Aeroplan Launches “Get a Head Start on 2023 Status” Promotion

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Air Canada's Aeroplan extended elite status for everyone until the end of 2022. Now that we're in 2022, those looking to get a jump on 2023 elite status qualification can take advantage of Aeroplan's “Get a Head Start on 2023 Status” to fast-track your way to status for next year.

Here's a look at the status requirements and how this can help you on your way.

Aeroplan Elite Status Requirements

Aeroplan is the loyalty program of Air Canada, which is a Star Alliance member. You can read more about Aeroplan here and also read about the secret sweet spots of Aeroplan stopovers and open jaws.

Aeroplan has five elite status tiers:

• 25K
• 35K
• 50K
• 75K
• Super Elite

You can compare the benefits of these status levels here.

For our purposes today, we are interested in earning Aeroplan elite status, so we can understand the “Get a Head Start on 2023 Status” promotion. Aeroplan's status uses three elements:

• SQMs – Status Qualifying Miles, these are a percentage of the distance you fly (minimum distance is 250 miles) on Air Canada and qualifying partner airlines, as well as the flight portion of Air Canada vacation packages.
• SQSs – Status Qualifying Segments, these are earned for each flight segment you take with Air Canada, eligible partners, and flights in Air Canada vacation packages.
• SQDs – Status Qualifying Dollars are earned for eligible spending on a ticket.

Note that none of these have anything to do with your Aeroplan miles, which are earned separately and used for award ticket redemptions.

To qualify for elite status with Aeroplan, you need a combination of either SQM or SQS, as well as the mandatory category of SQD. Note the asterisk in the chart next to SQD. Aeroplan says this: “As of January 2022, all members will need to reach the published Status Qualifying Dollar requirement to qualify. This means that non-Canadian residents will also need to meet the Status Qualifying Dollars requirements found in the chart above.”

“Get a Head Start on 2023 Status” Aeroplan Promotion

Now that we understand status requirements, let's look at this promotion. After we understand what it is, we'll analyze how much it might help you on your quest for Aeroplan status.

For reference, the promotion landing page is here.

Offer 1: Complete 3 of 5 Activities (Only for Those With Status Already)

For those who have some level of Aeroplan elite status already, you can complete three of these five activities for a bonus:

1. Link your Starbucks Rewards account to your Aeroplan account here.
2. Link your Uber or Uber Eats account to your Aeroplan account here.
3. Earn points with the Aeroplan eStore, LCBO, Starbucks, Uber, Uber Eats, or with a car or hotel booking.
4. Redeem your points for any merchandise item or gift card in the eStore, or redeem for a car or hotel booking.
5. Have a Core or Premium Aeroplan credit card through April 30, 2022.

For #5 above, cards with no fee or “first year no fee” from TD Bank and CIBC do not qualify. However, the new Aeroplan^® Credit Card from Chase in the U.S. does qualify.

The bonus:

If you complete 3 of these 5 activities, you will earn:

• 5,000 SQMs
• 5 SQSs
• $500 SQDs

Note that doing an activity three times is not sufficient. You must complete three different activities to achieve the bonus.

Offer 2: Double SQM, SQS & SQD on Air Canada Flights

Open to everyone, this offer is straightforward. You can get a 100% bonus (meaning double earnings) for SQM, SQS, and SQD on each Air Canada flight through April 30, 2022.

Qualifying flights must be cash (revenue fares) and must be in Economy Standard or higher fare classes. This means promotional and basic economy tickets are not eligible for the bonus earnings.

Note that this includes flights completed up through April 30, 2022. You must fly by this date — not just book your tickets.

Offer 3: Bonus SQD and SQM on Air Canada Vacations

Another offer available to everyone, you can earn bonus Status Qualifying Miles (SQMs) and Status Qualifying Dollars (SQDs) with an Air Canada Vacations package. Travel must be completed by April 30, 2022 to be eligible.

For the SQD earnings, they will be equal to equal to “50% of your portion of the package price”. Aeroplan explains this with the following note: “Every traveller must include their respective Aeroplan number at time of booking or at least 2 days prior to travel commencing.”

Thus, the itinerary is divided among the number of travelers proportionally according to the cost of adding that person to the package. The terms even state that this division occurs no matter who pays for the package.

In addition to the 50% SQD earning bonus (available to everyone), Aeroplan elites can earn bonus SQM with Air Canada Vacation packages:

• 2,500 bonus SQMs if you are a 25K or 35K elite
• 5,000 bonus SQMs if you are a 50K, 75K, or Super Elite member

These earnings are in addition to the default earnings of SQMs and SQS for flight segments in the vacation package.

Value of These Offers in Pursuit of Aeroplan Status

If you are pursuing Aeroplan elite status for 2023, how good are the bonus earnings from the “Get a Head Start on 2023 Status” Aeroplan Promotion? Let's look at these in terms of “how much help” they give you on the path to status. We'll compare the bonus earnings to the status level requirements discussed above.

Offer 1 Analysis

Remember that the first offer is only for people who already hold some level Aeroplan elite status. You can earn:

• 5,000 SQMs
• 5 SQSs
• $500 SQDs

What does that get you?

