How to Travel to Vienna From canada on points

You can easily travel to Vienna from Canada on points.

Vienna, the capital city of Austria, is often considered a beautiful and culturally rich destination that many people find enjoyable to visit. It’s known for its historic architecture, classical music heritage, art museums, coffeehouse culture, and elegant atmosphere. Visitors can explore attractions such as the Schönbrunn Palace, the Hofburg Imperial Palace, St. Stephen’s Cathedral, and the Belvedere Palace. The city also offers a wide range of classical music concerts, opera performances, and other cultural events. Additionally, Vienna is famous for its delicious cuisine and traditional pastries like Sachertorte and Apfelstrudel.

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

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

In this post, we’ll show you how you can travel to Vienna 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 Vienna.

Our theoretical stay will be 5 nights at the Courtyard Vienna Prater/Messe in Vienna, 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 Vienna from Canada’s 3 major hubs (Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal).

Note: prices are subject to change

HOW TO TRAVEL TO Vienna FROM CANADA ON POINTS

FLIGHT OPTION #1: FLY TO Vienna FROM CANADA ON POINTS WITH AIR CANADA USING AEROPLAN

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 Vienna

Aeroplan leverages dynamic pricing, meaning redemptions show a range of points for Air Canada flights. More popular flights cost more.

Note: redemptions are subject to change

FLIGHT OPTION #1.B: USING AEROPLAN PARTNER AIRLINES TO FLY TO Vienna FROM CANADA ON POINTS

While dynamic pricing can be terrible, the good news is that Aeroplan has a number of partner airlines that only require a fixed number of points.

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 Vienna

Lufthansa Airlines

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

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 Vienna:

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

Austrian Airlines

The national airline for Austria flies directly to Vienna out of Montreal.

Much like Lufthansa, Austrian only releases award space for business class flights a few weeks in advance of the flight. 

Austrian Airlines also flies out of a number of US Cities en route to Vienna:

• New York
• Chicago
• Washington
• Los Angeles

Other Aeroplan Partners You Can Take to Vienna

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

WHICH CREDIT CARDS DO YOU NEED TO FLY TO Vienna 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 Vienna

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
  • $200 annual dining credit
  • Special discounts for cardholders, which are sent via email
  • $100 Nexus credit
  • Instant Gold status at Marriott Bonvoy
  • Instant Gold status at Hilton Honours
  • Access to Pearson Priority Security Lane during peak operating times
  • Complimentary valet service at the Express Park and Daily Park at Pearson Airport
• 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 Vienna.

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 Vienna 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	$1031		$8,352
Aeroplan Points with Air Canada	47,000	2.06 cents/point	193,200	3.03 cents/point
Aeroplan Points with Partner Airlines	40,000	2.22 cents/point	70,000	11.73 cents/point

	Economy	Redemption Value	Business	Redemption Value
Cash Fare	$1015		$8,140
Aeroplan Points with Air Canada	47,000	2.07 cents/point	273,100	2.95 cents/point
Aeroplan Points with Partner Airlines	40,000	2.53 cents/point	70,000	11.63 cents/point

	Economy	Redemption Value	Business	Redemption Value
Cash Fare	$1049		$8,225
Aeroplan Points with Air Canada	47,000	2.25 cents/point	179,600	4.58 cents/point
Aeroplan Points with Partner Airlines	40,000	2.30 cents/point	70,000	11.57 cents/point

As you can see, the best option to fly to Vienna 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 Vienna 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 Vienna 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
  • $200 annual travel credit
  • $200 annual dining credit
  • Special discounts for cardholders, which are sent via email
  • $100 Nexus credit
  • Instant Gold status at Marriott Bonvoy
  • Instant Gold status at Hilton Honours
  • Access to Pearson Priority Security Lane during peak operating times
  • Complimentary valet service at the Express Park and Daily Park at Pearson Airport
• 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 Vienna.

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 Vienna Prater/Messe

WHAT CREDIT CARDS DO YOU NEED TO STAY 5 NIGHTS IN Vienna 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 hereview 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 Vienna 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. 

2. If you have Aeroplan elite status, this would be a great opportunity to leverage your e-upgrade credits for an Air Canada flight (if you can’t get on a partner airline), as the cost of business class Air Canada tickets can be extremely high given Aeroplan’s dynamic pricing. 

3. If you’re focused on solely flying business class, you can book an Air France/KLM award flights 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 (55,000,000 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) Vienna

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
Total		$84

Flying economy, you can fly to and from Vienna from Canada on Points, and stay 5 nights at the Courtyard Vienna Prater/Messe all for $84 + 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)	$649
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 business, you can fly to Vienna from Canada on Points, and stay 5 nights at the Courtyard Vienna Prater/Messe all for $733 + taxes & fees.

Conclusion

Vienna, the capital city of Austria, is a destination that beckons travelers with its rich history, cultural heritage, and unmatched elegance. One of the primary reasons to visit Vienna lies in its historical significance. As the former seat of the powerful Habsburg Empire, the city boasts a plethora of magnificent palaces, museums, and architectural marvels that tell the story of its imperial past. From the opulent Schönbrunn Palace to the majestic Hofburg Imperial Palace, history enthusiasts can immerse themselves in the grandeur of the bygone era.

Furthermore, Vienna is synonymous with classical music and is hailed as the “City of Music.” It was home to legendary composers such as Mozart, Beethoven, and Strauss. For music aficionados, attending a concert at venues like the Vienna State Opera or the Musikverein is a surreal experience, allowing them to savor the artistry in an environment steeped in musical heritage.

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

Here’s a video of how you can spend your time in Vienna by Youtuber Lexie Limitless

What to do in Vienna

There are plenty of things to see and do in Vienna. Here are some recommendations:

• Schönbrunn Palace: This former imperial summer residence is a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the most important architectural and cultural monuments in the country. The palace and its extensive gardens are a must-visit.
• St. Stephen’s Cathedral (Stephansdom): This iconic cathedral is a symbol of Vienna and has a stunning Gothic architecture. Visitors can climb to the top for panoramic views of the city.
• Belvedere Palace: The Belvedere is a historic complex consisting of two Baroque palaces, the Orangery, and the Palace Stables. It houses an impressive collection of Austrian art, including Gustav Klimt’s famous painting “The Kiss.”
• Vienna State Opera: One of the most famous opera houses in the world, the Vienna State Opera offers a wide range of operas and ballets. Even if you don’t attend a performance, the building itself is worth seeing.
• MuseumsQuartier (MQ): This is one of the world’s largest complexes for modern art and culture. It houses a variety of museums, galleries, and cultural institutions. The Leopold Museum and the MUMOK (Museum of Modern Art) are popular attractions.
• Hofburg Palace: The Hofburg is the former imperial palace and a complex of buildings that includes the Imperial Apartments, the Sisi Museum, and the Imperial Silver Collection.
• Vienna Prater: This large public park is home to the iconic Giant Ferris Wheel and the Wurstelprater amusement park. It’s a great place for a leisurely stroll or some family-friendly fun.
• Naschmarkt: Vienna’s most popular market offers a wide variety of food stalls, restaurants, and shops. It’s a great place to explore and sample local and international cuisine.
• Albertina: This museum is home to an extensive collection of graphic art, including works by Dürer, Rembrandt, and Michelangelo. The museum is located in the Hofburg Palace.
• Vienna Woods (Wienerwald): If you want to escape the city for a while, consider taking a trip to the Vienna Woods. It’s a beautiful forested area with hiking trails and traditional wine taverns.

Here are some more links to tourism options in Vienna