A
Aeroplan
Air Canada's loyalty program and Canada's most popular travel points currency. Points can be earned through Air Canada flights, credit cards, and shopping partners, then redeemed for flights on Air Canada and 40+ Star Alliance partners worldwide.
Avios
The points currency of the Oneworld alliance, primarily used through British Airways, Iberia, and Aer Lingus. Canadian families use Avios for "sweet spot" redemptions — notably flying transatlantic on partner airlines at significantly lower point costs than Aeroplan.
Annual Fee
The yearly cost of holding a credit card. Many premium travel cards charge $120–$799/year. The fee is worth paying when the card's benefits (welcome bonus, travel credits, lounge access, insurance) exceed its cost.
Award Chart
A table published by a loyalty program showing how many points are required to book a flight between different regions. Some programs use dynamic pricing instead of fixed charts, meaning costs vary based on demand.
C
Cents Per Point (CPP)
A way of measuring redemption value. Calculated as: (cash value of what you're booking ÷ points required) × 100. Most Canadian points experts consider 1.5 CPP a good redemption and 2+ CPP an excellent one.
Companion Pass / Voucher
A benefit that allows a second traveller to fly with you for a reduced fee (usually just taxes). The WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard includes an annual companion voucher — for a family, this can be worth $500+ per year.
Chexy
A Canadian service that allows renters to pay their monthly rent with a credit card and earn points, even when their landlord doesn't accept credit cards. One of the best ways for Canadian families to earn extra points on their largest monthly expense.
D
Dynamic Pricing
A system where the points cost of a flight varies based on demand, route, and seasonality — rather than a fixed award chart. Air Canada uses dynamic pricing for some Aeroplan redemptions. Generally less favourable than fixed charts for finding good value.
E
Elite Status
A tier within a loyalty program (e.g. Aeroplan 25K, 35K, 50K, Super Elite) earned through flight activity or credit card spending. Offers benefits like seat upgrades, priority boarding, bonus earning rates, and complimentary lounge access.
L
Lounge Access
The ability to enter an airport lounge before your flight, usually offering complimentary food, drinks, wifi, and a quieter environment. Many premium travel cards include lounge passes (typically 4–6 per year) or full Priority Pass membership.
M
MR Points (Membership Rewards)
American Express's flexible points currency. MR points are valuable because they transfer 1:1 to Aeroplan, Avios, Marriott Bonvoy, and several other programs, making them one of the most flexible currencies available to Canadians.
Marriott Bonvoy Points
Marriott's loyalty currency, earned on stays at 30+ hotel brands including Marriott, Sheraton, Westin, W Hotels, and Fairmont. Can be transferred to 40+ airline programs at a 3:1 ratio (with a 5,000-point bonus per 60,000 transferred).
Minimum Spend Requirement
The amount you must charge to a new credit card within a specified time period (usually 3 months) to unlock the full welcome bonus. E.g. "Spend $3,000 in the first 3 months to earn 60,000 bonus points."
Mileage Run
A flight taken primarily to earn miles or elite status, not for the destination itself. Less relevant for Canadian families focused on credit card points, but useful for maintaining elite status before it expires.
N
No Foreign Transaction Fee
A card feature that waives the standard 2.5% surcharge on purchases made in foreign currencies. Essential for international travel — a family spending $5,000 abroad saves $125 with a no-FX card.
NEXUS
A trusted traveller program that allows pre-screened Canadian and US citizens to use dedicated lanes at border crossings and airports for faster processing. The $50 USD application fee is reimbursed annually by several Canadian travel credit cards.
P
Points Devaluation
When a loyalty program increases the number of points required for a redemption, effectively reducing the value of your existing points balance. Aeroplan devalued in June 2026, increasing points requirements on many routes.
Priority Pass
The world's largest independent airport lounge program, granting access to 1,300+ lounges in 148 countries regardless of which airline you're flying. Included with several Canadian premium credit cards.
Pooling Points
Combining points from multiple household members into one account for a single redemption. Aeroplan Family Sharing allows up to 8 family members to pool points together, making it much easier to accumulate enough for international travel.
S
Scene+ Points
Scotiabank and Empire Company's loyalty program. Points earned on Scotiabank credit cards and at Sobeys-owned grocery stores (Sobeys, Safeway, IGA, FreshCo). Redeemable for travel through Scotiabank's portal or at participating grocery stores.
Sweet Spot
A redemption where the number of points required is disproportionately low relative to the cash value of what you're booking. The most famous Canadian sweet spot is using Avios on Aer Lingus to fly between Canada and Europe, often costing 15,000–26,000 Avios one way in business class.
Saver Award
The lower-cost redemption tier in a points program, requiring fewer points than a standard or Flex award. Saver seats are limited in availability and must be booked in advance, but offer the best value per point.
Standard / Flex Award
The higher-cost redemption tier, requiring more points than a saver award but offering greater availability. Useful when saver space isn't available, but the value per point is lower.
Stopover
A layover of 24 hours or more in a connecting city, sometimes allowed for free or a small fee on award tickets. Stopovers let you visit two destinations for the price of one redemption — a powerful strategy for family itineraries.
T
TD Points
TD Bank's points currency, earned on TD travel credit cards. Most valuable when redeemed through the Expedia for TD portal, where they're worth 0.5 cents each — meaning 100,000 TD Points = $500 in travel.
Transfer Partner
An airline or hotel program to which you can move points from a flexible currency like Amex MR or TD Points. Transfer ratios vary — Amex MR transfers to Aeroplan at 1:1, meaning 10,000 MR = 10,000 Aeroplan points.
Transfer Ratio
The rate at which points convert from one program to another. A 1:1 ratio means 1,000 points become 1,000 points in the new program. A 2:1 ratio means you lose half your points in the transfer — always check before transferring.
W
Welcome Bonus
A one-time bonus of points offered when you first apply for and are approved for a credit card, usually contingent on meeting a minimum spend requirement within the first 3–6 months. The welcome bonus is often the single most valuable thing about a card.
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