Aeroplan credit cards and points

What Aeroplan is

Aeroplan is the loyalty program of Air Canada. You earn points when you fly, shop, stay in hotels and use an Aeroplan credit card. Then you spend the points, mostly on flights.

Air Canada says there are no blackout dates or restrictions when you book Air Canada flights with points, subject to seat availability. Its Aeroplan overview also lists more than 45 partner airlines and more than 1,300 destinations.

There is one thing to know early. Air Canada does not give points a set dollar value. Its terms and conditions say reward costs can be dynamic and that points have no monetary value. So this page does not give you one number to rely on. It shows you how to work out the value for the trip you want.

How you earn Aeroplan points

Air Canada lists several ways to earn. The exact rates change by partner and by card, so we do not repeat them here.

• Flights: Air Canada flights booked for cash on its website or app earn points on the base fare and carrier surcharges. Taxes, fees and third-party charges do not count. Every fare class counts, including Basic, on eligible flights.
• Partners: points on partner airlines, hotels, car rentals and vacation packages.
• Shopping: the Aeroplan eStore online, and popular retailers in store.
• Everyday links: Starbucks Rewards, Journie Rewards, Uber and Uber Eats, and the LCBO.
• Aeroplan credit cards: points go to the primary cardholder. Air Canada says showing your membership and paying with an Aeroplan card can earn points twice.

Air Canada’s earning page does not list the rates. We show the cards that earn Aeroplan points, and their rates, on our own card pages.

What Aeroplan points are worth

Aeroplan has no fixed redemption rate. A flight reward is priced in points, and that price follows the cash price of the ticket. A cheap fare costs fewer points. An expensive fare costs more. High-demand dates can cost more than the usual range.

That means the value of a point is a sum you do yourself. Take the cash price of the flight. Subtract any taxes and fees you still pay. Divide what is left by the points you spend. The answer is the cents you get per point on that trip.

Our calculator uses 1.5 cents per point as a mid-range estimate for economy trips. That is our own estimate, not an Air Canada rate. Your results can be higher or lower.

Flight rewards and the reward chart

Air Canada flights and partner flights are priced in two different ways.

Air Canada publishes a Flight Reward Chart so you can see the likely range before you search. It also offers a Points Predictor Tool with estimated one-way ranges. Flights start at 6,000 points for an economy one-way trip of up to 500 miles. Check the live chart on Air Canada’s redeem page before you plan.

The chart changed on June 1, 2026. Some prices went up and some went down. Air Canada’s update notice gives these examples.

The notice says the new prices apply to tickets booked or reissued on or after June 1, 2026. It also lists many more changes by region, distance and cabin.

• Stopovers: each stopover adds 5,000 points. It must be outside Canada and the United States, with more than 24 hours between flights. You can stay up to 45 days. You get one stopover per direction.
• Trip types: one-way, round-trip, open-jaw and multi-city trips are allowed.
• Names: tickets must use your full legal name as on your passport. Names cannot be changed after the ticket is issued.
• Cancelling: you can cancel at no charge within 24 hours of booking. After that, changes and cancellations are allowed up to two hours before departure, and a fee may apply.
• Reward flights do not earn Aeroplan points or Status Qualifying Credits.

Other ways to redeem

Flights are the main use. Air Canada’s redeem page lists more.

• Points + Cash: split a flight between points and cash at checkout on aircanada.com or the Air Canada app. If you pay part in cash, taxes must be paid in cash too.
• Hotels: HotelSavers says you can save up to 30% on hotel redemptions. That is a top figure, not a set rate.
• Car rentals: available at more than 11,000 locations worldwide.
• Air Canada Vacations: pay for a full trip with points.
• Extras: AC Bid Upgrades and in-flight Wi-Fi passes.
• Aeroplan eStore: merchandise, gift cards, activities and travel experiences.

Air Canada does not publish a fixed points rate for these. Compare the points price with the cash price each time. Use the three steps above.

You can also change how many points you hold. Air Canada’s Your Aeroplan page says you can buy points to top up your account, buy points as a gift, donate points to a participating charity, or transfer points to another member for a fee. The page does not give prices, fees or limits, so check the details before you act.

Expiry and activity rules

Aeroplan points expire if your account goes quiet. Air Canada’s inactivity policy sets the rules.

• The limit: points expire after 18 months with no activity.
• What counts: earning, redeeming, donating, transferring or converting points. Earning or redeeming at least 1 point within 18 months keeps your points active.
• Exempt: primary TD Aeroplan, American Express Aeroplan and CIBC Aeroplan cardholders, and Aeroplan Elite Status members.
• Warning: Aeroplan emails you up to 60 days before points expire. Your inactivity date shows under the Activity tab of your dashboard.
• Getting points back: within 6 months of expiry you can pay a fee to reinstate points, fly with Air Canada, or apply for an Aeroplan credit card.

The page does not state the buy-back fee, and it does not say whether a credit card application restores every point. Aeroplan’s terms add that it may close an account after 3 consecutive years of inactivity.

Family sharing and Elite status

Family Sharing lets members pool points. Air Canada’s Family Sharing page lists the rules.

• Size: up to 8 members, with a Family Lead who is 18 or older.
• Pooling: all of a member’s points go into the shared balance. You cannot add only some.
• Cost: joining is free, with no transfer fees inside the pool.
• Redemptions: points come from the shared balance, taken in proportion from each member.
• Leaving: stay at least three months before you leave. Then wait six months before joining or starting another pool.
• Activity: any redemption from the pool keeps every member’s account active.

The page says creating a new pool is temporarily unavailable. Existing pools can still add and remove members.

Elite status is the other big lever. Air Canada’s status page sets the levels by Status Qualifying Credits (SQC) earned in a calendar year. Each level also comes with eUpgrade credits.

Status applies for the rest of the qualifying year and the following year. Partners can add up to 25,000 SQC a year, and Aeroplan credit cards can add up to 25,000 SQC combined.

Getting the most value

Because Aeroplan has no fixed rate, the way you book decides the value. These habits help.

Who Aeroplan suits

Aeroplan suits people who fly Air Canada or its partners and are happy to compare prices before they book.

• Good fit: you fly Air Canada often, you want to book with no blackout dates, or you want to share points with family.
• Good fit: you like to plan trips and check a few prices.
• Think twice: you want one clear value for every point, or you want plain cash back.
• Also check: your annual card fee against what you will really redeem, using the earning cards on our Aeroplan pages.

Start with a flight you actually want. Price it in cash and in points. If the value per point is good, redeem. If not, wait or pay cash.