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Air Canada’s Aeroplan program flies beneath the radar, but it surely is likely one of the most respected and rewarding Star Alliance airline packages.
The Aeroplan program is the loyalty program provided by Canada’s largest airline, Air Canada. It permits vacationers to earn and redeem factors for numerous travel-related rewards.
Aeroplan nonetheless makes use of printed award charts for accomplice flights — a rarity in a loyalty world more and more pushed by dynamic pricing.
Even in the event you by no means plan to go to Canada, this program is value realizing about as a result of it’s straightforward to earn and redeem Aeroplan factors, particularly on accomplice airways like United Airways.
Right here is all the things that you must learn about Air Canada Aeroplan.
Associated: Why Air Canada Aeroplan has turn into my favourite Star Alliance loyalty program
Air Canada Aeroplan companions
Air Canada is a Star Alliance member, so you may earn and redeem Aeroplan factors with any taking part service. Greater than two dozen airways worldwide are full members, providing you with huge geographical protection.
A number of the largest Star Alliance hubs embrace Chicago’s O’Hare Worldwide Airport (ORD), Frankfurt Airport (FRA), Istanbul Airport (IST) and Tokyo’s Haneda Airport (HND).
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The following airways are a part of Star Alliance:
- Aegean Airways
- Air Canada
- Air China
- Air India
- Air New Zealand
- All Nippon Airways
- Asiana Airways
- Austrian Airways
- Avianca
- Brussels Airways
- Copa Airways
- Croatia Airways
- Egyptair
- Ethiopian Airways
- EVA Airways
- LOT Polish Airways
- Lufthansa
- Shenzhen Airways
- Singapore Airways
- South African Airways
- Swiss
- TAP Air Portugal
- Thai Airways
- Turkish Airways
- United Airways
Nevertheless, Aeroplan additionally has relationships with many carriers outdoors of Star Alliance. In truth, Air Canada has leaned closely into these partnerships in recent times, even successful a TPG Award for this funding in 2021.
The next airways are nonalliance Aeroplan companions — although some advantages solely apply when reserving a flight with an Air Canada flight quantity:
- Aer Lingus (codeshare solely)
- Air Creebec
- Air Dolomiti
- Air Mauritius
- Air Serbia
- Azul Brazilian Airways
- Bamboo Airways
- Calm Air
- Canadian North
- Cathay Pacific
- Central Mountain Air (codeshare solely)
- Uncover Airways
- Edelweiss Air (codeshare solely)
- Emirates
- Etihad Airways
- Eurowings
- Flydubai
- Gol Airways
- Gulf Air
- Juneyao Air (Star Alliance connecting accomplice)
- Lufthansa Metropolis Airways
- Center East Airways (codeshare solely)
- Olympic Airways
- Oman Air
- PAL Airways
- SriLankan Airways (codeshare solely)
- SunExpress
- Virgin Australia
You should definitely overview the knowledge on Air Canada’s airline accomplice web page to grasp the complete scope of every service’s partnership.
Air Canada Aeroplan elite standing
Air Canada Aeroplan rewards frequent Air Canada and Star Alliance flyers with priceless perks like seat upgrades, free checked baggage and different advantages throughout 5 completely different standing tiers.
To qualify, you will must earn a set variety of status-qualifying miles or status-qualifying segments along with accruing a minimal quantity of status-qualifying {dollars}. Standing Qualifying Miles (SQMs) are calculated primarily based in your flight distance, Standing Qualifying Segments (SQSs) are primarily based on what number of flights you credit score to Aeroplan and Standing Qualifying {Dollars} (SQDs) are primarily based on how a lot you spend on tickets. Word that SQDs are primarily based on Canadian {dollars}.
