Aeroplan 2026 Changes Explained: What Every Canadian Needs to Know Right Now
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If you have been in the Canadian travel hacking community at any point in early 2026, you have seen the conversation — Aeroplan changed, significantly, on January 1, 2026. Nine million Canadians are enrolled in the program and most of them have no idea what actually changed, whether it affects them, and whether Aeroplan is still worth their attention.
This is the plain-English breakdown of every major change, who it affects, and what it means for your points strategy in 2026 and beyond. No jargon. No assumptions about your level of points knowledge. Just the clear, honest picture of what is different and what you should do about it.
The Big Picture First
Aeroplan has shifted from a mileage-based earning model to a revenue-based earning model — meaning the points you earn on Air Canada flights now depend on how much you paid for your ticket rather than how far you flew.
This is the same shift that American, United, and Delta all made in the United States years ago, and it has now arrived in Canada. For some travellers it is genuinely better. For others it is meaningfully worse. The difference depends almost entirely on what kind of flights you book.
Change #1 — Points Earning Is Now Based on Dollars Spent, Not Distance Flown
The old system: You earned Aeroplan points based on the distance of your flight multiplied by a factor tied to your fare class. Flying Vancouver to Toronto in economy earned a set number of points regardless of whether you paid $200 or $900 for the ticket.
The new system: You earn points based on how much you paid for the ticket. A higher fare earns more points. A budget fare earns fewer points — or in some cases, significantly fewer.
Who benefits: Business travellers booking premium fares, travellers who consistently book flexible or higher economy fares, and Air Canada Altitude elite members who receive earning bonuses on top of base rates.
Who loses: Budget travellers who always book the cheapest available fare on Air Canada. If you hunt for the lowest price on every booking, the new system will produce meaningfully fewer points per trip than the old distance-based model.
The honest takeaway: If you are primarily a credit card points collector — earning Aeroplan points through the Aeroplan credit card rather than through flights — this change barely affects you. Credit card earning rates are unchanged. The shift primarily affects how points accumulate from actual Air Canada flights.
Change #2 — Dynamic Award Pricing Expands to More Partners
What changed: Fixed-price redemptions — the predictable award chart where Vancouver to London in business cost a known number of points regardless of demand — are disappearing for an expanding list of Air Canada’s airline partners. United, Emirates, Etihad, Flydubai, and several other airlines now use dynamic pricing for Aeroplan redemptions, meaning award costs fluctuate with demand exactly like cash prices.
What this means practically: The sweet spot redemptions that made Aeroplan genuinely exciting — booking partner airlines at fixed, predictable prices that delivered exceptional value on routes where cash fares were high — are becoming less reliable. Dynamic pricing means the same seat that cost 55,000 points last year might cost 80,000 or 100,000 points at peak demand in 2026.
What still has fixed pricing: Air Canada’s own flights continue to use a modified fixed chart for now, as do some remaining partner airlines. The situation is evolving and worth monitoring if you are planning a specific redemption around a particular partner airline.
The honest takeaway: Book partner airline redemptions sooner rather than later and be flexible on timing. The window of predictable partner award pricing is narrowing and the travellers who benefit most will be those who act before demand spikes rather than searching at peak season.
Change #3 — Milestone Benefits Replace Select Benefits
The old system: Aeroplan’s Air Canada Altitude elite program offered “Select Benefits” — a menu of perks including upgrade credits, companion passes, and lounge access that elite members could choose based on their preferences.
The new system: “Milestone Benefits” replace Select Benefits, structured as rewards unlocked at specific spending or flying thresholds throughout the year rather than a single annual menu.
Key new Milestone Benefits include:
- Global Maple Leaf Lounge access — previously restricted to Canada, Los Angeles, and New York, lounge access now extends worldwide for qualifying elite members
- eUpgrade shareability doubled — elite members can now upgrade up to four companions on the same booking, up from two
- eUpgrade validity extended — up to 24 months for premium cardholders
The honest takeaway: The Milestone structure rewards travellers who fly frequently throughout the year rather than those who front-load a few big trips. For occasional Air Canada flyers, the new structure is less generous. For frequent flyers, the expanded lounge access and companion upgrade sharing are genuine improvements.
Change #4 — Elite Status Earning Also Moves to Revenue-Based
What changed: Qualifying for Air Canada Altitude elite status now requires meeting dollar-based spending thresholds on Air Canada flights in addition to (or instead of) segment and mileage requirements. The exact structure rewards higher fare spending more heavily than cheap ticket volume.
Who this affects most: The traveller who previously qualified for elite status by booking many cheap economy fares on Air Canada — accumulating the required segments and miles at budget prices — will find the new system harder to navigate. The traveller booking fewer but more expensive flights maintains or improves their path to status.
The honest takeaway for most Canadians: If you are not specifically pursuing Air Canada Altitude elite status, this change is largely irrelevant to your day-to-day points strategy. Credit card-based Aeroplan earning is unaffected. Redemption values for existing points are unchanged.
Is Aeroplan Still Worth It in 2026?
Yes — with important context.
Aeroplan remains Canada’s best airline points program for several reasons that the 2026 changes don’t alter:
The credit card earning ecosystem is unchanged and excellent. The CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite, TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite, and American Express transfer partnerships all continue earning Aeroplan points at the same rates. If your primary points accumulation is through credit card spending rather than Air Canada flights, the January 2026 changes barely touch your strategy.
