Status: checked against official sources; automated independent review
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GUIDE
How to convert loyalty points into Aeroplan
Converting points from another loyalty programme into Aeroplan points is one of the ways Aeroplan lists for keeping an Aeroplan account active [4]. Once the points are Aeroplan points, Aeroplan's rules apply: they are redeemed through Aeroplan's reward options [6], they are excluded from the base points that generate Status Qualifying Credits (SQC) [5], and the 18-month inactivity rule applies to the account once Aeroplan's expiry pause ends on 30 November 2026 [4] [7].
Facts checked: 18 October 2026
Key takeaways
- Aeroplan lists converting points from another loyalty programme into Aeroplan points as one of the ways to keep an Aeroplan account active [4].
- Aeroplan also states that a member stays active by earning or redeeming at least 1 Aeroplan point within an 18-month period [4].
- Converted points are excluded from the base points that generate Status Qualifying Credits; only base points count toward SQC [5].
- Aeroplan has paused points expiry until 30 November 2026, after which the normal policy applies again [7].
How does converting points affect your Aeroplan account?
Aeroplan's inactivity policy says points expire only if the account has been inactive for 18 months [4]. It also says that to stay active, a member earns or redeems at least 1 Aeroplan point within an 18-month period [4].
Aeroplan lists earning and redeeming options as ways to stay active: flying Air Canada or its airline partners, booking a hotel room or car rental, shopping through the Aeroplan eStore, and redeeming points for flights, hotels, gift cards, events, extras and upgrades [4]. A separate "more ways to stay active" list covers donating points to a charity through Aeroplan, transferring points to a friend or family member who is also an Aeroplan member, and converting points from another loyalty programme into Aeroplan points [4].
Two tools help members keep track of the clock. The points inactivity date appears in the Aeroplan dashboard, under the Activity tab, and Aeroplan emails members up to 60 days before their points expire [4].
Expiry is currently paused. Aeroplan has suspended points expiry until 30 November 2026, so points that would have expired between now and 29 November 2026 will not expire, and from 30 November 2026 the normal policy applies, with points expiring where an eligible transaction has not been completed before that date [7]. The programme's own inactivity page likewise describes points expiry as temporarily on pause [4].
Do converted points count toward Aeroplan Elite Status?
No. Aeroplan sets a single Status Qualifying Credit (SQC) path: a member meets the SQC requirement within a calendar year to reach Elite Status [5]. SQC come from flying Air Canada and Star Alliance member airlines, from select Aeroplan credit cards, and from travel and everyday partners [5].
With partners, the rate is 1 SQC for every 5 Aeroplan base points earned in a single transaction, capped at 25,000 SQC per calendar year, and only base points qualify [5]. Bonus points, points from the Aeroplan eStore and points converted from other programmes into Aeroplan points are excluded from that calculation [5].
| Status | SQC required |
|---|---|
| Aeroplan 25K Status | 25,000 SQC, or Everyday Status Qualification |
| Aeroplan 35K Status | 35,000 SQC |
| Aeroplan 50K Status | 50,000 SQC |
| Aeroplan 75K Status | 75,000 SQC |
| Aeroplan Super Elite Status | 125,000 SQC |
Aeroplan also notes that flights booked in the Economy Basic fare option accumulate no SQC at all [5].
What can you spend Aeroplan points on after the conversion?
Flight rewards can be booked with Air Canada and partner airlines at aircanada.com [6]. Aeroplan describes its Air Canada inventory as every seat on every Air Canada flight with no restrictions, says there are no cash surcharges on Air Canada flight rewards, and offers Points + Cash for part-payment with points [6].
Points also reach beyond flights. Aeroplan lists hotel bookings through HotelSavers, which it says saves up to 30% on hotel redemptions, car rentals at more than 11,000 locations worldwide, Air Canada Vacations packages, activities and travel experiences, merchandise and gift cards [6].
This page sets out Aeroplan's rules for converted points.
Exceptions and limits
- The pause has an end date. Points expiry is suspended only until 30 November 2026, and the normal policy applies from that date [7].
- Recovering expired points. Within 6 months of expiry a member can buy back expired points for a fee, or have all points reinstated by flying with Air Canada inside that six-month period — booking may happen after expiry, but the travel must fall within the window — or by getting an Aeroplan credit card [4].
- Points that do not expire. Primary TD Aeroplan Credit Cardholders, American Express Aeroplan Cardmembers, CIBC Aeroplan Credit Cardholders and members holding Aeroplan Elite Status can prevent their points from ever expiring [4].
- Missing points claims. Members can request missing points for past purchases made with travel partners before the points expired: a hotel stay or car rental within the last 6 months, or a flight booking within 11 months of the departure date, with some exceptions [4].
- What a conversion cannot do. Aeroplan excludes points converted from other programmes from the base points that generate SQC, so a conversion does not add SQC [5].
Frequently asked questions
Does converting points into Aeroplan keep my account active?
Aeroplan lists converting points from another loyalty programme into Aeroplan points among the ways to stay active [4]. The same page also says a member stays active by earning or redeeming at least 1 Aeroplan point within an 18-month period, and that points expire only after 18 months of inactivity [4].
Do converted points help me reach Aeroplan Elite Status?
No. Aeroplan excludes points converted from other programmes from the base points that generate Status Qualifying Credits, and SQC is the single path to Elite Status [5].
What happens if my Aeroplan points expire before I use them?
Within 6 months of expiry, a member can buy back expired points for a fee, have all points reinstated by flying with Air Canada inside that period, or reinstate them by getting an Aeroplan credit card [4].
Is Aeroplan points expiry paused right now?
Yes. Aeroplan paused expiry until 30 November 2026, so points that would have expired up to 29 November 2026 will not, and the normal policy applies from 30 November 2026 [7].
Where do I see when my Aeroplan points will expire?
The inactivity date is shown in the Aeroplan dashboard under the Activity tab, and Aeroplan sends an email reminder up to 60 days before points expire [4].
Sources
Sources checked on 18 October 2026.
- Aeroplan — keeping your points active, checked 18 October 2026
- Aeroplan Elite Status and Status Qualifying Credits, checked 18 October 2026
- Aeroplan — redeem points, checked 18 October 2026
- Aeroplan — points expiry suspended until 30 November 2026, checked 18 October 2026