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I want to use my Amex points for a return trip from London to Calgary.
BA doesn’t fly there in the winter. From what I understand, Air Canada and West Jet don’t take Amex transfers.
If I can get a reasonable value, happy to go an indirect route.
Any recommendations?
Air Canada is Star Alliance so a transfer to SAS or Singapore Airlines would do it. However, you’d need to check how many miles each programme charges and, importantly, whether they add surcharegs to Air Canada redemptions.
Remember that Singapore is 3:2 whilst SAS is 1:1 but has a pricey reward chart.
Amex to Marriott to Aeroplan is another option but there is dilution of course.
And then you need to be sure of availability ….
Flying to Calgary in the winter is super-frustrating since BA made the route summer only. Calgary accesses some of the world’s best in-resort expert skiing – I go misty-eyed whenever I think of Fernie’s powder – but flight choices are very limited if you don’t want to use Air Canada. Note that WestJet doesn’t have direct flights every day, so it’s uusally impossible to fit a trip into 7 days.
The most obvious indirect option is KLM via Amsterdam which could in theory be accessed via a Virgin or Delta points transfer and offers connections to loads of UK airports. Having said that, a connecting flight after a long overnight transatlantic flight is very unwelcome, and last time I attempted this route I was delayed in Amsterdam for 35 hours.
Other possible connections are via Seattle or Dallas with BA/AA/Alaska. But the flight timings are normally terrible with long layovers, and both routes are very indirect.
Sorry – I hadn’t appreciated that you can transfer directly to Flying Blue from Amex. That would presumably be a more sensible route for a points redemption than via Virgin or Delta.
Unless they’ve reinstated, I thought BA didn’t fly to Calgary at all anymore – not just Winter?
If I can get a reasonable value, happy to go an indirect route.
United go indirect via Chicago or Denver. Can’t advise which MR partner would provide the most efficient booking route, assuming there is availability, but I’ve used Singapore Kris and at least you don’t get stiffed for additional charges when booking United with Kris.
Unless they’ve reinstated, I thought BA didn’t fly to Calgary at all anymore – not just Winter?
Yes I was confused by this post as thought they’d stopped the route completely. Certainly can’t see any for next summer.
Unless they’ve reinstated, I thought BA didn’t fly to Calgary at all anymore – not just Winter?
Yes I was confused by this post as thought they’d stopped the route completely. Certainly can’t see any for next summer.
My bad. I’ve never attempted to fly to Calgary in the summer, so hadn’t realised the route had been dropped completely by BA. Before COVID it was summer only, but, back in the oil boom days, BA was a direct flight option for winter ski trips.
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