How to Travel to Prague from Canada on Points

You can easily travel to Prague from Canada on points.

Prague, the capital city of the Czech Republic, is a highly popular and beautiful destination for travelers. It is often praised for its well-preserved historical architecture, charming cobblestone streets, and a rich cultural heritage.

Prague boasts a stunning medieval and baroque architecture, including iconic landmarks such as Prague Castle, Charles Bridge, and the Old Town Square. The city has a fairy-tale-like atmosphere that captivates visitors. The city has numerous museums, galleries, and theaters that showcase its rich cultural history. The Prague Castle complex, for instance, houses historical buildings, museums, and churches.

Prague has a unique and charming atmosphere, especially in the historic Old Town. Strolling through its narrow streets and enjoying the local cafes and shops can be a delightful experience. The local food scene, including traditional Czech dishes, is another highlight. Czech beer is renowned worldwide, and you can enjoy it in the many pubs and beer gardens throughout the city.

Unfortunately, the cost of traveling to Prague is expensive, and many Canadians simply view a vacation to this beautiful Czech city as out of their price range.

Fortunately, here in Canada, we have access to travel programs that can reduce the cost of your Czech vacation by upwards of 80%, leaving more money in your pocket, and more freedom to experience some of the world-class excursions that Prague has to offer. 

In this post, we’ll show you how you can travel to Prague from Canada on points, and the different ways to earn and use your travel points to ensure you’re getting MAXIMUM value on your redemption.

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Our Theoretical Vacation

For the purposes of this exercise, we’ll be booking a 5-night, 6-day vacation focusing on a stay in downtown Prague.

Our theoretical stay will be 5 nights at the Courtyard Prague City in Prague, a 4 Star hotel operated by Marriott.

We’ll show an itinerary for 1 individual. If you are traveling with someone, your traveling companion can use the same credit cards suggested below to earn even more points.

FLIGHT CASH VALUE

Below, we can see the cash value of an Air Canada economy, and business class ticket to Prague from Canada’s 3 major hubs (Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal).

Note: prices are subject to change

HOW TO TRAVEL TO Prague FROM CANADA ON POINTS

FLIGHT OPTION #1: USING AEROPLAN PARTNER AIRLINES TO FLY TO Prague FROM CANADA ON POINTS

Your Complete Guide to Aeroplan

Aeroplan (and Air Canada) is the most popular travel currency in Canada, so it only makes sense that we determine the amount of Aeroplan points required for our flight to Prague.

Unfortunatly, Air Canada does not fly to Prague. However, the good news is that Aeroplan has several partner airlines that you can leverage for your flight to Prague.

All Aeroplan partner flights to Europe are subject to this award chart:

While this seems like an easy way to redeem your points, there are a limited number of award seats made available by partner airlines, and certain airlines only release economy-class award space.

THERE ARE A FEW PARTNER AIRLINES YOU CAN LEVERAGE FOR YOUR TRIP TO Prague

Lufthansa Airlines

Lufthansa Airlines has flights from Vancouver, Toronto, & Montreal which connect through Germany en route to Prague.

Unfortunately, Lufthansa only releases award space for business class flights 14-20 days in advance of the flight. While waiting for award space to open up may be difficult when planning a vacation, it usually provides the best use of your points in terms of value

Lufthansa redemptions will vary from 30,000 – 40,000 Aeroplan points for Economy, and 60,000 – 80,000 Aeroplan points for business class.

Lufthansa also flies out of a number of US Cities en route to Prague:

• Boston
• New York
• Philadelphia
• Washington
• Detroit
• Chicago
• Atlanta
• Dallas
• Austin
• Houston
• Denver
• Los Angeles
• San Fransisco
• Seattle

Other Aeroplan Partners You Can Take to Prague

• Swiss flies out of Montreal to Zurich and on to Prague
• United Airlines flies out of Toronto to the Eastern United States, and on to Prague
• Brussels Airlines flies out of Toronto, to Brussels and on to Prague
• Austrian Airlines flies out of Toronto & Montreal to Vienna, and on to Prague