This is a have a look at the necessities for every standing tier:
- Aeroplan 25K: 25,000 SQMs or 25 SQSs, plus 3,000 SQDs
- Aeroplan 35K: 35,000 SQMs or 35 SQSs, plus 4,000 SQDs
- Aeroplan 50K: 50,000 SQMs or 50 SQSs, plus 6,000 SQDs
- Aeroplan 75K: 75,000 SQMs or 75 SQSs, plus 9,000 SQDs
- Aeroplan Tremendous Elite: 100,000 SQMs or 100 SQSs, plus 20,000 SQDs
The upper your standing, the extra advantages you may take pleasure in when flying with Air Canada and its accomplice airways. Advantages embrace:
- Aeroplan 25K: Complimentary most well-liked seats at check-in for all locations with the acquisition of a Commonplace of Flex fare, precedence airport standby, two checked baggage, precedence boarding, two one-time Maple Leaf visitor lounge passes, 5 extra eUpgrade credit, Avis Most popular Plus standing, Star Alliance Silver standing, 3 bonus factors per Canadian greenback spent on lodge stays and automotive rental reserving in addition to 2 bonus factors per Canadian greenback spent on the Aeroplan eStore and extra
- Aeroplan 35K: All advantages of 25K plus three checked baggage whole, precedence safety and baggage dealing with, 15 eUpgrade credit and extra
- Aeroplan 50K: All advantages of 35K plus complimentary seat choice, most well-liked seats on the time of reserving with a Commonplace of Flex fare for journey inside Canada or between Canada and the USA, Maple Leaf lounge entry, an extra one-time Maple Leaf visitor lounge move, Star Alliance Gold standing together with lounge entry, Air Canada Cafe entry, 20 eUpgrade credit, 5,000 SQMs and 5 SQSs and extra
- Aeroplan 75K: All advantages of 50K plus most well-liked seats on the time of reserving with a Commonplace of Flex fare for all itineraries, 35 eUpgrade credit, present 35K standing to a pal, Avis President’s Membership standing and extra
- Aeroplan Tremendous Elite: All advantages of 75K plus complimentary most well-liked seats on all bookings, concierge service, an extra one-time Maple Leaf visitor lounge move, arrivals lounge entry at London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR), 50 eUpgrade credit, share your eUpgrade profit with a nominee, present 50K standing to a pal, complimentary adjustments and cancelations to Aeroplan flight rewards and extra
Learn how to earn Air Canada Aeroplan factors
It is surprisingly straightforward to earn Air Canada Aeroplan factors, even in the event you’re not flying Air Canada.
Flying with Air Canada
In contrast to most U.S. carriers, Air Canada has continued to award factors primarily based on flight distance. You additionally must issue your fare class into your calculations. Some fares earn as little as 10% of miles flown, whereas business-class fares earn 150% of miles flown.
This is a have a look at how a lot every fare earns:
Flying with Star Alliance and nonalliance companions
You may earn factors the identical means when flying with an Air Canada accomplice, however the variety of factors you will earn per mile flown varies by airline. Your accomplice’s incomes chart is on Air Canada’s airline accomplice web page. Simply discover your accomplice on the checklist and click on on it.
Earn factors with the Air Canada Aeroplan bank card
New Chase Aeroplan® Credit score Card candidates can earn as much as 100,000 bonus factors: 75,000 factors after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening, plus an extra 25,000 factors after spending $20,000 on purchases within the first 12 months of account opening.
In our December 2024 valuations, TPG values Aeroplan at 1.5 cents every, making this sign-up bonus value $1,500. Regardless of such a priceless welcome bonus, the Chase Aeroplan card has an annual price of simply $95.
With triple factors in a number of classes, month-to-month bonus factors, assertion credit, Aeroplan elite standing and discounted award pricing, this card is extremely priceless, particularly in the event you ever fly Air Canada.
Transferring bank card factors to Aeroplan
You may switch the next bank card rewards to Aeroplan at a 1:1 switch ratio:
The next playing cards all at the moment provide sturdy welcome bonuses with factors and miles that you could switch to your Aeroplan account:
You may typically even discover limited-time switch bonuses with these currencies. As well as, holders of the Aeroplan Credit score Card can obtain a 10% bonus after they switch not less than 50,000 Final Rewards factors to Aeroplan (as much as 25,000 bonus factors yearly).
Associated: Why transferable factors are value greater than different rewards
Incomes with retail companions
Air Canada has an internet purchasing portal that allows you to earn Aeroplan factors with third-party distributors, equivalent to Apple, Uber Eats and different fashionable retailers. You may click on by means of the product owner’s hyperlink on the Air Canada eStore earlier than you make a purchase order, and you may earn a set variety of factors per greenback spent in your buy. This may be a good way to earn bonus factors on on a regular basis purchases.
Word: Not all Air Canada retail companions are legitimate for points-earning purchases within the U.S. and Canada. Some are Canada-only, so double-check on the accomplice web page earlier than buying.
Air Canada for Enterprise
Air Canada has a enterprise rewards program dubbed Air Canada for Enterprise.
Companies can use this program to earn extra Aeroplan factors for each journey flown, take pleasure in as much as a 5% low cost on all Flex fares and better for enterprise journey bookings, and for a restricted time, for each $50,000 in flown journey spend, workers earn double Aeroplan factors and the corporate will obtain 10,000 bonus SQMs.
Learn how to redeem Air Canada Aeroplan factors
You should use your Aeroplan factors to fly worldwide; Air Canada presents an enormous route community by itself, however its lengthy checklist of alliance and nonalliance companions expands this checklist even additional.
