Aeroplan Points Guide

Aeroplan is Canada's largest travel rewards program, and for most Canadians, it's also the most practical way to turn everyday credit card spending into meaningful travel. Whether you fly Air Canada regularly or just want to use points for a business class trip every few years, this guide walks through how the program actually works, which cards make sense for which situations, and how to get the most out of every point you earn.

How Aeroplan Works

Aeroplan is a frequent flyer program that lets you earn and redeem points on Air Canada flights, Star Alliance partner airlines, and a growing list of non-alliance partners. But the part that confuses most new members is how point costs are set — because there is no simple fixed chart anymore.

Since November 2020, Aeroplan has used a distance-based, dynamic pricing model called Flight Rewards. Instead of saying "Canada to Europe costs X points," the program prices awards based on the great-circle distance of your itinerary and the geographic region you're flying to or from. The program divides the world into four regions — North America (including Mexico and the Caribbean), Atlantic (Europe, Africa, the Middle East, West and Central Asia), Pacific (East and Southeast Asia, Oceania), and South America — and then applies distance bands within each region pair.

The practical upshot: point costs vary route by route, and for some partners they vary by demand as well. As of March 2025, Aeroplan moved United, Emirates, Flydubai, Etihad, Calm Air, Canadian North, and PAL Airlines to fully dynamic pricing, where award rates fluctuate like cash fares. The majority of Star Alliance partners still follow the published distance-based chart, which has a minimum starting price and a median value updated quarterly. Always check the current cost on aircanada.com/aeroplan before planning around a specific point target.

Earning Aeroplan Points

There are three meaningful ways to build your Aeroplan balance: flying, credit cards, and transferring in from American Express Membership Rewards.

Flying Air Canada and Star Alliance partners. When you fly on an Air Canada or Star Alliance-operated flight, the points you earn depend on your fare class and whether you have Elite Status. Starting in 2026, Air Canada moved to a revenue-based earning model: members earn at least 1 Aeroplan point per CAD $1 spent on base fare and carrier surcharges. Elite members earn significantly more — between 2x and 6x depending on their status tier. Points earned through partner airlines vary and are governed by each airline's own earn chart.

Co-branded credit cards. This is where most Canadians accumulate the bulk of their points. Here are the main cards and their audited earn rates:

• American Express Aeroplan Reserve: 3x on Air Canada purchases, 2x on dining and food delivery, 1.25x on everything else. $599 annual fee.
• American Express Aeroplan Reserve Business: 3x on Air Canada, 2x on hotels and car rentals, 1.25x on everything else including dining. $599 annual fee.
• American Express Aeroplan: 2x on Air Canada, 1.5x on dining and food delivery, 1x on everything else. $120 annual fee.
• CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege: 2x on Air Canada, 1.5x on groceries, gas, dining, and travel, 1.25x on everything else. Unlimited Maple Leaf Lounge access. $599 annual fee.
• CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite: 1.5x on groceries, gas, and Air Canada purchases; 1x on everything else. Free first checked bag on Air Canada. $139 annual fee.
• CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card: 1 point per $1 on groceries, gas, and Air Canada; 1 point per $1.50 on everything else. No annual fee.
• TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege: 2x on Air Canada, 1.5x on gas, groceries, dining, travel, transit, and EV charging (subject to a $100,000 combined annual cap), 1.25x on everything else. Unlimited Maple Leaf Lounge and Café access in North America. $599 annual fee.
• TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite: 1.5x on groceries, gas, and Air Canada (subject to an $80,000 combined annual cap); 1x on everything else. Free first checked bag on Air Canada. $139 annual fee.
• TD Aeroplan Visa Platinum: 1 point per $1 on groceries, gas, and Air Canada; 1 point per $1.50 on everything else. No stated minimum income requirement. $89 annual fee.

Transferring from Amex Membership Rewards. Most personal Amex cards that earn regular Membership Rewards points — including the Cobalt, Gold Rewards, and Platinum — transfer to Aeroplan at a 1:1 ratio. This is a powerful earn path, particularly via the Cobalt Card's 5x on food and dining. More on this in the next section.

Shopping and dining partners. The Aeroplan eStore and dining partners let you earn incremental points on everyday purchases. These are worth using but rarely move the needle on their own — treat them as a supplement to credit card spend, not a strategy.

