption alternatives accessible with Delta SkyMiles, Aeromexico Membership Premier, and Virgin Atlantic Flying Membership. Some applications have factors which can be simply to come back by than others, whereas others have higher redemption alternatives. 

It might be nice to see extra alternatives to come back sooner or later for SkyTeam airways, together with each the incomes and redemption alternatives. Till then, make use of the candy spots as they exist, and you should definitely contemplate your choices throughout all three airline alliances when redeeming your factors.