The Essential Aeroplan Guide
Canada’s most powerful airline loyalty program — credit cards, earning strategy, and how to avoid the common mistakes.
Best for: families, flexible travellers, international, business class, points maximizers
What is Aeroplan?
Aeroplan is Air Canada’s loyalty program and one of the most popular travel rewards programs in Canada.
Aeroplan points can be redeemed for flights on Air Canada as well as more than 50 partner airlines around the world.
This flexibility is the reason Aeroplan has become my second favourite travel rewards program.
What are Aeroplan points worth?
Like most travel rewards programs, the value is in how you redeem them.
Many travellers redeem Aeroplan points for 1.5 to 2 cents per point. However, premium cabin flights can provide significantly more value. I will aim for at least 1.5 cents per point when booking economy, but the best value is often found in business class where redemptions can exceed 5 cents per point.
The key isn’t knowing exactly what your points are worth. The key is understanding where your points get you the most value.
How do you earn Aeroplan points?
CREDIT CARDS
Aeroplan credit cards from TD, CIBC, and American Express allow you to earn Aeroplan points on everyday spending while also providing travel benefits such as free checked bags and preferred pricing.
AMERICAN EXPRESS MEMBERSHIP REWARDS
The highest-earning credit card for Aeroplan points isn’t a co-branded Aeroplan card, it’s the Amex Cobalt. The Cobalt earns 5x points on groceries and restaurants, and Membership Rewards points transfer to Aeroplan at a 1:1 ratio. That beats every Aeroplan-branded card on pure earning potential. So unless you’re chasing a specific welcome bonus or status perks, the Cobalt is your best everyday tool for stacking up Aeroplan points.
FLYING WITH AIR CANADA AND PARTNER AIRLINES
You earn Aeroplan points when flying on Air Canada and many of their partner airlines.
SHOPPING THROUGH THE AEROPLAN ONLINE STORE
Make the Aeroplan eStore your first stop when shopping online to earn additional points when shopping with participating retailers.
EVERYDAY PARTNERS
Earn more points with your everyday shopping:
- Starbucks
- Uber
- Uber Eats
- Journie Rewards
- and more
MY FAVOURITE AEROPLAN EARNING STRATEGY
If I could only use two cards, I’d choose:
This combo gives me Aeroplan benefits when flying Air Canada while I’m earning transferable points quickly on everyday spending.
Aeroplan cards explained
There are several Aeroplan credit cards available in Canada, and the right one for you depends on how often you travel and what benefits matter most to you.
ENTRY TIER
These cards have a low annual fee, or none at all, and require minimal annual income. The trade-off is that they do not offer any additional Aeroplan perks such as free checked bags or lounge access.
CORE TIER
For most Canadians, I recommend starting with either of these cards:
These cards typically offer strong welcome bonuses, a free checked bag on Air Canada flights, and preferred pricing on some Aeroplan redemptions.
PREMIUM TIER
If you travel frequently or value airport perks, you may want to consider:
- American Express Aeroplan Reserve
- TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege
- CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege
These cards offer benefits such as airport lounge access, priority airport services, and additional Air Canada perks.
BUSINESS TIER
If you run a business, you might consider:
BOTTOM LINE
For most families, the Visa Infinite cards provide the best balance between cost and value.
Aeroplan Welcome Bonus rules
Aeroplan has become stricter about how welcome bonuses are earned. You can only earn the welcome bonus once per tier.
The best approach is simple:
- Apply for cards you genuinely plan to use
- Avoid opening multiple Aeroplan cards at the same time
- Focus on earning and redeeming points rather than chasing every available bonus
Rules and offers can change, so always review the current terms before applying.
Why families love Aeroplan
One of the biggest advantages of Aeroplan is that every seat on Air Canada flights can be booked using points. Any seat, no artificial limits, no blackout periods.
That doesn’t mean the redemption will always be a good deal, but it does mean families have access to more reward inventory than most other programs.
Family Sharing is another major benefit. It allows family members to pool their Aeroplan points into one shared balance, making it easier to save for meaningful trips.
Who should get an Aeroplan card?
Aeroplan isn’t the right fit for everyone, but it might be the best program in Canada for certain types of travellers.
Aeroplan is a great choice if:
you want maximum flexibility
Aeroplan points can be used on Air Canada and more than 50 airline partners, giving you far more options than most airline-specific loyalty programs.
you travel internationally
Some of the best Aeroplan redemptions are found on international routes when flying partner airlines.
you travel as a family
Family Sharing makes it easy to pool points from multiple family members into one account.
you want premium cabin travel
Aeroplan is a great way for Canadians to book business class flights using points.
you already collect membership rewards points
If you have an American Express Cobalt card, Aeroplan becomes even more powerful because Membership Rewards transfer to Aeroplan at a 1:1 ratio.
An Aeroplan card may not be the best fit if:
you only fly within Canada
Aeroplan still works, but domestic routes don’t usually offer the same value as international partner redemptions.
you want the simplest program possible
There is a learning curve to getting the most out of Aeroplan. If you want something more straightforward, programs like WestJet Rewards may feel easier.
you just want cash back
If your goal is simply reducing everyday expenses, a cash back card may be a better fit.
My takeaway
If I was getting started with points, and I wanted to travel more with my family, Aeroplan is a strong contender for the first program I would learn.
It isn’t the easiest program to master in Canada, but, in my opinion, it’s one of the most rewarding.
How I would earn my first 100,000 Aeroplan points
If I were starting from scratch today, here’s exactly what I would do.