Best Canadian Credit Cards for Aeroplan

Premium tier

If you fly Air Canada frequently and want lounge access, the premium cards are worth their steep fees. The American Express Aeroplan Reserve is the only Amex card that earns Aeroplan directly at a premium rate — 3x on Air Canada, 2x on dining — and it includes Maple Leaf Lounge access. The CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege also unlocks unlimited Maple Leaf Lounge access and earns 1.5x across groceries, gas, dining, and travel, which is a broader earning footprint. The TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege matches on lounge access and extends its 1.5x tier to include transit and EV charging, though the $100,000 combined annual cap on accelerated categories is something frequent heavy spenders will eventually hit.

All three carry a $599 annual fee. The right choice depends on your bank relationship and whether you prefer Amex, Visa for CIBC, or Visa for TD — the lounge access and earn rates are broadly comparable at the top tier.

Mid-tier

The Amex Aeroplan and TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite both sit at $139 and earn 1.5x in their best categories. The Amex earns 1.5x on dining specifically; the TD earns 1.5x on groceries, gas, and Air Canada. Neither is transformative, but they're solid for someone who wants a dedicated Aeroplan card without the premium fee.

Entry and no-fee

The CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card is the only no-fee Aeroplan card among the major issuers. The TD Aeroplan Visa Platinum is close at $89 with no income requirement — useful if you don't qualify for Infinite products. Both earn at the base rate of 1 point per $1 on core categories, which is unexciting but at least gets you accumulating.

The Cobalt angle

The American Express Cobalt earns 5x Amex Membership Rewards points on food, dining, groceries, and food delivery (up to $2,500 per month), which you can then transfer 1:1 to Aeroplan. At 5 Aeroplan points per dollar on food spending, the Cobalt often outpaces even the premium co-branded cards for people whose lives run through restaurants and grocery stores. If Aeroplan is the destination but you want the best earn rate on everyday spending, the Cobalt is worth considering alongside a co-branded card.

Redeeming Aeroplan Points for Best Value

The gap between "okay" and "excellent" Aeroplan redemptions is wide. Here's where the value is and where it is not.

Short-haul domestic economy. Under Aeroplan's distance-based chart, very short routes — say, under 500 miles — start at around 6,000 points in economy on the published chart for most partner airlines. Air Canada-operated routes are priced dynamically, so short-haul prices on Air Canada itself vary. These are fine for using up small balances but not where you maximise value per point.

Long-haul premium cabin — the sweet spot. The highest value from Aeroplan points consistently comes from booking business or first class on long international routes. Canada to Europe in business class on Star Alliance partners runs approximately 60,000–70,000 points one-way depending on distance and carrier. Canada to Asia in business class on carriers like ANA or EVA Air is another well-known sweet spot. At these point levels on routes that would otherwise cost $3,000–$6,000 CAD in cash, you're extracting somewhere between 4 and 7 cents per point — far above the rough 1.5-cent baseline.

Non-alliance partners. Emirates, Etihad, and Cathay Pacific are all bookable through Aeroplan. Note that Emirates and Etihad moved to dynamic pricing in March 2025, so award costs on those carriers now fluctuate. When availability opens at reasonable point costs, business class on these carriers can represent outstanding value.

Stopovers. Aeroplan allows you to add a stopover — a layover of more than 24 hours — to a one-way international itinerary for 5,000 extra points per passenger. This means you can effectively visit two destinations on a single award. The stopover must be outside Canada, the United States, and China. On a round-trip, you get two stopovers (one per direction) for 5,000 points each.

Taxes and carrier surcharges. Aeroplan doesn't impose the high fuel surcharges that programs like British Airways Avios levy on their own metal. But partner airlines may add their own surcharges when you book through Aeroplan, and taxes on business class can still add up to several hundred dollars CAD depending on the route. Factor this in when comparing redemption options.

What to avoid. Redeeming Aeroplan points through the Aeroplan Travel portal for hotels, cruises, or vacation packages typically yields around 1 cent per point or less. Merchandise and gift cards are even worse. Reserve your points for flight redemptions where the per-point value meaningfully exceeds what cashback or cheaper alternatives could provide.

Aeroplan Elite Status

Aeroplan Elite Status runs from 25K at the entry level up through 35K, 50K, 75K, and Super Elite at the top. For most of Aeroplan's history, status was earned through Status Qualifying Miles (SQM) or Segments (SQS) plus a spending threshold in Status Qualifying Dollars (SQD). In 2026, Air Canada consolidated all of these into a single unified metric: Status Qualifying Credits (SQC).

