Points Pulse for August 10, 2026: Mortgage rewards and hotel deals
In this edition of NerdWallet Canada’s Points Pulse series:
Chexy adds Aeroplan points to mortgage payments
In early August, payment processing platform Chexy expanded its Aeroplan partnership to include mortgage payments. Members who pay their mortgages through Chexy can earn one Aeroplan point per $1 paid, plus one Status Qualifying Credit, or SQC, for every five points earned.
The process seems simple enough. Link a bank account and Aeroplan number, enter the mortgage details and give the lender the new account information supplied by Chexy. Payments continue on their usual schedule, but Chexy withdraws the mortgage amount plus its fee.
That fee is important: Chexy charges a 1.75% service fee on each payment.
Someone paying $2,500 a month would earn 30,000 extra Aeroplan points and 6,000 SQC over a year. That’s an extra $43.75 a month, or $525 per year to nab those points.
At NerdWallet Canada’s benchmark value of 1.5 cents per Aeroplan point, those 30,000 points would be worth about $450. That leaves a $75 gap between the value of the points and the cost of earning them.
While the points alone probably don’t justify the fee, this setup becomes more interesting for someone who is already close to Aeroplan Elite Status and expects the additional 6,000 SQC to help close the gap.
» Read our full analysis of Chexy’s mortgage rewards program before signing up.
Nerdy takeaway: Chexy’s new offer is certain to get some Aeroplan members’ hearts racing. Pulses might slow once people do the math around the service fee, but there is some real earning potential for Aeroplan members with an eye toward Elite Status.
It’s live! Amex Membership Rewards officially adds ALL Accor transfers
American Express just opened up a world of new travel opportunities: Membership Rewards collectors now have even greater hotel booking flexibility, with a new partnership with ALL Accor, the loyalty program behind Fairmont, Novotel, Mercure, Sofitel, Raffles and over 45 hotel brands.
Membership Rewards points transfer to ALL Accor at a 2:1 ratio, meaning 1,000 MR points become 500 ALL Reward points. That means every MR point transferred to Accor works out to about 1.6 cents in value — slightly ahead of Aeroplan's typical 1.5 cents.
Here's the math: Accor points are redeemed at a fixed 2 euro cents each (about $32 CAD per 1,000 points). Since it takes 2 MR points to buy 1 Accor point, that value gets cut in half once you factor in the 2:1 transfer ratio.
ALL Accor includes economy, midscale, premium and luxury hotels around the world. If you’re staying local, Fairmont is the most familiar brand under its umbrella, with over 30 locations across Canada and the United States.
Upcoming bonus perk: In the not-too-distant future, Amex Platinum Cardmembers are expected to become eligible for complimentary ALL Accor Gold Status. This unlocks benefits like complimentary room upgrades, late checkout, welcome amenities and bonus points, although several perks remain subject to availability. An exact launch date has not been announced.
Nerdy takeaway: Unless you have a specific Accor redemption in mind, it may be better to save your points for something more versatile, such as Aeroplan. Accor will likely remain lower on the transfer-partner batting order for most Canadians.
Three hotel deals for late summer and fall
Whether you’re travelling for business or planning a family getaway, hotel deals are in season. Here are a few current offers you can take advantage of this summer:
IHG One Rewards is offering up to a 100% bonus when buying points by August 17, 2026. Offers and purchase thresholds may vary by account, so sign in to confirm the terms. At the full bonus, buying 30,000 points for $300 USD would yield 60,000 points total, reducing the cost to 0.5 cents USD per point. Purchased and bonus points don’t count toward IHG One Rewards Elite status.
American Express Membership Rewards collectors can get a 30% bonus when transferring points to Marriott Bonvoy until September 3, 2026. Normally, 1,000 MR points become 1,200 Bonvoy points. During the promotion, it becomes 1,560. The fine print says bonus points can take up to eight weeks to be credited, so keep that in mind if you’re planning to book a stay right away.
World of Hyatt has a great current offer if you’re thinking of a weekend getaway in Southern Ontario: earn a 500-point bonus per qualifying night at the brand-new property The Clayfield in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Stay between September 18 and November 29, 2026 to get the bonus. There are 32 other new Hyatt hotels with similar 500-point offers, though eligible dates vary.
Nerdy takeaway: Bonus points are great, but only if the offer works within your pre-existing plans. Don’t go out of your way to transfer points or book a hotel stay unless you were already going to, or else the hotels get exactly what they were hoping for out of their promotions: your money.
RBC Avion adds a 15% AAdvantage transfer bonus
Eligible RBC Avion cardholders can receive 15% more American Airlines AAdvantage miles when transferring at least 5,000 Avion points by September 3, 2026.
The standard conversion gives you seven AAdvantage miles for every 10 Avion points. During the promotion, 10 Avion points become 8.05 AAdvantage miles.
AAdvantage miles can be used for flights operated by American Airlines and its airline partners, but availability and the number of miles required vary by itinerary.
Nerdy takeaway: A transfer bonus doesn’t make an uncertain trip more certain. Avion-to-AAdvantage transfers can’t be reversed, so find the flight you want and confirm the mileage requirement before moving points.
WestJet’s cabin crew strike has ended
Canada’s No. 2 airline recently hit turbulence: a brief strike cancelled at least 600 flights over the long weekend, and the fallout was felt through late last week. Frustration was felt far and wide as over 250,000 travellers were affected by the cabin crew’s job action.
But the skies are starting to clear. WestJet and CUPE reached a tentative agreement on August 3, and the union began its ratification process on August 7, 2026.
Operations have largely stabilized, but travellers should continue checking their flight status before leaving for the airport.
Nerdy takeaway: The best part of the deal is that my mom’s WestJet flight booked for August 26 now looks much less likely to be affected, so she should be here for my birthday. (I know you were worried).
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