Aeroplan is by far the best airline rewards program for Canadian travelers. It’s an excellent time to get into it too, with the amazing Aeroplan deals available now. So I want to do a roundup of the basics for you so you can know everything that’s most important.
The thing is that our updated comprehensive guide to the program isn’t ready yet — it will be very soon, and you can get it first by joining the 55,000+ savvy Canadian travelers who receive our free newsletter specifically about travel rewards.
This knowledge here is the most vital. It’s what I shared a few months ago when I moderated a panel on the Aeroplan program that included well-known Aeroplan fans — like celebrity chef Chuck Hughes and momfluencer Jaime Damak — as well as an Air Canada executive.
Here are the 5 most important basics of Aeroplan while you await our detailed guide.
1. The value of Aeroplan points can be literally unlimited
If you don’t already know, there are 2 types of rewards:
- Rewards of the more simple type
- Rewards of the more lucrative type
Aeroplan points are rewards of the more lucrative type. That means their value can be outsized and very, very high — it can even be literally unlimited!!!
The 52,000 Aeroplan points from the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card deal are worth ≈ $780 according to our fairly conservative Flytrippers Valuation. But they could easily be worth $2,000 too!
It’s wonderful like that.
It’s the best kind of rewards for those who want to maximize the value of their rewards — which means getting the most free travel with the rewards!
If you’re like us and love a good deal, Aeroplan points give you the best deals! Terrible cashback rewards give you a fixed amount, they can never be worth more… Aeroplan points can be worth so much more!
2. Aeroplan points have a (very) variable value
It’s the most basic of basics. The concept that seems hardest for beginners to understand: the value of points VARIES!!!
It varies according to the redemptions you choose. Some redemptions are great and phenomenal… others are no good! You just have to use the points right if you want to maximize their value.
The price of flights with points is NOT tied to the price of flights with cash. This is what allows you to get outsized value if you use the points right. So for some flights, the value is good… and for other flights, it’s not. Just do the math.
A flight to Florida for 10,000 points may be a good use of points one day. The exact same flight to Florida for 10,000 points may be a poor use of points another day! It all depends on the price in cash! The value varies depending on the flight.
If you want points that can be worth more, like Aeroplan, that necessarily means you’re going to have to use those points right… because with the points that are worth the most, there are always some redemptions that are terrible. Always.
3. Aeroplan points can also be used as points of the more simple type
If you want it to be more simple, you can use your Aeroplan points from the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card or the American Express Aeroplan Card for any seat on any Air Canada flight.
But the value will be a little lower. In this case, the price of the flight in points will be tied to the price of the flight in cash, so it’s almost always going to be worth less. It’s not a fixed and stable value, but it’s a more fixed and stable value.
In concrete terms, there are 2 pricing systems for reward flights with Aeroplan:
- Flights on the 40+ partner airlines (limited prices, limited seats)
- Flights on Air Canada (unlimited prices, unlimited seats)
It’s a simple concept: if you want limited prices (which give the outsized value explained above), necessarily the available seats must also be limited. Otherwise, it just wouldn’t work.
The limited prices are invariable guaranteed prices set by Aeroplan’s price tables. Flight prices in points will always be the same, regardless of the price in cash. It’s what gives it unlimited value.
But available seats are limited. So you have to be more flexible on everything (itinerary, destination, booking date, travel date, etc.) to have a better chance of finding available seats on partners. It’s these seats that almost always give you better value than Air Canada seats.
But it’s obviously much simpler to take any seat on Air Canada — and at least the value of doing so is still generally higher than when booking flights with all the bank rewards programs. But it’s less than on Aeroplan’s partner airlines.
4. Aeroplan points should always be used for flights
It’s the most important. Unfortunately, so many beginners make this mistake. It’s normal when you don’t know it, but now you do. Whether you choose to use your points for flights on partner airlines or on Air Canada, at least use them for flights.
Always.
Flights. Not taxes on flights, not seat upgrades on flights, not Wi-Fi on flights… just flights.
It’s what gives the best value. Like any rule, there may of course be some exceptions (at least if you were going to use points on Air Canada instead of partners), but they’re rare.
