Strategy: Croatia and the Balkans with Points

Last fall, I decided to explore a new country: Croatia. I always enjoy travelling to Europe during the shoulder seasons, when summer vacations are over but it’s not cold yet. It’s not quite the low season, but it does help avoid the big crowds.

My main goal was to spend a week sailing; an experience I had last summer in Greece and absolutely loved!

I then took advantage of the following weeks by combining remote work and using weekends to explore the surroundings: Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Plitvice National Park, which I highly recommend.

Basic Strategy

Some people like to focus on specific programs, with a goal in mind: going to Japan in 2026, staying in an overwater villa in the Maldives, or attending the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

While I admire the organization and strategies of these forward-thinking individuals, and I also see the added value; as it’s often easy to get the best prices on Aeroplan by planning almost a year in advance… I am not one of those people.

My trips are often organized last minute, only a few months in advance. When it comes to prices, this is always a bit riskier since there’s less flexibility if prices go up. On the other hand, it can also allow you to snag great deals when last-minute award flight availability pops up.

The good news is that having a stash of points and miles always helps save money. That’s why my points and miles strategy is tailored to my travel style: flexible and opportunistic.

Flights: Flying Blue and Aeroplan

Outbound – Flying Blue

I keep an eye on Flying Blue Promo Rewards every month, so I was able to take advantage of them in June when Montreal was one of the featured cities for the June 2025 promotion.

I was able to book a one-way flight from Montreal to Split with a stopover in Amsterdam in economy class for just 18,750 Flying Blue Miles plus $179 in fees and taxes! The actual value of this flight was $764, so I got a redemption value of 4 cents per Mile, which is well above our usual valuation.

As soon as I saw this price available on the dates I wanted to leve, I transferred my American Express Membership Rewards points to Flying Blue and booked my flight. Not bad for a booking less than 3 months before departure!

The Membership Rewards points were erned with my American Express Cobalt^® Card, which I use strategically at grocery stores to earn 5 points per dollar spent.

Fees and Other Flights – Aventura

I still had Aventura points earned through my CIBC Aventura^® Visa Infinite* Card, which allowed me to reimburse my flight fees and take advantage of the Aventura redemption promotion by using my points as soon as the transaction was pending in my account.

I received another $207 credit later by redeeming my Aventura Points for my flights from Split to Porto with European airlines.

Return – Aeroplan

For the return trip, I was open to ending my journey in another European city. By using tools like Roame or Seats.aero, it’s easy to compare the points cost from different departure cities.

I was hesitating between Istanbul and Brussels, with prices around 35,000 Aeroplan points. Ultimately, I chose to book a direct flight from Porto to Montreal aboard Air Canada, for 33,300 Aeroplan points.

My main Aeroplan points-earning strategies are:

Earning Membership Rewards points with my American Express Cobalt^® Card which are then transferred to Aeroplan
Always going through the Aeroplan eStore for the majority of my purchases
Using Chexy for my rent payments and earning points on this big expense

Summary

Here is a summary of my points used and the value obtained:

Expense	Money saved	Points Redeemed	Program
Flight YUL-SPU	$764 $179	18,750 Miles 17,900 points	Flying Blue Aventura
Flight SPU-OPO	$207	20,700 points	Aventura
Flight OPO-YUL	$938	33,300 points	Aeroplan
Total	$2,088	90 650

Accommodation: TD Rewards and Scene+

My strategy to cover my accommodation expenses was quite simple: I used TD Rewards, Scene+ points, and AIR MILES across several different bookings. Since I shared all my accommodations with friends, I offered to pay for the more expensive stays so I could redeem all the points I had accumulated.

TD Rewards

For earning those points, it was through the excellent welcome offer of the TD First Class Travel^® Visa Infinite* Card that allowed me to obtain and redeem 127,000 TD Rewards points, which I used at their optimal value, i.e., via the Expedia for TD portal.

Not only did this allow me to save $635 on a 6-night booking in Dubrovnik, but I also received a $100 annual travel credit provided by the credit card, for a total of $735 in savings!

