Air Canada Aeroplan
Estimated value: 1.5¢ per points
Air Canada Aeroplan is a Star Alliance loyalty program with one of the most generous award charts and booking rules. Aeroplan is especially valuable for its stopover policy, family sharing, and access to premium Star Alliance cabins. Key strengths: - Generous fixed award chart with clear pricing (not fully dynamic) - Free stopover on round-trip awards (visit a connecting city for free) - Points pooling among up to 8 family members - Access to all Star Alliance premium cabins - Points don't expire with account activity - Excellent availability search tool on aircanada.com - Transfer partner from Amex, Capital One, Bilt, and Chase (via Marriott)
Current promotions on transfers to Air Canada Aeroplan
Credit card programs that can transfer points to Air Canada Aeroplan
Co-Branded Credit Cards
1.5¢
per points (baseline)
Inbound transfers: - Amex Membership Rewards: 1:1 - Capital One: 1:1 - Bilt Rewards: 1:1 - Chase UR via Marriott: 3:1 (indirect, not recommended) Strategy tips: - Multiple 1:1 transfer partners make Aeroplan very accessible - Transfer during bonuses (Amex occasionally runs 15-25% transfer bonuses to Aeroplan) - Family sharing means pool points across up to 8 people for faster redemptions - Always confirm availability before transferring; transfers can take a few minutes
Best redemption values: Star Alliance business class sweet spots: - North America to Europe: 60,000 pts one-way in business - North America to Asia: 75,000 pts one-way in business - Within North America: 25,000 pts one-way in business - Short-haul domestic: 6,000-10,000 pts one-way in economy Premium cabin highlights: - Lufthansa First Class: Book when released (15-30 days out) - ANA first class: 75,000-90,000 pts one-way - Singapore Airlines business class: 75,000 pts one-way - EVA Air Royal Laurel business: Excellent hard product Stopover benefit: - Free stopover on round-trip awards in connecting cities - Example: NYC → London (stopover) → Rome and back for the price of NYC → Rome - Use this to visit 2 cities for the price of 1 award Family pooling: - Combine points from up to 8 family members - Great for pooling toward a premium cabin redemption Avoid: - Market Fare (variable pricing) when fixed pricing is available - Short-haul flights where cash fares are very cheap - Connecting itineraries with long layovers when nonstops are available
Earning strategy: Credit cards (Canada & US): - TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite: 1.5x on everything (Canada) - CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege: 1.5x and strong benefits (Canada) - Chase Aeroplan Card (US): 3x on dining/Air Canada, 2x transit/groceries, 1x everything else Flights: - Air Canada flights earn based on fare class and distance - Star Alliance partner flights credit to Aeroplan - Elite status (25K, 35K, 50K, 75K, Super Elite) unlocks bonus earning Key tips: - Aeroplan eStore offers bonus miles on online shopping - Partner promotions (hotels, car rentals) earn bonus Aeroplan points - Family sharing lets you combine points across up to 8 members - Credit Star Alliance flights to Aeroplan when the earn rate is favorable