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How to Maximize Aeroplan Points

By PointsExplainedLast reviewed

Pick the right earning card

Compare Aeroplan and other airline cards at /ca/credit-cards/airline using the figures on each card's page. If you hold American Express Membership Rewards points, check the current conversion terms before transferring, because a transfer can't be reversed.

Price the trip in points and in cash

Search the flight reward on aircanada.com and note the points plus the taxes and fees. Divide the cash fare you would otherwise pay by the points required, and compare that with other ways to use the same points.

Use the booking features

On an international trip, consider a stopover: one per direction, for 5,000 points, in a city outside Canada and the U.S. On partner airlines, allow for the per-ticket Partner Booking Fee.

Keep your account active

Earn or redeem at least one point in every 18-month period unless you hold a qualifying Aeroplan credit card or Elite Status. Your points inactivity date is shown under the Activity tab in your Aeroplan account.

Where this comes from

Sources

The documents this guide relies on. If one has changed since we read it, the document is right and this guide is out of date.

  1. Aeroplan - Keeping your Aeroplan account active

    Ways to earn (Air Canada and partner airlines including Star Alliance, hotels, car rentals, Aeroplan eStore, retail partners); Aeroplan credit cards issued by TD, CIBC and American Express; points expire after 18 months of inactivity and one point earned or redeemed keeps the account active; no expiry for primary TD/CIBC Aeroplan cardholders, Amex Aeroplan cardmembers and Elite Status members; email up to 60 days before expiry; reinstatement within 6 months, including buying back points for a fee; inactivity date under the Activity tab.

    aircanada.com · Accessed
  2. Aeroplan - General Terms and Conditions

    Members may not rely on continued availability of any reward, reward price or reward chart; points prices for flights and hotels may be dynamic; points have no monetary value; account inactive after 18 consecutive months without accumulating or redeeming, and points in an inactive account are forfeited.

    aircanada.com · Accessed
  3. Aeroplan - Aeroplan points expiry paused until November 30, 2026

    Aeroplan points expiry paused until November 30, 2026, after which the normal expiration policy applies.

    aircanada.com · Accessed
  4. Aeroplan - Redeem with Air Canada (flight rewards)

    Preferred pricing for primary Aeroplan credit cardholders and benefit to Family Sharing pools; Air Canada points prices related to the cash price, chart shows likely range, high-demand pricing (e.g. searching close to travel date); partner-airline rewards fixed by distance; any Air Canada seat on sale for cash can be redeemed; no airline surcharges on Air Canada flights; $39 per-ticket Partner Booking Fee payable with points; stopovers (one per direction, 5,000 points, outside Canada and the U.S., more than 24 hours, up to 45 days).

    aircanada.com · Accessed
  5. Aeroplan - An update on the Aeroplan Flight Reward Chart (effective June 1, 2026)

    Flight Reward Chart changes for tickets booked or reissued on or after June 1, 2026, including North America-Atlantic business 4,001-6,000 miles 70,000 to 75,000 points and economy 0-4,000 miles 35,000 to 32,500; Atlantic zone covers Europe, Africa, Middle East and India.

    aircanada.com · Accessed
  6. Aeroplan - Conversion programs

    Hotel conversion ratios: 3 Marriott Bonvoy points = 1 Aeroplan point; 2 World of Hyatt points = 1 Aeroplan point; 10,000 Hilton Honors points = 1,000 Aeroplan points.

    aircanada.com · Accessed
  7. Amex Bank of Canada - Membership Rewards Program Terms and Conditions (PDF, form 50451591 (04/25))

    Membership Rewards to Aeroplan at 1,000 points = 1,000 Aeroplan Points; transfers cannot be reversed; third-party account must be in your name; transferred points are subject to the third-party program's terms.

    americanexpress.com · Accessed
  8. Aeroplan - Aeroplan Family Sharing

    Family Sharing: up to 8 verified family members, own accounts kept; all points added to the shared balance; minimum 3 months in a pool; members may redeem for themselves or anyone else; creation of new Family Sharing accounts temporarily unavailable, existing pools unaffected.

    aircanada.com · Accessed
  9. Aeroplan - Buy, donate and do more with your points

    Aeroplan points can be transferred to another Aeroplan member for a fee.

    aircanada.com · Accessed
  10. Aeroplan - Priority Rewards (Elite Status)

    Elite tiers 25K, 35K, 50K, 75K and Super Elite; Priority Reward vouchers unlocked as a Milestone benefit give 50% off the points of an eligible flight reward; eligible zones and cabins depend on status; vouchers must be used within one year.

    aircanada.com · Accessed
  11. Office of Consumer Affairs (ISED) - Reward and customer loyalty programs

    Advice to compare the value of a reward with the number of points traded in before redeeming.

    ised-isde.canada.ca · Accessed
Questions

About this guide

Do Aeroplan points expire?

Yes, if your account is inactive for 18 months. Earning or redeeming one point resets the clock, and points don't expire while you hold a primary TD or CIBC Aeroplan credit card, an American Express Aeroplan card, or Elite Status. Expiry is paused until November 30, 2026, and Air Canada says it emails members up to 60 days before their points expire.

How much is an Aeroplan point worth?

Aeroplan doesn't give points a cash value; its terms say they have no monetary value. The points price of an Air Canada flight moves with the cash fare, and partner flights are priced by distance, so work out the value of each redemption: divide the cash price you would otherwise pay by the points it costs.

Can I give Aeroplan points to someone else?

Yes. In a Family Sharing pool of up to 8 verified family members, members with redemption privileges can redeem from the shared balance for themselves or anyone else, although creating a new pool was temporarily unavailable on September 25, 2026. You can also transfer points to another Aeroplan member for a fee.

What are Aeroplan Priority Rewards?

They are vouchers for Aeroplan Elite Status members, chosen as a Milestone benefit, that take 50% off the points price of an eligible flight reward. The regions and cabins covered depend on your status, and each voucher must be used within one year.

Which credit cards earn Aeroplan points?

In Canada, Aeroplan credit cards are issued by TD, CIBC and American Express, and American Express Membership Rewards points can be converted to Aeroplan points. Earn rates and fees vary by card and change often; see /ca/credit-cards/airline for current figures.
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