Aeroplan points guide for 2024
Learn how many Aeroplan points you need to fly, how to redeem Aeroplan points, Aeroplan points value and full list of Aeroplan partners.
Aeroplan points are easy to amass and simple to redeem and arguably the best loyalty points program in Canada. As of 2023, your Aeroplan rewards never expire (so long as you stay active).
Below, we break down how to earn and redeem Aeroplan points, how to determine the value of an Aeroplan point, and how to maximize your Aeroplan rewards for luxury travel.
What is Aeroplan?
Aeroplan is the frequent flyer loyalty program of Canadian flagship carrier, Air Canada. The Aeroplan program is like other frequent flyer programs in that it allows members to earn and redeem points for flights, hotel stays, car rentals, and merchandise.
How to earn Aeroplan points
How to collect Aeroplan rewards points hasn’t changed much (though Air Canada is continually adding new retail partners and has said it will add more travel partners in the next year). It’s quite easy to collect Aeroplan points, partly because it’s such a popular program for Canadians.
You can earn Aeroplan points in the following primary ways:
- Use an Aeroplan credit card.
- Earn points when you fly Air Canada flights, and on extra in-flight purchases like food and beverages and duty-free purchases.
- Earn Aeroplan points on partner airlines (NOTE: there is a new charge of $39 per ticket when you book a flight reward on another airline, but you can use points to pay the new fee).
- Get points with other travel partners like hotels (Hilton, Marriott, etc.) and rental car agencies (Avis, Budget, etc.), select airport parking lots (Park'N Fly, Park &Jet Calgary), and more partners are being added all the time).
- Shop with Aeroplan partner merchants in person or online.
- Pool points with family members (read more about this new feature here).
Earn Aeroplan points with credit cards
There are many Aeroplan credit cards. We thought it'd be helpful to break it down a little deeper to help you make a wise choice. For a full list, read our best Aeroplan credit cards guide.
There are Aeroplan credit cards, co-branded Aeroplan cards (like TD Bank and CIBC), and there are credit cards that earn Aeroplan points (e.g. Amex Membership Rewards transfer points at a 1:1 ratio). We can't forget the generous welcome bonuses eitherm which could have you flying as soon as you qualify.
| Aeroplan credit card | Annual fee | Earn rate | Apply now |
|---|---|---|---|
| TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card | $139 | Earn 1.5 points† for every $1 spent on eligible gas, grocery and direct through Air Canada® purchases (including Air Canada Vacations®) made with your card and 1 Aeroplan point on all other purchases†. | Apply now |
| CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card | $139 | Earn 1.5 Aeroplan points on eligible gas, electric vehicle charging, groceries and with Air Canada directly, including through Air Canada Vacations®† and 1 Aeroplan point on all other purchases†. | Apply now |
| American Express® Aeroplan®* Card | $120 | Earn 2x Aeroplan points on eligible Air Canada®* and Air Canada Vacations®* purchases and 1.5x Aeroplan points on eligible dining and food delivery purchases in Canada. Earn 1x Aeroplan point on everything else. | Apply now |
| American Express® The Platinum Card® | $799 | Earn 2X points on eligible dining and food delivery purchases in Canada and 2X points on travel from eligible flights, hotels, tours and more. Earn 1X point on everything else. | Apply now |
| American Express® Gold Rewards Card | $250 | Earn 2 MR points on travel, including eligible flights, hotels, car rentals, cruises, and more and 2 MR points on gas, grocery and drugstore purchases in Canada. Earn 1 MR point on everything else. | Apply now |
| TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite Privilege* card | $599 | Earn 2 points† for every $1 spent on eligible purchases made direct through Air Canada® purchases (including Air Canada Vacations®) Earn 1.5 points† for every $1 spent on eligible gas, grocery, travel and dining purchases | Apply now |
Disclosures
The information for the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card has been collected independently by Money.ca. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. This offer is not available for residents of Quebec.
†TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card annual fee rebate: To receive the first-year annual fee rebate, you must activate your Card and make your first Purchase on the Account within the first 3 months after Account opening and you must add your Additional Cardholders by January 6, 2025.
†Terms and conditions apply.