SponsoredCompare

TD First Class Travel^® Visa Infinite* Card

TD TD Rewards First-Year Annual Fee Rebate

Annual feeNo annual fee the first year: $0 $139
Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$800Annual fee rebated$139Total$939Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.: $939
Welcome offerAfter $7,500 in 6 months: Up to 160,000 points

With the TD First Class Travel^® Visa Infinite* Card, you can earn up to 160,000 TD Rewards Points^† as well as an Annual Fee rebate for the first year^†:

20,000 TD Rewards Points for the first purchase made with your card^†
140,000 TD Rewards Points when you spend $7,500 within 180 days of account opening^†
A Birthday Bonus of up to 10,000 TD Rewards Points^†

Get an annual TD Travel Credit^† of $100 when you book at Expedia^® For TD, and enjoy your time at the airport with global airport lounge access and 4 complimentary lounge visits with Visa Airport Companion Program (a value of up to $277)^†.

With the TD First Class Travel^® Visa Infinite* Card, you earn:

8 TD Rewards Points^† for every $1 you spend when you book travel through Expedia^® For TD^†
6 TD Rewards Points^† per dollar on your grocery, dining and public transit purchases
4 TD Rewards Points^† per dollar on your recurring bill payments and purchases of streaming services as well as digital games and media
2 TD Rewards Points^† per dollar on all other purchases made with your card

This card also allows you to enjoy a range of travel benefits, including an annual travel credit, complimentary airport lounge visits, and a birthday bonus that boosts your points each year^†.

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^†Terms and conditions apply.

Annual fee

Primary card$139

Additional card$50

Annual income required

Individual$60,000

Household$100,000

Conversion fees

2.5%

Earning rate

6xGroceries
6xRestaurants
6xTransit
4xBills & recurring payments
4xStreaming
2xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$1,430

2nd Year Value$531

Card benefits

Concierge service24/7

Airport lounge access$160

Travel insurance

Travel medical (under 55)Up to $2,000,000 / 21 days

Travel medical (55-64)Up to $2,000,000 / 21 days

Travel medical (65+)Up to $2,000,000 / 4 days

Trip CancellationUp to $1,500

Trip InterruptionUp to $5,000

Delayed BaggageUp to $1,000

Lost BaggageUp to $1,000

Flight DelayUp to $500

Hotel BurglaryUp to $2,500

Travel AccidentUp to $500,000

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionIncluded

Extended Warranty+1 years

Mobile DeviceUp to $1,000

Auto Rental CollisionUp to $65,000 / 48 days

AIR MILES

I earned my AIR MILES through my AIR MILES receipts, and sometimes by going through the online portal airmilesshops.ca. However, the main way I earn AIR MILES is during strategic promotions like the Shop the Block event.

Then, I wait for redemption promotions, which are key times to maximize the value of your miles. Recently, I redeemed miles for an Airbnb gift card, and I received 20% of the miles back.

This is another way for me to save on travel accommodations, but the selection of gift cards you can get in exchange for your miles is diverse!

Scene+

I frequently use my Scene+ points to offset my travel expenses. But thanks to Scene+ offers and the Scotiabank Gold American Express^® Card, which earns 5 to 6 points per dollar at the grocery store, I was able to quickly accumulate enough Scene+ points before my trip to get a statement credit equivalent to $122.

I also spent a week sailing with MedSailors. Since this transaction was payable in euros, I used my Scotiabank Gold American Express^® Card to save the equivalent of 2.5% on my payment, as it is one of the few cards in Canada that does not charge foreign currency conversion fees. I then used the rest of the Scene+ points I had at the time to save $122 on my sailing week.

Compare

Scotiabank Gold American Express^® Card

Scotiabank Scene+

Annual fee: $120
Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$500Total$500Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.: $500
Welcome offerAfter $7,500 in 12 months: Up to 50,000 points; Ends Nov 1, 2026

The Scotiabank Gold American Express Card offers an excellent welcome bonus.

Until November 1, 2026, you can earn up to 50,000 bonus Scene+ points, broken down as follows:

30,000 Scene+ points by charging $2,000 in purchases to the card within the first 3 months
20,000 Scene+ points by making $7,500 in purchases on the card in the first year

This represents a value of up to $500 for travel (including Airbnb).

With the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card, you earn 6 points per dollar spent at Sobeys, IGA, Safeway, Foodland, FreshCo, Voilà by Sobeys, Voilà par IGA, Voilà by Safeway, Chalo! grocery stores. FreshCo, Thrifty Foods, IGA West, Les Marchés Tradition, Rachelle Béry and Co-Op.

Also, you earn 5 points per dollar for:

Grocery stores
Restaurants
Entertainment centers

And 3 points per dollar on gas, transit and streaming services purchases.