WHICH CREDIT CARDS DO YOU NEED TO FLY TO Prague FROM CANADA ON POINTS WITH AEROPLAN

Whether you’re flying economy or business class, you’ll need to focus on collecting Membership Rewards and Aeroplan points. There are 2 credit cards that we’ll be focusing on to get you to Prague

Note: credit card signup bonuses vary over the course of the year. Please check for the latest signup offer

1. THE AMERICAN EXPRESS PLATINUM CARD

The American Express Platinum Card is a great way to earn Membership Rewards, which can be transferred to Aeroplan at a 1:1 ratio

The $799 annual fee (which comes with a $150 rebate through GreatCanadianRebates) is offset by the following perks & benefits:

• Sign-up Bonus:
  • 70,000 MR points upon spending $10,000 in the first three months
  • 30,000 MR points upon making a purchase between months 14-17 of cardmembership
• Earn Rate: 
  • 2 MR points per dollar spent on travel, groceries & dining
  • 1 MR point everywhere else
• Insurance:
  • Emergency Medical Travel Insurance – up to $5,000,000
  • Car rental damage insurance 
  • Trip Cancellation Insurance- up to $3,000
  • Hotel Burglary insurance – up to $1,000
  • Baggage delay insurance – up to $1,000
  • Lost or stolen baggage insurance – up to $1,000
• Perks
  • $200 annual travel credit
  • Access to Pearson Priority Security Lane during peak operating times
  • Complimentary valet service at the Express Park and Daily Park at Pearson Airport
  • $200 annual dining credit
  • $100 Nexus rebate
  • Instant Gold status at Marriott Bonvoy & Hilton Honors
  • Special discounts for cardholders
• Lounge Access
  • Priority Pass (+1 guest)
  • Plaza Premium Lounges (+1 guest)
  • Delta Sky Club
  • Airspace Lounges (+2 guests)
  • Centurion Lounges
  • SwissPort Lounges (+1 guest)

While the $799 annual fee seems daunting initially, the 100,000 Membership Rewards is a great sign-up bonus, more than enough to get you to Prague.

Canadians will have to make a personal decision as to whether or not the $799 (minus the $200 travel credit & $200 annual dining credit) annual fee is worth spending after year one.

Read our full review here

You can also earn Membership Rewards through a number of other personal credit cards including: 

• American Express Gold
• American Express Cobalt 
• American Express Green Card

2. TD AEROPLAN VISA INFINITE 

You can earn Aeroplan points with co-branded credit cards. The TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite card is a great way to earn FREE Aeroplan points.

The Cost for the Card is $0 for the first year, and then $139 annually, & comes with the following benefits:

• Sign-up Bonus:
  • 10,000 Aeroplan points upon first purchase
  • 25,000 Aeroplan points upon spending $5,000 in the first three months
  • 15,000 Aeroplan points on renewal after spending $7,500 in the first year
    • Total of 50,000 Aeroplan points
• Earn Rate: 
  • 1.5 Aeroplan points per dollar spent on food, beverage, gas & travel
  • 1 Aeroplan point everywhere else
• Insurance:
  • Emergency Medical Travel Insurance – up to $1,000,000
  • Car rental damage insurance 
  • Trip Cancellation Insurance- up to $5,000
  • Baggage delay insurance – up to $1,000
  • Lost or stolen baggage insurance – up to $1,000
• Perks
  • First bag free on Air Canada flights
  • Preferred pricing when redeeming Aeroplan points on Air Canada flights
  • $100 NEXUS credit
  • Earn 1,000 Status Qualifying Miles and 1 Status Qualifying Segment for every $10,000 you spend on the card

Read our review of the card

While this card isn’t as strong as some of American Express’ top cards, we live in a world where AMEX isn’t accepted at many retail locations in Canada. As a result, it’s good to have a solid visa in your wallet as well. The TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite provides a great, FREE way to earn a large amount of Aeroplan points, and it can be a great backup to the high annual fee cards in the market. the 50,000 Aeroplan points will get you a free economy ticket with Air Canada.

