Best Aeroplan Credit Cards in Canada

Aeroplan is one of the most popular travel rewards programs in Canada. Aeroplan is a frequent flyer program which rewards members with miles for every flight they take. Accumulated miles can be redeemed for travel, including flights, hotels and car rentals. You can manage and redeem your accumulated miles online at http://www3.aeroplan.com/UseYourMiles.do. CIBC, TD and American Express offer several different credit cards that are affiliated with the program, allowing consumers to collect Aeroplan miles from everyday purchases. The Aeroplan program rewards top accumulating members with three levels of distinction status: silver, black and diamond.

Q: How much is an Aeroplan mile worth?

A: According to our calculations, the dollar value of 1 Aeroplan mile is approximately $0.0120. However, the value of miles is not set in stone and can vary depending on where you choose to fly.

Similar to how the Canadian dollar has higher purchasing power in some countries than others, Aeroplan miles change in value for flights to different parts of the world. For example, 40,000 Aeroplan points is worth around $492 or $440 depending on if you redeem your miles for a flight to the Bahamas or Mexico respectively.

Below, we’ve broken down the average value of an Aeroplan mile by region:

Flight Region	Miles Required	Average Value of a Mile (RateHub analysis) Dollar value of one Aeroplan mile when flying to this region	Value of Region Strength in comparison to the average dollar value benchmark of $0.0120
Canada & Continental USA Short-haul Canada: Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Nunavut (Direct flights between Iqaluit and Ottawa only). USA: Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington DC, Wisconsin.	15,000	$0.0070	Bad
Canada & Continental USA Long-haul Canada: Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, Maritimes. USA: South Carolina and South (Florida, Texas, Louisiana, etc.), Kansas and West (Colorado, California, Nevada, etc.).	25,000	$0.0198	Good
Mexico Mexico	40,000	$0.0110	Medium
Caribbean & Central America Antigua, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Grand Cayman, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Martinique, Netherland Antilles, Nicaragua, Panama, Puerto Rico, St. Kitts, Saint Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks & Caicos Islands, US Virgin Islands.	40,000	$0.0123	Medium
Hawaii Big Islands of Hawaii, Kauai, Maui, Oahu.	45,000	$0.0160	Good
Northern South America Colombia, Ecuador (Including the Galapagos Islands), Guyana, Venezuela.	50,000	$0.0142	Good
Southern South America Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay.	60,000	$0.0132	Good
Europe 1 Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain (incl. Balearic Islands; excl. Canary Islands), Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom.	60,000	$0.0061	Bad
Europe 2 Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Greece, Greenland, Hungary, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Russia (Western), Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey, Ukraine.	75,000	$0.0077	Bad
Asia 1 China, Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, North Korea, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam.	75,000	$0.0119	Medium
Middle East & North Africa Algeria, Bahrain, Canary Islands (Spain), Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Yemen.	80,000	$0.0090	Bad
Australia, New Zealand & South Pacific Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Norfolk Island, Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu.	90,000	$0.0215	Good
Asia 2 Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Micronesia (Incl Guam), Mongolia, Myanmar, Philippines, Russia (Eastern).	90,000	$0.0102	Medium
Indian Subcontinent Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka.	100,000	$0.0093	Bad
East, West & South Africa Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Congo, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.	100,000	$0.0088	Bad
Total Average		$0.0120

Since some flights offer more value for your Aeroplan points than others, you’ll want to read the following tips to learn how to reap the most value out of your hard-earned miles.

TIPS

• Aim to redeem points on flights where the “Average Value of a Mile” is at least $0.0120 – such as on flights to the South Pacific or long-haul flights to the US. After all, you want to avoid redeeming your miles for anything below their average value.
• If you are flying to a region that offers a value of below $0.0120 per mile, consider paying in cash or credit and saving your miles to redeem for another, more valuable flight.
• If you have time on your hands and want to explore more locations between your departure and final destination, consider including more stop overs. You can squeeze out more value from your points when you book a multi-city trip (Aeroplan allows for a maximum of 2 stop overs).

Q: How many Aeroplan miles do you get per dollar?

A: You earn a minimum of 1 mile for every $1 in purchases you make through any of the Aeroplan credit cards offered by either TD or CIBC. For certain types of expenditures, such as gas and groceries, you can get up to 1.5 points for every $1 you spend.

