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😬 New Changes to Flying Blue + Last Chance to Earn 140,000 Points With the American Express Platinum Card

Flying Blue has introduced new changes to its award program, increasing minimum mileage requirements across all cabin classes. Meanwhile, it’s the final opportunity to earn a massive 140,000-point welcome bonus with the American Express Platinum Card, making it a great time to boost your points before the promo ends.

Who Cares Fran Healy GIF by Travis

When ‘better availability’ really means ‘pay more for the same thing.’ Cute. Just what we needed—more chances to spend extra on those so-called entry-level rewards. 🙃

In This Issue: 

​​✈️ Flying Blue’s Minimum Mileage Changes

💳 Last Chance to Grab 140,000 Points With the Platinum Card

🗺️ Chexy Deals: Vienna, Lisbon and Paris for Valentine’s Day 💝 (Business Class)

🤑 Pay Your Bills with Chexy Wallet

Reminder: We have launched Chexy Wallet for all active rent payment users. Think bills like tuition, insurance, health memberships, gym fees, parking, babysitters, car Leases, phone bills – basically, all those bills you wish could earn you rewards. 🏠📲

With the first version of our Chexy Wallet, managing your household expenses just got easier (and smarter). We’ve seen some of you sneak in early and start using it already – we see you. 👀

How to Get Started:

1. Log In & Add Subscriptions: Head to your Chexy Dashboard and add your recurring bills.

2. Enter Subscription Info: Fill in the payee details, amounts, and due dates.

3. We Handle the Rest: We’ll charge your card and take care of the payments automatically.

Simplify your life and turn those boring bills into sweet, sweet rewards. Check out more details here!

🚀 We’re Hiring!

At Chexy, we believe in creating opportunities for our community 💙. We love hiring from our audience because who better to join our team than the people who understand our mission best?

If you’re passionate, driven, and want to be part of a team that’s making a difference, we’d love to hear from you!

Explore our open roles and apply today: chexy.applytojobs.ca 🧑‍💻✨

Flying Blue’s Minimum Mileage Changes: What You Need to Know ✈️

Air France-KLM Flying Blue has made a significant adjustment to its award flight program, increasing the minimum mileage requirements across all cabin classes. These changes came into effect on January 13, 2025, without any prior announcement, catching many of us off guard.  😕

Let’s dive into the specifics, compare the new rates to the old ones, and evaluate what this means for you.

What’s Changed? A Look at the New Mileage Requirements

The increase impacts all three main cabin classes. Here’s how the new rates compare to the old ones:

Cabin Class

Previous Mileage Requirement

New Mileage Requirement

% Increase & Impact

Economy

20,000 Miles

25,000 Miles

+25%

Requires 5,000 additional miles, making it slightly harder for casual travellers.

Premium Economy

35,000 Miles

40,000 Miles

+14.3%

Moderate increase, affecting long-haul redemptions slightly.

Business

50,000 Miles

60,000 Miles

+20%

Significant increase but still competitive compared to other loyalty programs.

Impact: While business class rewards still remain competitive compared to other programs, the extra 10,000 miles can feel significant, especially for those with limited points. 😬

Why the Increase?

Flying Blue justifies these changes by emphasizing the potential for better award ticket availability, particularly for business class. According to their statement, the increase “will give customers more availability for entry-level fares". ⏭️

This means:

  • Economy Class reward availability will stay the same as before.

  • Business Class rewards will see improved availability at the new 60,000-mile entry level, meaning fewer flights priced at inflated levels (e.g., 90,000 or 100,000 miles).

This explanation aligns with Flying Blue’s dynamic pricing model, where award ticket prices vary based on demand and time of booking. The hope is that while you’ll need more miles, it might become easier to find lower-tier redemptions more frequently. 🤭

Comparing Flying Blue to Other Programs

Even with the increases, Flying Blue remains competitive compared to other frequent flyer programs out of Canada:

  • Aeroplan (Air Canada)

    • Economy: Starts at 35,000 points for transatlantic flights.

      • Some even for 25k -30,000 points

    • Business: Starts at 60,000 points for partner flights, and goes up to 70,000+ points.

  • British Airways Avios

    • Economy: Starts at 25,000 Avios.

    • Business: Starts at 80,000 Avios for flights to mainland Europe (not the UK).

The updated Flying Blue rates are now comparable to Aeroplan for business class and slightly more affordable than British Airways, particularly for business rewards.

However, Flying Blue’s dynamic pricing can sometimes make redemptions less predictable. 😧

Why Flying Blue Still Holds Value

Now, despite this devaluation, Flying Blue still offers advantages that make it a great choice for transatlantic travelers:

  1. 🚀 Dynamic Pricing with Minimum Guarantees: Flying Blue dynamically prices reward tickets, but the newly published minimum rates ensure that some predictability remains.

  2. 🗓️ Monthly Promo Rewards: Flying Blue frequently offers 25%-50% off Promo Rewards, which can significantly lower mileage requirements for specific routes and dates. For example, a Promo Reward ticket in business class that would typically cost 60,000 miles might drop to 45,000 miles.

  3. 👀 Transfer Partnerships: Membership Rewards (Amex): Flying Blue partners with Amex, but at a 1:0.75 transfer ratio, it lags behind Aeroplan’s 1:1 ratio. A shift to 1:1 would make Flying Blue even more competitive.

