How to Earn and Redeem Aeroplan Points with Air Canada

If you’re looking to travel more while spending less, Air Canada’s Aeroplan loyalty program is a great place to start. Whether you’re a frequent flyer or just getting into the points and miles game, Aeroplan offers flexible ways to earn and redeem points across a wide variety of travel experiences.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about earning Aeroplan points, the best ways to redeem them, and pro tips to stretch your rewards even further.

What Is Air Canada Aeroplan?

Aeroplan is the frequent flyer program of Air Canada. It allows you to earn points when flying with Air Canada and its Star Alliance partners, as well as through everyday purchases using Aeroplan-affiliated credit cards, hotel stays, car rentals, and even shopping online.

One of the key features of Aeroplan is its dynamic pricing model for flights with Air Canada, and fixed pricing when booking with Star Alliance and other partner airlines. This gives members a great deal of flexibility depending on their travel goals.

How to Earn Aeroplan Points

1. Flying with Air Canada or Partner Airlines

Earn points by flying on Air Canada or any of the 25+ Star Alliance member airlines such as United Airlines, Lufthansa, ANA, and more. The number of points you earn depends on your fare class, distance flown, and elite status (if any).

2. Credit Cards

One of the fastest ways to earn Aeroplan points is through Aeroplan-affiliated credit cards. In Canada, TD, CIBC, and American Express offer co-branded Aeroplan cards with welcome bonuses that can range from 10,000 to over 100,000 points.

Some popular cards include:

• TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite
• American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card
• CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege

These cards also let you earn points on everyday purchases like groceries, gas, and dining.

3. Hotel and Car Rental Partners

Book with hotel chains like Marriott Bonvoy or car rentals with Avis and Budget to earn Aeroplan points. Marriott points can also be transferred to Aeroplan at a 3:1 ratio, with a bonus of 5,000 Aeroplan points when you transfer 60,000 Marriott points.

4. Shopping and Dining

Use the Aeroplan eStore to shop online with over 200 retailers like Apple, Sephora, and Indigo. You can also link your credit card to Aeroplan’s dining program to earn points at participating restaurants.

How to Redeem Aeroplan Points

1. Flights

You can redeem points for flights with Air Canada and over 45 partner airlines. Booking through Aeroplan’s website is easy, and you’ll see how many points you need based on the route, demand, and seat class.

Aeroplan uses a zonal and distance-based award chart for partner airlines, which makes it easy to predict how many points a flight will cost.

Sample Redemptions:

• North America to Europe (economy): ~35,000–60,000 points one-way
• North America to Asia (business class): ~75,000–105,000 points one-way

2. Upgrades

Use your points to upgrade to premium economy or business class on eligible Air Canada flights.

3. Non-flight Rewards

Points can also be used for:

• Hotel stays
• Car rentals
• Merchandise via the Aeroplan eStore
• Gift cards

However, flight redemptions generally offer the best value for your points.

Aeroplan Elite Status

If you fly frequently, you may qualify for Aeroplan Elite Status, which gives you benefits like priority check-in, free baggage, lounge access, and bonus point multipliers.

Status levels:

• 25K
• 35K
• 50K
• 75K
• Super Elite (100K+)

Tips to Maximize Your Aeroplan Points

1. Book Early for Better Rates: Air Canada redemptions use dynamic pricing, so early bookings usually cost fewer points.
2. Take Advantage of Stopovers: Add a stopover for just 5,000 extra points when booking with partner airlines. For example, fly from Toronto to Tokyo with a stopover in Vancouver.
3. Use the Aeroplan eStore During Promotions: Earn 5x or even 10x points during limited-time offers.
4. Transfer Credit Card Points: If you have American Express Membership Rewards or Marriott Bonvoy, transfer to Aeroplan during bonus events.
5. Family Sharing: Use Aeroplan’s Family Sharing feature to pool points with up to 8 members and redeem faster.

Final Thoughts

Air Canada’s Aeroplan program offers one of the most flexible and rewarding frequent flyer experiences available to Canadians and international travelers alike. With so many ways to earn and redeem, Aeroplan points are a valuable currency in the world of travel hacking.

Whether you’re dreaming of a luxury trip across the world or a short weekend getaway, Aeroplan can help you get there using points—not cash.

Ready to start earning? Sign up for Aeroplan and start planning your next getaway today.