The Milesopedia team often finds itself simultaneously at the four corners of the globe, and it looks like this will be the case in 2025 too! We share our travel plans with you, as well as our favorite credit cards and loyalty programs to help us get there on a budget, and other tips to help us travel better or save on our daily expenses.

Types of travel :

2024 was an intensely busy year for travel, whether as a family, a couple or solo for business or pleasure.
I wish to continue travelling to music festivals using points, but also to spend quality time with my family in 2025 and feel less rushed.

However, I think it will be quite the opposite, as 2025 will be a year filled with milestone celebrations. It will mainly be marked by Jean-Maximilien’s and my 40th birthdays, our 15th wedding anniversary, as well as Milesopedia’s 10th anniversary, coinciding with our eldest daughter’s 10th birthday.

Dream journeys planned for 2025:

Festivals are easier to plan, so we’ve already booked our tickets for a couples’ getaway to Rotterdam to catch sets from some of my favourite DJs, like Armin Van Buuren and Andrew Rayel. This summer, we’ll also be heading to the Untold Festival in Romania for the third year in a row with friends, and I might even make it to EDC Las Vegas in May.

As for more traditional trips, whether as a couple or with the family, nothing is set in stone. It will depend on our preferences and any last-minute points promotions that come up.

However, we’ll be focusing our decisions on new destinations: this winter, while the kids are skiing in Chamonix with their cousins, we may be travelling to a European city or an exotic destination.

In February or May, I’d like to visit Costa Rica, Tanzania and Zanzibar or Jordan.

This summer, having enjoyed the city of Split in the past, I would also be interested in a Mediterranean cruise to discover Croatia in more detail. I dream of travelling to Greece, Reunion Island or French Polynesia.

Finally, we’ll be back with our family in October in Montreal for the school vacations, and would love to discover new destinations in the country, such as Gaspésie.

The best credit cards for your points strategies:

• The Scotiabank Gold American Express^® Card as it is versatile: with no conversion fees, it’s ideal for travel but also for my shopping and grocery expenses where it earns me 5x the points.
• The National Bank World Elite Mastercard which offers me excellent travel insurance and up to $150 reimbursement on travel expenses. I also make sure to earn 5 points per dollar at grocery stores and restaurants where the Scotiabank Gold American Express^® Card is not accepted.

Your best tips and tools for better travel:

• As we aren’t fond of checking luggage or bringing too much with us, we used to travel as much as possible with just two carry-on suitcases for the four of us. However, as the kids have grown (now 7 and 9), it’s become more challenging. In 2024, we invested in two new Monos carry-on suitcases to complement our two Away suitcases.
• Storage cubes for lighter family travel
• Finally, for an enhanced travel experience, we’re also counting on Jean-Maximilien’s American Express Platinum Card^® to access and enjoy a break in the airport lounges before boarding.

Types of travel :

After a first half of 2024 where I was able to visit new destinations with my family (Oman, United Arab Emirates, Mauritius), as a couple with Audrey (Madrid, Festival Untold in Romania) or rediscover others like Disneyland Paris, the second half of the year was quieter in terms of travel. With the exception of being lucky enough to attend several events at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and returning to New York with my family.

For 2025, it will be ever more grandiose music festivals, combined with moments in nature, off the beaten track. In this sense, Oman has fulfilled us and I’m looking for other destinations of the same type.

Dream journeys planned for 2025:

• For my 40th birthday, I already have several trips planned: music festivals (ASOT in Rotterdam, EDC in Las Vegas combined with a stag party, Untold in Romania. Eventually, I’d like to add Tomorrowland in Belgium).
• As a family, we’re considering Tanzania. As a couple, why not the Seychelles or Bora Bora (it would be the perfect opportunity to celebrate our 40th anniversary in style). Or Cappadocia in Turkey.

Best credit cards to accomplish your travel plans:

• The Scotiabank Passport™ Visa Infinite* Card for the absence of conversion fees; an indispensable card for me who travels all over the world, and for the flexibility of Scene+ points.
• The American Express Cobalt^® Card to maximize the accumulation of points transferable to Aeroplan and Marriott Bonvoy, points that come in handy for our family trips.

