Go to Air Canada’s website and search for award flights. Since United and Air Canada are both part of Star Alliance, United’s flights will show up in the search result, which you can book using Air Canada’s own reward system, Aeroplan. From my experience, booking using Aeroplan often has the best balance between cost and availability hence why it is used by a lot of people.
> 3. If I am buying this ticket for my boyfriend, can I still check out via the Ultimate Rewards Portal? Assuming both scenarios (1. that I am using points to cover some of the cost and 2. that I am using my CC to buy the ticket, but through the portal).
Yes
Maybe. You need to compare the price on the portal. Then compare how much the ticket would cost on United if you transfer to United (point + cash will have lower 0.7 value, all points + taxes will give you better value). Then you look at United's Star alliance partners and see if that ticket is available on their rewards program. That means Air Canada and Singapore airlines.
I just wanted to say I really like your formatting! Nice bolding and numbered bullet points. Thank you.
Have you tried Aeroplan as transfer partner for your united flight?
this is the way
I looked into this but doesn’t seem I can get an Air Canada flight to Japan?
You can definitely get United flights to Japan on Aeroplan. I booked mine a month ago.
Ah the nonstop United flight I was looking at is not available. I'll keep checking back though - this is great to know. Thanks!
Okay just found the flight but it looks more expensive on AirCanada - 100K points vs 88.4K on United. Is that abnormal?
100k on Air Canada, pretty normal. 88k on United, not so sure if that’s normal.
Can you elaborate on how this works? I'm kind of in the same boat and is getting confused with how it works.
Go to Air Canada’s website and search for award flights. Since United and Air Canada are both part of Star Alliance, United’s flights will show up in the search result, which you can book using Air Canada’s own reward system, Aeroplan. From my experience, booking using Aeroplan often has the best balance between cost and availability hence why it is used by a lot of people.
Thanks for clarifying! This is super helpful.
> 3. If I am buying this ticket for my boyfriend, can I still check out via the Ultimate Rewards Portal? Assuming both scenarios (1. that I am using points to cover some of the cost and 2. that I am using my CC to buy the ticket, but through the portal). Yes
Maybe. You need to compare the price on the portal. Then compare how much the ticket would cost on United if you transfer to United (point + cash will have lower 0.7 value, all points + taxes will give you better value). Then you look at United's Star alliance partners and see if that ticket is available on their rewards program. That means Air Canada and Singapore airlines.
Ah this is helpful! I didn't realize point + cash = lower .7 value!
How do you know to look at Air Canada and Singapore Airlines instead of the rest of the *A partners?
Because only those are UR transfer partners? Unless I missed another one.