We’re now just a few weeks into 2026, and it’s a great time to take inventory of present traits on the earth of loyalty and make a plan.
On this article, we’ll share our methods for the way the Prince of Journey group is approaching Miles & Factors in Canada for 2026.
Traits in Loyalty for 2026
T.J.
Extra so now than ever earlier than, I worth flexibility in my method to Miles & Factors in 2026.
We’re seeing increasingly more loyalty applications limiting premium cabin awards for their very own co-branded credit score cardholders or elite status-holders, which makes planning for redemptions a lot much less predictable (and approachable) than it as soon as was.
On the bank card entrance, we’re seeing increasingly more “pay-to-play” situations launched. What was as soon as included now requires some effort, and I’ll be taking inventory of my pockets and trimming the place I don’t see the worth anymore.
In fact, I’m speaking concerning the cap on Plaza Premium and Precedence Move lounge visits on the Amex Platinum and Enterprise Platinum playing cards (coming in 2027), but additionally the $5,000 minimal spending requirement for the WestJet annual companion voucher.
I’d anticipate to see extra of this sort of requirement being launched on bank card perks this yr.
Jason
Wanting forward, I anticipate extra loyalty applications to proceed shifting towards revenue-based fashions that more and more reward excessive spenders quite than frequent travellers. Incomes elite standing and significant rewards is changing into much less about distance or nights, and extra about how a lot you’re keen to spend into the ecosystem.
On the redemption facet, dynamic pricing is probably going right here to remain. Mounted charts are slowly being handled like endangered species, and members will should be extra versatile with dates, routings, and even applications to seek out outsized worth.
I additionally assume we’ll see extra applications leaning into paid entry fashions. Paid standing matches are already changing into extra frequent, and subscription-style merchandise like Flying Blue Further and Accor+ Explorer recommend that loyalty applications are more and more snug placing premium advantages behind a month-to-month or annual paywall.
Zooming out, I see parallels with the broader economic system. The “center” of journey is shrinking. As an alternative of regular, mid-tier journey patterns, I anticipate demand to polarize towards both ultra-budget journeys or full-on luxurious experiences, with fewer folks aiming for one thing in between.
Amy
I’m intrigued, however admittedly a bit guarded, to see how the loyalty panorama will unfold in 2026.
Loyalty applications are persevering with to evolve, with many shifting towards dynamic award fashions that extra carefully align pricing with flight demand and route recognition. Elite standing can be changing into more and more tied to how actively members have interaction with a program and the general worth of their spending quite than conventional mileage or keep counts.
On the identical time, luxurious journey demand is rising. Extra travellers are keen to pay for premium cabins and upscale experiences, which naturally reduces the variety of premium award seats out there. More and more, applications now launch unsold premium stock as award house nearer to departure as an alternative of providing it effectively prematurely.
Lodge loyalty applications are experiencing their very own type of evolution. As extra travellers obtain elite standing by bank card and program promotions, elite ranks are increasing. Whereas this broadens entry to advantages, it additionally makes elite remedy much less unique and might stretch a lodge’s skill to persistently ship significant perks to each elite visitor.
Synthetic intelligence can be set to play a bigger function in shaping the way forward for loyalty. From dynamic pricing changes to personalised presents and automatic upgrades, expertise will more and more affect how applications handle each availability and advantages.
Marriott, for instance, has already begun utilizing automation to allocate room upgrades, providing a glimpse into how AI may reshape the member expertise throughout the trade. The period of casually “suite-talking” into upgrades is probably going drawing to a detailed.
Credit score Card Technique
T.J.
As I discussed above, I worth flexibility greater than ever earlier than with the loyalty panorama in 2026.
With this in thoughts, I’m consolidating my efforts on the next factors currencies this yr:
- American Specific Membership Rewards factors: with 1:1 conversions to Aeroplan, The British Airways Membership, and Air France KLM Flying Blue, I can get most of my redemptions fulfilled with these three applications
- RBC Avion factors: to complement my Asia Miles and British Airways Membership accounts, and likewise to discover the excellent redemptions in American Airways AAdvantage
- Scene+ factors: I don’t like being beholden to reserving fixed-value redemptions by particular portals.