Your best tips and tools for better travel:

• Optimize my purchases according to spending categories and accumulation categories via my multiple credit cards.
• Use the advantages of each of my cards wisely (access to VIP lounges with our American Express Platinum Card^® and Business Platinum Card^® from American Express), free baggage with Air Canada and my Aeroplan credit card (especially with the new carry-on baggage policy), etc.
• At a minimum, I plan to renew my Platinum status with Marriott Bonvoy. It offers benefits like breakfast and access to hotel lounges, which is far from a luxury when travelling with kids! This allows us to drastically reduce our meal costs. I also have Hilton Honors Gold status thanks to my Business Platinum Card^® from American Express (which also grants me breakfast in the group’s hotels).

Types of travel:

It will be our last family trip this winter, as the kids are now older and less inclined to follow their parents. We’ve reached that point! The other trips will be last-minute, just as a couple, and short in duration. Perhaps even a solo trip for remote work, outside the country.

Dream journeys planned for 2025:

• During Winter Break 2025, the whole family will go to Universal Studios in Florida. All family tickets for the 2 days in the Universal Studios parks were purchased with AIR MILES miles, the on-site Universal hotel was paid for with TD Reward points and the flights were paid for using Aeroplan points.
• I dream of going to Scandinavia. As we don’t want to be away for too long and avoid our older teenagers having too much fun at home without their parents, this will be something to keep in mind for the next vacation in 2026 or thereafter.
  
• Anywhere near a beach or with my hair blowing in the wind would do.

Best credit cards to accomplish your travel plans:

• Scotiabank Gold American Express^® Card for Scene+ points because:
  • Its very flexible points will give me the possibility of reimbursing my travel expenses, according to our spontaneous trip of the moment and without a precise plan.
  • No foreign currency conversion fees, so I can travel whenever I want.
• The American Express^® Aeroplan^®* Reserve Card which gives me access to the Maple Leaf airport lounges, a free checked bag (for when I buy liquid souvenirs over 100 ml abroad…) and priority baggage handling, ensuring my bag is among the first to come out on the carousel.

Your best tips and tools for better travel and everyday savings:

• Gift cards at IGA that give you 6X points at IGA and 5X points at other grocery stores with the Scotiabank Gold American Express^® Card. Very practical, especially when you’re spending a lot of money on renovations at Home Depot or Rona.
• Being flexible on destinations and dates to find the best prices (in points or cash)

Types of travel:

For 2025, I’m going to take one big trip as a couple; the rest of my trips will be mainly solo for several weeks, partly working remotely and partly on vacation. I’ll also be making trips to France to see my family and attend concerts by my favourite French artists.

Dream journeys planned for 2025:

• The year will start with a trip to Japan as a couple, we visited Japan in 2019 and fell in love. We’ll be visiting cities other than the trio of Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, although we’ll be going to Osaka to attend the World Expo.
• After visiting Australia twice in 2024, in particular the east coast (Brisbane, Cairns, Whitsunday, Sydney and Melbourne), I will be exploring the East Coast again, starting from Perth. During my outbound journey, I plan to make a stop in Thailand for a few days to discover new hotels that are set to open.
• I’ve heard good things about Turkey and it seems to be a very popular destination, I may well add it and Vietnam to an itinerary.
• I’d like to try out the business class of new airlines on which I haven’t yet had the opportunity to fly, and to test new products that have recently been announced and are due to be launched in 2025, such as the new SWISS and Turkish Airlines business class.

Best credit cards to accomplish your travel plans:

• The TD^® Aeroplan^® Visa Infinite Privilege* Credit Card is the card I like best and keep every year. It makes it easier for me to renew my yearly Aeroplan status, and earns me a maximum number of Aeroplan points for business class travel.
• I hesitate a lot between the American Express Cobalt^® Card and the Marriott Bonvoy^® American Express^®* Card. I mainly stay in Marriott hotels and the latter gives 5X points, allowing me to get several free nights in luxury hotels every year. The American Express Cobalt^® Card allows me to get even more Aeroplan points but also points that I can convert into Avios to travel on other airlines like Qatar Airways when I don’t find what suits me with Aeroplan.