American Express disclaimer: Contact American Express for the most up-to-date referral bonus figures. American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. For full details and current product information, click the Apply Now link. If you apply and get approved for an American Express Card, (I/we) may receive compensation from American Express, which can be in the form of monetary payment.
Aeroplan earn tip: Double dip with an Aeroplan credit card
Remember that you can "double dip" the Aeroplan points you earn when shopping with Aeroplan Partners or travelling with a Star Alliance member by showing your loyalty card and then paying with an Aeroplan credit card. This allows you to earn Aeroplan points twice with the same purchase.
Who are Aeroplan partners?
Aeroplan has many partner merchants which you probably use and shop with on a regular basis. Some notable partners include Starbucks, Uber & Uber Eats, LCBO, Amazon, and a range of other brands across various sectors like electronics, fashion, home decor, and health. Each Aeroplan partner offers unique ways for Aeroplan members to earn and redeem points through purchases or promotions. Below we break down Aeroplan partners by their respective categories.
Aeroplan partners for hotels and accommodation
You can convert your hotel points to Aeroplan points at hotels like Fairmont, Sofitel, Hilton, Le Germain, and Omni hotels. Below we list hotel partners where you can earn points.
| Aeroplan hotel partners | Offer | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Best Western | Earn 250 Aeroplan points per qualifying stay | To earn points at Best Western Hotels, update your Best Western Rewards profile and select Aeroplan. |
| Choice Hotels | Earn 250 Aeroplan points per qualifying stay. Convert 5 Choice Privileges points to 1 Aeroplan point. | To earn points, update Choice Privileges profile. Hotels include: Clarion, Ascend, Comfort, Sleep, Econolodge and more. |
| IHG Hotels & Resorts | Earn up to 2 Aeroplan points per $1 USD spent | To earn points, update your profile. Hotels include Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, Intercontinental, Candlewood suites and more. |
| Marriott Bonvoy | Earn up to 2 Aeroplan points per $1 USD spent | To earn points, update your member profile. Hotels include Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, Sheraton, Westin, Delta, Four Points and more. |
| Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts | Earn 500 Aeroplan points per qualifying stay | To earn points, update your member profile and book directly (not a third party). |
| Wyndham Rewards | Earn up to 2 Aeroplan points per $1 USD spent | To earn points, update your member profile. Hotels include Dolce, Tryp, Wingate, Ramada, Days Inn, Howard Johnson and more. |
You can also earn 1 point per dollar at Clique Hotels & Resorts (Blackcomb, Acclaim, and Applause), and 250 points per stay at Nova hotels (Nova Inn, Chateau Nova), and more.
If you're travelling, be sure to check out Aeroplan's complete list of accommodation partners1.
Aeroplan retail partners
Keep in mind that some of these merchants only allow you to earn Aeroplan points when shopping online. For example, you may be able to earn Aeroplan points when making onlin purchases ut you won’t earn any Aeroplan points for anything bought in-store.
The Aeroplan eStore is a great resource if you shop a lot online, as it showcases more than 260 retail and other partners who partner with Aeroplan. Each retailer has its own earning rate and some merchants may occasionally have extra mile promotions. Some popular brands you can find on the Aeroplan eStore include amazon.ca, chapters.indigo.ca, Bed Bath & Beyond, Etsy, Dyson, and more.
What are Aeroplan points worth?
With the new chart update, an Aeroplan point’s value is not concrete when it comes to flights and varies depending on what the points are redeemed for, and the time of year they’re redeemed. Generally speaking, when it comes to travel, you’ll receive the highest value for your Aeroplan Points if you use them for flights and the lowest value if you use them for car rentals.
That said, the average value of an Aeroplan point is about 1.4 cents per point.
Outside that broad rule of thumb, there are several other redemption factors that affect the value of points. Under the old Aeroplan program, we could confidently state that you’ll get better value for your points if you use them for a domestic flight in Canada or the US rather than an international one. Now, however, given the wide range between possible points needed for every flight (aside from partner airlines), the value you get for a point doesn’t just depend on distance. It depends on miles travelled, how popular the flight is, and the time of year (i.e., whether it’s high or low season).
When redeeming your Aeroplan Points, you’ll want to make sure you get the best CPM (cost per mile), which means aiming for the lowest possible end of the points range for Air Canada flights.