TIP

• You can earn up to twice the miles when you purchase flight tickets with Air Canada (or a Star Alliance Partner) or shop at an Aeroplan partner store simply by using an Aeroplan credit card and an Aeroplan Membership Card at the same time.

Q: What is the best Aeroplan credit card?

A: The TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite takes the top spot on our list of the best Aeroplan credit cards in Canada. Along with a lucrative welcome bonus of 15,000 points (that’s enough miles to book a flight to select cities in Canada or the US), the card offers up to 50% more miles on eligible gas, grocery, travel and pharmacy-related purchases.

The Aeroplan Visa Infinite, which does charge cardholders a $120 annual fee, also offers a robust travel insurance package that includes trip cancellation and baggage loss coverage as well as car rental insurance. For an in-depth look at Aeroplan Visa Infinite’s insurance package, click here.

Q: How do you redeem Aeroplan miles?

A: Aeroplan miles can be redeemed through the Aeroplan website. Miles can also be used to book flight tickets through the Aeroplan App, which is available to download on Google Play or on the Apple App Store.

While Aeroplan is most synonymous with travel rewards (including flights, hotels, vacation packages, car rentals, and cruises), you can also redeem miles for:

• Tours (such as wine tours) and dining experiences.
• Gift cards and merchandise including electronics, fashion and accessories, personal care, home and garden, sports, and more.
• Donations to charities or to Aeroplan’s Green It Up program to reduce your carbon footprint.

TIPS

• Try and resist redeeming your Aeroplan miles for anything other than flights tickets. While gift cards and restaurant rewards may be tempting, they offer significantly less value for your points compared to flight tickets.
• Read our blog on how Aeroplan works for more in-depth information about this loyalty program.

Q: Do Aeroplan miles expire?

A: No, your Aeroplan miles will never expire as long as you’re an active Aeroplan member (you use your Aeroplan credit card or miles at least once every year). However, if you fail to use your Aeroplan membership for over a one-year period, your points will no longer be redeemable.

TIP

• To ensure your Aeroplan miles never expire, make sure you earn, redeem, donate, or transfer your Aeroplan miles at least once every 12 months.
• You can check the expiry status of your Aeroplan miles by logging into your Aeroplan member profile online. Aeroplan will also provide you with a notice 10-to-12 weeks prior to the date your points are set to expire, so keep an eye on your email inbox and Aeroplan app for notifications concerning the status of your points.

Q: Can Aeroplan miles be used to pay for taxes and fees?

A: Yes. With that being said, if you choose to use your Aeroplan miles to offset the cost of taxes, fees or airline surcharges, the value of your miles may be affected.

Q: Can Aeroplan miles be used retroactively?

A: Unfortunately not. While some loyalty programs allow you to purchase flight tickets on your card and apply your points at a later date, Aeroplan miles must be redeemed as you’re booking your flight and not any later.

Q: Which airlines are affiliated with the Aeroplan program?

A: Aeroplan miles can be earned and redeemed for any flight on Air Canada. Aeroplan members can also redeem points for flights on any of the 26 other airlines that make up the Star Alliance network, such as Lufthansa, United Airlines, Air China, and more.

Q: Can you give your Aeroplan miles to someone else?

A: Yes. Miles can be transferred from one Aeroplan member to another at a cost of 2 cent per mile.

Q: Can you transfer Aeroplan miles between loyalty program?

A: Yes, a number of popular points programs can be converted into Aeroplan Miles including:

• American Express Membership Rewards: 1,000 points = 1,000 Aeroplan miles
• Marriott Rewards: 10,000 points = 2,000 Aeroplan miles
• Best Western Rewards: 5 points = 1 Aeroplan mile
• Hilton Honors: 10,000 points = 1,000 Aeroplan miles

Q: Are there any impending changes to the Aeroplan program?

A: While Air Canada originally announced that it would cut ties with Aeroplan in 2020, the national carrier has since finalized a deal to buy back the loyalty program. That means Aeroplan members will likely continue to be able to redeem points on Air Canada flights well into the future. Aeroplan has also announced that it will become a preferred partner of Porter Airlines and Air Transat as of July 2020.

More changes to the loyalty program may come down the pipeline the closer we get to 2020. However, between now and then, there will be absolutely no changes to how Aeroplan miles are earned or redeemed.