Status: checked against official sources; automated independent review
GUIDE
Aeroplan vs United MileagePlus: earning rules compared
United MileagePlus credits a flight operated by Air Canada in three ways: fare-based rates when United issues the ticket, and distance-and-fare-class percentages when Air Canada or a third party issues it [3]. The rules below set out the MileagePlus side of that comparison field by field, with the ticket-number, fare-class and country conditions United attaches to each [3].
Facts checked: 18 October 2026
Key takeaways
- MileagePlus earning on an Air Canada flight depends first on the ticketing channel: a United-issued ticket earns on fare price, MileagePlus status and Cardmember status, while an Air Canada-issued or third-party ticket earns on flight distance and fare class [3].
- United's spend-based rates changed for tickets issued on or after 2 April 2026 [3].
- Partner earning is set carrier by carrier: the Thai Airways International and TAP Air Portugal tables each carry their own effective dates, and Turkish Airlines has country and operator exclusions [4] [5] [6].
How do you earn MileagePlus miles on an Air Canada flight?
MileagePlus members can earn award miles and Premier qualifying credits (PQP and PQF) on eligible Air Canada flights, provided the MileagePlus number is on the reservation and on the boarding pass at check-in [3]. Which rate applies then depends on where the ticket was bought [3].
United-issued tickets. When the ticket number starts with "016" and the ticket was bought from United on united.com, through the United Customer Contact Center or at the airport, or from a travel agency or other travel website, miles are calculated from the fare price, MileagePlus status and Cardmember status [3]. The fare used is the base fare plus carrier-imposed surcharges, excluding government-imposed taxes and surcharges, and tickets purchased in another currency are converted to US dollars at an industry standard exchange rate first [3].
| MileagePlus status | MileagePlus earn rate | Cardmember earn rate |
|---|---|---|
| General member | 3 miles per dollar | 6 miles per dollar |
| Premier Silver | 5 miles per dollar | 8 miles per dollar |
| Premier Gold | 6 miles per dollar | 9 miles per dollar |
| Premier Platinum | 7 miles per dollar | 10 miles per dollar |
| Premier 1K | 9 miles per dollar | 12 miles per dollar |
| MileagePlus status | MileagePlus earn rate | Cardmember earn rate |
|---|---|---|
| General member | — | 3 miles per dollar |
| Premier Silver | 2 miles per dollar | 5 miles per dollar |
| Premier Gold | 3 miles per dollar | 6 miles per dollar |
| Premier Platinum | 4 miles per dollar | 7 miles per dollar |
| Premier 1K | 6 miles per dollar | 9 miles per dollar |
The Cardmember rates are unlocked by the United MileagePlus Debit Rewards Card and the United Gateway Card only after $10,000 has been spent on the card within a calendar year [3]. For tickets issued before 2 April 2026, the award-mile scale was 5 miles per dollar for members, 7 for Premier Silver, 8 for Premier Gold, 9 for Premier Platinum and 11 for Premier 1K [3].
Air Canada-issued tickets. When the ticket number starts with "014" and the ticket was bought directly from Air Canada, miles are based on flight distance, the branded fare code and the fare class [3]. The branded fare is identified by the last two characters of the fare basis code: Comfort (CO), Flex (FL), Standard (TG) and Basic (BA) [3]. Flight distance means the miles scheduled for that specific flight, as determined solely by United [3].
| Type of ticket | Fare class | Branded fare code | Award miles earned (including bonus) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business | J, C | — | 200% |
| Discount Business | D, Z | — | 175% |
| Deep discount Business | P | — | 150% |
| Premium Economy | O, E | — | 125% |
| Full-fare Economy | Y, B | — | 125% |
| Discount Premium Economy | A | — | 100% |
| Economy Comfort | M, U, H, Q, V, W, S, T, L, K, G | CO | 100% |
| Economy Flex | M, U, H | FL | 100% |
| Economy Flex | Q, V, W, S, T, L, K, G | FL | 75% |
| Economy Standard | M, U, H, Q, V, W, S, T, L, K, G | TG | 50% |
| Economy Standard (flights within Canada only) | M, U, H, Q, V, W, S, T, L, K, G | TG | 25% |
| Economy Basic | M, U, H, Q, V, W, S, T, L, K, G | BA | 25% |
| No mileage credit | F, I, N, R, X | — | 0% |
Third-party tickets. When the ticket was bought from another airline, a third-party website or a travel agency, miles are again based on flight distance and fare class, but the percentages come from a separate table [3].
| Type of ticket | Fare class | Award miles earned (including bonus) |
|---|---|---|
| Business | J, C | 200% |
| Discount Business | D, Z | 175% |
| Deep discount Business | P | 150% |
| Premium Economy | O, E | 125% |
| Full-fare Economy | Y, B | 125% |
| Discount Premium Economy | A | 100% |
| Economy | M, U, H | 100% |
| Discount Economy | Q, V, W | 75% |
| International deep discount Economy | S, T, L, K, G | 50% |
| Domestic deep discount Economy (flights within Canada only) | S, T, L, K, G | 25% |
| No mileage credit | F, I, N, R, X | 0% |
How do United's partner rules differ between Star Alliance carriers?