You can redeem your points on travel purchases (flights, hotels, all-inclusive and even Airbnb). You can also use your points as cash back rewards with Scene+.

The Scotiabank Gold American Express Card also offers no foreign transaction fees, excellent insurance for your travel or purchases, concierge service, exclusive American Express benefits like the Front of the Line program.

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* The potential value of savings and rewards during the first 12 months includes the value of the welcome offer, the potential value of points earned in the first year and the value of foreign transaction fee savings as of May 22, 2026:

$300 in travel rewards (30,000 bonus Scene+ points) for new Scotiabank Gold American Express Cardholders who make purchases totaling $2,000 in the first 3 months

$200 in travel rewards (20,000 bonus Scene+ points) for making purchases totaling $7,500 in the first 12 months

$59 in foreign transaction fee savings based on the average annual amount of foreign currency purchases made per account over the last 24 months (saving on the 2.5% foreign transaction fee typically charged by other credit card issuers);

$398 corresponding to the potential value of points earned in the first year (38,500 Scene+ points) based on the average amount of purchases made, per account, over the last 24 months, assuming an average spend of 28% of purchases in categories eligible for accelerated earn rates of 6X, 5X and 3X points.

Maximum potential value after the first year = $957 (rounded to $950)

The actual value of offers, savings realized and rewards earned will vary depending on card usage and eligibility for offers. Conditions apply.

1 Offer Description and Conditions: The 50,000 Scene+ points offer (the « Offer ») applies only to new Scotiabank Gold American Express credit card accounts (the « Accounts ») opened between July 2, 2026, and November 1, 2026 (regardless of the date you apply for the account), subject to the conditions below. All other program terms and conditions continue to apply during the Offer period. The Offer may be changed, cancelled or extended at any time without notice and cannot be combined with any other offer.

To qualify for the 30,000 bonus Scene+ points (the « 30,000 Bonus Points Offer »), you must make eligible purchases totaling at least $2,000 within three months of the account opening date. To qualify for the 20,000 additional bonus Scene+ points (the « 20,000 Additional Bonus Points Offer »), you must make $7,500 in eligible purchases on your new account during the first year (twelve months). Eligible purchases mean purchases, less refunds, returns and any other similar credits, and exclude payments, cash advances (including balance transfers and quasi-cash transactions), interest charges, card fees and other fees.

Fulfillment of the Annual Bonus: Bonus points will be credited to the Scene+ account within approximately eight weeks after you qualify for a bonus, provided the account is open and in good standing. In the case of a joint account with a primary borrower and a co-borrower, bonus points will be credited as follows: (i) the 30,000 bonus points and the 20,000 additional bonus points will be credited to the Scene+ account linked to the account of the borrower who made the transaction that reached the eligible purchase threshold ($2,000 or $7,500) within the appropriate timeframe (the first three months or the first 12 months). If a supplementary cardholder makes the transaction that reaches the eligible purchase threshold for the 30,000 bonus points or the 20,000 additional bonus points, the bonus points will be credited to the Scene+ account linked to the primary borrower’s account. Points can be transferred between the Scene+ accounts of a primary borrower, co-borrower or supplementary cardholder by contacting Scene+. An account is in good standing if it is not delinquent, the credit limit is not exceeded, and the holder(s) have complied with the terms of the Revolving Credit Agreement applicable to the account. All other program terms and conditions continue to apply during the Offer period. The Offer may be changed, cancelled or extended at any time without notice and cannot be combined with any other offer.

Eligibility and exclusions: You are not eligible for the Offer if you are currently a primary or secondary cardholder of a Scotiabank personal credit card or if you have been within the past two years, including if you transfer your balance from an existing Scotiabank personal credit card account, and if you are a Scotiabank employee. Subject to the exclusions mentioned above, Scotiabank small business credit cardholders are eligible for this Offer.

Rates and Fees: The current annual fee is $120 for the primary card and $29 for each additional card (including those issued to joint account holders and additional cardholders). The preferred annual interest rates currently applicable to the account are: 21.99% on purchases and 22.99% on cash advances (including balance transfers and quasi-cash transactions).
Rates, fees, features and benefits, which are described in the application statement, are subject to change.