You can read which other cards offer Aeroplan points here

FLYING TO Prague WITH AEROPLAN – FINANCIAL SUMMARY

The average value of 1 Aeroplan point is 2.1 cents per point. We will hope to receive a higher value when redeeming with Aeroplan points.

	Economy	Redemption Value	Business	Redemption Value
Cash Fare	$1145		$9,099
Aeroplan Points with Partner Airlines	40,000	2.57 cents/point	70,000	12.77 cents/point

	Economy	Redemption Value	Business	Redemption Value
Cash Fare	$1048		$8,144
Aeroplan Points with Partner Airlines	40,000	2.23 cents/point	70,000	11.41 cents/point

	Economy	Redemption Value	Business	Redemption Value
Cash Fare	$1049		$8,145
Aeroplan Points with Partner Airlines	40,000	2.29 cents/point	70,000	11.45 cents/point

As you can see, the best option to fly to Prague from Canada on points is to leverage Air Canada’s partner airlines, especially if you can source a business-class ticket (which will take some travel flexibility on your end).

FLIGHT OPTION #2 – FLY USING AIR FRANCE FLYING BLUE MILES

In the world of points redemptions, you need a certain level of flexibility. Sometimes, you’ll be planning a vacation only to find out that there is no award availability on a particular flight, or that the number of points needed has increased drastically (especially in the case of Air Canada’s dynamic pricing).

That’s why it’s great to have another option. 

We mentioned above the value of transferring your American Express Membership Rewards to Aeroplan at a 1:1 ratio. Thankfully, Membership Rewards can also be transferred to Air France/Flying Blue miles at a 1:0.75 ratio. 

KLM & Air France have flights to Prague out of Vancouver Toronto and Montreal which connect through Amsterdam & Paris respectfully.

Note: Air France also flies out of Ottawa & Quebec City

Note: KLM also flies out of Calgary & Edmonton

WHICH CREDIT CARDS DO YOU NEED TO FLY TO Prague FROM CANADA ON POINTS USING AIR FRANCE/KLM

1. THE AMERICAN EXPRESS PLATINUM CARD

The American Express Platinum Card is a great way to earn Membership Rewards, which can be transferred to KLM/Flying Blue at a 1:0.75 ratio

The $799 annual fee (which comes with a $150 rebate through GreatCanadianRebates) is offset by the following perks & benefits:

• Sign-up Bonus:
  • 70,000 MR points upon spending $10,000 in the first three months
  • 30,000 MR points upon making a purchase between months 14-17 of cardmembership
• Earn Rate: 
  • 2 MR points per dollar spent on travel, groceries & dining
  • 1 MR point everywhere else
• Insurance:
  • Emergency Medical Travel Insurance – up to $5,000,000
  • Car rental damage insurance 
  • Trip Cancellation Insurance- up to $3,000
  • Hotel Burglary insurance – up to $1,000
  • Baggage delay insurance – up to $1,000
  • Lost or stolen baggage insurance – up to $1,000
• Perks
  • Access to Pearson Priority Security Lane during peak operating times
  • $200 annual travel credit
  • Access to Pearson Priority Security Lane during peak operating times
  • Complimentary valet service at the Express Park and Daily Park at Pearson Airport
  • $200 annual dining credit
  • $100 Nexus rebate
  • Instant Gold status at Marriott Bonvoy & Hilton Honors
  • Special discounts for cardholders
• Lounge Access
  • Priority Pass (+1 guest)
  • Plaza Premium Lounges (+1 guest)
  • Delta Sky Club
  • Airspace Lounges (+2 guests)
  • Centurion Lounges
  • SwissPort Lounges (+1 guest)

While the $799 annual fee seems daunting initially, the 100,000 Membership Rewards is a great sign-up bonus, more than enough to get you to Prague.

