Air Canada Aeroplan may be the loyalty program of a Canadian airline, but you definitely don’t need to live in Canada—or even fly Air Canada regularly—to get value from it.

Aeroplan is one of the most useful airline programs for U.S. travelers thanks to its huge array of airline partners, several major transferable rewards currencies, and some excellent ways to redeem points around the world.

It isn’t the simplest loyalty program by any means—Aeroplan uses a combination of distance-based pricing and dynamic pricing, depending on which airline operates your flight. But once you understand how the program works, Aeroplan points can unlock everything from inexpensive short-haul United flights to business-class trips across the Atlantic.

Here’s what you need to know about earning and redeeming Air Canada Aeroplan points.

 

What Is Air Canada Aeroplan?

Aeroplan is the loyalty program of Air Canada. The airline is Canada’s largest and belongs to the Star Alliance, which gives Aeroplan members the ability to access award flights on partners like United Airlines, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, Turkish Airlines, ANA, and many others.

But Aeroplan’s partner network stretches far beyond the Star Alliance. The program has partnerships with several non-alliance airlines, so members have access to more than 45 partners overall.

This massive partner network is one of Aeroplan’s greatest strengths. You can earn Aeroplan points without ever setting foot on an Air Canada plane, then redeem them for flights to practically anywhere in the world.

 

How To Earn Aeroplan Points

There are quite a few ways to earn Aeroplan points, but for most U.S.-based points and miles enthusiasts, transferable credit card rewards are going to be the easiest.

 

Transfer Credit Card Rewards to Aeroplan

Aeroplan partners with several major transferable rewards programs, and each transfers to Aeroplan at a rate of 1:1. That makes Aeroplan points particularly easy to earn. Instead of committing to Aeroplan every time you swipe a credit card, you can earn flexible rewards and transfer them only when you’re ready to book.

These include:

• American Express Membership Rewards®
• Bilt Rewards
• Capital One miles
• Chase Ultimate Rewards®

As always, it’s best to find award availability before transferring points. Transfers can’t be reversed once you’ve moved rewards into Aeroplan.

 

Earn Points With the Aeroplan Credit Card

U.S. travelers can also earn points directly with the card_name.

The card currently earns:

• 3x points per dollar spent on Air Canada purchases
• 3x points per dollar spent on travel
• 3x points per dollar spent at grocery stores through Dec. 31, 2026, then 2x
• 3x points per dollar spent on dining, including takeout and eligible delivery, through Dec. 31, 2026, then 2x
• 2x points per dollar spent at gas stations
• 1x point per dollar spent on all other purchases

Through the end of 2026, cardholders also earn 500 bonus points for every $2,000 spent in a calendar month, up to 1,500 bonus points per month.

Primary cardholders also receive automatic Aeroplan 25K elite status for as long as they have the account (and it stays in good standing). That can effectively increase earnings on eligible Air Canada flights: You’ll earn 3x points from the card on Air Canada purchases, plus the points you earn as an Aeroplan member when you fly.

 

Earn Aeroplan Points by Flying

Naturally, you can also earn points when flying Air Canada and its partners. As of Jan. 1, 2026, Aeroplan changed how members earn points on eligible Air Canada flights. Instead of earning based primarily on distance flown, general members now earn 1 Aeroplan point per Canadian dollar (about 72 U.S. cents) spent on the base fare and carrier-imposed surcharges, excluding taxes and other fees. Aeroplan Elite members can earn more depending on their status.

Earning with partner airlines varies by operating airline and how the ticket was issued, so check Aeroplan’s earning charts before deciding where to credit a paid flight.

 

How To Redeem Aeroplan Points for Flights

This is where Aeroplan can get a bit more complicated. Aeroplan divides the world into four travel zones: North America, Atlantic, Pacific, and South America. Awards are then priced partly according to the distance you fly.

 

 

However, Aeroplan no longer uses one simple pricing method for every airline. Awards operated by Air Canada and a group Aeroplan calls “Select Partners” have starting prices, but the actual number of points needed for a redemption can vary. Current Select Partners include airlines like United, Emirates, Etihad, and flydubai.

