Aeroplan Welcome Aboard Event
I’ve been sitting on some big news for a couple of weeks, and it’s time to spill the beans.
I’m going to Legoland Florida!
Okay so maybe not just Legoland. I’m also going to SeaWorld, and to Blue Man Group at the Universal Orlando Resort, and I’m staying at the Westin Imagine Orlando, and I’ll be driving a rental from Avis Rent A Car. Oh and I’ll be flying Executive Class on Air Canada from Toronto to Orlando too.
So just how am I doing all of this? While usually it’s through travel agencies, this time it’s compliments of the fine folks at Aeroplan.
So what exactly is Aeroplan?
Here’s what their own website has to say…
Aeroplan is Canada’s premier coalition loyalty program where members earn Aeroplan miles with its growing network of over 75 world-class partners, representing more than 150 brands in the financial, retail, and travel sectors. Aeroplan Members can accumulate miles with Air Canada and the Star Alliance network, as well as numerous hotel properties and through car rental agencies Avis and Hertz.
Aeroplan has teamed up with CIBC (Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce) to offer its members who are CIBC Aero cardholders a special reward called the Welcome Aboard Event. Two flights to Orlando (one from Montreal, one from Toronto) are reserved exclusively for CIBC Aeroplan members. Passengers will be treated to dedicated check-in lines, extra free baggage allowance, free drinks and snacks, and – rumour has it – massages at the departure gate.
Aeroplan invited me to be on the flight from Toronto next week to cover the festivities.
Before I received the invitation, I had an idea that Aeroplan points could be redeemed for non-flight rewards, but I didn’t realize how many non-flight rewards were actually available. Like that Legoland pass. Or the SeaWorld Orlando entrance ticket. Or the Westin Imagine Orlando hotel room. Heck, you can even get yourself an iPad with Aeroplan reward miles. (Hopefully the iPad 3 will be in the online merchandise catalogue very soon!)
Last week when I got back to Calgary from Bangkok, I redeemed some of my Aeroplan miles to get a rental car from Avis for a couple of days. The money I saved went towards new tires for my own car. The joys of returning home in winter. Thankfully I won’t have to put up with it for too long, because…
I’m going to Legoland!
This is going to be a whole lot of fun.
More info:
- Check out the Aeroplan Fact Sheet
- Take a peek at the available Aeroplan Rewards
- Sign up for Aeroplan
America 
Canada 
Oman 
Sweet, that sounds like a whole bunch of fun!!
We have a boat load of Aeroplan miles that we need to use up. I forgot they had merch. I’m hoping they have some camera lenses
It looks like they do indeed have a least one lens… https://www1.aeroplan.com/mrch/search.ep?keyWords=lens&categoryId=&searchOrigin=Merchandise%3A+Search+Results
So jealous! I have always wanted to go to Legoland! One day….
Are you in Hong Kong now Nate? They are opening LEGOLAND Malaysia later this year…
Awesome! Never heard of Aeroplan before but seems like a cool rewards program.
Have fun!
Aeroplan is great for “double-dipping” — like paying for a flight on a Star Alliance airline with an Aeroplan rewards credit card. You get points from the airline and points from the credit card. Cha-ching!
Sounds like a great loyalty program. I’m guessing a trip to Legoland is every guy’s dream
Legos are the Holy Grail of boy’s toys!
Awesome. No one ever pays me to go to Kid-Free places. Sucks.
Do you actually have a home?
I’ve got a sneaky suspicion there are going to be an awful lot of kids at this place. Hope they have earplugs.
This is so cool!! I have never heard of Aeroplan!! And, I’ve never flown executive, but that’s another story. Have a great time!!
Thanks D! Aeroplan is my new best friend!
Nice! Lego land is something the kids and I will always agree on. I’ll go check out Areoplan’s reward system. Thanks!
Legoland does look like a hoot!
This sounds like such a fun adventure! My husband and I would have so much fun doing this together. Hope you have a great time.