Read our full review here

HOTEL OPTION #1 – MARRIOTT BONVOY POINTS

Marriott Bonvoy points are the easiest hotel currency to collect in Canada. They also have the benefit of being a transfer partner of American Express. If you want to use points for your hotel stay, this is the easiest way to do it

If you’re traveling on points for an extended period of time, it’s you should leverage Marriott’s “Fifth Night Free” promotion, which can go a long way in enhancing the value of your vacation. 

4 nights paid for with points = 5th night free.

If your goal is to use Bonvoy points for the entire duration of your hotel stay, staying 5 nights enhances your redemption by 20%. It’s something you should seriously consider if you’re going the points route

Below we can see the cash & points value of a 5 night stay at the Courtyard Prague City

WHAT CREDIT CARDS DO YOU NEED TO STAY 5 NIGHTS IN Prague ON POINTS

1. THE AMERICAN EXPRESS MARRIOTT BONVOY CARD

The American Express Marriott Bonvoy Card is Marriott’s sponsored card in Canada. 

Sign up here

The annual fee of $120 (reduced to $60 if you sign up through Great Canadian Rebates) is offset by the following benefits:

• Sign-up Bonus:
  • 50,000 Bonvoy points upon spending $1,500 in the first 3 months
• Earning Rate: 
  • 5 Bonvoy Points per dollar spent on Marriott Bonvoy properties
  • 2 Bonvoy Points per dollar spent everywhere else
• Insurance:
  • Emergency Medical Travel Insurance – up to $500,000
  • Car Rental Damage Insurance 
  • Baggage Delay Insurance – up to $1,000
• Perks
  • 15 Elite qualifying nights & instant Silver status within Marriott’s loyalty program
  • Annual free night, up to 35,000 points

Read our full review here

2. AMERICAN EXPRESS BUSINESS EDGE

The American Express Business Edge card offers a strong signup bonus, along with strong everyday earnings.

The cost for the card is $99 ($24 with a $75 rebate through Great Canadian Rebates), & comes with the following benefits:

• Sign-up Bonus:
  • 45,500 Membership Rewards upon spending $5,000 in the first 3 months
  • 1,000 Membership Rewards each month in which you spend $3,000
  • 10 Membership Rewards on office supplies & electronics, rides & gas, eats & drinks within 6 months of cardmembership (up to 10,000 points)
    • Total of 67,000 Membership Rewards
• Earn Rate: 
  • 3 Membership Rewards per dollar spent on eligible food & drink (groceries not included), office supplies, electronics & gas
  • 1 Membership Reward for everywhere else
• Insurance:
  • Car rental damage insurance 
  • You can be insured for eligible items charged to your American Express Business Edge Card for 90 days from the date of purchase in the event of accidental physical damage or theft
  • Automatically extend the manufacturer’s original warranty up to one additional year 
• Perks
  • Occasional discounts on select products

Read our full review here

Here are a few considerations you should make for your trip:

1. One of the best (and cheapest) ways to fly business class to Prague is with Lufthansa Airlines (or Aeroplan’s other partner airlines). Unfortunately, Lufthansa only releases award availability for business class seats 14-28 days before departure. Austrian Airlines award availability can also vary depending on the time of year. It can be stressful/difficult for people to wait until the last minute to book a flight. If you’re one of these people, you can always book a refundable economy ticket (either with cash or points), & see if any business class seats open up on a Lufthansa flight, and then subsequently cancel your refundable ticket. 

3. If you’re focused on solely flying business class, you can book an Air France/KLM award flight up to a year in advance. As you can see from the Air France /KLM table, it is in your best interest to book the discounted (50,000,000 points) award flight. This will require some flexibility, as these discounted award flights are not offered daily

4. If are satisfied with economy bookings, the American Express Platinum and the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite will be all that you need to fly to (and from) Prague.

FINANCIAL SUMMARY TABLE 

Credit Cards	Sign up Bonus	1st Year Annual Fee (with GCR rebate)
TD (or CIBC) Aeroplan Visa Infinite	55,000 Aeroplan Points	$0
American Express Marriott Bonvoy	50,000 Bonvoy Points	$60
American Express Business Edge	57,000 Membership Rewards (68,400 Bonvoy Points)	$24
American Express Platinum	70,000 Membership Rewards (84,000 Membership Rewards)	$649
Total		$783

Flying economy, you can fly to and from Prague from Canada on Points, and stay 5 nights at the Courtyard Prague City all for 783 + taxes & fees.

