What is a loyalty program?

A loyalty program is a rewards system offered by businesses to encourage repeat purchases. Members earn points, miles, or credits that can be redeemed for rewards.

How do I choose the best loyalty program in Canada?

Consider your spending habits, program partners, redemption options, fees, and ease of use. The best programs offer high value for your everyday purchases.

Do loyalty program points expire?

It depends on the program. Some like PC Optimum never expire as long as the account is active, while others like Aeroplan expire after 18 months of inactivity.

Can I combine multiple loyalty programs?

Yes! You can be a member of multiple programs simultaneously. Many Canadians use a combination of programs to maximize their rewards.

Aeroplan

Aeroplan is Air Canada's loyalty program, allowing members to earn points on Air Canada and 45+ Star Alliance partner flights, as well as on everyday purchases with hundreds of retail, dining, and hotel partners. Points can be redeemed for flights, upgrades, hotels, merchandise, and more. Aeroplan is widely regarded as Canada's best travel loyalty program.

Point Value

~1.5–2.0 cents per point (varies by redemption; up to 3+ cents for premium travel).

Sign-up Bonus

Up to 50,000+ bonus points with select co-branded credit cards (conditions apply).

How It Works

Join for free at aeroplan.com or via the Air Canada app.
Earn points on Air Canada, Star Alliance (45+ airlines), and partner flights.
Earn 1–3+ pts/$ on co-branded Aeroplan credit cards for everyday purchases.
Earn bonus points via the Aeroplan eStore and 150+ retail, dining, and hotel partners.
Redeem points for flights, upgrades, hotels, car rentals, gift cards, and more.

Benefits

Access to 45+ Star Alliance airlines with one program.
No blackout dates on Air Canada flights.
Points never expire with any account activity in 18 months.
Stopovers and open-jaws permitted on partner redemptions.
Points pool with family members (Family Sharing).
Fast earn through top co-branded Visa and Amex cards.

✅ Pros

•Canada's largest travel rewards program with unmatched route coverage.
•No fuel surcharges on partner airline redemptions.
•Extremely flexible booking rules including stopovers for 5,000 points.
•Family Sharing lets you pool points across up to 8 household members.
•Industry-leading mobile app integration with Air Canada.
•Huge sweet spots: Short-haul flights for 6k points, Partner Business Class to Europe/Asia.

❌ Cons

•Dynamic pricing on Air Canada flights can lead to very high point requirements.
•Best credit cards often have high annual fees ($139+).
•Taxes and fees still apply to reward bookings (though fuel surcharges are gone).
•Complexity of the "Milk Run" or "Mini-RTW" routings requires a learning curve.

Best Redemptions

Business Class to Europe on Star Alliance partners (e.g., Lufthansa, Swiss) — ~55,000–70,000 pts one-way, no fuel surcharges.
Business Class to Asia on Star Alliance partners — ~85,000–95,000 pts one-way.
North America short-haul economy flights — great value for weekend getaways.
Round-trip economy flights within Canada — often 10,000–25,000 pts.
eUpgrades on Air Canada using points + cash.

Who It's Best For

✈️ Frequent Air Canada flyers who want to earn status and free flights.
💳 Credit card maximizers who want to accelerate earning via co-branded Visa cards.
🌍 International travelers seeking Business Class upgrades on Star Alliance partners.
👨‍👩‍👧 Families who can pool points via Family Sharing to reach redemptions faster.
🇨🇦 Any Canadian who flies at least 1–2 times per year — the program is free to join.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do Aeroplan points expire?

Yes — points expire after 18 months of account inactivity. Any qualifying transaction (earning or redeeming) resets the clock. Keeping an active co-branded credit card is the easiest way to prevent expiry.

How much is an Aeroplan point worth?

Typically between 1.5–2.0 cents CAD per point on flight redemptions. The value is higher for Business Class partner redemptions (often 2–3+ cents) and lower for merchandise or gift cards.

Can I pool Aeroplan points with family?

Yes. The Aeroplan Family Sharing feature lets up to 8 members combine points into one pool, making it much easier to reach reward thresholds together.

Which credit cards earn Aeroplan points?

The top earners are the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite, CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite, and American Express Aeroplan Reserve. These offer 1–3x pts per dollar plus large welcome bonuses.

Can I use Aeroplan points on non-Air Canada flights?

Absolutely. Aeroplan allows redemptions on 45+ Star Alliance partner airlines including Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, United, and more.

💳 Best Credit Cards for Aeroplan

Looking for the best credit card to pair with Aeroplan?

View Our Credit Card Guide →

Program Rules

Point Expiration: Points expire after 18 months of inactivity.

Blackout Dates: No blackout dates

Program Stats

Overall9/10

Value9/10

Ease of Use9/10

Redemption9/10

Coverage9/10

Program Details

Countries

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