Each Star Alliance partner is published on its own page, and the dated splits and exclusions are not uniform [3] [4] [5] [6]. Flights operated by AJet are not eligible for Turkish Airlines mileage accrual or redemption at all [4]. On the Thai Airways International page, discount business class Z earns 125% for flights flown through 30 June 2026 but appears at 110% for flights flown on or after 1 July 2026 [5]. On the TAP Air Portugal page, economy prime classes W, S and K appear at 115% only for flights flown on or after 1 June 2026 [6].
| Carrier | Dated split or stated condition |
|---|---|
| Air Canada | United-issued spend rates split at tickets issued on or after 2 April 2026 [3] |
| Turkish Airlines | AJet-operated flights not eligible for accrual or redemption; flights to and from Iran excluded; flights to and from Venezuela other than Caracas (CCS) excluded from 1 May 2026 [4] |
| Thai Airways International | Separate tables for flights flown on or after 1 July 2026 and for flights flown through 30 June 2026 [5] |
| TAP Air Portugal | Separate tables for flights flown on or after 1 June 2026 and for flights flown through 31 May 2026 [6] |
How do you book and upgrade with miles on Air Canada?
Miles can be used to book regular award flights on Air Canada online or by calling the reservations line, and service charges may apply depending on the type of ticket, the travel dates and MileagePlus status [3]. Miles can also be used to upgrade a ticket with Star Alliance Upgrade Awards [3]. Award tickets cannot be issued at the airport [3].
Premier members get Star Alliance Gold or Silver benefits when flying Air Canada, and Premier Silver members can check a standard bag free, use Priority check-in and board with zone 3 in Economy [3]. All MileagePlus members can access free Wi-Fi on Air Canada's Wi-Fi enabled routes after adding the MileagePlus number to the reservation and entering seat number and last name when signing in [3].
Exceptions and limits
- Codeshares. Award miles on codeshare flights are based on the operating carrier and its equivalent fare class, which can differ from the purchased booking class and therefore from the base miles and qualifying credits earned [3].
- Fare-class eligibility. On a United-issued Air Canada ticket, fare classes A, B, C, D, E, G, H, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, Y and Z are eligible for accrual, and all other fare classes do not accrue mileage [3]. United and Air Canada reserve the right to change the eligible fare classes at any time without notice [3].
- Travel date governs. Mileage is credited under the MileagePlus terms in effect at the time of travel, not at the time the ticket was purchased, booked or reserved, so some tickets may earn no miles, or fewer than the tables show [3].
- Country exclusions. Flights to and from Cuba are not eligible for MileagePlus award miles or qualifying earn, except on commercial flights operated by United Airlines [3]. Flights to and from Iran are excluded, as are flights to and from destinations in Venezuela other than Simón Bolívar International Airport, Caracas (CCS) from 1 May 2026 [4].
- Tax does not earn. On itineraries wholly within the United States, and on certain itineraries between the United States and Canada or Mexico, the displayed price includes up to a 7.5% US Federal Transportation Tax, and no PQP or award miles are earned on that portion [3].
Frequently asked questions
Do Air Canada flights earn Premier qualifying credits in MileagePlus?
Yes. Members can earn award miles and Premier qualifying credits (PQP and PQF) on eligible Air Canada flights, with the MileagePlus number on the reservation and on the boarding pass at check-in [3].
Which fare classes earn miles on a United-issued Air Canada ticket?
Fare classes A, B, C, D, E, G, H, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, Y and Z are eligible for accrual, and all other fare classes do not accrue mileage [3].
How much does discount business class earn on an Air Canada flight?
Fare classes D and Z earn 175% of flight distance on an Air Canada-issued ticket and on a third-party ticket [3]. Where United issued the ticket, the spend-based rate for the member's status applies instead [3].
Can an Air Canada award ticket be issued at the airport?
No. Award tickets cannot be issued at the airport; book online or call the reservations line, and service charges may apply depending on the type of ticket, travel dates and MileagePlus status [3].
Do Premier benefits apply when flying Air Canada?
Premier members receive Star Alliance Gold or Silver benefits, and Premier Silver members can check a standard bag free, use Priority check-in and board with zone 3 when travelling in Economy [3].
Sources
Sources accessed on 18 October 2026. It sets out United MileagePlus rules for travel on Air Canada and other selected Star Alliance carriers; Aeroplan's own earning, status and award rules, and other programmes, are covered on their own pages.
- United MileagePlus: earn miles on Air Canada, checked 18 October 2026
- United MileagePlus: earn miles on Turkish Airlines, checked 18 October 2026
- United MileagePlus: earn miles on Thai Airways, checked 18 October 2026
- United MileagePlus: earn miles on TAP Air Portugal, checked 18 October 2026