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Since the 2020 relaunch of the Aeroplan mileage program, Air Canada has offered a unique zone- and distance-based award chart. Although this award chart has been tweaked over the years, Aeroplan’s generous stopover policy remains a part of the program. Travelers can add a stopover for just 5,000 Aeroplan points, making it possible to build highly customized itineraries — and, in some cases, even save points along the way.
With even more changes to the award charts in 2026, some of the best ways to use Aeroplan stopovers have shifted. Here are a few examples of how to make the most of Aeroplan stopovers and open-jaw awards.
Aeroplan Stopover Award Basics
Before jumping straight into itinerary examples, it's important to highlight a few key rules for Aeroplan stopovers:
- Aeroplan awards are priced by each one-way journey.
- Stopovers aren't permitted within Canada or the United States. Oddly, Aeroplan's Flight Reward Policy also lists China as an excluded country, while Air Canada's general stopover guidance doesn't. So, YMMV with this one.
- Stopovers are distinct from layovers. Layovers can generally last up to 24 hours without needing to pay for a stopover.
- Aeroplan charges 5,000 additional points for each stopover.
- Stopovers cannot exceed 45 days.
- Aeroplan allows one stopover per direction of travel.
Adding a stopover costs just 5,000 points regardless of the length of your trip. Thanks to the way Aeroplan prices awards by region and distance, strategically adding another destination can sometimes even reduce the overall number of points required.
Travelers can book Aeroplan stopover awards over the phone or via aircanada.com.
Examples of Aeroplan Stopover Awards
Saunter through South America
The first secret stopover sweet spot worth highlighting is entirely in South America. The latest version of Aeroplan’s award chart prices travel within this zone into two categories based on distance:
Note the distinction on the chart between “Air Canada and select partners” versus “All other partners.” Air Canada introduced dynamic pricing in 2025 for select partners. Thankfully, you don't have to worry about this quirk for flights within South America.
Aeroplan only has two distance bands for flights within South America, so partner itineraries spanning more than 1,600 miles already fall into the highest band. Adding a 5,000-point stopover brings the total to 25,000 points in economy or 40,000 points in business.
The Galapagos Islands in Ecuador are a wildlife lover’s dream destination. But South America offers much more than the diverse species of the Galapagos. Utilizing the rules for Aeroplan stopovers, travelers could fly between the Galapagos (GPS) and Buenos Aires (EZE), stopping in Bogota, Colombia (BOG) along the way to experience a third country.
The extra 5,000 points for a stopover allow you to spend time in Bogota and see more of South America.
Additionally, we ran into an interesting quirk. Copa Airlines is based in Panama, which is technically in the North America region. However, it flies to numerous places in South America. Multiple itineraries offer flights from one South American country to another using Copa Airlines. This flight below leaves the South American region but then returns to this region in the end. Pricing followed what we expect for “within South America” awards.
In fact, you can even add a stopover in Panama City (PTY) instead of Bogota, and the award will still be priced in accordance with the “within South America” award chart. This points to a potential flexibility among routing rules within the Aeroplan program.
Adventure across the Atlantic
A second secret stopover sweet spot of Aeroplan's updated award chart spans three continents instead of just one. Under the region definitions, the entirety of Europe and Africa falls under the “Atlantic” zone.
That means that travelers starting in North America use the same award chart whether their destination is in Europe or Africa. And thanks to Aeroplan's distance-based pricing, visiting both with a stopover can sometimes cost fewer points than booking each flight separately.
For instance, let's examine an itinerary taking travelers from Chicago (ORD) to Zanzibar (ZNZ) via Frankfurt (FRA). This trip would give you a lengthy stay in Germany before heading to Zanzibar. This journey spans 8,631 miles: 4,344 miles from Chicago to Frankfurt and another 4,287 miles from Frankfurt to Zanzibar.
According to the chart above — assuming no select partners are flown — Aeroplan prices this kind of trip at 75,000 points in economy class or 110,000 points in business class. The business-class price is especially reasonable for almost 18 hours of flight time.
Turning this layover into a stopover would add 5,000 points regardless of cabin class — making the total points requirement 80,000 for economy or 115,000 for business.
Meanwhile, booking the two flight segments separately increases the total points cost of the trip.
By booking separately rather than together with a stopover, the total trip cost would be 85,000 points in economy class or 145,000 points in business class. In this case, the economy difference is negligible, but the business class itinerary saves 30,000 points when booked as a stopover. The fees are also slightly cheaper.
Fly more to spend less
Aeroplan allows some remarkably flexible — and sometimes illogical — award trip routings. When flying between North America and Southeast Asia, for example, travelers can route either east or west. Savvy travelers can take advantage of this quirk on longer trips between the regions.
For instance, take a sample journey from San Francisco (SFO) to Mumbai, India (BOM). Because Aeroplan considers India part of the Atlantic zone, this roughly 8,400-mile itinerary falls into the highest North America–Atlantic distance band. A one-way partner award costs 75,000 points in economy or 110,000 points in business.
Now for the fun part: Instead of ending the journey in Mumbai, you can continue to Bangkok and turn Mumbai into a stopover — and actually reduce the total award price.
