Aeroplan is the premier frequent flyer program in Canada. This program can unlock the world for you as it is easy to earn and redeem miles to travel wherever you want to go for your next vacation.
Understanding the Aeroplan program is imperative to optimizing the miles and points game in Canada, including how to earn Aeroplan points, redeem Aeroplan points, and also leverage some of the unique quirks of the program.
If you want a deeper understanding of the Aeroplan loyalty program, listen to Miles Ahead Episode 5 – Unlocking the Secrets of Air Canada Aeroplan.
Acquiring Aeroplan Points
There are four main ways to earn Aeroplan points in Canada: flying on Star Alliance flights, credit card welcome bonuses, spending on Aeroplan co-branded credit cards, and making purchases through the Aeroplan eStore.
Aeroplan points can also be purchased in addition to being transferred from other airline and bank loyalty programs.
Flying on Star Alliance Flights
You can earn Aeroplan points when you fly with Air Canada or within the Star Alliance Network of partner airlines.
The amount of Aeroplan points you earn is based on the number of miles flown as well as your Air Canada fare class. For Air Canada flights as well as Air Canada codeshare partners, the earn rate follows the following chart:
| Fare Class | Aeroplan Points Earned |
|---|---|
| Business | 150% points |
| Premium Economy | 125% points |
| Latitude | 125% points |
| Comfort | 115% points |
| Flex | 100% points |
| Standard between Canada and the U.S., and Canada and International | 50% points |
| Standard within Canada | 25% points |
| Basic between Canada and International | 25% points |
| Basic between Canada and the U.S. | 25% points |
| Basic within Canada | 10% points |
For other Star Alliance partner airlines, each airline has its own chart that determines the earn rate for miles flown. You can find them all listed on the Air Canada website.
Earning Aeroplan Points via Welcome Bonuses
With Aeroplan being the biggest frequent flyer program in Canada, it isn’t surprising that there are many Aeroplan credit cards available and, in turn, many strong welcome bonuses to be earned.
TD Canada Trust, CIBC, and American Express all offer both personal and business Aeroplan credit cards with various perks and welcome bonuses. Signing up for a co-branded Aeroplan credit card is the fastest way to accrue a large amount of Aeroplan points in the least time possible. Note that Aeroplan’s new card bonus rules can impact eligibility, so read up on those restrictions before applying for your next card.
There are eight Aeroplan personal credit cards offered in Canada:
| Credit Card | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
130,000 Aeroplan Estimated value: $2,730 Ends Aug 18, 2025 |
|
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85,000 Aeroplan Estimated value: $1,785 |
|
 |
85,000 Aeroplan Estimated value: $1,785 |
|
 |
45,000 Aeroplan Estimated value: $945 |
|
 |
40,000 Aeroplan Estimated value: $840 |
|
 |
40,000 Aeroplan Estimated value: $840 |
|
 |
20,000 Aeroplan Estimated value: $420 |
|
 |
10,000 Aeroplan Estimated value: $210 |
|
There are four Aeroplan business credit cards offered in Canada:
| Credit Card | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
140,000 Aeroplan Estimated value: $2,940 Ends Aug 18, 2025 |
|
 |
100,000 Aeroplan Estimated value: $2,100 |
|
 |
100,000 Aeroplan Estimated value: $2,100 |
|
 |
60,000 Aeroplan Estimated value: $1,260 |
|
There is also one Aeroplan credit card offered in the United States by Chase:
The Chase Aeroplan Card earns Aeroplan points and offers cardholders a variety of Air Canada benefits including instant 25k Elite status and a first free checked bag.
100,000 Aeroplan
$20,000
$2,100+
$95.00
No
–
Earning Aeroplan Points via Daily Spending
All Aeroplan co-branded credit cards earn Aeroplan points at various rates, depending on the purchase category. In general, the highest rate you can earn is on Air Canada travel purchases, including Air Canada Vacations packages.
