In This Issue: 

🛬 Travel Tip and Tricks: Scoring Cheap Flights

​​👏 New Route to Abu Dhabi with Etihad Airways and the A350

🗺️ Chexy Deals: London, Barcelona and Madrid

The Ultimate Guide to Scoring Cheap Flights

We know you love to travel—otherwise, you wouldn't be here—so we’d like to share how you can maximize your hard-earned dollars and rewards to fly for less. Traveling can be an expensive hobby, especially when flights alone seem to eat up most of your budget. There are a myriad of tricks and tips to ensure you never pay full price for a flight again. Some are well-known, others less so, but all can help you shave a significant amount off your airfare, if you are willing to move some things around. Let’s dive into how you can score cheap flights every time.

Be Flexible With Dates and Destinations

First and foremost, flexibility is your best friend. If you’re one of those type A, rigid planners who insist on traveling on specific dates and to specific locations, be prepared to pay the price and have your friends looking at you with wide eyes. Literally, airfare fluctuates by the minute and is heavily dependent on demand. If you find a good deal, take it before you miss out!

Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays are generally the cheapest days to fly, as most people prefer to travel on weekends. If you can handle the thought of starting your vacation at the start of the week or even midweek, you’re already winning. Also, consider flying overnight or at ungodly hours. You’ll definitely arrive somewhat in a haze and desperate for a pick-me-up, but your wallet will thank you.

Use a Travel Rewards Credit Card

A no-brainer if you’re reading this! If you’re not using a travel rewards credit card, what are you even doing? These cards can earn you points on everyday purchases, which can then be redeemed for flights. Some cards even offer hefty sign-up bonuses, enough to cover a flight or two right off the bat. The TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite, American Express Platinum, and the Aeroplan Reserve are particularly good options for this.

If you’re like me and prefer not to carry cash due to tourist traps and pickpockets, make sure you have a card that doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees. Booking intra-continental travel with some low-cost airlines, especially in Europe, can incur a 2.5% fee because it's considered a foreign transaction. You’re essentially giving money to the bank for no reason.

Leverage Loyalty Points and Miles

We touched on this topic in one of our previous newsletters but before you fork over any cash for a flight, dig through your loyalty accounts. Different programs have different redemption procedures, transferability, and minimum thresholds. See if you can pool your rewards into one loyalty program or split up your points for hotel stays and flights.

Book at the Right Time

Is there really a perfect time to book a flight? Some of us just need that rush of dopamine and others, need an excuse to get away! A general rule of thumb:

• Book overseas travel 8-10 months before your want to travel 

• Book intra-continental travel 4-5 months before 

• Book national travel 6-8 months in advance 

Of course, not everyone can plan their life 10 months in advance but getting ahead is the best way to save some coin.

Set Price Alerts

Yes, setting price alerts on sites like Skyscanner can save you hours of searching. Enter your travel criteria, set the alert, and let the deals come to you. 

In addition to this, select multiple travel criteria with different dates so you have options to choose from.

Fly During Off-Season or Shoulder Season

Avoid flying during peak travel times. July and August are prime vacation months, and airfare reflects that. Kids are off school and teenagers want to see the world. Instead, plan your trips for the shoulder season (April/May or September/October) when demand is lower, and prices are more reasonable. 

Booking during these off-peak times can significantly reduce costs, as seen by the price difference between flights to Spain in July and October.

October: 

July:

Plus, you’ll avoid other tourists at popular attractions and get a better experience.

Buy Points at a Discount

Airline loyalty programs sometimes offer promotions where you can buy miles at a discount or with bonus miles. This trick is especially useful if you’re eyeing a premium cabin experience or business class. For instance, buying Aeroplan points during a sale can significantly cut the cost of a business-class flight.

Use Companion Vouchers

If you’re traveling with a buddy, companion vouchers can be a game-changer. These vouchers offer a free or discounted ticket for the second passenger, making them ideal for pricier flights. Some credit cards offer companion vouchers as perks, like the WestJet annual round-trip companion voucher or the Air Canada Worldwide Annual Companion Pass.

Maximize Points Earned on Flight Purchases

This doesn’t need to be said but when you do pay cash for flights, make sure you’re earning the maximum points possible. Use a credit card that offers bonus points for travel purchases, such as the American Express Cobalt Card or the American Express Platinum Card. These points can then be used to offset future travel expenses.

Explore Stopover and Multi-Destination Flights

Now, stopovers aren’t for everyone but they can seriously reduce the cost of a flight.

Booking flights with stopovers can sometimes be cheaper than direct flights. Plus, you get the added bonus of exploring another city for a few days. 

Multi-destination flights, where you fly into one city and out of another, can also be a cost-effective way to see more without spending more.

Conclusion

Flying doesn’t have to break the bank if you are smart about it. By using these tricks and being flexible with your plans, you can save tons of money you can use elsewhere. So, the next time you’re planning a trip, remember: a little bit of strategy goes a long way. Safe travels!

Abu Dhabi–Toronto Route: Etihad Airways Brings A350

Starting October 27, 2024, Etihad Airways is upping its game on the Abu Dhabi–Toronto route with the sleek Airbus A350-1000, featuring the latest in business class comfort. This change is all about giving passengers a better travel experience, plus meeting the growing demand for trips between these two cities.

The switch to the A350-1000 on the Toronto route is a huge upgrade from the old Boeing 777-300ER, promising a smoother, more comfortable journey but most people will love it for the luxe experience and overall better service.

New Flight Schedule

For the winter season, the Abu Dhabi to Toronto route will run as follows:

• EY21: Abu Dhabi to Toronto, leaving at 2:45 AM and landing at 9:25 AM

• EY22: Toronto to Abu Dhabi, leaving at 3:30 PM and landing at 12:20 PM the next day

Perks: Business Class Upgraded

The A350-1000 comes with Etihad’s newest business-class suites, which turn into 79-inch fully flat beds with sliding doors. You also get wireless charging, noise-canceling headphones, and an 18.5-inch TV screen.

Plus, business class passengers can enjoy a curated à la carte menu and dine whenever they want.

Happy booking!

Join Our PAD Beta Launch 🚀

We know you, like everyone else, have been eagerly waiting for the launch of PAD payments with Chexy. We can't wait to give you an update! We’re anticipating the release of our PAD Beta on November 1st, and we would love for you to be a part of it.

The Beta will be a limited release and we’re collecting all the necessary information to bring your rental unit online for November. To help us make sure your unit is ready for Beta, please click on the link below and complete the intake form:

Thanks for being part of this journey with us. We can’t wait to get started and have you earning rewards on your rent payments! 😆

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

Aeroplan:

1. Toronto (YYZ)  ➡️ London (LHR) 

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2. Montreal (YUL)  ➡️ Barcelona (BCN)

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3. Toronto (YYZ) ➡️ Newark (EWR) ➡️ Madrid (MAD)

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