Your best tips and tools for better travel:

• Optimize my purchases: it’s true that I prefer Marriott Bonvoy points and Aeroplan, but by shopping strategically I’ve been able to earn even more points. For example, I plan and concentrate my purchases when I know that online portals such as Rakuten, Aeroplan ‘seStore or the AirMilesShop portal offer multipliers, since promotions generally recur at the same times every year.
• This year, I started to take an interest in the AIR MILES program, as it often offers promotions to earn Cash Miles, which I then convert into an electronic certificate to book flights on Air Canada.
• Finally, I’d also recommend that you always keep an eye out for promotions, so subscribe to the Milesopedia newsletter if you haven’t already done so.

Types of travel :

• We had done a big family trip with my parents in 2024 and loved the experience of travelling with extended family this way. This year, we’d love to repeat it if possible. Otherwise, couple getaways or with friends.

Dream journeys planned for 2025:

• I’d love to go on a cruise, it’s something we’ve never done and it would allow us to visit several places without too much planning. Otherwise, I’d be interested in discovering Central Asia, particularly Uzbekistan, and spending time in the Balkans, especially Albania and Montenegro.
• Another thing that’s been on my bucket list for too long is a trip to Al Maha with my partner. Maybe this will be the year for us to go!
• Also, if the opportunity arises, I always like to take little getaways to Europe and Japan. Finally, I wouldn’t say no to an all-inclusive vacation to end the year on a high note.

Best credit cards to accomplish your travel plans:

• The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express for free and unlimited access to airport lounges, for Gold status with Hilton Honors which entitles us to free breakfast, and for the accumulation of 1.25X privilege points in the famous “other” category which is difficult to maximize organically.
• Points accumulated with the CIBC Aventura^® Visa Infinite* Card and the TD First Class Travel^® Visa Infinite* Card will help me cover a good part of my travel expenses in Uzbekistan.

Your best tips and tools for better travel and everyday savings:

• I always do my grocery shopping based on discounts, which saves me a lot of money every day. We also have a chest freezer. So I often buy in large quantities and make a lot of extras. This not only saves me money, but also allows me to accumulate more points, because some programs like Scene+ give bonus points on groceries over $75 or $100. What’s more, I save time because we have stock on hand for busy weeknights!
• Don’t be afraid to pay annual fees on credit cards. Of course, you’ll need to do your own calculations to determine the profitability of a credit card, but usually, the benefits often outweigh the cost.
• Paying for a tool like Seats.Aero can help you save considerable time on your research.
• Airalo: I’m now generally connected when I travel, since Airalo allows me to do so at a very reasonable cost.
• Be flexible about dates and destinations. There will always be room to go somewhere.

Types of travel:

I travel mainly solo or as a couple, often as a digital nomad. I enjoy long stays in one country at a time.

Dream journeys planned for 2025:

• This winter, I’m off to New Zealand, my first time in Oceania! On the agenda is a five-week road trip covering the two islands and the country’s main natural attractions. I’ll be returning to Japan again this year. This time, I’ll be visiting the island of Kyushu, famous for its volcanoes and hot springs (onsen).
• Later in the year, I’d love to go to the Azores for a few weeks and work remotely from there. The beauty of the archipelago’s landscapes has always attracted me.

Best credit cards to accomplish your travel plans:

• For my itinerary in New Zealand and Japan, I needed lots of Aeroplan and Avios points to book the flights. I collected these points with the card I’ve kept in my wallet for years, the American Express Cobalt^® Card. It gives me 5X points at grocery stores and restaurants, as well as 3X points on my subscriptions, like Netflix and Spotify.
• For the Azores trip, I’m looking to accumulate as many points as possible. I plan to use the TD First Class Travel^® Visa Infinite* Card to book my accommodation with TD Rewards points, and also get the $100 credit via Expedia for the TD.

Your best tips and tools for better travel or everyday savings:

• I do my grocery shopping at Mayrand, a warehouse club (which is not Costco!). I find the savings are substantial: I buy large sizes that I store in a closet and use gradually. Mayrand doesn’t accept American Express, but I use my MBNA Rewards World Elite^® Mastercard^® card to still accumulate 5X points at the grocery store.