We’ve summarized the Aeroplan points earning rate for all eligible Canadian credit cards below:
- American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card
- Earn 3 Aeroplan points for every dollar spent on eligible Air Canada and Air Canada Vacations purchases
- Earn 2 Aeroplan points for every dollar spent on eligible dining and food delivery purchases in Canada
- Earn 1.25 Aeroplan points for every dollar spent on all other purchases
- American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card
- Earn 3 Aeroplan points for every dollar spent on eligible Air Canada and Air Canada Vacations purchases
- Earn 2 Aeroplan points for every dollar spent on eligible hotel and car rentals
- Earn 1.25 Aeroplan points for every dollar spent on all other purchases
- American Express Aeroplan Card
- Earn 2 Aeroplan points for every dollar spent on eligible Air Canada and Air Canada Vacations purchases
- Earn 1.5 Aeroplan points for every dollar spent on eligible dining and food delivery purchases in Canada
- Earn 1 Aeroplan point for every dollar spent on all other purchases
- CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card & TD® Aeroplan® Visa* Infinite Privilege* Card
- Earn 2 Aeroplan points for every dollar spent on Air Canada flight purchases, including Air Canada Vacations bookings
- Earn 1.5 Aeroplan points for every dollar spent on eligible gas, electric vehicle charging, groceries, travel & transit, and dining purchases
- Earn 1.25 Aeroplan points for every dollar spent on all other purchases
- CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card & TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card
- Earn 1.5 Aeroplan points for every dollar spent on eligible gas, electric vehicle charging, grocery, and direct through Air Canada® purchases (including Air Canada Vacations®)
- Earn 1 Aeroplan point for every dollar spent on all other purchases
- CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card & TD® Aeroplan® Visa Platinum* Card
- Earn 1 Aeroplan point for every dollar spent on eligible gas, electric vehicle charging, grocery, and Air Canada® purchases, including Air Canada Vacations®
- Earn 1 Aeroplan point for every $1.50 spent on all other purchases
- CIBC Aeroplan Visa Business Card, CIBC Aeroplan Visa Business Plus Card, & TD® Aeroplan® Visa* Business Card
- Earn 2 Aeroplan points for every dollar spent on Air Canada and Air Canada Vacations purchases
- Earn 1.5 Aeroplan points for every dollar spent on eligible travel, dining, and select business categories (such as shipping, internet, cable, and phone services)
- Earn 1 Aeroplan point for every dollar spent on all other purchases
If you want to passively earn Aeroplan points from your day-to-day spending, holding an Aeroplan credit card that earns bonus points on the spending categories that the majority of your spending falls within is the best approach to steadily increase your balance.
Aeroplan eStore
The Aeroplan eStore is a miles-back shopping portal. Shopping portals offer a great way to earn miles and points on your everyday online purchases. The eStore is partnered with over 200 retailers and often has special offers that can increase the Aeroplan point earning rate for many popular retailers.
To start earning, simply visit the Aeroplan eStore and log in with your Aeroplan number and last name. From there, find the retailer you want to make a purchase from and click through to complete your transaction and earn Aeroplan points on your purchase.
If you want to learn how to get the most out of the Aeroplan eStore, check out our definitive guide to the Aeroplan eStore.
Purchase Aeroplan Points
Aeroplan members are eligible to purchase up to 1,000,000 points per year. If you are purchasing Aeroplan points, ensure you are using a US credit card to avoid an additional GST/HST charge on your purchase.
You can buy Aeroplan points here.
Typically, it is not worth purchasing Aeroplan points for the normal price of 3.5 cents per point unless you need to top up your points balance to make a redemption. Aeroplan often runs promotions in which you can earn bonus points when purchasing, which will reduce your cents per point cost.
As always, we don’t recommend purchasing points unless you have a use for them in the immediate to short-term future. Points can be devalued, and loyalty programs can be changed overnight (often for the worse).
Transfer Points From Other Programs
Points can be transferred from various financial institutions and hotel loyalty programs to increase your Aeroplan point balance. Points are transferable at different ratios and may be worth it, depending on the program that you are transferring from.
Many of these programs are able to transfer to other frequent flyer programs, so always do your research and ensure you are getting the most value for your points before transferring.
