How to earn Air Canada Aeroplan points
Air Canada's Aeroplan loyalty program remains a favorite in the loyalty world. In addition to its distance-based award charts (Air Canada and select partner charts operate dynamically), it offers several customer-friendly features, such as a low-priced stopover perk and minimal fees on award tickets. This can be especially useful when booking Star Alliance partner award flights.
Plus, Aeroplan points are easy to earn; whether you leverage transferable points programs or make purchases with non-travel partners, you don't have to fly with Air Canada to earn this valuable currency.
Keep reading to find out easy ways to earn Aeroplan points to book your next award flight.
Earn Aeroplan points by flying Air Canada
On eligible Air Canada flights or ticket numbers starting with 014, basic members will earn 1 point per $1 spent on the base price of the ticket and carrier surcharges (you do not earn points on taxes and fees).
If you hold elite status with Aeroplan, you will earn at the following rates:
- Aeroplan 25K: 2 points per dollar spent
- Aeroplan 35K: 3 points per dollar spent
- Aeroplan 50K: 4 points per dollar spent
- Aeroplan 75K: 5 points per dollar spent
- Aeroplan Super Elite: 6 points per dollar spent
So, if you are flying from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Montreal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL) and the one-way flight costs $250 (excluding taxes and fees), as a basic member, you'd earn 250 Aeroplan points. If you hold Super Elite status, you'd earn 1,500 points.
Earn Aeroplan points by flying partner airlines
When it comes to Aeroplan partner flights operated by Star Alliance or nonalliance partners, you'll earn points based on the distance traveled and the fare class booked.
You can view how many points you'll earn by pulling up your partner airline's information on the Aeroplan website. Click on the "Details" link to see a list of fare classes with a percentage listed to the right. This percentage is the points you'll earn based on the distance flown.
Here's a quick example. Say you're flying Lufthansa round-trip from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Frankfurt Airport (FRA) and booked your ticket on Lufthansa's website. This example itinerary is booked in D-fare business class, which earns 150% of miles flown under Aeroplan's Lufthansa earn chart.
ORD to FRA clocks in at 8,688 miles round-trip, so you'd earn 13,032 Aeroplan points after you complete your trip based on its 150% earning rate. Unfortunately, Aeroplan elite members do not earn bonus points on partner flights booked directly with the partner airline.
Earn Aeroplan points with the Aeroplan Credit Card
The Aeroplan® Credit Card (see rates and fees) from Chase is another great option for earning Aeroplan points. Right now, cardholders can earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.
As of March 2026, TPG values 60,000 Aeroplan points at 1.4 cents each, making this welcome bonus worth $840.
Plus, this card earns 3 points per dollar spent at grocery stores, on dining at restaurants, and when booking with Air Canada directly. Cardholders also receive discounted award pricing, complimentary 25K elite status, statement credits and more.
Related: 9 incredible benefits of the Air Canada Aeroplan credit card
Transfer credit card points or miles to Aeroplan
Aeroplan is also a transferable rewards partner with several issuers. You can transfer points or miles to Aeroplan at a 1:1 rate from the following issuer programs:
Read more: Why transferable points are worth more than other rewards
Buy Aeroplan points
One of the fastest ways to earn Aeroplan points is by buying them. You can usually purchase Aeroplan points at 3.75 Canadian cents per point. The airline frequently discounts these points, though, so you may be able to buy them at a lower price.
Canadians are subject to paying sales tax on these purchases, but thankfully, Americans are exempt. That said, you will be charged in Canadian dollars, and the purchase most likely won't code as travel. If you decide to buy points, pay with a card that doesn't impose foreign transaction fees and offers a solid return on everyday spending.
Earn Aeroplan points by shopping and dining
You can earn Aeroplan points when you click through the Aeroplan eStore before purchasing online. There are several popular merchants through which you can earn at least 1 point per dollar spent by clicking through the portal.
Some merchants are restricted to Canada, while others are available worldwide. Make sure to check your merchant for information before you make a purchase, and consider using another shopping portal if your merchant of choice doesn't offer Aeroplan points on purchases made outside of Canada.
Using the portal is simple. Head to the Aeroplan eStore, log in and find the merchant you'd like to shop with. Click the "Shop now" button and make your purchase as usual — the points will appear in your Aeroplan account within six to eight weeks, but some may be credited sooner.
Related: Maximizing shopping portals for your online purchases
Earn Aeroplan points with travel partners
Aeroplan partners with three major car rental companies: Avis, Budget and Payless. Book with any of these rental providers and earn 1 Aeroplan point for each Canadian dollar spent, with Aeroplan elite members earning 2 points per Canadian dollar spent.
You have a couple of options for earning Aeroplan points with partner hotels. Many major hotel chains — for example, Accor, Marriott and Wyndham — let you earn Aeroplan points instead of hotel points. The number of points earned depends on where you stay and how much you spend. Always compare the value of the Aeroplan points to the hotel points you'd earn to ensure you're getting the best deal.
Alternatively, you can transfer existing hotel points to Aeroplan. The transfer ratio depends on the hotel program you're transferring from, with the best transfer rate from a major hotel program being 2:1 from Accor Live Limitless.
Other hotel programs transfer to Aeroplan at the following rates:
- Accor Live Limitless: 2:1
- Best Western Rewards: 5:1
- Choice Privileges: 5:1
- Hilton Honors: 10,000:1,000
- IHG One Rewards: 5:1
- Marriott Bonvoy: 3:1 (5,000 bonus miles when you transfer 60,000 points)
- Wyndham Rewards: 5:1
We don't usually recommend transferring hotel points to Aeroplan. It can be a good option for topping up for a particular award, but you'll generally get more value by using your points for hotel stays.
Check out the full list of Aeroplan's travel partners to see how you can earn points.
Bottom line
There's no shortage of ways to earn Aeroplan points. When you use these methods in tandem, you'll quickly earn enough to book amazing award tickets — and maybe even earn elite status simultaneously.
We recommend starting with credit cards that earn transferable points. This way, you can redeem your points with Aeroplan or any of the program's other transfer partners. This keeps your options open so you can always get on the flights you want, regardless of the airline. However, thanks to its strong everyday earning rates and numerous travel perks, the Aeroplan® Credit Card is also worth considering.