How to earn Aeroplan points on Air Canada flights

How many Aeroplan points do you earn per dollar?

For flights departing on or after January 1, 2026, all Aeroplan members earn 1 Aeroplan point per $1 spent on an eligible Air Canada flight, calculated on the base fare and carrier surcharges and excluding applicable taxes, fees and third-party charges. [1] Flights that departed on or before December 31, 2025 were credited on distance and fare option instead. [1]

Aeroplan Elite Status members earn an Elite Points Multiplier on top of that base point as a Core Benefit, and the multiplier follows the status they hold at the time of travel. [1]

Air Canada's own illustration uses a $500 sample base fare: a member with no status earns 500 points, while an Aeroplan 50K member earns 2,000 points on the same fare. [1] Because the rate follows spend, choosing a higher fare option such as Latitude earns more points than choosing Standard on the same route. [1]

Which Air Canada tickets earn Aeroplan points?

The flight has to be eligible for accumulation. [1] Air Canada's list of tickets that do not earn includes refunded, void or unused tickets, reward travel and free promotional tickets, travel agency and industry reduced-rate tickets, tour conductor, companion and infant tickets, and tickets bought to carry excess baggage or to hold extra space for the primary passenger. [1] Single-entity charter flights are excluded unless otherwise specified, as are tickets on fares whose rules exclude earning and flights marketed and operated by another airline in a booking class that is not eligible. [1] A flight booked with Aeroplan points, or with a mix of points and cash, does not accumulate points. [1]

To be credited, each passenger must be an Aeroplan member with their number added to the booking, and the reservation details must match the passenger's Aeroplan profile; points go to each traveler on the booking regardless of who bought the ticket. [1]

Earning also depends on the operating carrier — the airline that actually flies the plane — and on which airline issued the ticket. [1] Flights operated by Air Canada earn on spend regardless of the ticketing airline or how the flight was booked, while flights operated by partner airlines earn on spend when the ticket number starts with 014, the prefix for tickets issued by Air Canada. [1] Tickets bought through Air Canada channels are automatically issued with a 014 number. [1]

How are points calculated on multi-flight tickets?

When a ticket covers several flights, the total spent on base fare and carrier surcharges is divided proportionally according to the distance of each flight. [1] On a ticket that straddles the change, the flight that departed in 2025 is credited on distance while the flight that departs in 2026 is credited on the dollars spent for that segment. [1] A ticket bought in another currency is converted to Canadian dollars at an industry-standard exchange rate before the points are worked out. [1]

If you voluntarily exchange a ticket for different flights, points follow the cost of the new flights, and a flight moved into 2026 is credited under the 2026 structure. [1] If Air Canada or another airline changes your flight, points are based on your original booking, and an involuntary downgrade from Business or Premium Economy produces a credit adjustment based on the ticket price paid that is reflected in the points earned. [1] Paying with AC-Wallet funds, in full or in part, does not stop an eligible flight from earning. [1]

When do points post, and what protects them?

Aeroplan points are deposited after the completion of each flight, and bonus point promotions can add to the total, with some promotions shown during flight searches. [1] Once in the account, points stay usable as long as you earn or redeem at least 1 Aeroplan point within an 18-month period; earning, redeeming, donating, transferring and converting points all count as activity. [2] Aeroplan has paused point expiry until November 30, 2026, and its normal expiry policy applies from that date. [5]

Members are emailed up to 60 days before points expire, and the inactivity date sits on the Activity tab of the account dashboard. [2] Points that do expire can be bought back for a fee, reinstated by flying with Air Canada within six months of expiry, or reinstated by getting an Aeroplan credit card. [2] Primary cardholders of the TD, American Express and CIBC Aeroplan credit cards, and members holding Aeroplan Elite Status, are told their points will not expire. [2] Missing points can be claimed for a hotel stay or car rental within the last six months, or for a flight within 11 months of the departure date, even if the Aeroplan number was not in the original booking, though some exceptions apply. [2]

Exceptions and limits

• The Elite Points Multiplier applies on Air Canada flights and on flights operated by Star Alliance member airlines when the ticket carries an Air Canada 014 number; a partner-operated flight ticketed by another airline earns no Elite multiplier. [1]
• Flights operated by Aeroplan partner airlines and ticketed by another airline earn on distance rather than spend, with the exception of flights on Helijet and Harbour Air. [1]
• Because the multiplier depends on status at the time of travel, the rate is fixed by the status held on the travel date. [1]
• Extra fees are outside the earning base: paying for a second checked bag or a seat assignment earns no points, while the fare itself still does. [1]
• Status Qualifying Credits are a separate measure from Aeroplan points, and flights booked in Economy Basic earn no Status Qualifying Credits at all. [3]

Frequently asked questions

Do all Air Canada flights earn Aeroplan points?

No. Refunded, void and unused tickets, reward and free promotional tickets, industry reduced-rate tickets, companion and infant tickets, and tickets bought for extra baggage or extra seat space do not earn. [1]

How many Aeroplan points do I earn per dollar?

A member with no Elite status earns 1 point per $1 of base fare and carrier surcharges, and an Aeroplan Super Elite member earns 6 points per $1 at the top of the scale. [1]

Do Aeroplan points and status credits work the same way?

No. Status Qualifying Credits are a separate currency for Elite Status, earned at 2 SQC per $1 on Economy Standard and 4 SQC per $1 on Economy Flex and above on the eligible base fare and carrier surcharges. [3]

Do baggage or seat selection fees earn points?

No, points are earned only on the base fare and carrier surcharges, so extra charges such as a second checked bag or a seat assignment do not add points. [1]

When can I claim missing points for a flight?

A flight can be claimed within 11 months of the departure date, and a hotel stay or car rental within the last six months. [2]

Related pages

New to the program: start here with Aeroplan. Cards that accelerate earning and protect points: Aeroplan co-brand cards compared. Where the points go furthest: Aeroplan award sweet spots. Terms used above: frequent flyer glossary. Changing a booked trip: Aeroplan award change and cancellation rules.

Sources

Sources checked on 13 October 2026. This page reports no account test. Other programs, including United MileagePlus, Flying Blue, the British Airways Club and KrisFlyer, are not covered here.

1. Air Canada: earn Aeroplan points with Air Canada, checked 5 October 2026
2. Aeroplan: keeping your points active, checked 13 October 2026
3. Aeroplan Elite Status: qualifying with Status Qualifying Credits, checked 5 October 2026
4. Aeroplan: points expiry suspended until November 30, 2026, checked 13 October 2026