Types of travel :

Short breaks for couples, events (festivals and others) and adventures

Dream journeys planned for 2025:

We’ll be traveling less this year, as we’re moving and looking to settle in. We’re planning a trip to New Brunswick in April to celebrate my boyfriend’s 40th birthday, with a glamping getaway in a dome equipped with a private spa and access to hiking trails.

Lots of adventures this summer in the Gaspésie region: hiking in the Chic-Chocs, kayaking in Percé. We’re also planning to attend a music and arts festival in New Brunswick in August.

Best credit cards to accomplish your travel plans:

• My next credit card will be with Scotiabank (Gold or Platinum, I’m still debating), to benefit from airport lounge access and avoid conversion fees when we travel abroad in 2026.

Your best tips and tools for everyday savings:

• Redeem my NBC points to reimburse Airbnb expenses. I know I’d get better value using them on their a la carte platform, but I also realize it’s better to use them than let them sit dormant for another year. I’m still learning!

Types of travel:

My travels are generally of long duration, in remote work mode. I favour places where it’s easy to integrate into the local community and where there are other digital nomads. I love spending as much time as possible in nature, from the ocean to the mountains, and this greatly influences my choice of destinations.

Dream journeys planned for 2025:

I’m starting the year by spending several months in the north-east of Brazil, in a surfing village where I spent last winter. The quality of life there is excellent, and I’ll be taking advantage of the opportunity to learn and practice Portuguese. I haven’t yet decided on my other destinations, but I’d love to return to Asia and explore Japan or the paradise islands of the Philippines, for example.

I loved my sailing week in Greece last summer, so I’m thinking of repeating the experience, but this time in Croatia.

I like to leave myself the space to say yes to opportunities; that’s what enabled me to go to the Paris 2024 Olympics last year and go hiking in the Dolomites, Italy! Points allow me to have extraordinary experiences without having to pay exorbitant last-minute prices.

Best credit cards to accomplish your travel plans:

• This year I’m again taking advantage of the many benefits of the Business Platinum Card^® from American Express to enhance my travel experience, with access to airport lounges and travel credit.
• Year after year, the Marriott Bonvoy^® American Express^®* Card has enabled me to obtain free nights at luxury hotels and achieve Platinum status, allowing me to save money thanks to the many advantages and to accumulate points more rapidly.
• My RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card is very useful for accumulating Avion points which I can then transfer to other programs such as British Airways Club Avios, especially during transfer promotions. So I always have several options when it comes to booking flights with points.

Your best tips and tools for better travel:

• Stay at a Marriott Bonvoy hotel using points (or the annual one-night free certificate) to start or end a long stay abroad.
• Free access to airport lounges thanks to certain credit cards, as handy for saving on meals as for having good Wi-Fi and a place to work while waiting for my flight.
• When I’m at home in Quebec, I try to maximize every purchase by using shopping portals like the Aeroplan eStore and by using the gift card trick at the grocery store.

Types of travel:

• Family in France
• For a couple
• Music shows

Dream trips and projects planned for 2025:

• To visit my father, cousins and friends in the Gard region of France.
• Annual relaxation as a couple in a rented chalet by Lake St-Jean in Chicoutimi, where the sunset view is perfect.
• Visit certain regions of Quebec with the goal of purchasing my first property.

Best credit cards to accomplish your travel plans:

• The Scotiabank Passport™ Visa Infinite* Card to avoid conversion fees and for six free airport lounge visits worldwide.
• The American Express Cobalt^® Card for the high points accumulation rate on groceries, restaurants and convenience stores with the aim of using the points to reduce my travel expenses.

Your best tips and tools for better travel:

• Use credit cards strategically, such as the American Express Cobalt^® Card for grocery and restaurant spending, and the Scotiabank Passport™ Visa Infinite* Card for foreign purchases without conversion fees.
• Withdraw money abroad only if necessary, and give preference to card payments.
• I use the Splitwise app to easily divide travel expenses between friends and family.

Types of travel:

• I won’t be travelling this year, but a move is planned. This year I’d like to transform the new apartment and the large terrace and why not create a nice little corner for my two cats.

Dream journeys planned for 2025:

• I dream of a trip where I can connect with animals; observe wildlife or visit a village full of friendly, sociable cats. I’d love to connect with nature, and add some adrenaline with zip-lining, a helicopter ride, or other thrilling activities.

