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Even if you don't have plans to visit Canada, there are plenty of reasons why you should care about the Aeroplan loyalty program. Aeroplan points can provide fantastic value through Air Canada's massive list of airline partners. And the simplest way to earn a pile of Aeroplan points is through a credit card welcome bonus, like the one offered on the Aeroplan® Credit Card.
Wondering if this card is the right fit for you? In this review, we’ll break down the sign-up bonus, explore the Aeroplan Card‘s earning rates, annual fee, and perks, and provide all the details you need to make an informed decision.
- Earn 75,000 bonus points
- Earn 75K bonus points after you spend $4,000 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
- Rates & Fees
- 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
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Aeroplan Card Pros
- Earn 3X points on Air Canada spending and in a handful of useful spending categories.
- Receive complimentary Elite 25K status through the end of next year.
- Get a first checked bag free, exclusive rates on award bookings, plus other travel protections.
- $120 Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS credit every four years.
Aeroplan Card Cons
- Charges an annual fee of $95.
- Air Canada only offers one personal credit card for U.S.-based travelers.
- Subject to Chase's 5/24 rule, which may make you ineligible for this card.
Aeroplan Card Welcome Bonus
New applicants for the Aeroplan Card can earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
It's not unheard of for the Aeroplan Card to occasionally run increased or unique welcome offers. To get a better idea of the offer history on the card and what you might be able to expect in the future, check out our post covering past credit card offers from Chase.
How much is this bonus worth? AwardWallet users typically redeem Air Canada Aeroplan points at 1.85¢ each. That makes the current bonus (if earned in full) worth around $1,380 toward award flights.
Aeroplan Card Benefits
Compared to many other airline credit cards, the Aeroplan Card offers a quality slate of perks and benefits that more than justify its reasonable $95 annual fee. These benefits can make the card worth keeping in your wallet every year.
New cardmember Elite 25K status
New cardholders will receive complimentary Air Canada Elite 25K status for the remainder of this calendar year, as well as the following calendar year in its entirety. You can retain Elite 25K status by spending $15,000 in a calendar year.
If you can spend $50,000 or more on your card in a calendar year, you can earn Aeroplan's Level-Up benefit. This gives you a one-level status boost. For example, if you met the flying requirements to earn Elite 35K status, Level-Up would bump you to Elite 50K status.
If you've already earned the top-tier Aeroplan Super Elite Status, you'll still be rewarded for reaching $50,000 in annual spending. Instead of Level-Up, you'll earn the right to gift Elite 50K status to another Aeroplan member.
Related: How To Get Airline Elite Status Without Flying
Monthly bonus points
Earn 500 bonus Aeroplan points for every $2,000 you spend on the Aeroplan Card in a calendar month — up to 1,500 points. If you maximize that $6,000 in spending across 3X earning categories, you will finish the month with 19,500 Aeroplan points. That's a 3.25X earning rate on the first $6,000 you spend in a month.
Related: Do Air Canada Aeroplan Points Expire?
Complimentary checked bag
The primary cardholder and up to eight travel companions on the same reservation can check one bag for free when travel originates on an Air Canada flight.
No foreign transaction fees
You'll avoid those annoying foreign transaction fees when using the Aeroplan Card abroad.
Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS fee credit
Receive a statement credit of up to $120 every four years as a fee reimbursement for applying for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS.
Related: Expedited Security Screening Programs: How To Get Them for Free
10% bonus on Chase Ultimate Rewards point transfers
If you hold a Chase Ultimate Rewards-earning credit card, you can enjoy a 10% transfer bonus after transferring 50,000 or more Ultimate Rewards to Aeroplan in a single transaction. You can earn a maximum of 25,000 bonus Aeroplan points per calendar year.
Preferred pricing on Aeroplan awards
Access preferred pricing on Aeroplan awards, which means awards cost less as a cardholder.
World Elite Mastercard benefits
The Aeroplan Card is a World Elite Mastercard, which means you can take advantage of World Elite Mastercard benefits. These include purchase protection, a free ShopRunner membership, a World Elite Concierge, and more.