In terms of particular playing cards, my day by day drivers shouldn’t come as a shock to anybody who’s adopted Miles & Factors for the previous couple of years. The truth is, I’m trying to simplify my pockets a bit this yr, and on the subject of maximizing my on a regular basis earn, I discover the next four-card setup works effectively for me:
The one piece I’m at the moment lacking to my technique is a premium Aeroplan bank card, which I’ll use to bolster my SQC stability to whittle down the paid-flying necessities for Aeroplan Elite Standing.
Jason
For now, my pockets setup is pretty simple.
The Platinum Card® from American Specific continues to play a central function because of its lounge entry and Advantageous Lodges + Resorts advantages, although this might change as soon as the upcoming lounge entry restrictions come into play in 2027.
For on a regular basis spending, I’ll proceed to lean closely on the American Specific® Cobalt® Card and the RBC® ION+™ Visa‡ Card. The Cobalt handles groceries and eating extraordinarily effectively, whereas the ION+ stays my go-to for gasoline and locations that don’t settle for American Specific.
The purpose this yr is much less about chasing each new product and extra about maximizing a smaller, environment friendly setup that also feeds versatile factors currencies.
Amy
With the altering panorama of award house, flexibility and diversification shall be key this coming yr.
American Specific Membership Reward-earning playing cards and RBC Avion playing cards will stay the spine of my Canadian portfolio. I’ll direct most of my natural spend to those applications to keep up a gentle stream of factors for award flights.
Specifically, I’ll lean on my American Specific® Cobalt® Card and RBC® ION+™ Visa‡ Card to make the most of their sturdy multipliers on eating and transportation, whereas my on a regular basis, non-categorized spend will primarily go on my RBC Avion Visa Infinite Enterprise Card and American Specific® Aeroplan®* Reserve Card, each of which earn 1.25 factors per greenback on purchases.
On the US facet, I’ll give attention to playing cards that provide beneficiant welcome bonuses, unlock entry to loyalty applications not out there by my Canadian playing cards, and assist me extra simply earn and retain my airline and lodge elite statuses.
Third-party cost platforms equivalent to Chexy and PaySimply will proceed to play a helpful function in serving to me hit minimal spend necessities and additional increase my return on on a regular basis bills.
I additionally see rising worth in fixed-value applications like TD Rewards, CIBC Aventura, and Scotiabank Scene, because of their ease of use and the pliability to redeem factors towards just about any journey price, particularly for incidentals and non-premium journey the place I don’t wish to be constrained by award availability.
Flight/Award Technique
T.J.
My son turned one not too long ago, and we don’t plan to journey as a lot this yr as we now have previously. As soon as he’s upwardly cellular, the concept of 15-hour ultra-long-haul flights simply isn’t as interesting because it was once (no less than till we are able to cause with him).
On the time of publishing, I’m on an enormous journey to Australia and Japan (Air Canada enterprise class YVR–SYD, Japan Airways First Class SYD–HND, and Japan Airways enterprise class NRT–YVR), and apart from this grand journey, the one different tentative plans we now have shall be to fly to Europe this summer time.
In comparison with Asia, I discover scoring premium tickets to Europe a lot simpler. We’ve been sitting on a stash of Flying Blue miles that we’d wish to burn for the way in which there, and I’d additionally wish to splurge on Lufthansa First Class on the way in which house (with a backup flight booked, after all).
In any other case, my plan is to stay inside North America for the following couple of minutes, although I’ve my eyes on some bucket-list redemptions that I hope to attain throughout my set vacation time in my day job.
Personally, I don’t wish to play “WestJet roulette” with the newly reconfigured cabins (that shall be reconfigured once more by the top of the yr after the airline backtracked on its “upgraded” fixed-recline seats).
With Porter’s rising enlargement and Air Canada’s new SQC-based standing necessities, I’ll be consolidating my paid flying exercise to Air Canada at any time when acceptable (to attempt to keep standing and unlock Milestone Advantages), after which trying to Porter for economic system redemptions inside North America.
If I’ve to fly with WestJet for short-haul flights inside Western Canada, I’ll both redeem Scene+ factors for my flight, or e-book them through Delta SkyMiles. For my part, each applications nonetheless provide higher incomes and redemption alternatives for WestJet flights than what’s out there through WestJet Rewards.