Best credit cards to accomplish your travel plans:

• Cash back cards. They will allow me to finance the decoration of the apartment and lighten the expenses of the move. I’ll be able to continue saving on my weekly groceries.

Your best tips and tools for better travel or everyday savings:

• I always check the apps of the various grocery stores and boutiques I visit to see what offers are on. I take the opportunity to stock up when there’s a discount or when it helps me collect more points.

Types of travel :

We alternate between exploratory escapades and an extended family trip.

Dream journeys planned for 2025:

We’re still thinking, because there are too many things to see in the world!
We’ve started the year in a family chalet in the Vosges mountains, as the kids miss the snow too much since we’ve been living in Normandy. Our expenses will then be mainly related to recharging our car and food (groceries and restaurants). In February, we’ll take advantage of the school vacations to fly to Milan for a week. As was the case for our stay in Tirana (Albania) in the spring of 2024, we’ll take advantage of the low-cost flight offer and our Marriott status. In May, I’ll be testing FrenchBee ‘s new route from Paris to Montreal, to spend a week with my great colleagues whom I don’t see enough of in person!

For the school vacations, we are still hesitating between several destinations, such as Malta, the Canary Islands and the Azores.

Best credit cards to accomplish your travel plans:

• I turn to the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card to save on my foreign currency expenses (as I live on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean) and for its ultra-easy points to earn and use on our travel expenses.
• For my expenses in Canada, I opt for the American Express^® Aeroplan^®* Reserve Card to benefit from access to Maple Leaf airport lounges and free baggage, which is very practical when traveling with two children.

Your best tips and tools for better travel:

• When my cellular service isn’t covered by my provider in France, Airalo takes over so that I can access data at a very reasonable price, avoiding the need to buy a physical SIM card.
• As my children are getting older (11 and 8), for the past 2 years they’ve been responsible for planning what they can take with them on the plane (with mom’s veto, of course!). So we got them a FORCLAZ folding backpack from Decathlon, which is very practical in terms of its size and storage capacity, as well as its bright color, which helps us spot the kids in the airport.
• Because our vacations are dictated by school vacations, we make sure to plan ahead to take advantage of more affordable prices.

Types of travel:

Mostly local exploration in the Gaspé region, including camping, hiking, kayaking, stargazing and outdoor adventures in general. During the summer, my girlfriend and I are planning a road trip to New Brunswick to attend a music and arts festival.

Dream journeys planned for 2025:

Since my girlfriend and I have just moved from Montreal to Gaspé, I’m very excited to explore the immense beauty of this region. Having always lived in big cities, this is a new opportunity for me to get to know and connect with nature. We have beautiful beaches nearby and endless trails to discover. It’s a real playground!

Best credit cards to accomplish your travel plans:

• I’ll be using my American Express Cobalt^® Card points to book flights or hotel stays, but I’m also interested in the Scotiabank Platinum American Express^® Card for access to airport lounges and the absence of conversion fees when traveling abroad.

Your best tips and tools for better travel:

• Take advantage of your credit card’s point multipliers whenever possible to accumulate points quickly.
• Eat where the locals eat.
• Always have a few movies downloaded for those moments without Wi-Fi.

Types of travel:

• Family visits in the Tri-State area
• Perhaps a trip to Florida

Dream journeys planned for 2025:

No plans yet, because my house will take up all my time, money and energy in 2025. My dream destination is still South Korea.

The best credit cards for your projects :

• The BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard with excellent travel benefits
• I prefer credit cards that offer cash back, such as the TD Cash Back Visa Infinite* Card

Your best tips and tools for better travel:

• Travel out of high season as much as possible.
• I prefer to see fewer destinations for longer durations whenever possible.
• Cooking is a great life skill to have, both at home and abroad. Food can be as cheap or as expensive as you like.
• Travelling off the beaten track can be really fun and rewarding while traveling.

And what are your destinations for 2025? Your points and credit card strategies? Your essential items to pack? Come and discuss it with us in our Facebook community.

To find out about our top credit cards, loyalty programs and bank accounts, check out Milesopedia’s 2025 Rankings!