Aeroplan is Canada's most important loyalty program — and for good reason. It sits at the centre of the Star Alliance, which means Aeroplan points can book flights on over 40 airlines worldwide. If you only learn one program deeply, make it Aeroplan.
What Is Aeroplan?
Aeroplan is Air Canada's loyalty program. You earn points by flying Air Canada, spending on co-branded credit cards, and transferring from Amex Membership Rewards or (for US cardholders) Chase Ultimate Rewards. Crucially, as a Star Alliance member, your Aeroplan points can book award seats on United, Lufthansa, ANA, Singapore Airlines, Turkish Airlines, and 35+ other partners.
How to Earn Aeroplan Points in Canada
- Amex Membership Rewards (Canada) — transfers to Aeroplan at 1:1. Earn 5x on groceries with the Cobalt, then transfer. This is the fastest legitimate earning method in Canada.
- TD Aeroplan Cards — earn directly into Aeroplan. The Infinite earns 1.5x on gas/grocery/Air Canada, the Infinite Privilege earns 2x.
- Amex Aeroplan Cards — the Reserve card earns 3x on Air Canada and 2x on dining.
- CIBC Aeroplan Cards — another direct Aeroplan earning option.
- Flying Air Canada — earn 5–10 points per dollar depending on cabin and status.
Aeroplan Status: Does It Matter?
Yes — especially for award bookings. Aeroplan uses dynamic pricing, which means the points cost of a flight can vary. Having status and holding premium credit cards reduces the impact of this dynamic pricing. The status tiers are 25K, 35K, 50K, 75K, and Super Elite. The lowest two tiers can be earned through credit card spending alone, without flying.
Aeroplan Sweet Spots (From Experience)
All prices below are approximate one-way in points. Partner airline pricing uses Aeroplan's fixed award chart — these are where the real value lives, since Air Canada's own flights now use dynamic pricing.
| Route | Airline | Cabin | Points (One Way) | Why It's a Sweet Spot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto / Seattle → Tokyo | ANA | Business | ~87,500 pts | ANA "The Room" is one of the world's best business class products — fixed chart pricing makes this exceptional value |
| Canada → Europe (YYZ / YVR / YUL) | Swiss / Lufthansa | Business | ~60,000–70,000 pts | Multiple Star Alliance options; Swiss charges no fuel surcharges. First class available for ~90,000–100,000 pts per person |
| Toronto → Bangkok / Southeast Asia | EVA Air | Business | ~87,500 pts | EVA's Royal Laurel is an outstanding product with consistent award availability |
| Toronto → Singapore | Singapore Airlines | Business | ~87,500 pts | Singapore Business Class is world-class; First Class (Suites) also bookable on select flights |
| Toronto → Delhi / South Asia | Air India / Turkish | Business | ~90,000 pts | Air India's new A350 business class is greatly improved; Turkish also excellent routing via Istanbul |
| Toronto → Dubai / Middle East | Turkish Airlines | Business | ~90,000 pts | Turkish Business on 787 is excellent with strong onward Middle East connections |
| New York → Johannesburg via Zurich | SWISS | Business | ~90,000 pts | SWISS business class with no fuel surcharges — one of the best value long-haul redemptions to Africa |
| Newark → Cape Town (nonstop) | United Polaris | Business | ~85,000 pts | United's nonstop EWR–CPT is one of the longest routes in the world — Polaris business class at excellent value |
| Vancouver → Sydney | Air Canada | Business | ~90,000 pts | Pacific zone routing; good option from YVR with decent availability |
What to Watch Out For
- Dynamic pricing on select partners — Air Canada, United, Emirates, and Etihad now use demand-based pricing. Always search multiple dates. Partner airlines like ANA, EVA Air, Swiss, Lufthansa, and Singapore Airlines remain on fixed charts.
- Partner award availability — ANA, EVA, and Singapore availability on Aeroplan can be limited. Search early (330 days out for ANA).
- Fuel surcharges — some partner airlines pass on significant fees. Lufthansa is notorious for this. Factor this into your CPP calculation.
- Amex once-per-lifetime rule — if you've held an Amex Aeroplan card before, check if you're eligible for the welcome bonus again.