Aeroplan, LifeMiles, Emirates, and Cathay all raised award prices within weeks. Call it what it is. The miles in your account are inflating away.
Air Canada devalued Aeroplan on May 20, expanding its award chart from three pricing tiers to five and pushing base rates up by roughly 20% to 37.5% across most categories. Emirates Skywards followed the same week, tacking around 15% onto first class, premium economy, and a chunk of business class awards. Cathay Pacific Asia Miles had already moved on May 1, trimming value from medium and long haul business class. And Avianca LifeMiles, the program that has been guilty of unannounced increases, raised prices a third time in 15 months.
The points world has a bad habit of treating each of these as an isolated bit of bad luck. It is not bad luck. It is inflation, and it is hitting your miles harder than it is hitting your dollars.
A great solo travel tip spotted this week on Live and Let's Fly.