How to redeem Aeroplan points
How you redeem Aeroplan Points has also been simplified. You no longer need to go to a separate website (aeroplan.com) to redeem your points. Now you can search and redeem your flight rewards just like you would any other booking at aircanada.com or on the Air Canada app. The aircanada.com address is also where you can redeem your points for other items like merchandise, rental cars, hotel stays, gift cards, and more.
Travel redemptions include flights with any Star Alliance member (including Air Canada) and other travel-related purchases such as hotels, car rentals, or vacation packages. As for merchandise options, there’s a large selection of items to choose from, ranging from fashion accessories to cookware. Alternatively, you can use your Points for gift cards rather than actual products.
Also, it’s important to note that under the new Aeroplan Points program, you can book with a combination of points and cash, giving you more booking flexibility.
What is the Aeroplan points chart?
Aeroplan has completely overhauled its chart system. Previously, you had two options when booking flights with your Aeroplan points. You could book with the fixed mileage option or with market fare rewards. Now the new Aeroplan chart is based on a dynamic pricing model and is divided into four different zones:
- North America
- Atlantic
- Pacific
- South America
How many points you need to redeem for a specific flight will now depend on the market value of the flight, the travel distance between where you take off and where you land, and whether or not the flight is in high demand. Fixed point redemption values remain only for partner airlines. For Air Canada flights, Aeroplan members will see a range of possible points needed for redemption, and you won’t actually know how many points you specifically need until you go to select your flight.
North America award chart for Air Canada operated flights
North America award chart for Air Canada partners
Note: Premium economy bookings may not be available through partner carriers
So, for example, note in the chart above that for each class of ticket for an Air Canada flight, there is a given range of possible points needed for redemption. Whereas for the partner airlines, there is a clearly allotted fixed number of points needed. Obviously, to get the best value for your points, you want to aim for the lower range of points needed for a flight. Keep in mind that while the simplicity of the partner airline redemption fixed point system is attractive, this often means you’ll have to take longer routes because of stopovers. There’s also limited seat selection.
When you look at the new Aeroplan Chart, you may also notice that there have been some increases in the points needed for many routes (especially in the Atlantic and Pacific zones). However, there are now no more carrier surcharges, and you will have much better availability of flights because blackout dates and seat availability limitations have been eliminated under the new Aeroplan Points program.
Award charts for other zones
So, just how many points do you need to book an award flight with Aeroplan, Air Canada or an airline alliance codeshare carrier? Unless you are using a partner airline with fixed points, there’s no real way to know how many points it will take to fly somewhere because all Air Canada flights are now based on a variable points model. Luckily Air Canada has provided a Points Predictor Tool so you can get at least an idea of how many points you’ll need to redeem for your flight.
Award flight booking example
If I booked a flight from Toronto to Paris in November 2020 with Air Canada, the ticket, according to the website, would be approximately $905.97. To figure out the net value of my flight, I would first subtract $141.97 (the amount for taxes and third-party charges like airport fees, which aren’t included under the “no more surcharges” exception. I subtract that amount because I would have to pay with cash or points when redeeming a flight reward, and I want to know the overall net value of a point).
The total price I will use to calculate the value of my rewards is now $764. Now we compare that price to what it would cost me to get to Paris using my Aeroplan points. If I can get a rewards economy ticket on the low range of the scale for 70,000 (35,000 each way) Aeroplan Points, that means that the value of one Aeroplan Point is approx. .0109 or 1.09 cents (764 ÷ 70,000=.0109), which is somewhat below what the average Aeroplan Point was worth under the old plan (.014). If I had to redeem in the higher range of points to get a flight, such as high as 60,000 each way, the value of each point would be even lower.
Can you transfer Aeroplan points?
Family points pooling
Luckily, Aeroplan has made it very easy to pool points by introducing the new Aeroplan Family Sharing (and don’t let the name fool you; you don’t have to be family members). This sharing plan allows you to create a group of up to 8 members. All points earned by the members are combined into a shared balance. Any group member can redeem a flight reward using points from your shared balance. Better yet, if there is an Elite Status Member or a primary Aeroplan Credit Cardholder in your group, everyone benefits from the associated preferred pricing, so you can often redeem for fewer points.
