May 12 Update: Avianca goes into bankruptcy protection, Pacific Coastal Airlines set to resume flights on June 1, Air Canada schedule update

We updated the entire Canadian airline and loyalty program section on our COVID-19 resource page. We’ll continue the big update of this page with U.S. and International programs over the next few days.

B.C.’s Pacific Coastal Airlines announced they are
going to resume service next month. The airline first announced a
suspension of all flights until May 3 which was then extended to May 31.
They have now announced on their website that they will be back in the
air as planned on June 1 although with a reduced flight schedule. Learn more here.

Image via Pacific Coastal

Colombia’s Avianca filed for bankruptcy protection
yesterday citing the COVID-19 Pandemic. While Avianca themselves only
flew to Toronto their loyalty program is extremely well known and
popular in points and miles circles. Being a Star Alliance airline and
loyalty program LifeMiles is famous for their frequent
very valuable buy miles bonus offers and great redemption options on
Star Alliance that didn’t have fuel or carrier surcharges added on.
Avianca reiterates they will return to the skies but most of you are
probably more concerned about LifeMiles. The good news that LifeMiles
are safe as the LifeMiles program is a separate company from Avianca and
is actually not part of the bankruptcy process. The potential bad news
for LifeMiles is if Avianca does not survive as the program would lose
access to Star Alliance. This is exactly what we saw happen with India’s
Jet Airways. When they went under their separate loyalty program
JetPrivilege lived on to become Intermiles. It was no longer associated
with Star Alliance but did expand earning and redemption options for its
members albeit at a more expensive cost on the latter. Learn more about Avianca’s Bankruptcy plans here and learn more about LifeMiles plans here.

Image via Avianca

Airline Schedule Updates

This will now be a standard feature for the foreseeable future in our
daily update posts as we summarize Canadian operations based on data
from RoutesOnline and other sources. Remember that many of these route
plans are subject to change and right now they are changing frequently!

Air Canada’s provided a major schedule update on
May 8. The airline looks to restart some service to the U.S on May 22
with flights from Toronto to Washington Dulles as well as Vancouver to
Los Angeles and San Francisco. Two more flights will be added on May 25
and then a much broader U.S. schedule looks to be implemented on June 1.
June also sees a planned increase with more international flights
resuming See all the planned and suspended flights here

Posts since our last update:

Hilton further extends Points Unlimited Promotion – earn 2,000 bonus Honors points per stay until September 7
Hilton’s systemwide promotion that offers 2,000 Bonus Honors
points per stay at Hilton Hotels worldwide plus 10,000 bonus points…
TD Aeroplan cards will also earn 5 extra miles per dollar spent when shopping online via the Aeroplan eStore until May 31
More TD Aeroplan news to pass along to you today. If you recall a week ago today we let…
Only a few weeks left to grab the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card with up to 30,000 Aeroplan Miles
The current welcome bonus offer for the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card has been one of the better ones…
May
11 Update: 25% more value for RBC Pay with Points, 500 Bonus
AAdvantage Miles for future American Airlines flights, great Alaska
Airlines car rental offer

RBC Rewards has a limited time offer providing 25% more value when you pay down your RBC Rewards credit…

Deals:

Great deal! Fairmont Chateau Whistler golf package offer – stay and play from $185pp per night in June. Find out more here.

Travelzoo and Huntingdon Manor Hotel in
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Travelzoo and Cape Mudge Resort on
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starting at $179 each for May 2021 or $229 each for summer stays in 2020
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Hello Fresh: save $65 in total, including free shipping on the first box! Find out more here.

Missfresh: Simplify your life with 45% off your first 2 consecutive orders with code SIMPLIFY45. Find out more here.

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Rewards Canada receives a small commission when you use any of
the above offers. You don’t have to chose to use our links but we thank
you in advance if you do.