Points Pulse for July 27, 2026: Aeroplan and Hyatt team up as WestJet strike risk grows
In this edition of NerdWallet Canada’s Points Pulse series:
Aeroplan and World of Hyatt roll out new perks for members with linked accounts.
WestJet gives early-August travellers more flexibility as a possible strike date approaches.
Aeroplan and World of Hyatt join forces
BACK TO TOPTwo big dogs of the rewards world, Aeroplan and World of Hyatt, have partnered up, creating new ways for members to earn, redeem and convert points. Many of these new benefits require members to link their accounts.
The benefits depend on the Aeroplan credit card you have and your Aeroplan status level.
If you have a premium personal Aeroplan credit card, you will:
Earn two Aeroplan points and two World of Hyatt Bonus Points per eligible Canadian dollar spent at participating Hyatt properties.
Receive complimentary World of Hyatt Discoverist status.
Receive five Tier-Qualifying Night credits each calendar year.
Get two opportunities each year to take part in Hyatt’s 90-Day Status Challenge.
With a core personal Aeroplan card, you’ll earn 1.5 Aeroplan points and one World of Hyatt Bonus Point per eligible Canadian dollar spent at participating resorts and hotels, but no other status benefits related to the partnership.
Business cards earn slightly more: premium cardholders get 2.5 Aeroplan points and two World of Hyatt Bonus Points per eligible Canadian dollar, while core cardholders get two Aeroplan points and one World of Hyatt Bonus Point, with all of these cardholder rewards stacking on top of the World of Hyatt Base Points members normally earn on eligible stays.
Several benefits don’t require Aeroplan Elite status. Members of both programs can:
Earn 500 Aeroplan points per eligible stay at Hyatt properties when they opt for Aeroplan points instead of World of Hyatt points.
Redeem Aeroplan points for a World of Hyatt Category 1-4 or Category 1-7 Free Night Award, starting at 25,000 Aeroplan points.
Convert two World of Hyatt points into one Aeroplan point (5,000 World of Hyatt points minimum).
Linked Aeroplan Elite members can also convert two Aeroplan points into one World of Hyatt Bonus Point, with a minimum transfer of 500 Aeroplan points, and take part in one World of Hyatt 90-Day Status Challenge each year.
Linked World of Hyatt Discoverist, Explorist and Globalist members receive a $20 CAD Air Canada flight credit each year.
Nerdy take: The premium-card and Elite-status perks might appeal most to active Hyatt members. Core cardholders still get a respectable double earn on eligible Hyatt spending. Regular Aeroplan members can also take 500 points per stay, but only by giving up their Hyatt points. On a costly stay, that trade can get ugly fast.
Scene+ now available at more than 1,400 Shell locations
BACK TO TOPYou can now earn Scene+ points at more than 1,400 Shell gas stations in Canada when you swipe your Scene+ membership card or account number. Scene+ members can earn 1 point per litre of fuel purchased and 1 point per dollar spent on car washes and eligible convenience-store purchases. Members can also redeem 1,000 Scene+ points for $10 off eligible Shell purchases.
The nationwide rollout of the Scene+ program at Shell was completed May 26, following a March launch in Alberta and ending Shell’s more than 30-year relationship with AIR MILES.
BMO’s separate Shell fuel-discount offer ended in December 2025, several months before the broader Shell/AIR MILES partnership wrapped up. That Shell-specific cardholder benefit has been handed over to Scotiabank and Tangerine customers: eligible cards linked to Shell Go+ now receive 3 cents per litre off all fuel grades, with some offering additional V-Power discounts or rewards.
BMO didn’t leave partner fuel rewards entirely when it relaunched AIR MILES as Blue Rewards in June. Blue Rewards members can earn points at participating Irving Oil locations across Atlantic Canada.
Nerdy take: Scene+ isn’t alone in awarding fuel rewards by the litre rather than by dollar. PC Optimum, Blue Rewards at Irving Oil, Triangle Rewards and Journie Rewards also use volume-based earn rates. While gas prices climb ever higher, your rewards stay the same: a litre bought at $1.40 earns the same base reward as one bought at $1.80.
WestJet disruptions loom as possible August 2 strike date nears
BACK TO TOPCUPE 8125, the union representing WestJet’s 4,400 mainline flight attendants, recently announced that its members voted overwhelmingly to authorize strike action. Out of the 97.3% of union members who voted, 99.4% voted to give the bargaining team a strike mandate. Following a mandatory 21-day cooling-off period, cabin crew could go on strike as early as August 2, 2026, but the union must provide 72 hours’ notice before a walkout. No strike notice had been issued as of July 27.
A central sticking point for the union is fair compensation for work performed outside flight time, including pre-flight reporting, boarding, delays and post-arrival duties. CUPE says WestJet flight attendants work an average of 35 unpaid hours each month.
WestJet is Canada’s second-largest airline after Air Canada, whose flight attendants went on strike last year amid a similar dispute over unpaid ground work.
For now, WestJet says it is operating normally, and negotiations are continuing. The airline is offering some flexibility to travellers concerned about possible disruptions: those scheduled to fly from July 30 through August 4 can make one change or cancellation without a fee.
Nerdy take: Though they’re not on strike yet, WestJet’s activation of its Flexible Change/Cancel policy gives you a chance to change your travel plans to a more reliable timeframe or carrier. If you’re travelling from July 30 through August 4 and your plans are flexible, WestJet’s policy gives you an opening to change or cancel your booking now. It does not automatically move you to another airline.
If a later labour disruption affects your flight, WestJet would still owe you rebooking and, in some cases, a refund, but not cash compensation for inconvenience. Credit card insurance may cover some meals, accommodation or transportation, but strike coverage and eligibility rules vary. Check your certificate before counting on it.
ON A SIMILAR NOTE...
In this edition of NerdWallet Canada’s Points Pulse series:
Aeroplan and World of Hyatt roll out new perks for members with linked accounts.
WestJet gives early-August travellers more flexibility as a possible strike date approaches.
ON A SIMILAR NOTE...
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