Credit Cards	Sign up Bonus	1st Year Annual Fee (with GCR rebate)
American Express Platinum	70,000 Membership Rewards (transferred out to Aeroplan & Marriott Bonvoy)	$799
TD (or CIBC) Aeroplan Visa Infinite	55,000 Aeroplan Points	$0
American Express Marriott Bonvoy	50,000 Bonvoy Points	$60
American Express Business Edge	57,000 Membership Rewards (68,400 Bonvoy Points)	$24
Total		$733

Flying economy, you can fly to and from Prague from Canada on Points, and stay 5 nights at the Courtyard Prague City all for 783 + taxes & fees.

CONCLUSION

A journey to Prague promises a captivating blend of history, architecture, and culture that leaves an indelible mark on every traveler. The city’s enchanting streets, adorned with centuries-old architecture, create a backdrop reminiscent of a fairy tale. From the grandeur of Prague Castle to the timeless beauty of Charles Bridge and the lively ambiance of the Old Town Square, every corner resonates with the spirit of a bygone era. As you explore the maze of cobblestone streets, savoring the delights of Czech cuisine and immersing yourself in the city’s vibrant arts scene, Prague unveils a tapestry of experiences that linger in the memory. With its affordability, central location, and warm hospitality, Prague stands as a must-visit destination, inviting all who venture to uncover the secrets and splendors held within its historic embrace.

By leveraging travel programs like Aeroplan, KLM/Flying Blue & Marriott Bonvoy, you can fly, and spend 6 days in Prague for less than $800. This can be a dream vacation, without the crazy travel costs.

What to Do In Prague

Prague offers a plethora of activities and attractions for visitors. Here are some highlights of things to do in the city:

• Explore Prague Castle: Discover the largest ancient castle in the world, featuring stunning architecture, historic buildings, and picturesque views of the city.
• Cross Charles Bridge: Walk across the iconic Charles Bridge, a 14th-century marvel adorned with statues, musicians, and a breathtaking view of the Vltava River.
• Visit Old Town Square: Immerse yourself in the heart of Prague, surrounded by colorful baroque buildings, the astronomical clock, and the gothic Church of Our Lady before Týn.
• Admire Astronomical Clock: Witness the hourly show at the Astronomical Clock in the Old Town Square, where the mechanical figures come to life.
• Stroll through Lesser Town (Mala Strana): Wander through the charming district known for its narrow streets, Baroque architecture, and vibrant atmosphere.
• Climb Petřín Hill: Enjoy panoramic views of Prague from Petřín Hill, either by climbing the hill or taking the funicular to the top.
• Discover the Lennon Wall: Experience the colorful and ever-changing graffiti wall dedicated to John Lennon and the ideals of peace and love.
• Visit the Jewish Quarter: Explore the historic Jewish Quarter with its synagogues, the Jewish Museum, and the Old Jewish Cemetery.
• Sample Czech Cuisine: Indulge in traditional Czech dishes such as goulash, trdelník (sweet pastry), and of course, Czech beer in one of the city’s many pubs.
• Take a Vltava River Cruise: Enjoy a leisurely cruise along the Vltava River, offering a unique perspective of Prague’s landmarks.
• Visit National Museum and Wenceslas Square: Delve into Czech history and culture at the National Museum and stroll along the bustling Wenceslas Square.
• Experience Prague’s Music Scene: Attend a classical concert, opera, or a performance in one of Prague’s historic theaters.
• Day Trip to Kutná Hora or Český Krumlov: Consider day trips to nearby UNESCO World Heritage sites like Kutná Hora’s Sedlec Ossuary or the medieval town of Český Krumlov.

Here’s a video of how you can spend your time in Prague by Youtuber Hungry Passport

Check out this link for more tourism options in Prague