When it comes to converting financial institution points, there are some great value propositions in converting to Aeroplan:
| Type of Points | Conversion Rate | Is It Worth Transferring? |
|---|---|---|
| Amex Membership Rewards (Canada) | 1,000 Membership Rewards: 1,000 Aeroplan Points | Yes |
| Amex Membership Rewards (United States) | 1,000 Membership Rewards: 1,000 Aeroplan Points | Yes |
| Barclay Arrival Premier Miles (United States) | 1,700 Arrival Premier Miles: 1,000 Aeroplan Points | Maybe |
| Capital One Miles (United States) | 1,000 Capital One Miles: 1,000 Aeroplan Points | Yes |
On the other hand, there are many options for transferring points from hotel programs:
| Type of Points | Conversion Rate | Is It Worth Transferring? |
|---|---|---|
| Marriott Bonvoy | 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy: 25,000 Aeroplan Points | Maybe |
| Hilton Honors | 10,000 Hilton Honors: 1,000 Aeroplan Points | No |
| Accor Live Limitless | 1,000 Accor Live Limitless: 500 Aeroplan Points | Maybe |
| Best Western Rewards | 5,000 Best Western Rewards: 1,000 Aeroplan Points | No |
| Choice Privileges | 5,000 Choice Privileges: 1,000 Aeroplan Points | No |
| Coast Rewards | 1,000 Coast Rewards: 1,000 Aeroplan Points | Maybe |
| IHG One Rewards | 5,000 IHG Rewards: 1,000 Aeroplan Points | No |
| Radisson Rewards | 10,000 Radisson Rewards: 1,000 Aeroplan Points | No |
| Shangri-La Golden Circle | 1,000 Golden Circle Points: 1,000 Aeroplan Points | Maybe |
| Wyndham Rewards | 5,000 Wyndham Rewards: 1,000 Aeroplan Points | Maybe |
We recommend pursuing any transfer options that are marked as “Yes” in value, however, there may be a use case for some that are marked as “Maybe” if you need to top up your Aeroplan balance before making a redemption.
Redeeming Aeroplan Points for Flights
Redeeming your Aeroplan points for flight rewards is the best way to extract the most value out of your points. We highly recommend only ever redeeming your Aeroplan points for flights since the other methods, such as car rentals, hotels, and more, are a terrible value for your points.
Before you book, consider reading about the best practices when making flight award redemptions.
How To Redeem Aeroplan Points for Flights on AirCanada.com
To redeem Aeroplan for flights, first sign in to your Air Canada Aeroplan account using your Aeroplan number or email address.
On the main homepage, you will find the flight navigator. Be sure to select “Book with points”. Then feed in your departure and destination city (or multiple cities using “multi-city” search) as well as dates.
Air Canada will then output all available flight options for the criteria you’ve entered.
From the flight results screen you can filter by cabin class, the number of stops, price, total duration, etc. You can also view more details about different flights within an itinerary such as the plane, layover duration, fare class (if mixed), and so on.
When you’ve chosen a flight, select your fare class (Economy or Business class) followed by the fare subclass (eg. Economy Standard, Economy Flex, Latitude).
At the following screen, you’ll be given the option to choose how much of the itinerary is paid with points and how much is paid with cash. Essentially you can choose to pay for both the base fare and taxes in Aeroplan points, or just the base fare, or some portion of the base fare.
I typically opt to pay for the base fare with points and taxes/air transportation charges (ATC) with cash. The reason I think this is the best approach is twofold:
- The way Aeroplan pricing works, points used for taxes are redeemed at a very poor rate of 1 CPP, and
- If you pay for at least a portion of the trip using a credit card, you may be eligible for travel insurance coverage (depending on the credit card’s terms and conditions).
Once you select your points and cash combination, the next pages will ask for passenger details and contact information, seat selection, and finally payment information, the same as with a regular non-award booking.
Confirm and purchase the flights if you are satisfied with all of your selections and you have completed an Aeroplan award booking. That being said, there are also a number of options available if you need to make changes to your Aeroplan flight reward.
Aeroplan Flight Award Chart
Aeroplan prices out their flight awards based on the below mapped out travel zones, in addition to the total distance flown. Aeroplan has split up the globe into four zones: North America, Atlantic, Pacific, and South America.
We recommend reviewing and understanding the award chart in-depth to figure out exactly how much your next vacation will cost. For more details, check out our article about understanding the Aeroplan award chart.
It is important to note that Air Canada flights are dynamically priced, meaning that they can fluctuate in price depending on demand and the seats available. On the other hand, redemptions on Star Alliance partner airlines are not dynamic, but instead are a set price based on the zone and distance traveled.
Learn More: How to Avoid Aeroplan’s Dynamic Flight Award Pricing
If you can book partner airlines when using Aeroplan points, we highly recommend choosing those over Air Canada.
How To Find the Best Aeroplan Redemptions
For many years, finding the perfect Aeroplan flight reward involved many individual searches and stringing together an itinerary flight-by-flight. While some of that technique still remains, a number of award flight searching tools have cropped up over the last few years, making searching even easier.
