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How to Book Aeroplan Flights: Step-by-Step Canada Guide 2026

Updated

Booking an Aeroplan award flight is not complicated, but it has enough nuances that first-timers often leave value on the table. This guide walks through the entire booking process — from searching for availability to completing your booking — including tips for finding partner airline awards and avoiding unnecessary fees.

Before You Book: What You Need

Before starting your search, make sure you have:

  1. An active Aeroplan account with a sufficient points balance (or access to Family Sharing members’ balances)
  2. Flexible travel dates — award availability and pricing vary significantly by date
  3. Your passport details if booking international travel
  4. A credit card for taxes, fees, and surcharges (these cannot be paid with points)

If you’re using Aeroplan Family Sharing, confirm all travellers are members of the same group before beginning.

Step 1: Search for Award Availability

  1. Go to aircanada.com
  2. Click “Book” in the navigation, then select “Redeem Aeroplan points”
  3. Enter your origin, destination, travel dates, and number of travellers
  4. Select “Search”

The results page shows available flights with their point costs broken down by cabin class (Economy, Premium Economy, Business).

Use the flexible date calendar — the grid view showing point costs across a range of dates is one of the most useful tools for finding cheaper award windows. Days highlighted in green typically offer the lowest point costs.

Option B: Third-party tools (for partner airlines)

For Star Alliance partner awards (particularly ANA, Singapore Airlines, SWISS, Lufthansa), third-party tools often surface availability faster:

  • Seats.aero — searches partner award space across multiple loyalty programs including Aeroplan-bookable seats
  • Awayz — similar aggregator with airline and cabin filtering

Use these tools to identify dates and flights, then book directly on aircanada.com or by calling Aeroplan.

Step 2: Understand Award Types (Standard vs. Preferred)

Aeroplan offers two award tiers on Air Canada flights:

Award TypePoints CostAvailability
PreferredLowerLimited inventory; released based on Air Canada’s internal yield management
StandardHigherBroader availability; guaranteed if the flight operates

For popular routes or peak dates, Preferred awards may be sold out. Standard awards cost more but are almost always available. The difference can be 20–40% more points for Standard.

Strategy: Always check Preferred pricing first. If it’s not available on your target date, try adjacent dates (±2–3 days) before accepting Standard pricing.

Step 3: Evaluate the Total Cost (Points + Cash Fees)

Award flights are not free — you pay points for the base fare and cash for:

  • Airport improvement fees (varies by airport)
  • Government taxes (mandatory)
  • YQ fuel surcharges (on some partner airlines — see below)

Canadian airport fees are typically $60–$120 per person return for domestic flights, and $150–$350+ for international. These are unavoidable.

Fuel surcharges (YQ):

  • Air Canada awards: No fuel surcharges — Air Canada waived these when the program relaunched in 2020. This is a significant advantage over many other programs.
  • Star Alliance partners: Varies by carrier. Lufthansa and SWISS do pass surcharges, which can add $400–$700 CAD per round trip. ANA passes modest surcharges. United does not pass surcharges.

Always review the full fee breakdown before confirming your booking.

Step 4: Book Your Award

For Air Canada flights (online)

  1. Select your flight(s) from the search results
  2. Review the point cost and fee breakdown
  3. Enter passenger details (name exactly as it appears on passport for international travel)
  4. Select seats if available at no extra charge (some premium seats may require points or fees)
  5. Enter payment for taxes and fees
  6. Confirm booking

You’ll receive a confirmation email with your booking reference number. Check the Air Canada website within 24 hours to verify the booking shows in “My bookings.”

For Star Alliance partner flights (online)

Partner flights appear in the same search results when you enter your origin/destination. The booking process is identical — select the flight, enter passenger details, pay taxes.

Important: Confirm the booking shows in the operating carrier’s system (e.g., on united.com if flying United). If it doesn’t appear within 48 hours, contact Aeroplan.

For complex itineraries (phone booking)

If your itinerary involves:

  • A stopover city
  • An open-jaw routing (fly into one city, return from another)
  • Multiple partner carriers on a single award
  • Availability not showing online

…call Aeroplan directly:

Phone: 1-888-247-2262 (Canada/US)
Hours: Check aircanada.com for current hours
Best times to call: Early morning (7–9 am ET) on weekdays

Have your itinerary details, Aeroplan number, and a credit card ready. Agents can build complex routings that the online tool cannot.

Step 5: Confirm and Manage Your Booking

After booking, log in to your Aeroplan account and verify:

  • Points have been deducted from your balance (or from the appropriate Family Sharing accounts)
  • The booking appears under “My bookings” on aircanada.com
  • Seat assignments are confirmed (especially for long-haul flights where seat choice matters)

Selecting seats

For Air Canada operated flights, visit aircanada.com or the Air Canada app to select seats. Preferred seats (exit rows, bulkheads) are often complimentary for Aeroplan Elite members but may carry a fee for general members.

For partner airline flights, seat selection is typically done on the operating carrier’s website using your booking reference number.

Step 6: Before You Travel

  • Check in using the Air Canada app or website (opens 24 hours before departure for most routes)
  • Verify baggage allowance — award tickets typically have the same baggage rules as the fare class booked. Business class awards usually include 2 checked bags. Economy award tickets include 1 bag for Air Canada.
  • Present your Aeroplan number at check-in to earn Status Qualifying Miles if flying Air Canada or eligible partner flights

Common Aeroplan Booking Mistakes to Avoid

1. Booking non-refundable without checking change fees Award tickets can be changed or cancelled, but fees apply. Know the fee schedule before booking, particularly for expensive trips.

2. Not checking for stopovers Aeroplan allows one free stopover on international round-trip awards. If you’re travelling to Europe or Asia, always check whether adding a stopover city makes sense. It costs no extra points.

3. Ignoring partner airlines Many of the best Aeroplan sweet spot redemptions are on partner airlines like ANA or SWISS. Searching only Air Canada flights leaves value on the table.

4. Forgetting surcharges on partner bookings Lufthansa and SWISS in particular pass significant fuel surcharges. A business class award that looks cheap in points may have $500–$700 in cash fees. Always check the total cost before booking.

5. Booking too close to departure Partner airline award space typically disappears weeks to months before departure. For popular routes and premium cabins, search 6–11 months in advance.

6. Not using flexible date search The flexible date calendar on aircanada.com can reveal off-peak windows that cost 20–40% fewer points. A two-day shift in travel dates can save 15,000–30,000 points on long-haul awards.

Aeroplan Booking FAQ

Can I hold an Aeroplan award before paying? Aeroplan does not currently offer free award holds. You must complete the booking and payment at the time of search.

Can I change my Aeroplan award booking? Yes, for a fee. Changes must be made before departure. The fee varies based on the award type and how far in advance you’re making the change. Check Aeroplan’s current fee schedule at aircanada.com.

What happens if my flight is cancelled? If Air Canada or a partner airline cancels your flight, you are entitled to a refund of your points and taxes/fees. Contact Aeroplan to process the refund.

Can I book one-way Aeroplan awards? Yes. One-way awards are available at half the round-trip point cost (approximately). This is useful for positioning flights or when you’ve booked the other direction separately.

Can I use miles from other programs to book Aeroplan flights? Aeroplan allows point transfers from certain hotel programs (Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors with conversions) and American Express Membership Rewards. Amex MR points convert to Aeroplan at 1:1, making Amex cards a useful way to top up an Aeroplan balance.

Booking procedures and fee schedules are subject to change. Verify current terms and conditions at aircanada.com/aeroplan before booking.