How to change or cancel an Aeroplan award

Where do you book and pay for an Aeroplan flight reward?

Members redeem Aeroplan points for flights with Air Canada and its partner airlines at aircanada.com. [5] On Air Canada's own flights, every seat on every flight is available as a reward with no restrictions, and flight rewards with Air Canada carry no cash surcharges. [5] A reward can also be paid for with a combination of points and cash, which the programme calls Points + Cash. [5]

Points reach beyond flights: they can be redeemed for hotels, car rentals at more than 11,000 locations worldwide, Air Canada Vacations packages, activities and travel experiences, merchandise and gift cards. [5] Hotel redemptions made through HotelSavers are advertised as saving up to 30% on hotel redemptions. [5]

This page covers Aeroplan flight rewards only. Cash tickets, tickets issued by partner airlines and package bookings sit outside it; for the booking sequence itself, see how to book Aeroplan awards.

How long do the points behind an Aeroplan award stay usable?

Aeroplan states that points expire only when the account has been inactive for 18 months. [3] An account stays active if at least one Aeroplan point is earned or redeemed within an 18-month period, and earning, redeeming, donating, transferring or converting points are all listed as ways to stay active. [3] A member can see the points inactivity date in the Aeroplan dashboard, under the Activity tab. [3]

Aeroplan emails members up to 60 days before their points expire, so the contact address on the account needs to be current. [3] Points are protected from expiry for primary TD Aeroplan credit cardholders, American Express Aeroplan cardmembers, CIBC Aeroplan credit cardholders, and members who hold Aeroplan Elite Status. [3]

Can you get Aeroplan points back after they expire?

Within six months of expiry, Air Canada sets out three routes back. Expired points can be bought back for a fee. [3] All of a member's points are reinstated if the member flies with Air Canada within six months of expiry — the booking may be made after the points expire, but the travel itself has to fall inside that six-month period. [3] Points are also reinstated on getting an Aeroplan credit card. [3]

Separately, points for past purchases with travel partners can be claimed as missing points even where the Aeroplan number was not given at the time of booking: for a hotel stay or car rental within the last six months, and for a flight booking within 11 months of the flight departure date, with some exceptions. [3]

Exceptions and limits

• The expiry pause has an end date. Aeroplan paused the expiry of points until 30 November 2026: up to 29 November 2026 any points that would have expired will not, and from 30 November 2026 the normal expiration policy applies, with points expiring if an eligible transaction has not been completed before that date. [6] The inactivity page itself notes that points expiry is temporarily on pause. [3]
• Reinstatement by flying turns on travel, not booking. What restores all of the points is an Air Canada flight taken within six months of expiry, not a reservation made inside the window. [3]
• Missing-points windows differ by partner type. Six months applies to a hotel stay or car rental, while a flight booking is claimable within 11 months of the flight departure date, and Air Canada notes that some exceptions apply to flight bookings. [3]
• Card and status protection depends on holding the card or the status. Air Canada lists the protection as lasting as long as the member is a primary TD Aeroplan credit cardholder, American Express Aeroplan cardmember or CIBC Aeroplan credit cardholder, or holds Aeroplan Elite Status. [3]
• Buy-back is offered for a fee within a fixed window. Expired points can be bought back for a fee, and only within six months of expiry. [3]

Frequently asked questions

Do Aeroplan flight rewards add cash surcharges on Air Canada flights?

No. Air Canada states that there are no cash surcharges on flight rewards with Air Canada. [5]

Can you pay cash as well as points for an Aeroplan award?

Yes. Points + Cash lets a member pay for a flight reward with a combination of points and cash. [5]

How long does an Aeroplan account stay active?

Points expire only if the account has been inactive for 18 months, and earning or redeeming at least one Aeroplan point within an 18-month period keeps it active. [3] Expiry is currently paused until 30 November 2026. [6]

What can you do if your Aeroplan points have already expired?

Within six months of expiry, the points can be bought back for a fee, reinstated in full by flying with Air Canada inside that window, or reinstated by getting an Aeroplan credit card. [3]

Is Aeroplan points expiry paused right now?

Yes. Aeroplan paused points expiry until 30 November 2026, so points that would have expired up to 29 November 2026 will not, and the normal policy resumes from 30 November 2026. [6]

Related pages

Programme: Aeroplan. Booking: how to book Aeroplan awards. Pricing and taxes: Aeroplan region-based award pricing and Aeroplan award taxes and carrier surcharges. Before you amend a booking: award ticket change checklist. Terms: frequent flyer glossary.

Sources

Sources checked on 18 October 2026. Aeroplan is the only programme covered here; other airline and hotel programmes are outside this page.

1. Aeroplan: keeping your points active (inactivity and expiry policy), checked 18 October 2026
2. Aeroplan: redeem points for flight rewards and more, checked 18 October 2026
3. Aeroplan: points expiry paused until 30 November 2026, checked 18 October 2026