The Air Canada flight network for redemptions is unchanged. Toronto to Paris, Vancouver to Tokyo, Montreal to London — the routes where Aeroplan redemptions deliver genuine value are still there and the points cost for Air Canada’s own flights remains largely fixed and predictable.
The Star Alliance partnership remains intact. Aeroplan points can still be redeemed on Star Alliance carriers including Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, ANA, and others — some of which still have fixed award pricing that delivers strong value for business and first class redemptions.
Where Aeroplan becomes less compelling in 2026:
For travellers who accumulated points primarily by booking cheap Air Canada flights, the new earning rates reduce the accumulation efficiency significantly. And for travellers who relied on dynamic-pricing partner airlines for their most valuable redemptions, the predictability that made those redemptions exciting is diminishing.
What This Means for Your 2026 Points Strategy
If you primarily earn through credit cards (most Canadians):
Nothing material has changed. Continue earning Aeroplan points through your credit card spending. The redemption side is largely intact for Air Canada flights and many partner routes. The 2026 changes affect flight-based earning far more than credit card earning.
If you earn primarily through Air Canada flights:
The shift to revenue-based earning means you should evaluate whether your typical booking habits produce more or fewer points under the new system. Business travellers booking flexible fares generally do better. Budget economy hunters generally do worse. Run the math for your specific travel patterns before assuming the new system works against you.
If you are planning a specific partner airline redemption:
Book it soon. Dynamic pricing expansion to more partners means the predictable award chart windows for United, Emirates, and other newly dynamic partners are closing. If you have a specific redemption in mind on one of these carriers, act before demand pricing kicks in at your target dates.
Consider diversifying beyond Aeroplan:
The 2026 changes reinforce a point we have always made on this blog — no Canadian points strategy should be entirely dependent on a single program. Flying Blue for transatlantic routes (we booked Vancouver to Paris for $140 CAD in taxes through Flying Blue miles — read our Brim Flying Blue card review), Marriott Bonvoy for hotels, and IHG for Asian luxury resorts all provide value that is entirely independent of whatever Aeroplan does with its structure.
A diversified portfolio of programs means no single program change can derail your travel plans.
The Programs Worth Pairing With Aeroplan in 2026
Given the changes, these are the programs that complement Aeroplan most effectively for Canadian travellers:
Flying Blue (Air France / KLM) — our preferred transatlantic program. Fixed pricing on many Air France and KLM routes, Promo Rewards sales that periodically cut prices by 25–50%, and the Brim Flying Blue Mastercard available in Canada for earning. We booked Vancouver to Paris for 25,000 miles each. Read the full strategy in our Brim Flying Blue card review.
British Airways Avios — excellent for short-haul redemptions in Europe and for Cathay Pacific transpacific flights. Transferable from RBC Avion in Canada. Our Canadian travel credit cards guide covers the Avios strategy for the upcoming Europe trip.
Marriott Bonvoy — unchanged and excellent for Canadian hotel travel across Asia, Europe, and North America. Seven of our twelve Asia hotel stays were Marriott redemptions. The program’s stability while Aeroplan restructures makes it more relatively valuable in 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Aeroplan points expire in the 2026 changes? No — existing Aeroplan points are unaffected by the January 2026 earning changes. Points you have already accumulated maintain their value and redemption options.
Are Aeroplan redemption costs changing? Air Canada’s own flights retain largely fixed award pricing. Partner airline redemptions are increasingly dynamic. Check award pricing for specific routes rather than relying on historical costs for partner carriers.
Is the CIBC Aeroplan card still worth it after the 2026 changes? Yes — the credit card earning rates and welcome bonuses are unchanged. The card’s value proposition comes primarily from credit card spend earning, which is unaffected by the flight-earning changes.
Should I transfer my American Express points to Aeroplan? Aeroplan remains a strong transfer partner for Amex Membership Rewards — particularly for Air Canada redemptions on fixed-price routes. The dynamic pricing expansion on some partners slightly reduces the value of certain specific redemptions but the program overall remains compelling for the right routes.
Is Aeroplan better or worse than Flying Blue for Canadians in 2026? Both serve different needs. Aeroplan is best for Air Canada flights and Star Alliance partners. Flying Blue is best for Air France, KLM, and partners — particularly transatlantic routes where Promo Rewards can deliver exceptional value. Most Canadian travel hackers should have both programs active. Read our Aeroplan vs Flying Blue comparison for the full breakdown.
Final Thoughts
The Aeroplan 2026 changes are real and meaningful for specific types of travellers — particularly those who earned heavily through cheap Air Canada flights and those who relied on fixed partner award pricing for their best redemptions.
For the majority of Canadians whose primary Aeroplan accumulation comes through credit card spending rather than actual flights, the changes are far less dramatic than the headlines suggest. The credit card earning ecosystem is intact. The Air Canada flight redemption structure is largely stable. The Star Alliance partnership continues delivering value on the right routes.
The right response to the 2026 changes is not panic — it is portfolio diversification. Aeroplan plus Flying Blue plus Marriott Bonvoy covers the major pillars of Canadian travel hacking more robustly than any single program, regardless of what structural changes any one program makes.
We are flying to Paris in 2026 on Flying Blue miles for $140 CAD in taxes. Aeroplan didn’t need to be perfect for that to happen. Neither does it need to be perfect for your next trip.
For our complete Canadian points strategy, read our ultimate Canadian travel credit cards guide. For the Flying Blue alternative to Aeroplan for transatlantic travel, read our Brim Flying Blue card review.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. All opinions reflect our genuine experience and independent analysis.
Follow our journey: Instagram @angeandzee | TikTok @angeandzee
