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Comparing Delta Skymiles to Air Canada Aeroplan

10/29/2013

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Its getting near the end of the year which means once again its time to take a look at the points programs I am using and make sure that they are relevant to next years travel. I also have to choose carefully because I have earned 36 thousand miles on Air Canada and 28 thousand on Delta this year- not enough for gold status on either airline, however, I still have two months and a few trips planned before the end of 2013.

This year I started using Delta primarily because they had great prices to Asia compared with Air Canada. 

This is where Air Canada is better:
  • Delta- only serves four cities directly from Montreal, Air Canada has way more
  • Air Canada- Gold status gives lounge status for trips inside the USA, Delta gold status gets you into lounges if you are travelling internationally (to.fron Canada counts), however, not if you are travelling inside the USA

Here is where Delta is better
  • More Delta flights have onboard wifi- air canada is catching up but not there yet
  • Delta staff often thank me for being a Gold member, I never get that from Air Canada being an elite 75K
  • Changing flights only costs $50 on Delta, I have had some horrible experiences with Air Canada wanting to charge $400 to take a flight just a few hours earlier.
  • Flights are typically cheaper in my experience
  • I always get Economy plus which helps because I am 6' 3"


It is pretty much a tie for - 
  • Fees on redeemed tickets- paid $60 on Air Canada for a trip to Philadelphia, and also $60 for a trip on Delta to Miami
  • Upgrades- I only did 16 segments with Delta this year and got upgraded 3 times as a Gold skymiles member, on Air Canada you can get upgraded more by using the eupgrades, I actually used them for 10 upgrades this year on 28 segments- but now I do not have any more upgrade credits so I can't get another upgrade even if I wanted it, whereas with Delta there is always a chance.


What do you think? I am leaning towards Delta but have not made up my mind yet.

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