For each available use option, here’s the value per Aeroplan point:
- ≈ 2.1¢/pt to UNLIMITED Specific flights in business class and 1st class (partners and Air Canada)
- ≈ 1.5¢/pt to ≈ 2.1¢/pt Specific flights in economy class (partners and Air Canada)
- ≈ 1.1¢/pt Any flight on Air Canada
- ≈ 1¢/pt Taxes on reward flights
- ≈ 1¢/pt Seat upgrades
- ≈ 1¢/pt Wi-Fi on board flights
- ≈ 1¢/pt Vacation packages
- ≈ 1¢/pt Hotels
- ≈ 0.65¢/pt Rental cars and activities
- ≈ 0.65¢/pt Merchandise and gift cards
As always, merchandise is the worst option. It’s so sad to see so many people waste extremely valuable points on junk like toasters.
Here’s the value of the 52,000 points you’ll get by unlocking the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card‘s welcome bonus (to make the difference more concrete than with the ¢/pt unit of measurement):
- ≈ $1092 to UNLIMITED Specific flights in business class and 1st class (partners and Air Canada)
- ≈ $780 to ≈ $1092 Specific flights in economy class (partners and Air Canada)
- ≈ $572 Any flight on Air Canada
- ≈ $520 Taxes on reward flights
- ≈ $520 Seat upgrades
- ≈ $520 Wi-Fi on board flights
- ≈ $520 Vacation packages
- ≈ $520 Hotels
- ≈ $338 Rental cars and activities
- ≈ $338 Merchandise and gift cards
The difference between getting 2¢/pt instead of 1¢/pt (100% more value) is plainly getting twice as many free trips for the same number of points! Just by using points better, without even earning a single extra point — and if there’s one thing that’s 110% certain, it’s that you can earn more points so easily, too.
5. Aeroplan points are phenomenal for travel in business class and first class
There are plenty of good uses for Aeroplan points in economy class if you prefer quantity over quality.
But the redemptions for premium cabins are more than good: they’re unbelievably good. It’s by far the best way to get good value from your points, mathematically speaking: you save so much more cash.
It’s just that in cash, premium cabin flights are so expensive. In points, it’s usually only about twice as expensive as economy class (in cash, it’s much more than twice as expensive).
Luxurious lie-flat pod seats are the most amazing way to fly.
If you want to fly in luxury, drop everything and apply for the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card or the American Express Aeroplan Card, and hurry! You’ll need points like Aeroplan points.
You’ll be shocked, honestly. You can take flights worth thousands of dollars… for less than the cash price of an economy ticket.
To give just one example right now, I’ll take the one we’ve been sharing for years, which is still a classic: a flight to Europe on the excellent Austrian Airlines costing $6406 one-way.
With points?
Just 70,000 points and $92 for exactly the same flight (same airline, same time, same day; the same same flight).
You save $6314 ($6406 minus $92) with just 70,000 points, giving you a value of 9¢/pt.
It’s 6 times more than our conservative Flytrippers Valuation and 9 times more than most other reward currencies. Yes, 9 times more value just by choosing the right point redemptions!
Yes, you get $6314 with less than twice the amount of points in the current welcome bonus on the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card or the American Express Aeroplan Card (it’s extremely easy to get the extra points you’re going to need for Europe in business class if that’s what you want).
This is the extreme potential and we’ll have more content on business class deals in 2025 to travel in luxury for less, in addition to our usual content on how to travel for less more normally!
Even in economy class, it’s great to find flights that cost very few points compared to the price in cash! It’s amazing to get good deals!
Our existing content to learn more about all these topics
There’s lots more stuff to know, and we’ll help you figure it all out in 2025, we promise.
In the meantime, we’ve already shared plenty of Aeroplan content, which I’ll list for you if you want to learn more right away.
Current Aeroplan deals
- Best Aeroplan credit cards
- Form to ask questions about the deals
- Air Canada free checked bags benefit
Basics of travel rewards
- Infographic summarizing all the basics of travel rewards
- Basics of the 2 types of rewards
- Basics of rewards value
Using Aeroplan points
- Basics on how flights with airline points work
- Aeroplan price tables
- List of Aeroplan’s 40+ partner airlines
- 18 examples of good Aeroplan points redemptions
Learning how to travel for less
Join over 100,000 savvy Canadian travelers who already receive Flytrippers’ free newsletter so we can help you travel for less — including thanks to the wonderful world of travel rewards!
Summary
Aeroplan is the best program if you want to maximize your free travel. Depending on your income level, the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card or the American Express Aeroplan Card are great starter cards to give you tens of thousands of points with their welcome bonuses! That’s going to give you a lot of value, especially if you use the points right!
What would you like to know about the Aeroplan basics? Tell us in the comments below.
See the flight deals we spot: Cheap flights
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Learn pro tricks: Travel tips
Featured image: My card and my night on the Aeroplan panel (photo credit: Andrew D’Amours/Flytrippers)