Savings at Shell

Get up to 7 cents per litre in instant fuel discounts for a limited time and earn up to 5 cents per litre in Scene+ points value with a Scotiabank Gold American Express Card linked to a Shell Go+ Account:

Instant 3 cents per Litre Discount on Fuel Purchases (All Grades): Receive an instant 3 cents per litre discount on purchases of fuel (all grades) (“Fuel Purchases (All Grades)”) at participating Shell locations in Canada when you use any eligible Scotiabank debit card or credit card linked to a Shell Go+ Account, up to a maximum of 1,000 litres per month per Scotiabank debit card and per Scotiabank credit card account. This total limit resets at the start of each new month per payment card account. This discount is subject to the Scotiabank Fuel Benefit Terms and Conditions.
Instant 4 cents per Litre Discount on Premium Fuel: Between May 26, 2026 and June 1, 2027 (“Promotional Period”), receive an instant 4 cents per litre discount on purchases of V-Power^® gasoline, or V-Power^® diesel (“Premium Fuel Purchases”) at participating Shell locations in Canada when you use any eligible Scotiabank credit card that earns Scene+ points linked to a Shell Go+ Account, up to a maximum of 1,000 litres per month per credit card account. This total limit resets at the start of each new month per credit card account. This promotional offer, including the Promotional Period, may be changed, extended, or withdrawn at any time without notice. These promotional offer terms are in addition to the Scotiabank Fuel Benefit Terms and Conditions.
Earn up to 5 cents per Litre in Scene+ points Value (Equivalent) on Fuel Purchases: Each time you use your linked Scotiabank credit card that earns Scene+ points on Fuel Purchases (All Grades) at participating Shell locations in Canada, you will earn at least 3 Scene+ points per $1 spent. Plus, as a Scene+ Member you will also automatically earn 1 Scene+ point for each litre in Fuel Purchases (All Grades), and as a Shell Go+ member, automatically earn 1 additional Scene+ point for each litre in Premium Fuel Purchases, made with your linked Scotiabank credit card. This means that for every litre in fuel purchased with your linked credit card, you can earn the equivalent of up to 5 cents of redeemable Scene+ points value based on a redemption value of $10 for every 1,000 Scene+ points redeemed for fuel purchases at participating Shell locations. Actual value may be lower depending on how you choose to redeem your Scene+ points. Earn and redemption limits may apply. See the Scene+ Program Terms and Conditions available at sceneplus.ca/terms-and-conditions for full details including redemption options and additional terms.

Note: Highest value of 12 cents per litre assumes a Premium Fuel Purchase made with a Scotiabank Gold American Express Card linked to a Shell Go+ Account. Actual value will vary depending on payment card used and whether or not the card is linked, fuel grade purchased, and how you choose to redeem your Scene+ points.

Additional 3¢/L at Shell (limited time)

Additional 3¢/L Fuel Discount Offer: Offer valid from October 5, 2026 to December 31, 2026 (“Promotional Period”), eligible Scotiabank credit and debit cardholders enrolled in the Shell Fuel Benefits Program who have linked an eligible Scotiabank payment card (an “Eligible Card”) to their Shell Go+ account will receive an additional instant fuel discount of 3 cents per litre on eligible fuel purchases at participating Shell-branded retail locations in Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and the Northwest Territories (the “Eligible Provinces”) excluding Shell Flying J locations. Fuel purchases made outside the Eligible Provinces are not eligible for this offer.

To receive the additional fuel discount, customers must pay with their linked Eligible Card at the time of purchase.

The additional fuel discount is in addition to the fuel savings available through the Shell Fuel Benefits Program and may be combined with other eligible fuel discounts, rewards programs, and promotional fuel offers unless otherwise stated in the applicable offer terms and conditions.

The additional fuel discount is available on up to 1,000 litres of eligible fuel purchases per calendar month for each Eligible Card. The 1,000-litre limit resets at the beginning of each calendar month.

The additional fuel discount is non-transferable, is not redeemable for cash, and cannot be substituted or exchanged.

Participation in the Shell Fuel Benefits Program is subject to the applicable program terms and conditions available at Scotiabank Fuel Benefit Terms and Conditions.

Shell Canada reserves the right to make changes to this offer and to terminate the offer at any time, for any reason and without notice.

All other applicable terms and conditions of the Shell Fuel Benefits Program, Shell Go+ and Scotiabank continue to apply.