Most other partner airlines still use set distance-based prices for awards. That means two flights covering a similar distance may cost different amounts depending on which airline operates them.

Aeroplan’s award chart last changed on June 1, 2026, so make sure you’re using the current chart when planning a redemption.

 

Some of the Best Ways To Redeem Aeroplan Points

Aeroplan has too many partners and routing possibilities to cover every worthwhile redemption. Instead, start by looking at a few great options.

 

Short-Haul Flights Within North America

Aeroplan can be useful for shorter flights within North America, particularly when cash fares are high.

Flights of up to 500 miles start at 6,000 Aeroplan points each way in economy. Flights between 501 and 1,500 miles start at 10,000 points.

Because United is one of Aeroplan’s Select Partners, you can’t assume every United flight will price at the lowest amount on the chart. Still, check Aeroplan alongside United MileagePlus when booking a domestic flight.

 

Fly to Europe

Aeroplan is still a useful option for transatlantic travel, particularly when you can find award availability on one of its many European partners.

 

 

For flights between North America and the Atlantic zone up to 4,000 miles, economy awards start at 32,500 points each way, and business-class awards start at 60,000 points.

For trips between 4,001 and 6,000 miles, awards start at 42,500 points in economy and 75,000 points in business class.

The Atlantic zone isn’t limited to Europe, either. It also includes Africa, the Middle East, and India, which opens up a plethora of possible routings.

Related: Five Economy Sweet Spots to Europe

 

Add a Stopover for 5,000 Points

One of my favorite Aeroplan features is the ability to add an international stopover to an award for just 5,000 additional points.

Aeroplan allows one stopover per direction of travel, and you can stay in your stopover city for up to 45 days. Stopovers aren’t permitted in Canada or the United States.

This can be a pretty excellent deal if you’re planning a bigger international trip. Instead of just connecting through another city on your way to your destination, you could spend several days there and effectively turn one award into a two-destination trip for only 5,000 extra points.

 

Aeroplan Fees and Surcharges

Another advantage of booking through Aeroplan is that the program doesn’t tack traditional airline-imposed surcharges onto award tickets.

You’ll still pay applicable taxes and third-party fees. And if your award includes a partner airline, Aeroplan charges a flat CAD 39 (about $28) partner booking fee per ticket.

That fee can be annoying on inexpensive awards, but it’s far better than the hundreds of dollars in carrier-imposed surcharges some loyalty programs collect on certain international premium-cabin tickets.

 

Other Ways To Use Aeroplan Points

Flights are generally where you’ll want to focus your Aeroplan points, but they aren’t the only option.

You can also use Aeroplan points for hotels, merchandise, gift cards, and other rewards. You can even redeem points toward certain award-ticket fees.

While this flexibility is nice, nonflight rewards typically aren’t why you’d want to transfer valuable transferable points into Aeroplan. Unless you have a specific reason not to, save them for flights.

 

Do Aeroplan Points Expire?

Normally, Aeroplan points expire after 18 months without qualifying account activity. Earning or redeeming even a small number of points resets the clock.

However, Aeroplan has temporarily paused points expiration through Nov. 29, 2026. Its normal expiration policy is scheduled to resume Nov. 30, 2026.

But with so many ways to earn Aeroplan points, keeping an account active shouldn’t be too difficult.

 

Bottom Line

Aeroplan takes a little more effort to understand than some airline loyalty programs. Between travel zones, distance bands, dynamic pricing on Air Canada and select partners, and fixed pricing on many other partners, there isn’t one simple answer to how much an award will cost. But that complexity comes with a lot of opportunity.

Aeroplan partners with dozens of airlines, accepts transfers from several major credit card rewards programs, doesn’t levy hefty airline surcharges on award tickets, and lets you add an international stopover for only 5,000 points.

You may never fly Air Canada itself, but that doesn’t mean Aeroplan should be off your radar. If you collect transferable points and want more options for booking Star Alliance and other partner awards, Aeroplan is absolutely a program worth knowing.

 

Related Posts

My Take on Air Canada Business Class

Avianca Lifemiles Guide: How to Earn and Redeem Miles for Star Alliance Flights

How To Find Economy Awards to Europe

TAP Business Class Review