Aeroplan transfer partners
Aeroplan points also transfer to a number of loyalty programs in Canada. These include several hotel and airline partners where Aeroplan points can be converted to another programs currency and then used to book award travel, merchandise, experiences or more. Here's the current list of eligible Aeroplan transfer partners in Canada:
- Hilton Honors
- ALL -Accor Live Limitless
- Best Western Rewards
- Choice Privileges
- Coast Rewards
- IHG One Rewards
- Shangri-La Golden Circle Award
- Wyndham Rewards
- Star Alliance carriers
Do Aeroplan points expire?
One of the most common Aeroplan-related questions we get at Money.ca is, “What happens when Aeroplan points expire?”
Air Canada Aeroplan points expire after 18 months of inactivity on the account.
Before 2013, Aeroplan members had seven years to use their points before they expired. This is no longer the case today; your points will not expire so long as you actively collect them. But your points will expire if your Aeroplan account goes unused for a period of 18 months (note that until recently, it used to be 12 months but was updated). It’s worth noting that this is a relatively short expiry period compared to competing travel rewards programs like Air Miles.
The best way to avoid losing points to expiration is to ensure that you keep collecting them. With so many Aeroplan credit cards and partners across Canada, it should be relatively easy to do. For more, read our Aeroplan Mistakes to Avoid section above.
How to get the most from your Aeroplan points
Look for Aeroplan Credit Card welcome bonuses
Whether you get a credit card from TD (such as the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite card) or CIBC (CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege card) or even get one from each, take advantage of the Aeroplan welcome bonus promotions they offer. Some offer thousands of bonus Aeroplan points and even waive the first year annual fee, enough for a free flight to anywhere in North America.
The TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card, for example, earns 1.5 Aeroplan points† on eligible gas, grocery and direct through Air Canada® purchases (including Air Canada Vacations®)† made with your card. Earn 1 point† for every $1 spent on all other Purchases made with your Card.†
Similarly, the American Express® Aeroplan®* Reserve Card comes with some premium perks like a free first checked bag on Air Canada®* flights for up to eight people on the same reservation. Cardholders can reach Aeroplan Elite™* status faster because they will get 1,000 status qualifying miles and 1 status qualifying segment for every $5,000 they spend in eligible net purchases charged to your Card.‡ Additionally, the American Express® Aeroplan®* Reserve Card comes with a solid spectrum of travel insurance, including flight/baggage delay, lost/stolen baggage, hotel burglary, and more.
Disclosures
This offer is not available for residents of Quebec. For Quebec residents, please click here.
The Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD) is not responsible for the contents of this site including any editorials or reviews that may appear on this site. For complete and current information on any TD product, please click the Apply Now button. Sponsored Content.
†Terms and conditions apply.Contact American Express for the most up-to-date referral bonus figures.
American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. For full details and current product information, click the Apply Now link. If you apply and get approved for an American Express Card, (I/we) may receive compensation from American Express, which can be in the form of monetary payment.
Aeroplan Credit Card earnings on spend
There are many great Aeroplan credit cards to compare. See which ones give you the best opportunity to earn the most rewards given your spending habits. For example, do you spend more on groceries, gas, and pharmacies, or on other types of purchases?
Double dip with Aeroplan retail partners
Not only can you use your Aeroplan credit card to collect points, you can also use your Aeroplan loyalty card – even on the same transaction.
Aeroplan promotions
There are lots of Aeroplan promotions at any given time from the lists of Aeroplan retail parters and Aeroplan stores above. Keep your eyes open for some great deals to accelerate your Aeroplan earnings.
What's next?
Aeroplan provides tremendous value for the Canadian traveller who flies frequently and prefers to fly with Air Canada. And with dozens of Star Alliance partner airlines there's no limit to the places where your Aeroplan points can take you. Find your ideal Aeroplan credit card with our handy Best Aeroplan credit cards guide.
Hannah Logan is a Canadian freelancer writer and blogger who specializes in personal finance and travel. You can follow her adventures on her travel blog EatSleepBreatheTravel.com or find her on Instagram @hannahlogan21.
Tyler Wade has worked in personal finance for over 5 years writing for brands like Ratehub, Forbes, KOHO, and now Money.ca.
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