"How much are Aeroplan points worth in Canada?"

"Aeroplan points are worth approximately 1.5 to 2 cents CAD each when redeemed for Air Canada flights. Economy redemptions on North American routes typically deliver 1.4 to 1.8 cents per point. Business class redemptions on long-haul routes (especially Star Alliance partners) often deliver 2 to 4 cents per point. Redemptions for merchandise, gift cards, or statement credits are worth significantly less — usually 0.6 to 1 cent per point. For maximum value, always redeem Aeroplan points for flights rather than non-travel options."

"Do Aeroplan points expire?"

"Aeroplan points expire after 18 months of account inactivity. Any account activity — earning points through a credit card purchase, flight, hotel stay, Aeroplan partner shopping, or even transferring points — resets the 18-month clock. Redeeming points also counts as activity. To prevent expiry, simply make at least one Aeroplan-earning transaction every 18 months. Holding an Aeroplan co-branded credit card and making regular purchases is the easiest way to keep your account active indefinitely."

"How do I transfer points to Aeroplan in Canada?"

"You can transfer points to Aeroplan from American Express Membership Rewards (1:1 ratio), Marriott Bonvoy (3:1 ratio, with a 5,000-point bonus per 60,000 Bonvoy points transferred), and Bilt Rewards (1:1 ratio). TD Rewards, RBC Avion, and BMO Rewards are not transferable to Aeroplan — those programmes have separate airline partners. Amex MR to Aeroplan at 1:1 is the most valuable and commonly used transfer in Canada, allowing Amex Cobalt and Gold cardholders to funnel points into Aeroplan for premium cabin bookings."

"What is the best credit card for earning Aeroplan points in Canada?"

"The TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite is the most popular Aeroplan credit card in Canada, offering 1.5 Aeroplan points per dollar on groceries, gas, and Air Canada; 1 point per dollar everywhere else; a strong welcome bonus; and free first checked bag on Air Canada. The CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite offers similar earn rates plus 10 cents per litre savings at Journie network stations (Ultramar, Pioneer, Chevron, Fas Gas). The American Express Cobalt is not an Aeroplan card, but earns Amex MR points that transfer 1:1 to Aeroplan — making it an excellent feeder card for the programme."

"Can I use Aeroplan points to book any airline?"

"Yes — Aeroplan is a Star Alliance member programme, allowing you to book flights on all 26+ Star Alliance partner airlines including United Airlines, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, Swiss, Thai Airways, ANA, Turkish Airlines, and more. You can also book on select non-alliance partners. When booking Star Alliance partners through Aeroplan, you pay Air Canada's partner award chart rather than the partner airline's own rates — which is often significantly cheaper for business and first class awards on partners like Singapore Airlines and Lufthansa."

Aeroplan Points Guide Canada 2026: How to Earn, Redeem & Maximise

Aeroplan is Canada’s most popular travel rewards programme, operated by Air Canada. With over 5 million active members and extensive earning opportunities across credit cards, flights, hotels, and retail partners, understanding how Aeroplan works is essential for any Canadian who wants to get maximum value from their rewards.

This guide covers everything you need to know about Aeroplan in 2026: how to earn points, the best ways to redeem them, how much they’re worth, and the top credit cards for accelerating your balance.

What Is Aeroplan?

Aeroplan is Air Canada’s loyalty programme. Re-launched in 2020 under Air Canada’s direct ownership (after Air Canada reacquired it from Aimia), the programme offers several advantages over the pre-2020 version:

Flexible redemption: No fixed award charts for Air Canada — dynamic pricing based on ticket cost
Star Alliance access: Book awards on all 26+ Star Alliance carriers using fixed partner award rates
Unlimited stopovers: One free stopover per award ticket (a feature most programmes have eliminated)
Family sharing: Pool points across family members
No fuel surcharges on Air Canada: When booking Air Canada metal flights, no carrier-imposed surcharges apply (though taxes and fees still do)

How to Earn Aeroplan Points

Credit Cards (Fastest Path)

The fastest way to accumulate Aeroplan points without flying is through co-branded credit cards:

Card	Annual Fee	Base Earn Rate	Best Category
TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite	$139	1 pt/$	1.5 pts/$ groceries, gas, Air Canada
TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege	$599	1.25 pts/$	2 pts/$ Air Canada, 1.5 groceries/dining
CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite	$139	1 pt/$	1.5 pts/$ groceries, gas, Air Canada
CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege	$599	1.25 pts/$	2 pts/$ Air Canada, 1.5 groceries/dining
Amex Cobalt (via MR transfer)	$155.88	5 MR pts/$ food	Transfers 1:1 to Aeroplan
Amex Gold Rewards (via MR transfer)	$250	2 MR pts/$ groceries	Transfers 1:1 to Aeroplan

TD vs CIBC: Both offer nearly identical earn rates and benefits. The main differentiator is the Journie Rewards programme — CIBC Aeroplan cards link with Journie to earn 10 cents per litre off fuel at Ultramar, Pioneer, Chevron, and Fas Gas stations plus bonus Aeroplan points on fuel purchases.