Step 1: get an Aeroplan Visa Infinite card
I would start with either:
These cards frequently offer strong welcome bonuses and provide benefits like a free checked bag when flying Air Canada.
These cards frequently offer strong welcome bonuses and provide benefits like a free checked bag when flying Air Canada.
Step 2: have my partner get one too
Many Canadian families focus on earning points through spending, but the fastest way to build a balance starts with the welcome bonus.
If both partners earn a welcome bonus, you accelerate your progress dramatically.
Step 3: set up family sharing
Aeroplan Family Sharing allows multiple family members to combine points into a single pool.
Instead of having two smaller balances, you’ll have one larger pool working toward your next trip.
Step 4: add the Amex Cobalt card
Once the Aeroplan cards are in place, I would add an American Express Cobalt card. This is my favourite everyday spending card because Membership Rewards points transfer to Aeroplan at a 1:1 ratio.
Groceries, restaurants, food delivery, and many everyday purchases can help build your Aeroplan balance quickly.
Step 5: set my travel goal
Don’t collect points just to collect points. Pick a destination. As my husband likes to say, you can’t get there unless you know where you’re going!
Whether it’s Hawaii, Europe, Mexico, or a family visit across Canada, having a goal makes it much easier to know which cards to open, how many points you need, and most importantly – when you’re ready to book!
What this could look like
A couple following this strategy can earn enough points for meaningful travel within their first year.
The exact number will depend on the welcome offer, day-to-day spending, and which cards are available at the time, but reaching 100,000 Aeroplan points is an absolutely attainable goal for many Canadian families.
So what does 100,000 get you?
How far does that get me?
One of the most common questions I get is:
“How many Aeroplan points do I actually need?”
The answer depends on where you’re going and how you want to get there.
Hawaii
- Economy: 40,000–70,000 points
- Business Class: 100,000+ points
Mexico
- Economy: 35,000–60,000 points
- Business Class: 80,000+ points
Europe
- Economy: 60,000–90,000 points
- Business Class: 70,000+ points one-way on partner airlines
Asia
- Economy: 70,000–120,000 points
- Business Class: 75,000–120,000+ points one-way
Why Aeroplan is different
Most Canadians think Aeroplan and Air Canada are the same thing.
They’re not.
Air Canada is just one airline. Aeroplan gives you access to more than 50 airline partners around the world.
Many airline loyalty programs only allow you to redeem points on one airline.
Aeroplan is different. When you earn Aeroplan points, you’re gaining access to a network of airlines that can take you
almost anywhere in the world.
This is huge. Air Canada flights typically use dynamic pricing. Pricing for partner airlines uses distance-based fixed pricing which often offers the best value in the program.
My favourite redemption
This summer my family is flying Lufthansa, Business Class, to Nice, France.
The South of France
Flat-bed seats
70,000 Aeroplan points per person.
When I searched similar Air Canada-operated flights, the price was over 235,000 Aeroplan points per person.
For me, the best Aeroplan value comes from learning how to use partner airlines.
Features worth knowing about
Family sharing
Combine points with all family members.
Stopovers
Aeroplan allows stopovers on many international itineraries for just 5,000 additional points. This can be a great way to visit two destinations on one trip.
Example:
Vancouver → Lisbon (5 days) → Paris
Instead of visiting one destination, you get two.
Preferred pricing
All Aeroplan primary credit card holders receive preferred pricing on Air Canada reward flights.
Elite status explained
Elite status is earned through frequent flying on Air Canada and Star Alliance airline partners, spending on eligible credit cards, and making purchases through Aeroplan’s partners. Benefits can include:
- Priority boarding
- Free checked bags
- Lounge access
- eUpgrade credits
- Priority airport services
For most families, I recommend focusing on earning and redeeming points first. Elite Status is nice to have, but it’s not necessary to get tremendous value from Aeroplan.
What I don’t like about Aeroplan
Aeroplan isn’t perfect. A few things frustrate me:
- Air Canada uses dynamic pricing–higher demand, higher cost
- Reward prices can vary dramatically
- Finding great redemptions takes some searching
- Popular routes and peak travel dates can be expensive (I mentioned dynamic pricing)
- The program has a learning curve for beginners
The good news is that once you understand where the value is hiding, Aeroplan becomes much easier to use.
Common Aeroplan mistakes to avoid
Mistake #1: Aeroplan ≠ Air Canada
Some of the best value comes from partner airlines.
Mistake #2: gift cards
Gift cards typically provide poor value compared to flights.
Mistake #3: searching only domestic flights
So many people assume points couldn’t possibly cover an international trip. Not true! Many of the best Aeroplan redemptions are international.
Mistake #4: collecting points without a goal
How will you know when you’ve got there? It’s much easier to maximize Aeroplan when you have a destination in mind.
My rating
| Category | Rating |
|---|---|
| Simplicity | ✈️✈️✈️✈️ |
| Beginner friendly | ✈️✈️✈️✈️ |
| Family travel | ✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️ |
| Flexibility | ✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️ |
| Earning potential | ✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️ |
| Companion voucher | — |
| Overall | ✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️ |
Final thoughts
Aeroplan isn’t perfect, and finding great redemptions can be frustrating when you’re first starting out.
But if you’re willing to be a little flexible, spend some time learning the program and how to maximize, the rewards can be incredible. I’ve flown from Mexico City to Vancouver in business class for only 1,000 more points than flying economy.
And my family is flying to Nice, France for just 70,000 Aeroplan points per person–in Business Class!
That’s what keeps me coming back to Aeroplan. The best travel experiences I’ve ever booked would have been completely out of reach if I had paid cash.
I’d love to help you make Aeroplan work for you. Book a consult with me here.