Travel protections
As a cardholder, you can also enjoy the following travel and purchase protections when you use your card on an eligible purchase:
- Trip cancellation and interruption insurance: Covers cancellations and interruptions to trips purchased with the card by reimbursement of non-refundable travel expenses — up to $1,500 per person and $6,000 per trip.
- Trip delay reimbursement: If your travel is delayed 12+ hours or requires an overnight stay, you'll be reimbursed for expenses like meals and lodging, up to $500 per ticket.
- Baggage delay insurance: If the air carrier delays your baggage for more than 6 hours, you'll be reimbursed for essential purchases like toiletries and clothing up to $100 a day for three days.
- Auto rental collision damage waiver: This benefit covers theft and damage to most cars in the U.S. and abroad, provided you decline the rental company's policy. Coverage is secondary in the U.S. but primary in other countries.
- Roadside assistance: In an emergency, the Benefit Administrator will dispatch help. Roadside service fees will be billed to your credit card.
- Zero liability protection: You will not be held liable for unauthorized charges made with your credit card or account information.
- 24/7 fraud monitoring: Chase will monitor your account for fraud and unusual purchases.
- Purchase protection: New purchases are covered against damage and theft for 120 days, up to $500 per claim, and up to $50,000 per account.
Aeroplan Card Earning Rates
The Aeroplan Card has a surprisingly simple but rewarding earning structure.
- 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
Even if you're not one to spend frequently (or ever) on Air Canada purchases, the Aeroplan Card will still reward eligible spending in other categories at the same rate. Earning 3X points per dollar on groceries and dining can certainly be valuable, and it's uncommon for an airline card to reward any category as generously as it does flights booked directly through its website.
Related: How Many Points Does My Credit Card Earn?
Redeeming Points With the Aeroplan Card
Swiping a credit card like the Aeroplan Card and earning an outsized welcome bonus is a one-way ticket to a large sum of Aeroplan points. The most valuable way to redeem your points is for award travel on Air Canada or its 45+ airline redemption partners, but you also can use your points to pay yourself back.
Let's look at these options to see how they work and what value they can provide.
Redeem Aeroplan points for flights
Aeroplan points typically provide the best value when redeemed for award travel with Air Canada or its partner airlines. Business-class flights, in particular, often deliver the highest return on your points.
Air Canada divides the world into four regions for its award charts: North America, the Atlantic, the Pacific, and South America. The map looks like this:
The prices for partner award charts are fixed, which means the price you see in the chart is the price you'll pay for a partner-operated award flight — assuming there's availability. Air Canada flights, on the other hand, are priced in a range, so it's more difficult to estimate what you'll pay for an award flight. You can view all 11 award charts here (Caution: PDF link).
For a little bit of inspiration, you could use these award charts to fly from New York (JFK) to Frankfurt (FRA) in Lufthansa first for 90,000 points or in economy for 35,000 points per way.
Another great option is to fly from Chicago (ORD) to Zurich (ZRH) in SWISS business class for 70,000 points.
Want to go the other direction? Flights from Los Angeles (LAX) to Tokyo (NRT) in United Polaris business class will cost 75,000 points per way.
Related: The Secret Sweet Spots of Aeroplan Stopovers and Open Jaws
Pay yourself back with Aeroplan points
As an alternative to redeeming Aeroplan points for flights, cardholders can pay themselves back using Aeroplan points toward travel purchases on any airline, hotel, or rental car. In early 2025, Chase expanded the program to include dining and groceries as eligible categories. You can also use Aeroplan points to cover the $95 annual fee on the card
The redemption rate is a flat 1.25¢ per point. As of the beginning of 2025, Chase and Aeroplan have implemented a new annual limit of 200,000 Aeroplan points for Pay Yourself Back redemptions within the Travel category, which covers hotels, car rentals, ride-shares, flights, and other travel-related expenses. The other categories remain unlimited.
You might already be familiar with Chase's “Pay Yourself Back” program, which allows you to request a statement credit for select purchases made with Ultimate Rewards cards. The Aeroplan Card‘s perk works similarly, but the purchases eligible for a statement credit differ.