In terms of particular applications, I’m nonetheless capable of make Aeroplan work for many of my redemptions, although I’m increasingly more drawn to the Avios ecosystem for its predictable premium award drops on British Airways and Finnair flights.
I’ve additionally had nice luck scoring ultra-premium awards with Avios not too long ago (Japan Airways First Class & enterprise class), and for my part, it’s an underrated foreign money given how versatile it’s, how straightforward it’s to earn Avios, and the alternatives for arbitrage from inside the program.
Jason
Asia stays my favorite area to journey, and I usually base myself in Bangkok and work outward from there.
Due to that, Aeroplan continues to be very helpful. I’ve had constant success discovering routings like Toronto (YYZ) – Frankfurt (FRA) – Bangkok (BKK) and Toronto (YYZ) – Paris (CDG) – Bangkok( BKK) on Air Canada and Thai Airways. Often, rarer choices pop up as effectively, equivalent to Toronto (YYZ) –London (LHR) – Bangkok (BKK) utilizing Air Canada and EVA Air’s fifth-freedom flight.
As a secondary technique, I’m additionally glad amassing RBC Avion factors to switch into American Airways AAdvantage, which opens the door to flying Qatar Airways through Doha into Bangkok.
It’s not all the time the most cost effective possibility, however when availability strains up, the onboard expertise greater than makes up for it.
Amy
Travelling with a household of 5 has by no means been easy, and securing long-haul premium award house is just changing into tougher.
We’ll proceed to fly economic system inside North America, reserving enterprise class redemptions for in a single day transatlantic flights and journeys past Europe. Now that my children are sufficiently old to sit down in a separate cabin, this could open up extra choices for award availability and assist cut back the whole variety of factors required once we e-book long-haul journeys.
The applications I give attention to will rely upon the place we’re headed. Aeroplan stays my go-to for North American journey with the youngsters. Flying Blue shall be my most popular program for journeys to Europe, because of its new 1:1 switch ratio from Amex, discounted little one awards, frequent Promo Rewards, and beneficiant availability.
Avios is a detailed second, with stable award house, predictable pricing, frequent switch bonuses, and entry to Qatar Airways, which continues to be one among my favorite enterprise class experiences. For Asia and past, Asia Miles stands out for its aggressive economic system pricing and usually first rate award availability. Therefore why diversification in my bank card and factors portfolio is essential.
Google Flights, FlightConnections, and instruments equivalent to seats.aero and AwardTool will assist map out routes, spotlight award patterns, and floor potential availability. In the long run, although, the important thing shall be carefully monitoring flights inside my most popular applications and being able to e-book when house seems.
To extend my odds of securing award house, I usually nonetheless stand by reserving long-haul flights near a yr prematurely to seize saver seats launched at calendar open (when out there), after which utilizing alerts to watch for higher choices which will seem all year long.
This yr I’m additionally contemplating incomes Aeroplan standing. With the latest program adjustments, qualifying has turn out to be noticeably simpler if I’m keen to take just a few additional cash flights. In return, I may earn a few Precedence Rewards and enhance my eUpgrade precedence, which shall be useful in making good use of the big variety of eUpgrades I at the moment maintain earlier than their expiry subsequent yr.
Lodge/Standing Technique
T.J.
After my present journey, I’ll have already got fulfilled the necessities for Marriott Platinum standing by to February 2028.
By 2028, I’ll probably have certified for Lifetime Platinum standing, too. Subsequently, I’m trying to go all-in on Marriott Bonvoy for the following couple of years (since I’m near the end line), after which I’ll be extra of a free agent on the subject of lodge elite standing.
We determined to liquidate all of our lodge factors on our present journey to Australia and Japan, and we’ve scored wonderful worth (and wonderful experiences up to now) by doing so. Incomes and burning stays my most popular method to lodge redemptions (and flight redemptions, for that matter), and I’ve no regrets about going by 600,000+ thousand lodge factors in a month.
Nevertheless, with extra upcoming journey inside North America over the approaching years (the place the loyalty expertise usually leaves lots to be desired), my plan is to shift to fewer paid stays at pricier motels (booked through Prince Assortment at any time when doable for elite-like advantages with out the hustle) and begin an incomes cycle for lodge factors for future consideration as soon as we journey internationally once more.