Annual fee

Primary card$120

Additional card$29

Annual income required

Individual$12,000

Household$12,000

Conversion fees

Earning rate

6xWith the partner brand
5xGroceries
5xEntertainment
5xRestaurants
3xGas
3xStreaming
3xTransit
1xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$1,460

2nd Year Value$461

Card benefits

Concierge service24/7

Travel insurance

Travel medical (under 55)Up to $1,000,000 / 25 days

Travel medical (55-64)Up to $1,000,000 / 25 days

Travel medical (65+)Up to $1,000,000 / 3 days

Trip CancellationUp to $1,500

Trip InterruptionUp to $1,500

Delayed BaggageUp to $1,000

Lost BaggageUp to $1,000

Flight DelayUp to $500

Hotel BurglaryUp to $1,000

Travel AccidentUp to $500,000

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionIncluded

Extended Warranty+1 years

Mobile DeviceUp to $1,000 / 1 years

Auto Rental Collision (primary)Up to $65,000 / 48 days

Summary

For accommodation, I opted for something that doesn’t involve points: staying with a friend who lives in Porto for my last few days of travel.

Expense	Money saved	Number of points	Program
Apartment in Dubrovnik	$635 $100	127,000 points Travel credit	TD Rewards
Airbnb in Split	$100	760 miles	AIR MILES
Sailing Week	$122	12,200 points	Scene+
Total	$957	139 960

On-site Payments and Activities

During our time in Croatia, we decided to explore two other Balkan countries: Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina. We therefore booked two full-day excursions from Viator, by going through the Aeroplan eStore to earn points on every dollar spent.

I also recommend this type of experience from Civitatis and GetYourGuide, which offer excursions worldwide at competitive prices.

Insurance

As a Scotiabank Gold American Express^® Card holder, I was entitled to emergency medical insurance for up to 25 days, which was the exact duration of my trip (this is also the case with the Scotiabank Passport^™ Visa Infinite +* Card).

This is one of the rare times I had to use this insurance. Following an injury that required stitches, I spent a total of $763 for all expenses related to medical consultation, care, and medication. If I hadn’t had this insurance on my credit card, these are expenses I would have had to bear entirely.

When my trips are longer, I use SoNomad, which is usually the most affordable on the market (for my situation, at least).

Conclusion

In total, I was able to save $3,808 by combining savings related to flight costs, accommodation, and medical care obtained in Croatia and the Balkans. This did not cover the entirety of my trip, but I was very happy to be able to afford this type of experience at a very low cost thanks to loyalty programs and credit cards.

It was by earning and redeeming a good variety of points from different loyalty programs such as TD Rewards, Scene+, Aeroplan, Flying Blue, AIR MILES, and American Express Membership Rewards points that I achieved this. Earning and redemption strategies also played a key role in optimizing each point used.

And finally, sometimes it’s just about jumping on offers at the right time. To always stay up to date with the latest deals, subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to use your points to travel to Croatia for less?

To travel to Croatia at a lower cost, combine several loyalty programs such as Aeroplan, Flying Blue, and American Express Membership Rewards points. Monitor Flying Blue Promo Rewards monthly – I got a Montreal-Split flight for only 18,750 Miles. Transfer your points at the right time and be flexible with your dates to maximize your savings.

Which points programs to use for the Balkans?

The best programs for the Balkans are Flying Blue for flights to Croatia (excellent Promo Rewards), Aeroplan for flexible returns from Europe, and TD Rewards or Scene+ points for accommodation. Accumulate with the American Express Cobalt Card (5X at the grocery store) and transfer to the most advantageous program depending on your destination.

Can you book last-minute flights with points for Croatia?

Yes, last-minute bookings are possible and sometimes advantageous! I booked my flight 3 months before departure during a Flying Blue Promo Reward. Use tools like Roame or Seats.aero to quickly find the best points availability from different European cities.

How to save on accommodation in Croatia with points?

Use TD Rewards points via Expedia for TD (I saved $735 in Dubrovnik), redeem your AIR MILES for Airbnb gift cards during redemption promotions, and reimburse your travel expenses with Scene+ points. Distribute your bookings across programs to maximize the use of all your available points.

My main goal was to spend a week sailing; an experience I had last summer in Greece and absolutely loved!

Basic Strategy

Some people like to focus on specific programs, with a goal in mind: going to Japan in 2026, staying in an overwater villa in the Maldives, or attending the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The good news is that having a stash of points and miles always helps save money. That’s why my points and miles strategy is tailored to my travel style: flexible and opportunistic.