Now that you know how valuable loyalty programs are, the next step in your Adventures With Points is to set up your airline and hotel loyalty accounts.
You might not know yet which loyalty program you’ll use next or which credit card you’ll apply for. That’s fine.
You might still be earning transferable points with credit card like American Express Membership Rewards®, and haven’t decided where to use them yet.
By setting up the top loyalty accounts for you and your family now, you’ll be ready for both transfers and new card applications without delays or missed opportunities.
You’ll be set for success from the start. It’ll make redeeming points for flights and hotels simple and fast when you’re ready to search and book.
Here’s how to set up your loyalty accounts the right way.
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The AWP Newsletter
Fuel your adventures with points
Sign up to get your free guide. Get our newsletter with credit cards and points tips. See how easy it is to travel for nearly free.
Why Set Up Loyalty Accounts Now
Setting up your loyalty accounts early is completely free and takes only a few minutes.
You’ll be able to search for award space, be ready to earn, transfer, and redeem points as soon as you find the flight or hotel availability you want.
You’ll avoid last-minute issues and make sure every point you earn from credit cards, transfers, and bonuses goes exactly where it should.
Transferable Points
You’ll earn transferable points with American Express Membership Rewards® cards like the American Express® Cobalt, American Express® Gold, and American Express® Platinum.
Setting up your loyalty accounts now will save you time later and prevent delays when you’re ready to transfer points to travel programs like Aeroplan®, Marriott Bonvoy®, and Flying Blue.
You’ll also be ready to take advantage of transfer bonuses when they appear, since those offers often run for a short time and can help you get closer to your next trip for nearly free.
Top American Express Membership Rewards® Cards
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Welcome Points: 120,000
Welcome Value: $5,100
Annual Fee: $799
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Welcome Points: 15,000
Welcome Value: $590
Annually Fee: $191.88 ($15.99 Monthly)
Co-Branded Credit Cards
You might be planning to apply for co-branded cards like the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* or the Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®.
Opening your Aeroplan® and Marriott Bonvoy® accounts now will ensure your points post to the right place and your welcome bonus arrives without delays.
If you don’t have an account yet, the bank usually creates one for you. That can lead to duplicate profiles, missing points, or points split between accounts that take time to fix.
Setting up your loyalty accounts in advance avoids all that and keeps your points in one place.
Best Aeroplan® Cards
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Welcome Points: 90,000
Welcome Value: $3,380
Annual Fee: $599
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Welcome Points: 85,000
Welcome Value: $3,580
Annual Fee: $599
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Welcome Points: 100,000
Welcome Value: $2,660
Annual Fee: $180. 1st Year Rebate
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Welcome Points: 85,000
Welcome Value: $3,580
Annual Fee: $599
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Welcome Points: 50,000
Welcome Value: $1,919
Annual Fee:$139. 1st Year Rebate
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Welcome Points: 45,000
Welcome Value: $1,819
Annual Fee:$139. 1st Year Rebate
A friend of mine applied for the Marriott Bonvoy® Business American Express® Card without setting up her Marriott account first.
After meeting the minimum spend, her welcome points didn’t show up.
It turned out that Marriott had automatically created a new account for her, so she had to call in to merge them.
It took a while, and she missed out on a great hotel redemption in the process.
Which Loyalty Programs to Prioritize
You don’t need to create every loyalty account out there.
Focus on the main programs you’re most likely to earn and redeem points with in Canada.
These programs link directly to the most popular transferable points and co-branded credit cards:
Best reward cards
Who Should Set Up Loyalty Accounts
You’ll want everyone in your household to have their own airline and hotel loyalty accounts, even little kids and babies.
You’ll earn points for every ticket you pay for, even if it’s a cash flight, and those points should go to the person flying.
You can set up accounts for your partner and kids right away. Programs like Aeroplan® Family Sharing and Flying Blue Family Accounts make it easy to pool points together.
You’ll also want to set up loyalty accounts for any employees who travel if you run a business. It keeps points organized and simple to manage redemptions for your team.
AWP TIP
You’ll need a unique email for each family member, including babies, when setting up accounts like Aeroplan®.
It’s also a good chance to create an email that your kids can use later.
How to Set Up Your Loyalty Accounts
You can sign up for most loyalty programs in a few minutes.
Simply go to the airline or hotel website and click Join or Sign Up.
You’ll just need a valid email address, date of birth, and mailing address. You can add your family members’ details if you’re setting up accounts for them too.
You’ll receive a confirmation email with your new membership number.
You’ll need those numbers when you apply for new cards or transfer points.
Your loyalty accounts hold real value, so you’ll want to protect them from hackers. Use strong, unique passwords and enable two-factor authentication when available.
AWP TIP
You’ll want to double-check spelling and details like names and postal codes.
If something doesn’t match your credit card exactly, your points might not transfer correctly later.
Top Offers
Wondering which credit card to get next?
Our recommendations for the best credit card offers in Canada for November 2025.
Top Offers
Wondering which credit card to get next?
Our recommendations for the best credit card offers in Canada for November 2025.
Linking Transferable Points
Once your loyalty accounts are created, you’ll want to link them to your transferable points programs, like American Express Membership Rewards®.
Don’t wait until you’re ready to transfer.
Setting them up right away will save time later and prevent delays when you come across a great redemption.
You can do this through your online account:
You’ll only need to do this once for each program. Once linked, you can transfer points instantly whenever you find a great flight or hotel redemption.
AWP TIP
You should only link your own loyalty accounts.
If you ever need to change or remove a linked account, you can do that by calling American Express.
Beginner’s Guide
From points newbie to booking your first trip.
Learn how easy it’s for Canadians to earn and redeem points with the best reward credit cards and programs. Make your first redemption for almost free travel in no time.
Beginner’s Guide
From points newbie to booking your first trip.
Learn how easy it’s for Canadians to earn and redeem points with the best reward credit cards and programs. Make your first redemption for almost free travel in no time.
Bottom Line
You’ll save time and avoid delays by setting up your loyalty accounts early. It’s free and only takes a few minutes.
You’ll be ready to search for award space, earn points, transfer them, and redeem for flights and hotels.
You’ll also prevent issues like missing points or duplicate accounts when you apply for new cards or start transferring points.
Once everything is set up and linked, you’ll be ready to book travel for nearly free as soon as you find your next redemption.