Apart from that, I’m probably wanting south of the border for US bank cards to unlock a broader vary of lodge redemptions than what’s out there in Canada.
Jason
There’s no denying that each Marriott and Hilton factors have been trending downward in worth. I’ll proceed staying at Marriott properties once they make sense, however I gained’t be going out of my solution to chase elite evening credit this yr.
That mentioned, Marriott Titanium standing nonetheless holds significant worth for me, particularly because it comes with complimentary Aeroplan 25K standing.
That profit alone provides tangible upside, together with precedence providers, a free checked bag on Air Canada flights, and entry to eUpgrades, which pairs properly with my broader flight technique.
Quite than pushing to requalify yearly, my present considering is to purpose for Titanium each different yr as an alternative of forcing Platinum yearly. Given Marriott’s comparatively beneficiant soft-landing method, this staggered technique nonetheless permits me to earn lifetime Platinum years whereas avoiding pointless mattress runs.
For Hilton, I’m in a lucky place because of entry to Mates & Household charges by a detailed pal. Because of this, I’ll probably pay money for many Hilton stays quite than specializing in factors accumulation.
Hyatt is a distinct story. Realistically, Globalist standing is out of attain for me primarily based on the present necessities. After I do want Hyatt stays, I’ll proceed reserving by Prince Assortment, our in-house journey company, which gives entry to Hyatt Privé advantages like room upgrades, day by day breakfast, and property credit.
E-book Luxurious Lodges with Prince Assortment
Outdoors the massive chains, I’m additionally making a acutely aware effort to department out. I’ve not too long ago subscribed to Accor Explorer+, and I’m particularly fascinated about attempting properties like SO Bangkok, which leans closely into design ideas tied to the 5 parts.
Lastly, GHA Discovery has turn out to be a significant a part of my lodge technique. With Titanium standing, my experiences up to now have been persistently sturdy, together with frequent upgrades to premium rooms, complimentary breakfast at many manufacturers, and late check-out granted most of the time.
It’s a reminder that a number of the greatest elite remedy isn’t all the time discovered inside the greatest applications.
Amy
This yr is a bit uncommon for us, as for the primary time shortly we could have roughly as many boutique or non-branded lodge stays as stays with chains the place we maintain elite standing. That’s largely as a result of our plans embody a cruise, a keep at Moon Palace The Grand, a premium Common Orlando lodge for the specific cross profit, and journey to locations with comparatively few main chain properties.
Given this, I’ll lean extra on fastened worth factors applications to offset prices, and I may even look to totally use my Advantageous Lodges and Resorts credit from my American Specific playing cards and credit from my Chase playing cards.
I maintain prime tier standing with a number of chains, so exterior of those non-branded stays I plan to discover applications which can be newer to me, equivalent to Hyatt and GHA Discovery. With Marriott and Hilton, my precedence shall be burning by my free evening awards, reserving Hilton certificates for extra aspirational properties.
Although my husband now has Lifetime Platinum with Marriott Bonvoy, I nonetheless intend to work towards my very own standing, particularly as our household of 5 more and more wants two rooms as an alternative of 1. I’ve had good success clearing Nightly Improve Awards previously, so I’ll proceed aiming for 50 elite nights per yr to earn an Annual Selection Profit, primarily by holding and leveraging my Marriott Bonvoy bank cards.
Conclusion
If there’s one frequent thread throughout our methods for 2026, it’s that loyalty is changing into extra intentional. Packages are evolving, award pricing is much less predictable, and perks more and more include circumstances connected. The times of set-it-and-forget-it methods are fading, changed by a necessity for flexibility, diversification, and a clearer sense of what really delivers worth.
Throughout flights, motels, and bank cards, the main target is shifting towards adaptable factors currencies, lifelike journey patterns, and advantages that align with how we really journey, not how we want we did. That will imply simplifying wallets, spreading danger throughout a number of applications, or being extra selective about which statuses are really price pursuing.
Whereas the Miles & Factors panorama could really feel extra complicated than ever, alternatives are nonetheless very a lot there for these keen to remain knowledgeable, plan forward, and regulate as applications change. As all the time, the bottom line is not chasing all the pieces, however selecting the methods that work greatest on your journey targets within the yr forward.