The SQC thresholds for 2026 are:

• 25K: 25,000 SQC
• 35K: 35,000 SQC
• 50K: 50,000 SQC
• 75K: 75,000 SQC
• Super Elite: 125,000 SQC

SQC are earned primarily through Air Canada flight purchases, based on the fare paid and fare type. You can also earn up to 25,000 SQC through eligible Aeroplan credit card spending — premium co-branded cards like the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege and TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege contribute SQC through card spend, making them relevant for status-chasers who want to supplement their flying. An additional 25,000 SQC can come from partner activity.

Benefits scale with status. At 25K, members receive priority check-in, priority boarding, and eUpgrade credits earned through the Milestone Benefits system as you accumulate SQC. Higher tiers (35K, 50K, 75K, Super Elite) unlock additional eUpgrade credits, Maple Leaf Lounge access (limited at lower tiers and unlimited at higher ones), guest passes, dedicated phone lines, and Star Alliance Gold standing at 50K and above. Super Elite members receive the most comprehensive package, including the strongest upgrade priority on Air Canada flights and access to Air Canada Signature Suites where available.

Common Mistakes

Redeeming for hotels and merchandise through the Aeroplan portal. Hotel redemptions and gift cards through Aeroplan's own travel portal typically yield around 1 cent per point or less. Your points are worth significantly more on flights. Avoid this path unless you have no other use for a small balance.

Burning points on short cash-equivalent flights. If a flight costs $150 CAD and requires 20,000 points, you're getting 0.75 cents per point — worse than just paying cash and saving the points for a premium cabin redemption.

Ignoring taxes and carrier surcharges. Some routes and partners carry higher surcharges than others. Always check the all-in cost — points plus fees — before booking. The fees on a business class award can sometimes change the value calculus significantly.

Missing transfer bonuses. American Express periodically runs 20–30% transfer bonuses from Membership Rewards to Aeroplan. If you're sitting on a large Amex MR balance and planning a transfer anyway, waiting for a bonus can net you 20,000+ extra Aeroplan points at no cost.

Forgetting the 5,000-point stopover. Adding a stopover to an international one-way award for 5,000 points per person is one of the most underused features of the program. If you're booking a trip to Europe and have any flexibility, consider routing through a city you want to visit.

FAQs

Do Aeroplan points expire? The standard policy is 18 months: if there is no earning or redemption activity on your account within 18 months, your points expire. Activity from a Family Sharing pool member counts for all members in the pool. Note that Air Canada suspended point expiry through November 30, 2026; after that date, the standard 18-month policy resumes.

Can I share Aeroplan points with family? Yes. Aeroplan's Family Sharing feature lets up to eight household members pool their points into a shared balance. Members keep their individual accounts and earn separately, but points flow into the shared pool for redemption. Members of the same pool benefit from preferred pricing if any primary cardholder is in the pool.

Are Aeroplan points better than cashback? For premium cabin flight redemptions, yes — often by a significant margin. For merchandise, hotel bookings through the Aeroplan portal, or gift cards, cashback will almost always serve you better. The value of Aeroplan points is what you make of it.

What happened to Air Canada Altitude? Altitude was the old name for Air Canada's frequent flyer status program. It merged into Aeroplan in 2020. What was previously called Altitude status is now called Aeroplan Elite Status, and the benefits and tier structure have been consolidated under the Aeroplan brand.

What's the best card to start earning Aeroplan? If you want no annual fee, the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Card is your entry point. If you can manage an $89 annual fee and don't meet Infinite income requirements, the TD Aeroplan Visa Platinum is worth considering for its accessible qualification criteria. If you want the best earn rate on food spending and don't mind an indirect path, the American Express Cobalt earns 5x MR points on food and dining that transfer 1:1 to Aeroplan — making it one of the strongest Aeroplan accumulation tools available.

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If you hold or are considering an American Express card, the companion guide on Amex Membership Rewards explains how MR points work, which cards earn transferable points versus MR-Select, and how to time your transfers to Aeroplan. For a full side-by-side comparison of all Aeroplan credit cards, see the card comparison tool on the homepage.

Details verified April 2026. Aeroplan program mechanics, earn rates, and Elite Status qualification are subject to change. Check aircanada.com/aeroplan for current information.