A Beginner's Guide to Redeeming Aeroplan Points: Top 10 Things You Should Know Before Redeeming
- Points and Places
- Oct 23, 2024
- 5 min read
Updated: Oct 24, 2024
If you’re like most Canadians, you’ve likely accumulated Aeroplan points over the years. Whether from flying with Air Canada, shopping at places that offer Aeroplan points (like LCBO), or using Aeroplan-branded credit cards, many people find themselves sitting on a sizable stash of points. Surprisingly, many have never redeemed them! I often find myself at social events, talking about points, and I’m amazed by how many people either haven’t tried to redeem, have heard bad things, or—worst of all—are using their hard-earned points to buy toasters!
This guide will walk you through the top things you should know before making your first redemption, so you can get the most value from your Aeroplan points.
1) You Can Redeem Aeroplan Points for Airlines Other Than Air Canada
One of the biggest surprises for people is that Aeroplan points aren’t just for Air Canada flights. Aeroplan is part of the Star Alliance, which includes many partner airlines. You can use your points to book flights on United Airlines, Lufthansa, Swiss Air, and others. Air Canada even has partnerships with non-Star Alliance airlines like Emirates! Sometimes, if you’re flying outside of Canada, partner airlines will offer much better award pricing than Air Canada. And guess what? You can search and book these partner flights directly from the Air Canada website.
2) Reward Pricing: Fixed vs. Dynamic
When redeeming Aeroplan flights, it’s important to know the difference between dynamic and fixed pricing. Air Canada and Emirates flights use dynamic pricing, which means the points required fluctuate based on demand and other factors. As seats sell, the points needed typically increase.
On the other hand, partner airlines use a fixed award chart, meaning the number of points required remains the same, no matter the demand. But there’s a catch—once those limited seats are gone, they’re gone! Both types of pricing are based on the zone and distance of your flight, so always check what works best for your situation. The full reward chart is available here.
3) Dynamic Pricing Surprises
Believe it or not, Aeroplan dynamic pricing can sometimes work in your favor! There are times when business class can cost fewer points than economy, especially if economy seats are in higher demand. You can also combine a low-cost Air Canada flight with a partner airline segment to save on points.
4) Understanding "Seats Left" Availability Notice
When booking Air Canada flights with Aeroplan points, all available seats can be booked, but the points cost increases as more seats get reserved. If you see a notice about the number of seats left, that refers to how many are available at the current points price. Don’t worry, there are usually more seats available, but at a higher cost.
For partner airlines, the number of seats shown is the actual number available at the fixed points price. Once those seats are gone, you won’t be able to book more at that rate.
Pro tip: Aeroplan charges the highest price for multiple seats, so if the cost jumps for more than one ticket, consider booking them separately to save some points!
5) Add a Stopover for Just 5,000 Points
Why not spice up your trip by adding an extra city to your itinerary? With Aeroplan, you can add a stopover on international flights for just 5,000 additional points. Stopovers are not permitted within Canada or the United States.
Whether you want to spend a few days exploring a new city on the way to your final destination or simply take a short detour, this Aeroplan stopover feature can add amazing value to your trip.
I always try to add a stopover on my Aeroplan reward flights to visit another city during my travels. Sometimes it’s a completely new country, or other times, I just use it to explore different cities within the same country. To book this type of trip, use the “multi-city/stopover” section when searching for flights. If the segment you want doesn’t show up in the tool, you can call an agent to help you piece it together. I often do this to make the most of my time.
6) Understanding Reward Types: Flexible vs. Lowest
When redeeming Aeroplan points for Air Canada flights, you’ll come across different fare categories. Economy is available in Standard, Flex, and Latitude, while Premium Economy, Business, and First Class come in Lowest and Flexible.
The main difference between these categories is the flexibility to change or cancel your flight. Flexible and Latitude fares allow free changes and cancellations, while other fare types, like Standard or Flex, come with fees for changes or cancellations.
There are also perks tied to certain fare types, such as eligibility for e-upgrades and access to the Signature Suite Lounge in Toronto and Vancouver, if that interests you.
Personally, I book a mix of these fares. If my travel plans are uncertain, I choose Flexible, as I often end up changing flights. But if I’m sure about my dates, I opt for the Lowest fare to save points.
7) Mixed Cabin Awards
When booking long itineraries, you might come across the term "Mixed Cabin" in your search results. This means that different legs of your trip are in different classes of service—like flying economy for one segment and business class for another.
It’s important to keep an eye on this, especially if you're booking business or first-class. Not all parts of your journey may be in the class you want. If the "Mixed Cabin" label is shown in red, it means less than 50% of the trip is in the higher class.
On some Air Canada itineraries, selecting a Flexible fare may upgrade the entire trip to business class. However, this usually comes with a significant increase in the points required.
8) Taxes, Fees, and Points Combinations
Redeeming Aeroplan points isn’t completely free—you’ll still need to pay taxes and fees. The good news is that these fees are much lower than they used to be. Aeroplan gives you the option to use a combination of points and cash to cover these costs, but it’s usually not a good value to use points for fees. If the fees seem unusually high, it could be because Aeroplan is factoring in the cost of purchasing points to make up for any shortfall in your balance. Try to avoid this option if possible.
9) Not All Planes Are Created Equal
When flying business or first class, the aircraft type can drastically affect your experience. Take Air Canada’s Boeing 787 Dreamliner, for example—it offers luxurious lie-flat seats in business class. In contrast, smaller planes might only provide less comfortable recliner seats. To make sure you're maximizing comfort—especially on long-haul or overnight flights—always check the aircraft type before booking. The Aeroplan booking system allows you to view the plane and seat map when choosing your redemption flight, so you can easily spot if the aircraft offers lie-flat seating, like the one shown below.
10) What to Do When You’re Short on Points
So, you’ve found the perfect flight but don’t have enough points—don’t worry! There are several ways to earn points quickly:
You can buy points at the checkout page.
Consider signing up for an Air Canada Aeroplan credit card. Many cards offer a generous sign-up bonus that can help top up your balance.
Earn extra points through everyday purchases at Aeroplan partner stores like LCBO or by using Aeroplan eStore for online shopping.
Summary
By keeping these tips in mind, you should be well-prepared to make your first Aeroplan points redemption and get great value for your points. Aeroplan can get more complex, but once you’ve mastered the basics, you’ll be ready to tackle more advanced redemptions.
Keep an eye out for future guides!
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