Aeroplan Points Value: Air Canada’s Reward Program Explained

There’s a lot to appreciate about Aeroplan points, including the fact that they’re easy to earn with the correct credit card and that you can redeem them for a variety of categories. 

But how do you maximize the value of your Aeroplan miles? Our new guide explores how to earn and redeem them, and how to make the most out of your Aeroplan points value. 

Ready for takeoff? Let’s go!

Value of Aeroplan Miles and Points

Each Aeroplan point is worth between 0.71 and 2 cents. This is a guess based on my examination of the many Aeroplan point redemption alternatives. 

You earn Aeroplan points on every aspect of your trip, and with high-earning Aeroplan credit cards and well-known retail partners, you’ll earn more points faster on your everyday purchases. 

Redeeming Aeroplan points for flights, as demonstrated in the chart below, will maximize the value of your points. 

Aeroplan points chart

Air Canada’s loyalty program is called Aeroplan Rewards. While most collectors want to use their points to get Aeroplan flight rewards, there are other options.

Aeroplan completely redesigned its charting system. Previously, you had two options when booking flights with your Aeroplan points. You had the choice of booking with set mileage or market fare incentives. The new Aeroplan chart is now separated into four zones and is based on a dynamic pricing model:

• North America
• Atlantic
• Pacific
• South America

The flight’s market value, the distance between takeoff and landing, and the high or low demand of the flight will now determine the number of points required to redeem for a certain flight. 

Only partner airlines have fixed point redemption values. Aeroplan members will see a range of possible redemption points for Air Canada flights, and you won’t know exactly how many points you’ll need until you select your flight.

North America

 

As an example, note in the chart above that each class of Air Canada airline tickets has a certain range of points required for redemption. On the other hand, partner airlines have a set number of points that you have to earn. 

Of course, you want to strive for the lowest point range for a flight to obtain the maximum value for your points. Keep in mind that while the partner airline redemption fixed point system is appealing, it often necessitates longer routes due to stopovers, and seat selection is limited.

When you look at the new Aeroplan Chart, you’ll note that the number of points required for many of the routes has increased (especially in the Atlantic and Pacific zones). 

However, because they have lifted the ban dates and seat availability constraints under the new Aeroplan Points program, there are no longer any airline fees, and you will have much better ticket availability. You can check the other zone flights here. 

Additional Redemption Categories 

When flying with Air Canada, earning points doesn’t end with flights. In fact, you can collect points in a number of categories during your trip. Here are the available redemption options:

• Partner airlines
• Hotels and car rentals
• Vacation packages
• Everyday purchases

If you’re shopping at Aeroplan partner retailers, you can earn up to 5 points for every dollar spent. Some of the most popular stores include Amazon, Selfridges, Macy’s and many more.

To receive rewards in all these categories and more, I would recommend signing up for the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite card.

How to Calculate the Value of Aeroplan Points?

You can calculate how much your Aeroplan points are worth by following these steps:

• Look up the cost of a flight from your departing city to your preferred destination (in cash)
• Use the Aeroplan points filter on the Air Canada website to get the cost of a similar or equal flight in points
• To calculate the net gain, multiply the price of a flight in dollars by the number of points required to book the flight

How to Maximize Your Points?

There are flights to over 1,300 destinations with more than 35 partners around the world, for which you can redeem Aeroplan points. You can choose Star Alliance carriers, which are Air Canada’s partners, and non-alliance partners, such as Azul and Etihad. You can also mix and match partners as you see fit. 

Aeroplan’s award chart is quite lucrative, especially on partner airlines, for both short-haul economy flights and overseas premium-cabin seats. While certain redemption rates have increased due to the removal of carrier surcharges, they may now be a better offer.

Air Canada’s own flights offer flexible prices, allowing award booking on every seat. However, unlike completely dynamic schemes, award costs are capped. Partner awards are based on a chart and have a set price.

How to Convert Points to Dollars?

You can sell your Aeroplan miles. It’s easy to cash in on your unused Air Canada Aeroplan miles. Because Air Canada is a member of Star Alliance, Aeroplan points are in high demand due to the airline’s extensive network. Several trading platforms buy Aeroplan miles, one of which is MilesBuyer.

If you don’t want to keep your Aeroplan miles for some reason, you can sell them to aid someone who needs a spot on an Air Canada reward flight. The selling process is simple and quick. All you have to do is go to the MilesBuyer page and fill out the contact form at the top with the necessary information.

When Is the Best Time to Redeem Aeroplan Points?

Because not all redemptions are equal, I compared the redemption rates for three different periods for Air Canada awards:

• Awards booked 15 days before departure
• Awards booked 180 days before departure
• Awards booked for travelling during the winter holidays

When booking closer to departure, I discovered that you get the best Aeroplan points redemption rate. 

Can Aeroplan Points Be Transferred?

To transfer your points, you must have a valid and active Aeroplan account. Here’s how you can do it:

1. First, you select the travel participant and enter the number of points you want to transfer
2. Next, you review your information
3. Finally, you confirm your transfer request 

You can also use family sharing without having to pay any transfer fees. Family members can use the shared balance to make purchases for themselves or others with no additional fees.

If you want to transfer points to another Aeroplan member outside of family sharing, you have to pay a fee.

Conclusion

In the coming years, the Aeroplan program will most certainly undergo some modifications, but until then, there are still ways to get the most out of your Aeroplan.

You can find the most bang for your buck by combining the stopover and open-jaw allowances with long-haul business class flights. The greatest use of your miles is likely to be business class flights to Europe on carriers that don’t charge exorbitant fees.