One of our favorite tools is seats.aero as it gives you the opportunity to search many dates and routes at once when you are looking to redeem your points. Not only that, but you can also easily filter by desired class of service, total cost, and many more requirements. Once you find the flight you are looking to book, there is a link that you can click on in the tool which will take you directly to Aeroplan.
Aeroplan Redemption Sweet Spots
While you can redeem Aeroplan points to fly almost anywhere in the world thanks to the Star Alliance partnerships, there are a few sweet spots that might be worth considering if you are looking to get the most value out of your Aeroplan points:
- Vancouver (YVR) – Tokyo (HND/NRT) in business class one way; 55,000 Aeroplan points on Air Canada or ANA
- Vancouver (YVR) – Hawaii (Honolulu, Maui, and Kona) in economy class one way; 12,500 Aeroplan points on Air Canada
- Washington (IAD) – Abu Dhabi (AUH) in first class one way; 120,000 Aeroplan points on Etihad Airways
This list is far from all-encompassing, but may give you some ideas for your next flight award booking if you are looking to get outsized value for your points redemption. If you want to get even more luxurious, consider looking into flying Lufthansa First Class on Aeroplan points.
Other Aeroplan Point Redemptions
There are a few other ways to use your points that may be of interest. We would advise against redeeming your points for any of these options since the value will be nowhere near as strong as it would be when redeeming for flight rewards.
Hotel Stays & Car Rentals
Aeroplan points can be redeemed for hotel and car rental bookings.
There is not a set redemption rate or cent per point you can expect to receive when making a hotel reservation or booking a car rental. However, the value you would get out of your points would be significantly less than if you made a flight reward booking. If you are interested in redeeming points for a hotel stay, consider the Aeroplan HotelSavers program to maximize your points.
Gift Cards & Merchandise
As with most loyalty programs, there is an option to redeem points for gift cards and various merchandise. Consistent with most other programs, you should never redeem your points for either of these options since the value you would get is abysmal compared to almost any other redemption you could make.
In-Flight WiFi
This is a relatively new addition as an Aeroplan redemption option. If you are flying on an Air Canada flight that has in-flight WiFi enabled, you will have the option to redeem Aeroplan points for WiFi on Air Canada flights.
The point cost increases based on the length of the flight, but as a starting point, a flight under two hours would cost 850 Aeroplan points. On the other hand, WiFi costs on Air Canada flights are relatively reasonable with a typical cost of $21 for a one-way flight of any length.
If you are flush with points, you might find some value in making this small redemption if you want to get some work done during your next Air Canada flight.
Aeroplan Elite Status
Aeroplan is the official elite status program of Air Canada now, replacing the old Air Canada Altitude program.
Air Canada Aeroplan has five successive status levels: 25K, 35K, 50K, 75K, and Super Elite 100K, with valuable perks like e-upgrades, priority rewards, free checked bags on Air Canada, Maple Leaf Lounge access, and more.
There are specific flying requirements that have to be met each calendar year to earn and retain a status level. Aeroplan 50k status is arguably the most useful and obtainable status for the average traveler. However, 25k status can be easily reached thanks to Aeroplan’s Everyday Status Qualification program, or via a status match here for those readers who are Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite status members.
In our article Introduction to Air Canada eUpgrade Credits, we explain how status requirements work, and also discuss two shortcuts to earning 25K status that doesn’t require flying at all!
Air Canada eUpgrades
eUpgrades are one of the most valuable perks of Aeroplan’s elite status, as they allow you to upgrade yourself from a lower class of service to a higher class of service on Air Canada flights.
For intricate details on how eUpgrades work including more advanced strategies and frequently asked questions, see our Comprehensive Guide to Air Canada eUpgrades.
Aeroplan Family Sharing
Aeroplan family sharing is a feature that can be utilized by households to accrue and pool points with their family members.
Up to eight family members can join an Aeroplan family sharing pool, which will allow family members to share Aeroplan points while maintaining their own Aeroplan accounts. All points that are earned by members of the pool are added to the shared balance, in addition to their existing point balances when joining the pool.
Any redemptions made by members of the Aeroplan family sharing pool are redeemed proportionally, meaning that each member will pay a percentage of the redemption based on their individual total points amount compared to the shared points balance.
This means that if you are making a redemption, and one member has contributed 60% of the points to the Aeroplan family pool, they will pay 60% of the redemption. This includes even if they are not on the award ticket! In the same vein, if a family sharing pool has eight members and one member makes a redemption, all eight members will have points deducted from their balances. Thus, it is very important that you trust everyone in the family points pool.