Continuing to Bangkok adds about 1,885 miles, bringing the total trip distance to just under 10,300 miles. Because Bangkok is in Aeroplan's Pacific zone, the entire itinerary prices according to the North America–Pacific chart. A partner award between 7,501 and 11,000 miles costs 65,000 points in economy or 102,500 points in business, plus another 5,000 points for the stopover in Mumbai.
The result? You'd pay 70,000 points in economy or 107,500 points in business — 5,000 and 2,500 points less, respectively, than simply ending your trip in Mumbai. And you get a flight to Bangkok out of the deal.
How To Book an Air Canada Aeroplan Stopover
Unlike all the routing rules and restrictions, booking a stopover with Aeroplan isn't complicated. Log in to your Aeroplan account and head to the flight search page. Select “Book with Aeroplan points,” then choose “Multi-city/Stopover” from the trip type menu.
From there, you can add a stopover and choose how long you'd like to stay, up to a maximum of 45 days.
If you want to book a one-way award, select “remove flight” next to the return journey.
Maximizing Aeroplan Open-Jaw Awards
Open-jaw awards are nothing new to Aeroplan. For those unfamiliar, an open jaw is when a round-trip itinerary flies to one destination on the outbound but returns from a separate city. Think of flying from your home airport to London and then flying back home from Paris.
Because Aeroplan prices awards based on both region and distance, strategically placing an open jaw can sometimes actually reduce the total number of points you'll need.
Imagine a trip beginning in Seattle with planned stops in Taipei, Tokyo, and Seoul. All three cities have nonstop service to Seattle, but the order in which you visit them — and how you book the flights — can make a difference.
Let’s start with an outbound journey from Seattle to Seoul with a stopover in Tokyo, coupled with a return journey from Seoul to Seattle with a stopover in Taipei.
Booked without an open jaw
Without an open jaw, the total trip cost would be:
- Seattle – Tokyo – Seoul
- 50,000 points for economy class
- 85,000 points for business class
- Add 5,000 points for the stopover in Tokyo
- Seoul – Taipei – Seattle
- 50,000 points for economy class
- 85,000 points for business class
- Add 5,000 points for the stopover in Taipei
- Overall trip cost: 110,000 in economy or 180,000 in business
Now, let’s look at the exact same trip but with an open jaw between Tokyo and Seoul.
Booked with an open jaw
By skipping the flight between Tokyo and Seoul and making your own way between the two cities, the itinerary becomes:
- Seattle – Tokyo
- 32,500 points for economy class
- 55,000 points for business class
- Seoul – Taipei – Seattle
- 50,000 points for economy class
- 85,000 points for business class
- Extra 5,000 points for the stopover in Taipei
- Overall trip cost: 87,500 in economy (-22,500 points) or 145,000 in business (-35,000 points)
In total, skipping the 750-mile flight between Tokyo and Seoul saves travelers anywhere from 22,500 to 35,000 Aeroplan points, depending on the class of service. Getting between Tokyo and Seoul separately is quite easy. Travelers can utilize relatively inexpensive cash fares to get between the two or a litany of points and miles options.
Best Ways To Earn Aeroplan Points
Aeroplan points can be earned and redeemed on nearly 50 Aeroplan airline partners — including any Star Alliance airline (as Air Canada is a Star Alliance member) as well as a large number of non-alliance Aeroplan partners. Fortunately, many options exist for transferring points to Aeroplan, as well.
U.S. travelers can also earn Aeroplan points directly through the Aeroplan® Credit Card (Rates & Fees).
The $95 annual fee for this Aeroplan Card pays for itself for anyone who regularly flies Air Canada and checks a bag. Cardholders and up to eight companions on the same reservation may check one bag for free when travel originates on Air Canada.
Interestingly enough, even infrequent travelers may be interested in this card thanks to its inclusion in the Chase Pay Yourself Back program for statement credits toward eligible purchases. Eligible categories and redemption values can change, so check your account for current options before redeeming.
- Earn 60,000 bonus points
- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
- $95 Annual Fee
- Redeem points for both international and domestic flights with the Aeroplan® Credit Card.
- Fly to another continent and travel the world with the Aeroplan® Credit Card.
- Earn 3X points for each dollar spent at grocery stores, on dining at restaurants, and Air Canada directly. Earn 1X point for each dollar spent on all other purchases.
- 500 bonus points for every $2,000 you spend in a calendar month - up to 1,500 points per month.
- Member FDIC
- 3x points directly with Air Canada
- 3x points on dining, including takeout and eligible delivery services
- 3x points at grocery stores
- 1x point on all other purchases
Canadian travelers have several co-branded Aeroplan credit card options, as well:
American Express - American Express AeroplanPlus Corporate Platinum Card
- TD® Aeroplan®
Visa - TD® Aeroplan® Visa Platinum
- TD® Aeroplan® Visa Business
Bottom Line
Aeroplan's generous stopover policy is one of the program's best features. For just 5,000 additional points, you can add another destination to an eligible award — and, as the examples above show, creative routing can sometimes even reduce the total number of points you'll need.
Strategic open jaws can unlock even more savings. With Aeroplan's combination of distance- and zone-based pricing, a little flexibility can go a long way when building a multi-destination award trip. Tools such as gcmap.com can help you calculate distances and figure out which award pricing band your itinerary falls into.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Aeroplan® Credit Card (Rates & Fees)
