Guide to Accumulating Points for Air Canada's Aeroplan Program
Air Canada's Aeroplan program, its loyalty scheme, offers a unique blend of value and savings, particularly for frequent flyers of Star Alliance airlines and North American travelers. However, the question of whether it's worth participating for maximum value depends on one's travel habits and how they leverage the program.
Starting January 1, 2026, Aeroplan will transition to a spend-based model for earning points and elite status, aligning it with U.S. carriers like American and Delta. This means you'll earn points and status based on how much you spend on flights (with Air Canada and partners) rather than distance flown.
Earning Aeroplan Elite status has become easier at the entry level (25K), but harder at higher tiers (35K, 50K, and above) without significant spending. You’ll need to spend more on flexible or premium fares rather than just economy to accumulate status points efficiently.
Once you reach Elite status, the program rewards you with points multipliers (2 to 6 times) on flights, plus increased benefits like worldwide Maple Leaf Lounge guest passes for higher-tier members. For casual or long-haul travelers, the real value lies in redeeming points for award flights, especially by using travel credit cards that transfer points to Aeroplan, such as the American Express Cobalt Card.
Aeroplan's redemption system is a hybrid between zone-based and distance-based pricing, offering sweet spots for award travel but can be complex. Flights on Air Canada are dynamically priced, often reflecting current cash fares, giving you access to more seats for points. Partner airline awards have fixed prices.
Key benefits for international travelers include no carrier-imposed fuel surcharges on award flights, the ability to add stopovers on one-way awards for just 5,000 points, and flexible routing rules with a large Star Alliance partner network, enabling flights across many international destinations.
Downsides include fees for booking, changing, or canceling awards, and relatively low baseline points earning on paid flights. However, Air Canada Signature Class (business class) offers a premium ground and in-flight service, enhancing the travel experience on international routes.
In sum, Aeroplan is most valuable for travelers who fly frequently enough with Air Canada and Star Alliance partners to earn and redeem points effectively and/or hold Aeroplan credit cards for bonus points. Maximizing value on international flights depends heavily on understanding the award chart, booking strategically to exploit sweet spots, and factoring in the new spend-based earning system starting in 2026.
For frequent North American-based international flyers who can spend strategically or hold a credit card that transfers well into Aeroplan, the program remains worth participating in for maximum savings and value. Casual flyers can still gain value by redeeming points smartly but likely will not benefit as much from elite status.
Air Canada, the flag carrier of Canada and the largest passenger airline in Canada, offers direct service to 220 destinations across six continents under three brands: Air Canada, Air Canada Express, and Air Canada Rouge. The airline offers three cabins: economy, premium economy, and business class, with Air Canada Signature Class offering a VIP experience on the ground and in-flight services.
Air Canada is a member of Star Alliance, the world's largest airline alliance, connecting to 1,300 destinations in nearly 200 countries. Aeroplan's website has a Points Predictor Tool to help find expected points prices for flights on Air Canada, and the program offers a family sharing feature where up to eight family members can combine their points for award redemptions without any transfer fees.
Elite members of Aeroplan can choose Select Benefits beyond their standard Core Benefits, including elite status for a friend, Aeroplan Elite Status bonus with Air Canada and select airline partners, eUpgrade credits, and one-time guest passes to the Maple Leaf Lounge. Onboard Air Canada Signature Class, customers are treated to exclusive service and amenities, including a massage function on the chairs. For partner airlines, award prices are fixed.
- Starting 2026, Aeroplan will shift to a spend-based model for earning points and elite status, similar to U.S. carriers like American and Delta.
- Under the new spend-based model, you'll earn points and status based on your flight spending, rather than the distance flown.
- Earning Aeroplan Elite status will become more challenging at higher tiers without significant spending on flexible or premium fares.
- Reaching Elite status comes with rewards like points multipliers on flights, worldwide Maple Leaf Lounge guest passes, and increased benefits for higher-tier members.
- For international travelers, Aeroplan offers benefits such as no fuel surcharges on award flights, stopover options at minimal points, and flexible routing rules for Star Alliance partners.
- Casual flyers can still gain value from Aeroplan by redeeming points smartly, but they may not benefit as much from elite status compared to frequent flyers.