• 5,000 SQMs
  • 1/5 of SQMs needed for 25K status
  • 1/7 of SQMs needed for 35K status
  • 1/10 of SQMs needed for 50K status
  • 1/15 of SQMs needed for 75K status
  • 1/20 of SQMs needed for Super Elite status
• 5 SQSs
  • 1/5 of SQSs needed for 25K status
  • 1/7 of SQSs needed for 35K status
  • 1/10 of SQSs needed for 50K status
  • 1/15 of SQSs needed for 75K status
  • 1/20 of SQSs needed for Super Elite status
• $500 SQDs
  • 1/6 of SQDs needed for 25K status
  • 1/8 of SQDs needed for 35K status
  • 1/12 of SQDs needed for 50K status
  • 1/18 of SQDs needed for 75K status
  • 1/40 of SQDs needed for Super Elite status

Offer 2 Analysis

While this offer is open to everyone, it's tough to quantify “what you'll get.” In this offer, you can earn a 100% bonus SQMs, SQDs, and SQSs on all Air Canada flights through April 30, 2022.

The positive: this is the most lucrative of the promotions. You get double of everything. And there's no limit to what you can earn here.

The negative: it applies only to Air Canada flights you purchase with money. Award flights, partner flights — none of those count for this part of the status accelerator promotion.

Offer 3 Analysis

In this offer, anyone with an Aeroplan account can earn 50% bonus SQDs on their portion of an Air Canada Vacation package. If you're planning on taking one of these trips anyway, the bonus earnings are a nice touch.

You would earn 50% of whatever cash you spend in the form of SQD. Higher earning rates are great, but you need to spend more money to earn more SQDs here. If you've got an expensive vacation package coming up, you may be excited. Anyone else might not see the value here.

There are also bonus SQMs available here, but 2,500 / 5,000 SQMs likely aren't going to convince you to book a vacation package you weren't considering already.

Also, remember that you would earn some SQSs and SQMs by default for the flight portion of a vacation package. If you took a direct flight going on your vacation and a direct flight coming home, that would be a total of 2 SQSs, for example.

Which Offer is Best?

If you hold some level of Aeroplan status already, the first promotion is really simple. You probably see this as the easiest. In fact, you may be done with at least 3 of the activities already.

In terms of “best earnings”, offer 2 takes the cake. You get double earnings in all 3 of the relevant categories for Aeroplan status. And it's not just limited to one flight, so the uncapped nature here makes it quite lucrative. However, you'll need to shell out real money and need to fly on Air Canada (including Air Canada Express / Air Canada Rouge) to get the bonus earnings.

And there's a special note about Offer 2: “the Eligible Participant's Aeroplan Number must be included on their booking prior to departure.” Requests for mileage credit after the flight, if you forget to add your Aeroplan number, may not qualify for the bonus earnings.

Another Way to Get Aeroplan Status

If you're interested in Aeroplan status, yet all of this sounds like too much work, consider applying for the Aeroplan^® Credit Card. We wrote an analysis of this card when it first launched, which you can read here.

One of its key perks is that it includes Aeroplan Elite 25K status for the remainder of the first calendar year in which you have the card, plus the following calendar year. This status includes perks like priority check-in, early boarding, and potential upgrades on Air Canada flights. Thus, if you would apply for and open this credit card, you would have status for the remainder of 2022 plus all of 2023.

To retain Elite 25K status after this initial period, you need to spend $15,000 on the card in a calendar year (or earn it through the SQS/SQM/SQD requirements outlined above). If you can spend $50,000 or more on your card in a calendar year, you can earn Aeroplan's Level-Up benefit—which gives you a one-level status boost. For example, if you met the normal requirements to earn Elite 35K status, Level-Up would bump you to Elite 50K status.

Aeroplan^® Credit Card

Apply Now

Aeroplan^® Credit Card

Annual Fee$95

Welcome Bonus Earn up to 100,000 bonus points – 75,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. Plus, 25,000 points after you spend $20,000 on purchases in the first 12 months.

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HighlightsEarning Rates

• Earn up to 100,000 bonus points
• Earn 75,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
• Plus, 25,000 points after you spend $20,000 on purchases in the first 12 months.
• $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 on dining, including takeout and eligible delivery services
• 3x points at grocery stores
• 3x points directly with Air Canada
• 1x point on all other purchases

Our Take

It's nice to see promotions with various different angles, because people can find what works for them. Aeroplan's “Get a Head Start on 2023 Status” promotion should hopefully have an element that works for anyone interested in fast-tracking toward Aeroplan status for next year. There are 3 options, and nothing says you can't take advantage of all 3 parts of the promotion to maximize your earnings.

We looked at the 3 options and how much they can help you on your way toward attaining status. And if all of this sounds like too much work, we also covered the path to automatic status via a credit card.

Are you planning to pursue Aeroplan status for 2023? If so, how helpful do you think this promotion is?

AwardWallet Tip of The Day

Did you know you can see the transaction history for most of your loyalty program accounts in AwardWallet? In your AwardWallet account dashboard, click the + sign next to the account you want to view. Then, click the History tab to see your individual transaction history.
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