Aeroplan Review: Canada Top Travel Loyalty Program?

Frequent flyers will know the importance of choosing the right loyalty program. If you’re looking for a new one, this is the place to start!

Rewards programs can be tricky to navigate, and so many options can feel overwhelming. But trust me, rewards programs are worth the research. You can save a lot on flights, hotels, and more with the right program.

Knowing which rewards program suits you and how to get as many points as possible will pay off for frequent travelers. A great way to keep up with the different rewards programs is using a website like The Points Guy, where you’ll find loads of helpful info.

For Canadian travelers, there are many options on the market right now, such as Aeroplan and Westjet Rewards. Since I love saving money, I looked into the Aeroplans program, and I’m here to share the info I found with you. 

In this blog, I’ll give you all the valuable details, including the main format, the benefits, and the drawbacks. Find out whether Air Canada’s Aeroplan rewards program is right for you with this guide!

What Is the Aeroplan Rewards Program? 

Aeroplan is a popular travel rewards program for Air Canada customers. It offers its members a variety of ways to earn and redeem points for flights, hotels, car rentals, and other travel-related purchases. 

The program is free to join and offers members access to various travel partners and rewards options. 

Every seat on Air Canada flights is available to purchase with your Aeroplan points. And, you can even earn and redeem Aeroplan points when you book with their low-cost division, Air Canada Rouge.

Can’t find a flight with Air Canada? No problem! You can also redeem your points for available seats on 50 other partner airlines, including United Airlines, Lufthansa, Emirates, and Air China.

One of the unique aspects of Aeroplan is its dynamic pricing system for flights. This allows members to redeem their points for flights at variable rates based on demand and availability. 

This can be both a positive and a negative, as it can mean that flights may require more or fewer points depending on the time of year and other factors.

How to Earn Points Through Aeroplan

Earning points with Aeroplan is pretty simple. Members can earn points by flying Air Canada, using an Aeroplan-branded credit card, or shopping with Aeroplan partners.

Flying with Air Canada is the most effective way to get points, and how many points you earn depends on how much your airfare costs. This differs from other airlines that calculate your points based on how many miles you fly.

To earn points faster, you can also use an Aeroplan-branded credit card. There are TD, American Express, and CIBC card options for personal cards. Make sure to look for limited-time welcome bonus point offers as well!

Another way to get more points is to shop at retailers that are a part of Aeroplan’s loyalty program, including Starbucks, LCBO, and Uber. 

There are also various limited-time Aeroplan promotions throughout the year, which you can keep an eye on here.

A good tip on how to get the best value out of your Aeroplan rewards is to reference the program’s zone and distance rewards chart. This chart shows you approximately how many points flights within certain zones will cost you, and it can help you figure out which flights are the best bang for your buck.

What Are the Aeroplan Status Tiers?

To qualify for the Aeroplan Elite Status, you’ll need to fly a certain number of miles and spend a certain amount of dollars within a calendar year. 

There are currently 5 status tiers within Aeroplan Elite: Aeroplan 25K, 35K, 50K, 75K, and Super Elite.

Aeroplan Elite Status members can earn various benefits and perks depending on the tier.

Each tier comes with its own Core Benefits as well as Select Benefits. Select Benefits are a list of extra perks that you choose from.

Some of the benefits include complimentary checked baggage, Maple Leaf Lounge access, priority airport services, and more.

Read more about qualifying for Aeroplan Elite Status here.

Pros and Cons of Air Canada’s Rewards Program

Aeroplan offers many options to redeem points and a diverse range of travel partners compared to other travel rewards programs. This is a huge plus for travelers who love to explore new places or travel globally often.

A new feature of the Aeroplan program is that Air Canada eliminated the carrier surcharges on Aeroplan reward flights. This is a huge plus and will save travelers a lot. 

Carrier surcharges are extra fees that account for fuel price changes. For example, these charges can add hundreds of dollars to a flight from Canada to Europe.

Another pro is that the partner airlines can sometimes provide better deals, as they’re not under the dynamic pricing system that Air Canada flights use.

That being said, some Air Canada fliers may find the program’s dynamic pricing system less predictable than other rewards programs. 

You don’t know exactly how many points a flight will cost you since it can go up or down depending on demand and availability. This can make planning and budgeting for travel more challenging using Aeroplan points.

Additionally, some users have reported difficulty in finding available award seats on flights, particularly during peak travel times. This can limit the flexibility and value of Aeroplan rewards for some users, especially if they can’t find suitable flights for redemption.

Another con is that stopovers cost 5,000 points each, which can eat up your points.

Is Aeroplan Rewards Worth It?

Overall, if you’re a frequent traveler looking for a flexible and diverse travel rewards program, Aeroplan is worth considering. It’s an excellent option for those who travel internationally frequently, with its vast network of partner airlines. 

If you only travel domestically or don’t take many flights yearly, you could probably save money using low-cost airlines like Flair or Lynx. This can be a hit or miss, but it all depends on what you value when you travel.

In my opinion, Aeroplan is suited for travelers who travel often and are spending a decent amount of money day-to-day. And if you’re in Canada, it’s probably one of the best airline rewards programs available.

Aeroplan’s branded credit cards are a great way to get points quickly, but you must spend some money. 

Our Rating: 4.1/5

Pros:

• Free to join
• Also applies to flights on Air Canada Rouge
• 50+ partner airlines with great deals
• Flexible redemption options (flights, hotels, car rentals)
• Elite Status comes with lots of perks
• Easy to accumulate points

Cons:

• 5,000 point fee for stopovers
• Dynamic pricing system can be unpredictable
• Elite Status Levels require you to fly and spend quite a bit

See The World With Air Canada! 

Loyalty programs like Aeroplan rewards make travel more accessible and more affordable. Before hopping on your next Aeroplan rewards flight, try planning your trip details with Pilot.