Making the Most of Flying Blue Post-Devaluation

Here are some tips to maximize the value of Flying Blue miles after these changes:

  • Leverage Promo Rewards: Keep an eye on Flying Blue’s monthly Promo Rewards for deals offering 25%-50% discounts on select routes.

  • Plan Ahead: With dynamic pricing, booking early often secures better rates.

  • Consider Transfer Bonuses: Watch for promotions offering transfer bonuses from programs like Amex or Bilt to Flying Blue, which can help bridge the mileage gap.

Final Thoughts

Nobody enjoys devaluations, especially unannounced ones, but Flying Blue’s new rates are still competitive when compared to other programs. The promise of better availability at entry-level pricing may soften the blow, particularly for business-class travelers.

For points and miles enthusiasts, Flying Blue remains a strong option for transatlantic flights—especially if you’re willing to hunt for Promo Rewards or take advantage of transfer bonuses. If you’re looking to stretch your miles even further, be strategic with your redemptions and keep an eye on upcoming promotions. ✈️

Last Chance to Grab 140,000 Points with The Platinum Card from American Express

If you’re looking to dive into the world of travel rewards, The Platinum Card from American Express is one of the best tools to get started. 

With a jaw-dropping welcome bonus of up to 140,000 Membership Rewards points, you can unlock incredible travel experiences from 3 roundtrip flights to Europe or 1 roundtrip to Europe in business class and more. 

Let’s break it down so you can apply before this promotion ends on January 28th, 2025.

What’s the Welcome Bonus?

This bonus is offered in two parts:

  • 100,000 points: Earn these after spending $10,000 in the first 3 months of getting the card.

  • 40,000 points: Earn these after making any purchase between your 14th and 17th months of getting the card.

Sounds pretty straightforward, but let’s explore how to use these points to fly for free or get luxury travel perks.

How Much Are 140,000 Points Worth?

Here’s where it gets exciting. Membership Rewards points are incredibly versatile, and their value depends on how you redeem them. Forewarning: the best way to use your points is on travel.

  • Fixed Points for Travel: Book flights through Amex’s travel portal and get up to $2,800 worth of value.

  • Airline Transfer Partners: Transfer your points to programs like Air Canada Aeroplan which can boost the value to over $4,200—or even more if you book first-class or business-class flights.

    • Note: The value of an Aeroplan point is 2.1 cents when used for travel

How Do These Points Help You Fly for Free?

The real magic that frequent travellers have been keeping a secret lies in transferring your points to airline loyalty programs. Let’s say you transfer 140,000 points to Aeroplan:

A round-trip business-class flight from Toronto to Europe might cost 120,000 Aeroplan points plus taxes (about $150).

With each Aeroplan point being valued at 2.1 cents, this round trip flight in business class is first and foremost free because you used your points but also would only cost $2,520.

The Math: Simply take the (120,000) points and multiply them by (0.021) cents.

The same flight if you were to pay in cash would cost you upwards of $5,309.

Your points effectively turn a luxury travel experience into an affordable one. And you’re left with some points to spare for your next trip!

How Chexy Helps You Hit the Spending Requirement

Now that the fun has been explained, the question arises of how to spend $10,000 in 3 months.

If you have large purchases coming up, this is a great way to maximize them and get this card beforehand. Think of appliances, concert tickets and even travel can help you reach this welcome bonus requirement faster.

Another much easier and more accessible way is to pay rent with Chexy. 

For example, If your rent is $2,000/month and you pay it through Chexy using your Platinum Card, you’ll have spent $6,000 in 3 months. That leaves only $4,000 more to hit the target, which is much more manageable.

For example:

  • Spend $500/month on dining or concert tickets for 3 months = $1,500.

  • Add travel bookings, groceries, or other essentials to cover the remaining $2,500.

By spreading your spending across key categories, you can unlock the bonus with ease—no overspending required.

Get the card through Chexy and get one month of your fees waived.

Offer expires: January 28th, 2025

Credit Card Spotlight 🔦

Welcome to Chexy Credit Card Spotlight! 👀 Each month we’ll recommend a credit card that everyone should have! This time, we’ve got the Scotiabank Gold American Express—perfect for everyday buys and travel. Let's jump in.

Scotiabank Gold American Express Card

Earn up to 6X the Scene+TM points on every $1 CAD you spend in Canada on eligible grocery, dining, and entertainment purchases.

Earn Rates:

6X on every $1 CAD you spend in Canada at Sobeys, Safeway, FreshCo, Foodland, and more.

5X for every $1 CAD you spend on Dining, Food Delivery, and other eligible grocery stores.

5X for every $1 CAD you spend on eligible entertainment purchases. Includes movies, theatre, and ticket agencies.

3X for every $1 CAD you spend on gas and daily transit options. Includes rideshare, buses, taxis, subway, and more.

3X for every $1 CAD you spend in Canada on eligible select streaming services.

1X on Everything Else

Annual Fee:

The card has a $120 annual fee but your first year is waived!

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

  1. Montreal (YUL) ➡️ Vienna (VIE)

    • Cost: 60,000 (Business Class)

    • Dates: March 17th, 2025

    • Book: Here

  1. Toronto (YYZ) ➡️ Newark (EWR) ➡️ Paris (CDG)

    • Cost: 60,000 (Business Class)

    • Dates: February 25th, 2025 (Late Valentine’s Day Gift 👀💝)

    • Book: Here

  1. Toronto (YYZ) ➡️ Lisbon (LIS)

    • Cost: 60,000 (Business Class)

    • Dates: July 18th, 2025

    • Book: Here

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