Aeroplan Reward Flight Review from Paris (CDG) to Ottawa (YOW)

You may have already read our post from last week about our flight from Ottawa (YOW) to Amsterdam (AMS). Today, I am writing about the return flight to Canada from Paris, France (CDG) to Ottawa, Canada (YOW).

Just like the flight to Amsterdam, this route was also an Aeroplan fixed reward flight redemption.

Reward Redemption

I booked 2 Aeroplan fixed rate reward flight tickets for 60,000 miles + $220.60 (taxes and fuel surcharges).

Let’s go conservative and assume that I could have bought 2 one-way flight tickets from Paris, France to Ottawa, Canada at a nice deal for $750 (or $375 each).  So the math would look something like this:

• $750 (what it would have costed) – $220.60 (taxes and fuel surcharges) = $529.40
• $529.40 / 60,000 Aeroplan gave me 0.88 cent per mile

At first glance, this looks like a pretty weak redemption actually. But I am more than happy to not have to pay less out of pocket cash for my reward flight. That being said, when I was searching for flights, it was more like $900 for 2 one-way flight tickets. So the math looks something more like this:

• $1,100 (what it would have costed) – $220.60 (taxes and fuel surcharges) = $879.40
• $879.40 / 60,000 Aeroplan gave me 1.465 cent per mile

Not the most optimal redemption (as you can get more value out of your miles if you redeem for first class or business class flights) but a redemption that I could live with.

Itinerary

Below was the itinerary of the trip.

Departure	Arrival	Airline
Paris, Charles De Gaulle (CDG) Thu 28-Apr 2016 09:45	New York, Newark Int’l (EWR) Thu 28-Apr 2016 12:00	United Airlines
New York, Newark Int’l (EWR) Thu 28-Apr 2016 14:22	Ottawa, Ottawa Int’l (YOW) Thu 28-Apr 2016 15:46	United Airlines

Seeing as there are no direct flights between Paris, France and Ottawa, Canada, this was a pretty sweet routing.

Thoughts on the Experience

Aside from the long line-ups for security and customs at Nework (EWR), this was a very smooth trip. The departure and arrival of both flights were completely on time.

I am more than happy with my reward redemption and I had fun in Paris!