Thanks Ellen — your husband and I would have fun doing this together too! LOL…
What a trip! Good for you, I still have to join one of those! Hey, will you check Miami too?
Thanks Fede — I had not thought about heading to Miami…hmmmm…
So… this might sound ignorant of me, but isn’t Legoland a kid’s place? Not that there’s anything wrong with adults being kids every now and then! Am I missing some hidden secret about the wonders of Legoland?
Legoland is suitable for ages 2 to 200.
There are tons of rides which is what appeals to me, and there is a Water Park at Legoland Florida which opens in May of 2012. Sad I will miss this though…
Great news Raymond, I suspect you are going to have an absolute blast
I suspect you are correct good sir!
Congratulations on your upcoming trip, Raymond! I bet the inner kid in you will unleash once more once you step in Legoland!
I’m gonna eat candy and take naps all day and it’s gonna be awesome!
That’s awesome – I’d love to be going to Legoland, a favourite childhood toy. I really enjoyed going to Orlando when I lived in and closer to Florida. Have so much fun there! =)
Thanks Andrea — I’ve never been to Florida before so this will be an eye-opener for me!
Congratulations! That should be an absolute blast and yes, I’m totally jealous. Have a blast!
Thanks Emme! I will indeed have a blast!
Wow! What an awesome experience. I look forward to hearing about it.
Thanks Michael — Legoland and SeaWorld should be a hoot!
Awesome! The weather is wonderful in Orlando!
Oh I hear this is lots of wonderful in Orlando!
Legoland would be awesome! I would love to go there with kids. That would be so much fun!
Jeremy I’m hoping that there will be plenty of fun without kids too!
Congrats Raymond!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks Sammy J!!
Excellent News! LEGO was one of my favourite toy when I was little!! Yeah!
Thanks Juno — really looking forward to this!
I envy you but if in a few months I will be like you. I’m quitting my job, travel locally and abroad.
Fun, fun, fun!
I hope, hope, hope!
Congratulations! Sounds like an exciting trip up ahead
So far it’s been great! Checked out the Holy Land Experience today. Holy moley!
SWEEEEET! I also wanna go to Legoland! And Florida. Damn, I need sun.
This is my first time to Florida as well — and it’s been sun, sun, sunny so far!
Can’t wait to read about all this!
I can’t wait to go!
Raymond, Legoland will be fun. I think no matter what age we are days like that bring a smile.
BTW I am getting duplicates of your posts to my email, can you fix that? Thanks!
Funny, but I am getting duplicate notification of comments as well. Hmmmm…lemme see what’s up…
Congrats man! I’m hoping to hop on the press trip train some time this year (*crosses fingers*) and it would be so awesome to do something this cool.
So far it’s been pretty darn cool…
It sounds great! You’re going to have a crazy experience! I’ve heard about legoland but haven’t had the chance to go yet! Experiencing the Aeroplan would be worthing as well! Hope to make it some day!
The Aeroplan Welcome Aboard Event was fantastic!
That is just awesome, never heard about it before but looks great. hats off for Aeroplan
Aeroplan put on a stellar promotion — they even had customized menus for Executive class and nice touches like Aeroplan chocolate and Aeroplan chewing gum for all passengers.
And I was the first one who knew about it
))) So great that you got that trip!
You were the first indeed! I believe I was even using your Wi-Fi when I got the email from the folks at Aeroplan!
That’s so awesome! Definitely looking forward to your reviews and experiences. It’ll be a great time for sure
Thanks Savannah! I’ve got lots of great experiences to write about.
That’s fantastic Raymond! I hope you have a ton of fun!!
I had a hoot Bethany!
So fun!! I went to Legoland in Denmark waaaaay back when I was only 17 and on my first REAL adventure in the world.
Hope you have a great time. 
Congrats! Sounds like an awesome trip! I went to Legoland in Denmark and I am interested to see what the differences/ similarities are