/AWARDS

Delta SkyMiles American Express cardholders can book round-trip economy awards to Australia or New Zealand from many U.S. airports for just 25,500 SkyMiles thanks to a 15% cardholder discount. Non-cardholders pay 30,000 SkyMiles, still a strong value. Taxes run about $135 to Brisbane, with other destinations varying. One example: Atlanta to Brisbane in November. The deal has been live since early June 2026, but some dates have already sold out.

Air Canada's buy-points promo runs through July 19, offering up to a 110% bonus on 90,000+ points purchased. That drops the base cost to 1.79 Canadian cents per point, but provincial GST/HST—up to 15% in some provinces—bumps the real cost to 1.88–2.06¢ each. The house values Aeroplan at 1.5¢ per point, so you need to redeem at 2.0–2.1¢ or better to break even. This isn't a no-brainer; it's a targeted buy for specific high-value awards only.