In contrast to many U.S. carriers, Air Canada has saved a normal award chart with fastened flights operated by accomplice airways and flights operated by Air Canada priced dynamically (inside a spread of the award chart). This implies you may e book award flights at predictable costs, particularly if you’re flying with companions. It additionally eliminated gasoline surcharges, so you will solely pay minimal taxes plus a 39 Canadian greenback (about $27.60) accomplice reserving price (if relevant).
Aeroplan’s award chart
Aeroplan employs a hybrid distance- and region-based award chart. You may pay primarily based in your flight size, however pricing varies primarily based on the area you fly to and from. You may discover that every may be very broadly outlined.
To search out the price of an award, decide the areas you are flying from and to. Then calculate the gap between your origin and vacation spot utilizing a software like Nice Circle Mapper. Subsequent, discover the award chart on your area pair within the Air Canada award chart to find out the price of your flight.
Right here is the chart for journey inside North America:
Air Canada flights with Commonplace award area might be priced on the decrease finish of the spectrum, whereas flights with out this might be priced increased.
The very best methods to redeem Air Canada Aeroplan factors
The Aeroplan award chart is stuffed with fascinating candy spots and nice offers. Listed here are a few of the finest methods to maximise the award chart and this system’s fascinating options, equivalent to stopovers on one-way award tickets.
Fly Air Canada off-peak
Aeroplan’s system of dynamically pricing flights operated by Air Canada but nonetheless throughout the confines of an award chart can result in some distinctive pricing. On peak dates, equivalent to summer time flights to Europe, the costs might be unreasonably excessive and never an awesome redemption possibility.
Nevertheless, if you’re prepared to journey off-peak, nice offers might be had. Strive seasonal flights within the first and final month of the season (you should utilize Air Canada’s Wikipedia web page to verify which locations are seasonal) for engaging pricing on low-demand dates, with long-haul business-class flights as little as 60,000 Aeroplan factors and even cheaper in the event you have the Aeroplan bank card.
Associated: A overview of Air Canada enterprise class on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner from Montreal to London
Guide a mini round-the-world journey with stopovers
For five,000 factors apiece, you may add one stopover to one-way tickets and two stopovers to round-trip tickets. These stopovers might be anyplace worldwide, and Aeroplan permits you to get artistic together with your routing.
The one main restriction to recollect is that your connecting flight can not require greater than double the mileage price of a nonstop flight to your last vacation spot. This opens up a whole lot of fascinating bookings. For instance, you may e book a mini round-the-world journey that takes benefit of a stopover, two round-trip tickets and a number of 24-hour layovers. Even higher, now you can e book stopover tickets on-line, however you could must name in to e book extra advanced itineraries with extra layovers.
Associated: The entire information to Aeroplan’s stopover and routing guidelines
Fly domestically on United from 6,000 factors
You may e book financial system flights on United Airways throughout the continental U.S. and Canada from simply 6,000 Aeroplan factors for flights as much as 500 miles in size, equivalent to from Newark Liberty Worldwide Airport (EWR) to many Northeastern locations. Saver availability is proscribed, however in the event you’re versatile in your journey dates, this is usually a unbelievable worth.
Fly accomplice airways from the East Coast to Europe
Many flights from the East Coast to Europe fall into the zero to 4,000 miles tier on the North America-to-Atlantic award chart, and there are many accomplice airways flying throughout the Atlantic who repeatedly launch seats to Aeroplan, together with Lufthansa, United, Swiss, LOT Polish and Austrian Airways.
These flights price simply 60,000 factors in enterprise class and 90,000 factors in first-class, in order that they’re a good way to hop throughout the Atlantic. And even when your routing is longer, the business-class award price is simply 70,000 factors for as much as 6,000 miles flown.
These choices are cheaper than what different Star Alliance packages, equivalent to Avianca LifeMiles and United MileagePlus, cost for a similar flights, particularly since LifeMiles elevated their charges for Lufthansa first-class to Europe.
Fly enterprise class to India for 90,000 factors
You may e book Star Alliance companions like United, Air India and Turkish Airways between the U.S. and India for simply 90,000 factors every means in enterprise class or 55,000 factors in financial system class. Better of all, there are not any gasoline surcharges.
Backside line
Air Canada’s Aeroplan loyalty program is nice. Stable redemption charges, versatile stopovers and no gasoline surcharges imply you will get some wonderful offers on award tickets. It additionally companions with lots of the largest transferable factors packages, so you could be sitting on rewards that may finally turn into Aeroplan factors.
Even in the event you aren’t planning to go to Canada or fly on Air Canada, it is best to contemplate this system on your subsequent factors switch or main redemption.