Objectively, redeeming Aeroplan points for 1.25¢ apiece is less than ideal. By comparison, AwardWallet users redeem Aeroplan points at the following cents-per-point rates for award travel:
- Regional economy: 1.21¢
- International economy: 1.28¢
- Regional business: 2.56¢
- International business: 2.63¢
Application Restrictions
As with other Chase credit cards, this Aeroplan Card is subject to the Chase 5/24 rule. Chase also has a 2/30 rule, in which you cannot open more than two credit cards with Chase in a rolling 30-day period. Chase includes the following application restrictions in the card's terms:
“This product is not available to either (i) current cardmembers of the Chase Aeroplan Card, or (ii) previous cardmembers of the Chase Aeroplan Card who received a new card within the last 24 months.”
Thus, if you have this card or received a welcome bonus on it in the past 24 months, you aren't eligible for the current offer.
Related: Understanding Rewards Credit Card Application Rules and Restrictions
Cards That Compete With the Aeroplan Card
Unsure if the Aeroplan Card is right for you? Here are some other quality options to consider:
- If you spend a lot on flight purchases, want to earn points that transfer to Aeroplan, and value lounge access, look into The Platinum Card® from American Express. Card Members earn 5X points on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel® (on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year) and 5X points on prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com. Even better, you can transfer those points to Air Canada Aeroplan at a 1:1 ratio, on top of transferring them to nearly two dozen other hotel and airline programs. This card carries a $695 annual fee (Rates & Fees). You'll have access to numerous airport lounges, hundreds of dollars in annual spending credits, and even elite status with both Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors. However, you won't get any Air Canada-specific benefits. For a deeper dive, check out our full Amex Platinum Card review. Enrollment is required for select Amex benefits.
- If you want a travel rewards credit card with a reasonable annual fee that earns points transferable to Air Canada Aeroplan, check out the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. Carrying a $95 annual fee, the Chase Sapphire Preferred can be a valuable wallet addition, courtesy of its friendly bonus categories, top-notch travel insurance protections, and points that can be transferred to 14 airline and hotel programs — including Aeroplan. Holding this card and the Aeroplan Card also would unlock the 10% points transfer benefit. Learn more in AwardWallet's full Sapphire Preferred review.
- If you want to earn rewards transferable to Aeroplan on a card with a simplified earning structure, consider the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card. You'll earn 2 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day. 5 Miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. The card features a $95 annual fee, and Capital One miles transfer 1:1 to Air Canada Aeroplan as one of the 19 available transfer partners. You'll also enjoy a credit for your Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee once every four years. For more, read our full review of the Capital One Venture Card.
(Terms apply)
- Earn 5X points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel® (up to $500,000 in purchases per calendar year).
- Earn 5X points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel®.
- 5X points on Lyft rides through September 2027
- 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 3X points on dining at restaurants worldwide
- 3X points on eligible streaming services
- 3X points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs)
- 2X points on all other travel
- 1X point per dollar spent on all other purchases
- 5X miles per dollar on purchases through Capital One Entertainment (through 12/31/2025)
- 5X miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- 2X miles per dollar on all other purchases
Related: The Best Credit Cards for Travel Purchases
Final Thoughts
The Aeroplan Card stands out as consistently valuable compared to many other co-branded airline credit cards. Its bonus point-earning categories are easy to maximize, especially if you routinely spend at grocery stores and restaurants. In other words, you can get a lot out of the card without ever flying Air Canada. But if you do fly Air Canada, you'll earn handsomely when you pay for flights, and the flight perks you can enjoy, such as complimentary Elite 25K status and free checked bags, are hard to beat.
However, the Aeroplan Card makes the most sense for people who want to engage in the Aeroplan program. In a recent update to the Aeroplan terms and conditions, small print revealed that those who sign up for co-branded credit cards, earn the welcome bonus, and then stop using the card are at risk of having their Aeroplan account audited.
Ultimately, if you apply and are approved for the card, you'll want to use it regularly. Ensure you don't “disengage” from the program; it could bring consequences.
- Earn 75,000 bonus points
- Earn 75K bonus points after you spend $4,000 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
- Rates & Fees
- 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
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Aeroplan® Credit Card (Rates & Fees), The Platinum Card® from American Express (Rates & Fees), and Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (Rates & Fees)
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