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Air Canada Aeroplan offers 50+ airline partners, letting members book award flights on dozens of different airlines. But did you know that Air Canada Aeroplan also partners with… Starbucks?
Aeroplan members can earn bonus points and Status Qualifying Credits (SQCs) with Starbucks reloads or transfer Aeroplan points to Starbucks Stars. But is this a good deal?
Here's a breakdown of how the transfer works and whether you should take advantage of this partnership
Note before you keep reading: This partnership is only available to Canadian Starbucks account holders.
Air Canada Aeroplan and Starbucks Rewards
If you're not already familiar with Starbucks Rewards, here's a quick overview. After downloading the app, scan the QR code at Starbucks checkout to earn Starbucks Stars. The new Starbucks Rewards program offers elite statuses, allowing you to earn up to 1.7 Stars per $1 spent. Once a month, members can get a free customization on Free Mod Mondays.
Here's how the elite program works:
- Start as a Green Member: Earn 1 Star per $1, receive a free treat on your birthday, and your Stars stay valid for six months after qualifying activity.
- Earn 500 Stars in a year to achieve Gold Member status: Earn 1.5 Stars per $1, four more Double Star Days per year, get seven days to redeem your birthday treat, and Stars never expire.
- Earn 2,500 Stars in a year to achieve Reserve Member status: Earn 1.7 Stars per $1, receive a free personalized Reserve Card, access to Global Coffee Experiences, six more Double Star Days per year, and get 30 days to redeem your birthday treat.
Linking your Aeroplan and Starbucks accounts
You can earn a few Aeroplan points by linking your Air Canada Aeroplan and Starbucks Rewards accounts. Click on this link to connect your accounts.
If you don't already have a Starbucks Rewards account, you can join for free and then earn a one-time bonus of 500 Aeroplan points after making your first Starbucks transaction within seven days of joining. Existing Starbucks Rewards members will not earn the welcome bonus.
Once you've created your new
You will not regularly earn Aeroplan points with Starbucks purchases, except for the occasional promotion.
Transfer Aeroplan points to Starbucks Stars
Starbucks is one of Air Canada's few retail partners. Members can transfer Aeroplan points to Starbucks Stars at the rate of 400 points to 100 Stars. All conversions are final and irreversible.
Remember, for Green members, Starbucks Stars expire six months after conversion, so you'll want a plan to use your newly minted Stars before transferring.
Once converted, Aeroplan members can redeem Starbucks Stars in several ways, from extra shots to a bag of beans. This benefit is available only at participating Starbucks locations in Canada. Unfortunately, not all Starbucks locations honor the Stars system. Corporate-owned stores always accept Stars, but licensed stores, such as those in grocery stores, Target, theme parks, airports, and universities, might not.
Here's a breakdown of how you can redeem your Stars:
- 100 Stars (400 Aeroplan points): Brewed coffee or tea, bakery items, or packaged snacks, up to $6 value.
- 200 Stars (800 Aeroplan points): Handcrafted drink or hot breakfast, up to $10 value.
- 300 Stars (1,200 Aeroplan points): Lunch sandwich or at-home coffee.
- 400 Stars (1,600 Aeroplan points): Select Starbucks merchandise, up to $20 value.
Multi-serve items are excluded from Star redemptions.
As interesting as it is, should you convert Aeroplan points to Starbucks Stars? In our opinion, no.
The most expensive drink you can get with 100 Stars is $6 CAD. And to get 100 Stars, you'd need to transfer 400 Aeroplan points. AwardWallet users have recently redeemed Aeroplan points for 1.86¢US apiece, which means 400 points are worth roughly $7.44 USD (~$10.46 CAD).
That means you lose roughly 43% in value when you convert Aeroplan points to Starbucks Stars, assuming you purchase a $6 CAD drink. If your coffee is $3 or $4, you're losing even more value. However, if you value Aeroplan points more conservatively, this could be a more reasonable deal.
Load your Starbucks card to earn Aeroplan points
Except for the occasional promotion, Aeroplan members do not earn Stars on regular Starbucks purchases. Instead, you can only earn Stars by loading your Starbucks card with at least $50 in a single transaction in the app.
- Earn 25 points every time you load your Starbucks card with $50-$74.99 CAD in a single transaction.
- Earn 100 points every time you load your Starbucks card with over $75 CAD in a single transaction.
Earning Status Qualifying Credits with Starbucks
As of January 1, 2026, Aeroplan members earn 1 Status Qualifying Credit (SQC) for every 5 Aeroplan points earned through the Starbucks partnership, as well as other partners. Members can earn up to 25,000 SQC per calendar year with all partners and Star Alliance member airlines.
While this is nice, it's certainly not the most effective way to reach Aeroplan elite status. You'll need to spend at least $75 reloading your card to earn just 100 Aeroplan points. Those 100 points earn 20 SQCs, and Aeroplan 25K requires 25,000 SQCs. You can do the math on how much you'd need to spend at Starbucks to even make a dent in your progress to elite status.
Our Take
Starbucks Stars are great if you visit Starbucks often, and it's even better that you can earn bonus Aeroplan points when loading your Starbucks card. If you aren't already a Starbucks Rewards member, consider signing up while linking your Aeroplan account to earn 500 points on your first beverage.
However, you should probably skip converting your Aeroplan points to Starbucks Stars. You'll generally get much more value when booking award flights than redeeming for Starbucks purchases.