In order to set up family sharing, visit this page and click the “Start Family Sharing Now” button. The Aeroplan member who creates the family sharing pool will be designated as the Family Lead, which means they can invite other family members to the pool. The Family Lead is also able to set roles and permissions for each of the members; this means that it can be set that a certain family member is only able to earn points and not redeem them.
If you have an Aeroplan elite status member or an Aeroplan credit card holder in your family sharing pool, all members will benefit from the preferred flight award pricing.
Members must remain in the family pool for a minimum of 3 months and must wait 6 months before joining or starting a new family pool (from the date they joined the pool). If you wish to be removed from a family pool, you will need to call Aeroplan. The member in the Family Lead role can also call Aeroplan to remove members from the pool.
Frequently Asked Questions
One Aeroplan point is worth roughly 2 cents. This means that you should aim to extract around two cents per point when making any flight redemptions.
Aeroplan points will expire if you do not have any activity on your account for 18 months.
Qualifying activities include earning points, redeeming points, donating points, and transferring points. An easy way to keep your Aeroplan account active is to hold an Aeroplan co-branded credit card.
It depends on a variety of factors including where you are flying to/from, the total distance of your flight, class of service, and if you are flying with Air Canada or on a Star Alliance partner carrier.
Reference the Aeroplan flight award chart to estimate what your redemption will cost.
The best way to search for Aeroplan award flights is to use the flight award searching tool.
Using an award searching tool will allow you to easily filter through multiple dates, routes, and further criteria in a much more efficient manner.
Yes, you can redeem Aeroplan points for hotel stays worldwide. However, the value is not great for hotel redemptions, so I would recommend avoiding this as a strategy for using Aeroplan points.
Absolutely; Aeroplan is the biggest flight loyalty program in Canada. Aeroplan points give you the flexibility to travel anywhere in the world, thanks to their connection to the Star Alliance network.
Yes, Aeroplan members can purchase points at a rate of 3.5 cents per point. Aeroplan often offers promotions that can significantly reduce your cents per point cost.
You can buy Aeroplan points here.
Posts about Aeroplan
Which Aeroplan Points + Cash Redemption Option is Best? When making an Air Canada Aeroplan redemption, there are four Aeroplan points + cash options. Learn which redemption option is best.
Air Canada Bid Upgrades: How Do They Work? Learn how Air Canada bid upgrades work and how you can use cash or points to bid for a better seat in a higher class of service on your next flight.
What Frequent Flyer Programs Allow Members to Combine Miles? If you earn miles and points as a household, many frequent flyer programs allow you to combine miles to work towards your next redemption.
Credit Card Combos: Maximize Earnings & Rewards If you are interested in maximizing earnings and rewards, combining the strengths of multiple credit cards is an excellent approach to take.
How to Save on Cruises With Miles & Points If you are interested in relaxing on a cruise for a week or longer, click to learn how you can use miles and points to reduce your overall cost.
Chexy Becomes an Aeroplan Everyday Partner and Launches Limited-time Promotion! Chexy & Aeroplan have partnered to further reward users for paying their rent and other bills within the Chexy platform.
Thank you for your input, Josh. I have a question regarding Aeroplan 25K status. Currently, I have 14,444SQM AND $2509 SQD. I have a direct flight of Air Canada from Toronto to Dubai in ECONOMY(Standard) scheduled in the 3rd week of December 2022, for which I paid a cash fare of $1094.11 CAD(. Will I achieve Aeroplan 25K Status by end of this year? If NO, is there any input that you advise?
Hey Phani,
Cow tool actually has an excellent SQD/SQM calculator that will allow you to get your answer: https://api.ft.canadiancow.com/sqd/calc
If you aren’t going to meet status, the other best option would be to sign-up for the Chase Aeroplan card since it offers 25K status for the current calendar year and the next year. Of course, this would only work if you have access to the US credit card market, but it may be worth considering.
Hey, Suppose I book an Air Canada flight for my parents(they’re not Aeroplan members) using my Aeroplan points+Cash fare and suppose they both travel 7000 miles. Will those miles count under my Aeroplan status? If not, what additional steps do I need to take to make sure those miles add to my Status(add them as additional card holders for any co-branded Aeroplan credit card?!)? Please advise.
Hi Phani,
Award bookings (including points + cash fares) are not eligible to count towards status. If it was a full cash fare, your parents would only earn miles towards their own Aeroplan status, not towards your status.