You don't need to fly Air Canada to get serious value from its Aeroplan program. In fact, some of the best redemptions have nothing to do with Canada at all — think business class across the Atlantic from 60,000 points one way, or a lie-flat seat to Tokyo for around 55,000.
Aeroplan stands out because it still publishes award charts for most partner airlines, so you can predict what a flight will cost before you search. Air Canada's own flights and those of a handful of "select partners" — United, Emirates, Etihad, Flydubai and a few regional Canadian carriers — use variable pricing instead. Everything else follows fixed rates based on distance and region.
The short-haul sweet spot is under 500 miles: flights start at just 6,000 points one way, which The Points Guy values at about $90. That covers most Northeast US hops and routes to Toronto. On long-haul, the fixed-chart partners charge 60,000 points for East Coast to Western Europe business class, or 75,000 from the West Coast — with no fuel surcharges to inflate the cash cost. Headed the other way, an ANA business-class seat from Seattle to Tokyo Haneda can go for 55,000 points where award space exists, against cash fares that typically top $3,000 each way. That works out to over 5 cents per point.
Families get a decent deal too. Up to eight members can pool points through Aeroplan Family Sharing (though new shared accounts are paused at the moment). Lap infants fly free within Canada and between Canada and the US, and cost just CA$25 or 2,500 points elsewhere. Stopovers are 5,000 points each — one per one-way, two per round trip — lasting up to 45 days, though not permitted within Canada, the US or China. Watch for one quirk: partner-operated awards carry a CA$39 booking fee per ticket.
Earning is straightforward. Beyond the Chase Aeroplan card — currently offering up to 115,000 bonus points, automatic 25K status and up to $100 in annual Air Canada credits — you can move points across at 1:1 from Amex Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Capital One miles and Bilt. If you already collect transferable points, you're effectively an Aeroplan member whether you knew it or not.
The takeaway: even without a Canadian trip on the horizon, Aeroplan is one of the sharper tools for Star Alliance awards in premium cabins, and the fixed pricing on most partners keeps it refreshingly predictable in a points world increasingly dominated by variable rates. Story based on The Points Guy.
