In This Issue: 

💰 60,000 Aeroplan Points with the Chase Aeroplan Card

🤝 Earn up to Triple the Points with Amex Refer-a-Friend Bonus Ending March, 4th, 2024

🗺️ Chexy Deals: Fly to Austin, Costa Rica, London and more!

👀 Get 60,000 Aeroplan Points with the US Chase Aeroplan Credit Card

The Chase Aeroplan Card is available to both Americans and Canadians seeking US credit cards, and it comes with a particularly enticing welcome bonus compared to Canadian Aeroplan credit cards, making it currently one of the most attractive options 😎. 

The welcome offer includes a substantial spending requirement to fully unlock the bonus, as expected. If you can spend $3,000 (USD) in the first 3 months, the rewards will be well worth the effort. With the ongoing promotion, you can potentially earn up to 60,000 Aeroplan points in your first year as a cardholder.

Let's Get Into The Details

The offer for the Chase Aeroplan Card boasts up to 60,000 Aeroplan points and comes with some pretty awesome earn rates:

• 3x the points for each dollar spent on groceries, dining, takeout and subscriptions, and Air Canada

• 1x on everything else

If you qualify for the Chase Aeroplan Card and have yet to apply, the appeal of earning 60,000 Aeroplan points with a $3,000 (US) spending requirement is still a compelling reason to consider getting the card 💳.

Plus, with an annual fee of just $95, you're effectively getting 60,000 Aeroplan points at 0.21 cents per point 🤑!

The card also comes with extra perks like:

• No foreign transaction fees, making it great for spending overseas. 

• Additionally, you're not obligated to use the Aeroplan points solely for Aeroplan bookings. 

🖊️ Tip: Chase also has its "Pay Yourself Back" feature, which allows you to redeem points at a rate of 1.25 cents per point as a statement credit towards any travel-related purchase.

While the Chase Aeroplan Card offers a great sign-up bonus for those looking to acquire more Aeroplan points, securing a US credit card can be a daunting task for some. 

Here are the essential steps to help you navigate the process and make obtaining the Chase Aeroplan Card more accessible:

1. Get a US address: This may seem like a lot but if you have family or friends living in America, just ask them! 

   • Utilize a mail forwarding or mailbox service like 24/7 Parcel, which can simplify the process. 

   • Ensure you verify that the “Commercial Mail Receiving Agency” is NOT marked as “Y” by heading to USPS address lookup tool and entering your address.

2. Get a US Bank Account: There are two benefits to getting a US bank account.

   • To pay off your credit card bills, and, to verify your US address with US credit card issuers.

   • You can easily get this done through several Canadian banks that have subsidiaries in the US, which makes the process easy.

3. Apply for an American Express US Card: You need to start establishing a credit history, and the best and easiest starting point is through American Express US.

   • Method 1: Amex Global Transfer 

     1. Initiate an American Express Global Transfer from Canada to the US. 

     2. You’ll need 1 Canadian-issued American Express card, open and in good standing for a minimum of 3 months.

     3. Then, call the Global Transfer office, to let them know you’d like to do a Global Transfer as a Canadian cardholder to a US credit card.

        1. Note: This can also be done online.

     4. You’ll either be approved instantly or be contacted by Amex US for more information.

   • Method 2: Nova Credit

     1. You can use Nova Credit to apply to US cards by using your Canadian TransUnion credit file.

     2. However, you will need a US SSN or ITIN for this to work 

4. Apply for an ITIN: The ITIN is short for Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, similar to a SIN, which of course is essential to apply for US credit cards. 

   • Method 1: Opt for a Dedicated ITIN Service 

     1. This can be done through professionals to help you with this application, which will most likely give you a completed W-7 form.

   • Method 2: Do it yourself

     1. If paying professionals is not up your alley, you can always do it yourself through the IRS website. However, any small mistakes may result in a failed application, and with each application taking several weeks to months to complete, be certain it’s correct.

5. Time to Build Your Credit History: After you’ve secured everything above, you’ll need to wait a couple of months for your account to mature before you can apply for other credit cards like the Chase Aeroplan.

We do want to state that Chase has a much stricter approval criteria for individuals with limited credit histories (like ourselves 😓) compared to American Express.

Typically, they prefer to see 12–18 months of responsible credit usage before approving your initial Chase card. 

Note: A way to expedite this process is by opening a Chase chequing account during your visits to the US, which is accessible for Canadians.

This may seem like a bunch of steps for just 60,000 Aeroplan points, but if you are an avid traveler and love to make use of points so that you can travel for free, this is the best way to get started. And, not to mention, once you’ve completed this and secured your first US-issued credit card, the sky is the limit when it comes to all the other cards you can get and the points you can earn 🎉! 

Amex Refer-a-Friend Bonus: Up to Triple the Points

American Express Canada has rolled out a great promotion this month to kick off the new year. Until March 4, 2024, the AMEX referral game gets a major boost, allowing you to earn up to triple the points when referring friends. 

💯 The Rules are Straightforward

For each referral on your Canadian American Express cards, you'll get double the standard referral bonus. All you have to do is log in to your American Express portal and head to “refer-a-friend” to see this bonus and get your referral link 🔗!

⛔ Cards not included:

• The Business Edge Card

• Marriott Bonvoy Business Card

• And, Amex Green Card. 

Cards that offer TRIPLE the usual referral bonus points: 

• Platinum Card: 30,000 points (up from 10,000) 

• Aeroplan Reserve Card: 30,000 Aeroplan points (up from 10,000) 

The rest of the Amex lineup provides DOUBLE points: 

• Business Platinum Card: 40,000 points (up from 20,000) 

• Business Gold Card: 30,000 points (up from 15,000) 

• Gold Card: 15,000 points (up from 7,500) 

• Cobalt Card: 10,000 points (up from 5,000) 

• Aeroplan Business Reserve Card: 40,000 Aeroplan points (up from 20,000) 

• Aeroplan Card: 10,000 Aeroplan points (up from 5,000) 

• Marriott Bonvoy Card: 20,000 Bonvoy points (up from 10,000) 

This promo only affects points earned by the person referring. The new cardholder's welcome bonus remains unchanged.

Check out these awesome deals you don't want to miss if you're thinking about traveling in the next few months!

Aeroplan:

1. Toronto (YYZ) ➡️ Austin (AUS) 

   • Cost: 9,300 (Economy Class)

     

   • Dates: March 11th - March 13th, 2024

   • Book: Here

2. Toronto (YYZ) ➡️ London (LON) 

   • Cost: 31,600 (Economy Class)

     

   • Dates: March 23rd, 24th, 25th, 26th, - March 26th, 27th, 29th, 2024

   • Book: Here

3. Vancouver (YVR) ➡️ Toronto (YYZ) ➡️ Houston (IAH) ➡️ San José (SJO)

   • Cost: 17,500 (Economy Class)

     

   • Dates: March 12th - 18th, 2024

   • Book: Here

4. Vancouver (YVR) ➡️ Toronto (YYZ) ➡️ San José (SJO)

   • Cost: 22,300 (Economy Class)

     

   • Dates: March 12th - 18th, 2024

   • Book: Here