Amex Cobalt strategy: The Cobalt earns 5 Amex MR points per dollar at restaurants, food delivery, and grocery stores. Transferring those to Aeroplan at 1:1 gives you an effective 5 Aeroplan points per dollar on dining — the highest earn rate available for Aeroplan in Canada.

Flying (Earning Miles on Air Canada and Partners)

Aeroplan points earned from flights vary based on:

Ticket price (for Air Canada flights — percentage of base fare)
Booking class (for Star Alliance partners — varies by airline)
Elite status tier (higher status = more points per dollar spent)

Air Canada earn rate (per dollar of base fare):

Aeroplan member (no status): 100% of base fare value in points (roughly 1 Aeroplan pt per CAD spent)
25K status: 125%
35K status: 150%
50K status: 200%
Super Elite 75K: 225%
Super Elite 100K: 300%

Aeroplan Shopping, Hotels & Partners

Earn additional points at hundreds of partners:

Hotels: Marriott Bonvoy, IHG, Hilton (through Amex MR → Aeroplan path)
Car rentals: Hertz, Avis, Budget, Enterprise
Retail partners: Starbucks, The Home Depot Canada, Esso/Mobil (Aeroplan members earn extra points at Esso)
Online shopping: Aeroplan eStore (additional points on top of credit card earn)

Esso + Aeroplan: At Esso and Mobil stations, Aeroplan members earn Aeroplan bonus points in addition to whatever their credit card earns. This stacks with TD and CIBC Aeroplan card earn at Esso/Mobil.

How Much Are Aeroplan Points Worth?

The value of an Aeroplan point varies significantly by redemption type:

Redemption Type	Value per Point (CAD)	Notes
Air Canada economy flight	1.2 – 1.8 ¢	Dynamic pricing; value varies by route
Air Canada business class	1.8 – 2.5 ¢	Better value than economy in most cases
Star Alliance partner economy	1.4 – 2.0 ¢	Fixed partner charts
Star Alliance partner business/first	2.0 – 4.0 ¢	Best value in the programme
Air Canada Vacations packages	1.0 – 1.5 ¢	Decent, but less than flights
Hotel redemptions	0.7 – 1.2 ¢	Generally poor value
Gift cards	0.6 – 0.8 ¢	Very poor value — avoid
Statement credit	~0.5 ¢	Worst redemption — avoid

Target value: Aim for 1.5 cents per point or better on all Aeroplan redemptions. Business class on Star Alliance partners can regularly achieve 3 to 4 cents per point, which represents outstanding value.

Best Aeroplan Redemptions for Canadians

1. Air Canada Transcontinental (East–West) Flights

Toronto to Vancouver in economy runs approximately 12,500 Aeroplan points plus taxes when booked well in advance. At a cash fare of $300 to $400, that’s 2.4 to 3.2 cents per point.

2. Star Alliance Business Class on Lufthansa or Swiss

A business class flight from Toronto or Montreal to Frankfurt or Zurich on Lufthansa or Swiss costs approximately 55,000 Aeroplan points one way. The equivalent cash ticket runs $3,000 to $5,000+ — delivering 5 to 9 cents per point. This is consistently one of the highest-value Aeroplan redemptions.

3. Singapore Airlines Business Class (Suites)

Singapore Airlines First Class (Suites) is bookable through Aeroplan at approximately 110,000 to 150,000 points round trip (routing dependent). Singapore Suites sell for $15,000+ in cash — representing 10+ cents per point at the high end.

4. Air Canada Altitude Upgrades (Co-pays)

Aeroplan members can co-pay cash + points for upgrades on Air Canada flights. When available, these can deliver excellent value at moments when full business class awards aren’t available.

5. North American Partner Routes

Booking United Airlines flights from Canadian cities on Aeroplan points (using Star Alliance partner chart) often delivers strong value — especially when United’s own award prices are high or its own programme charges surcharges.

Transfer Partners

You can transfer points into Aeroplan from:

Programme	Transfer Ratio	Transfer Time	Notes
Amex Membership Rewards	1 MR : 1 Aeroplan	Near-instant	Best transfer in Canada
Marriott Bonvoy	3 Bonvoy : 1 Aeroplan	24–48 hours	5K bonus per 60K transferred
Bilt Rewards	1 Bilt : 1 Aeroplan	Near-instant	US-based programme

Transfers are one-way and non-reversible. Only transfer when you have a specific redemption in mind.

Aeroplan Elite Status Tiers

Earn Aeroplan Elite Status by accumulating Status Qualifying Miles (SQM) or Status Qualifying Segments (SQS) in a calendar year:

Tier	SQM Required	Key Benefits
25K	25,000 SQM	Priority check-in, 25% bonus points, 1 free upgrade request/year
35K	35,000 SQM	Priority boarding, 50% bonus points, 4 upgrade credits
50K	50,000 SQM	Maple Leaf Lounge access, 75% bonus points, 6 upgrade credits
Super Elite 75K	75,000 SQM	Concierge, 150% bonus points, unlimited upgrades (waitlist)
Super Elite 100K	100,000 SQM	Top elite tier, 200% bonus points, dedicated agent

Credit card shortcut: TD and CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege cards include a Status Qualifying Miles bonus and Status Pass that can help you reach lower tiers faster without flying as much.