Hey {{first name | reader}},
Happy Friday! Coffee's ready, the week's almost done. Today is very "points-nerd spreadsheet" coded: two mileage sales, a map of guaranteed Qsuite routes, and a surprisingly good cash fare to the Philippines.
Aeroplan vs Alaska: two mileage sales worth a look
Qsuite "guaranteed routes": where you're sure to get Qatar's best seat
Cash deal: Doha → Manila in business on China Southern (~$950 round-trip)
Aeroplan vs Alaska: two mileage sales worth a look
Both Air Canada Aeroplan and Alaska Atmos Rewards are running buy-points promos right now.
Aeroplan: up to 100% bonus (from $13.30 per 1,000 points)
Aeroplan is offering a mystery bonus on purchased points through December 17, 2025, with targeted offers up to 100% bonus. The best-possible tier kicks in from 80,000+ purchased points and lets you buy at roughly $13.30 per 1,000 points.
You can redeem Aeroplan points fro EVA business class
Aeroplan basics that matter here:
Zone + distance chart (not fully dynamic like some programs)
Very low surcharges on all partners
Stopovers for 5,000 points one-way outside North America
Huge partner list: Singapore Airlines, ANA, EVA, Turkish, Gulf Air, Oman Air, Emirates, Etihad, etc. (Though the last two have dynamic award pricing, so not usually the best way to redeem)
Where Aeroplan shines if you're buying in this sale:
USA to East Asia lie-flat for 75k points one-way in business
Example: LAX → TPE on EVA Air's amazing business class, and you can even find 4+ seats on occasion. At ~$13.30 per 1,000 points, this is like paying 997 USD + taxes for a 14-hour flight in business, amazing value in my opinion.
Europe → Middle East/India in business for 45k points (depending on distance band and partner)
You can fly from Copenhagen to Delhi for 45k in business class, in an almost 10-hour flight for 600 USD + taxes.
Creative itineraries with stopovers: Aeroplan lets you add a stopover for 5,000 points, so you can play and add one more destination to your trip.
Alaska Atmos Rewards: up to 100% bonus ($18.80 per 1,000 points)
Alaska's newly rebranded Atmos Rewards is also running a buy-points promo through December 23, 2025, again with a mystery structure up to 100% bonus. The top tier (20,000 - 100,000 points) gets you points at about $18.80 per 1,000 points if you're targeted for 100%.
Key features of Atmos Rewards:
Strong partner list: Cathay Pacific, JAL, Qantas, Starlux, Fiji Airways, American, and others
Stopovers allowed on one-way partner awards (except purely intra-Asia and in North America), which is still huge in 2025
Historically great value on shorter-distance and partner premium awards, though long-haul business availability has become more limited
Good ways to think about buying Alaska points right now:
"Cherry-pick" redemptions on JAL, Cathay, Qantas, Starlux when you already see space
Example: one-way business USA to Japan or Southeast Asia that might otherwise cost $3,000+ in cash. If you can book at 60-80k points, your effective cost at $18.80 per 1,000 points can still be very attractive.
Shorter-haul premium partners
Atmos is still strong for some shorter-distance redemptions where distance-based programs like Avios can get expensive with surcharges; if you find regional business on partners, you can often beat paid fares comfortably. For example, many short-haul flights costs 15,000 points in business class.
Stopover magic
Example: US → Tokyo → Southeast Asia on JAL in business with a stopover in Tokyo at no extra points. That's where Alaska can still feel "old-school good."
Verdict: Atmos is more niche now than in the glory days, but still powerful in the right hands. I'd only buy if you've already found a specific JAL/Cathay/Qantas/Starlux or similar partner itinerary you can lock in immediately.
Qsuite "guaranteed routes": where you're sure to get Qatar's best seat
If you've ever booked Qatar Airways hoping for Qsuite and then got a non-Qsuite aircraft… you know the pain. Good news: Qatar has a list of 22 routes where every flight is scheduled with Qsuite-configured aircraft through at least March 2026.
Qatar Airways Qsuite cabin
Some highlights from the all-Qsuite list (all out of Doha):
North America:
New York JFK, Boston, Miami, Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago, Montreal - all on A350-1000s or Qsuite-equipped 777s or A350-900s
Asia-Pacific:
Singapore, Seoul, Tokyo Narita, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane, Auckland
South America:
São Paulo joined the all-Qsuite club in November 2025. (Now, this is AMAZING news for me!)
On these routes, every scheduled flight is operated by aircraft types that currently all have Qsuite (like the A350-1000) or by hand-picked Qsuite-fitted 777s / A350-900s.
A few extra angles that matter if you're planning:
There are also "pick the right flight number" Qsuite routes (like Amsterdam, Bali, Kuala Lumpur, some London/Paris frequencies), where only selected flights get the product
Qatar even has a Qsuite Guarantee policy thanks to our very own Dan: if they swap you off a Qsuite to a non-Qsuite aircraft, you can move to another Qsuite flight on the same route (including Avios award bookings) within a certain window, space-permitting. This is LITERALLY thanks to Dan. I am thinking we can ask him to tell us the story in a future post…
If you've never flown Qsuite and want to make it happen, these guaranteed routes are where I'd start searching with Avios or partner currencies.
Cash deal: Doha → Manila in business on China Southern (~$950 round-trip)
For the deal-hunters, here's a cash fare that actually made me double-take:
We're seeing China Southern business-class round-trips from Doha (DOH) to Manila (MNL) pricing around $950 USD, on various dates into late 2025 and the first half of 2026.
China Southern business class cabin
What you get:
Routing: DOH → MNL (and back), with one stop each way
Long leg: Typically on a Boeing 787, with lie-flat seats in business on the long segment
About China Southern's business class:
China Southern's 787 business class features either a 2-2-2 layout or a 1-2-1 layout, all with fully flat seats. It's not the most private configuration (no doors), but the seats are comfortable, the service is solid, and the catering is better than you might expect. You can check out Dan’s latest review of China Southern business class below!
Why this is interesting:
If you're based in the Middle East (or positioning to Doha with Avios), this is a cheap way to get to Southeast Asia in proper business class
Manila works great as a gateway if you're continuing on low-cost carriers to Philippines beaches, Vietnam, or elsewhere in the region
For status chasers, China Southern sits in SkyTeam, so depending on where you credit, you might turn this into a solid mileage + status run
For sub-$1,000 business class across that distance, this is the kind of fare I'd screenshot and save.
That's it for this week. Enjoy the weekend, and I'll see you Monday with more deals, routes, and strategies.
Catch you in the clouds,
Tomi