Aeroplan Welcomes ITA Airways as Its Newest Redemption Partner, The Good and the Bad

Aeroplan Welcomes ITA Airways as Its Newest Redemption Partner, The Good and the Bad

Aeroplan continues to expand its airline partner lineup, and this time with a spotlight on Italy. Air Canada’s loyalty program has officially announced ITA Airways as its newest air redemption partner, opening up new options when traveling to Italy and beyond using Aeroplan points.

As Italy’s national carrier, ITA Airways operates an extensive network of domestic and international routes. With this new partnership, Aeroplan members gain access to ITA’s full network of more than 70 destinations, adding meaningful coverage across Italy and parts of Europe.

This is a welcome addition for anyone planning travel within Italy, or looking for additional routing options into major Italian cities.

Booking ITA Airways with Aeroplan Points

Effective February 5, 2026, members can begin redeeming points on ITA Airways flights. Bookings can be made directly through Aeroplan, just like other partner awards.

ITA Airways flights can be booked on their own or combined with flights operated by Air Canada or other Aeroplan partner airlines. This flexibility can be especially useful when award space on preferred partners is limited.

Any redemption that includes an ITA Airways segment will be subject to Aeroplan’s standard $39 partner booking fee.

Flights are already loaded into the system and availability is generally strong. In many cases, nine or more economy seats are showing as available on certain flights. However, business class availability on transatlantic routes is extremely limited and difficult to find at the moment.

Pricing follows Aeroplan’s standard partner award chart, not dynamic pricing, which is good news overall.

Important Limitations (For Now)

While the redemption side of this partnership is now live, there are some important limitations to keep in mind.

At this time, Aeroplan points earning, Status Qualifying Credits, and elite status benefits are not available on ITA Airways flights. These benefits will only take effect once ITA officially joins Star Alliance, which is expected but has not yet happened.

Until then, this partnership is strictly about redeeming Aeroplan points, not earning them.

 

Should You Redeem with ITA Airways?

Economy class availability on transatlantic routes is wide open, but business class on these flights is essentially nonexistent right now.

An economy redemption from Toronto to Rome prices at 80,000 points round trip plus $182.82 in taxes and fees. By comparison, cash fares on this route are currently around $962.82 all in.

That works out to well under 1 cent per point in value, which is poor by Aeroplan standards. Personally, I would not make this redemption. Aeroplan points are far more valuable when used for premium cabin awards, particularly long haul business class, where you can extract significantly more value.

Where ITA Airways does offer value is on short haul flights within Europe, where availability is plentiful. There is also real value in using ITA segments as an add on to another partner redemption.

For example, a routing like YYZ to FCO with a stopover in Zurich can price at 75,000 points, making good use of Aeroplan’s stopover rules when paired with the right long haul flight.

Why This Is a Big Deal, and Why It Isn’t

Italy remains a popular destination for Aeroplan members, yet award availability and routing options have often been limited or expensive, especially during peak travel seasons. Adding ITA Airways into the mix introduces more seats, more routes, and more flexibility.

At the same time, limited business class availability and poor economy redemption value on transatlantic routes dampen the excitement around this partnership.

As always, award pricing and availability will vary, but this is still a positive step for Aeroplan’s growing partner network. If you’re planning an Italy trip in 2026 or beyond, ITA Airways redemptions are worth a look, especially for intra Europe flights or as part of a larger, more strategic redemption.