The Chase Aeroplan® Credit Card stands out with automatic elite status the first year and flexible redemption options across more than 50 partner airlines worldwide. This travel rewards powerhouse offers strong earning rates on dining, groceries, and Air Canada flights, plus valuable perks like free checked bags and priority boarding.
This credit card review will cover everything you need to know about this card to determine if you should add this card or a different card to your wallet. Let's dive right in.
- Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
- 3x Points at Grocery Stores, Restaurants, and Air Canada directly.
- New Cardmember Aeroplan 25K Elite Status for This Year and Next Year
- Free First Checked Bag for You & Up to 8 Companions
- $95 Annual Fee and No Foreign Transaction Fees.
Welcome Bonus
The Aeroplan Credit Card currently offers the following welcome bonus:
Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
For new cardmembers, it’s worth noting that this welcome bonus is only available if you don’t currently have this specific card and haven’t received a bonus on it in the past 24 months.
Remember that the Aeroplan Credit Card is subject to Chase’s 5/24 rule, although this may not be consistently enforced. If you’ve opened 5 or more credit cards from any issuer in the past 24 months, you may not be approved for this card.
Earning Air Canada Aeroplan Points
The Aeroplan Credit Card earns points at the following rates:
- 3 points per dollar on restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services;
- 3 points per dollar at grocery stores;
- 3 points per dollar spent with Air Canada directly; and
- 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases.
In addition, you'll earn 500 bonus points for every $2,000 you spend in a calendar month, up to a maximum of 1,500 bonus points per month. This unique feature rewards you for consistent card usage, allowing you to earn up to an extra 18,000 points per year based on your monthly spending.
This card shines for dining and groceries with its strong 3x multiplier in those everyday categories. For travel bookings, you’ll likely get better value using a premium transferable points card that earns bonus points on all travel, not just Air Canada flights.
The monthly spending bonus adds nice incremental value but requires consistent high spend to maximize. The base 1x earning rate on non-bonus purchases is fairly weak compared to cards earning transferable currencies.
Annual Fee
The Aeroplan Credit Card comes with a $95 annual fee, which is standard for a mid-range airline card. The benefits, including complimentary Aeroplan 25K status, first checked bag free for you and up to eight companions on Air Canada flights, and travel protections help offset the annual cost.
You can add authorized users at no additional cost to the card, and their spending will count toward points earning and spending thresholds.
Card Benefits and Perks
The Aeroplan Credit Card offers these card benefits and perks:
Free First Checked Bag: You and up to 8 companions traveling on the same reservation will get your first checked bag free on Air Canada flights. This benefit can save you hundreds of dollars on a single trip if you’re traveling with a group.
Aeroplan 25K Elite Status: As a new cardholder, you’ll receive automatic Aeroplan 25K Elite Status for the remainder of the first calendar year and the following year. You can maintain this status going forward by spending $15,000 on the card in a calendar year. 25K status comes with valuable benefits like priority check-in, early boarding, 20 eUpgrades credits, two one-time passes to Maple Leaf lounges, bonus points on flights, and more.
Status Boost: If you spend $50,000 in a calendar year, you’ll get a one-level status boost to 35K status or higher, depending on your current status. This can accelerate your progress toward top-tier elite perks.
Preferred Award Pricing: This card offers Preferred Pricing for awards on Air Canada flights, which usually represents a 5% to 15% savings.
10% Chase Ultimate Rewards Bonus: Chase Aeroplan credit card members get a 10% transfer bonus after transferring 50,000 or more Ultimate Rewards points in a single transaction from an eligible Chase credit card to their Aeroplan account. There is a maximum of 25,000 Aeroplan bonus points per calendar year.
Pay Yourself Back: Until December 31, 2024, cardmembers can redeem points for a statement credit to cover travel purchases made with their Card, such as hotels, car rentals, ride-shares, flights, and more. The number of points is not limited, and each point is worth 1.25 cents. For example, you could redeem 50,000 points for $625 in travel.
Global Entry / TSA PreCheck / Nexus Credit: Receive an application fee credit of up to $120 every four years for either TSA PreCheck (expedited airport security), Global Entry (expedited airport security and customs), or NEXUS (expedited crossing between the US and Canada)for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®. These trusted traveler programs can save you time and hassle at the airport.
Travel Benefits
Trip Delay Insurance: When your trip is significantly delayed due to covered reasons like equipment failures or severe weather, this protection reimburses you for reasonable expenses including lodging, meals, toiletries, and medication. The coverage activates when you pay for travel with your card and extends to family members on the same itinerary, though you’ll need to seek reimbursement from the travel carrier first.
Secondary Rental Car Insurance: This card provides backup protection for rental car damage or theft when you charge the full rental to your card.
Trip Cancellation & Interruption Insurance: This protection reimburses you for non-refundable, prepaid travel expenses if you need to cancel before departure or cut your trip short due to covered situations like severe illness or weather events. Coverage activates when you pay for your trip with the card, but it’s important to note that reimbursement only applies for specific covered reasons rather than any cancellation.
Baggage Delay Insurance: Missing luggage doesn’t have to derail your trip – this coverage steps in to reimburse you for essential purchases when your checked bags are delayed by airlines, trains, or other carriers. You can grab the necessities you need, from a fresh outfit to personal care items, while waiting for your bags to arrive.
Purchase Benefits
No Foreign Transaction Fees: You’ll save money on every purchase while traveling internationally since this card doesn’t add the typical 3% surcharge that many other cards impose.
120-Day Purchase Protection: Get 120 days of protection against damage, theft, and even loss of your purchases – one of the longest windows available. This premium coverage automatically applies when you pay with your card.
DashPass Membership: This card offers a one-year DashPass membership for free, which includes DoorDash and Caviar, offering unlimited deliveries with free delivery fees and reduced service fees for eligible purchases. The offer must be activated by December 31, 2027. Once the free membership is over, you will be automatically enrolled in DashPass at the prevailing monthly rate.
World Elite Benefits: This card is a World Elite Mastercard, which gets you access to these special benefits and discounts: DoorDash ($5 off your first DoorDash order each month), Lyft (Take 3 rides in one month and earn a $5 Lyft credit), Shoprunner (free two-day shipping), and Fandango (spend $20 and get $5 back).
Redeeming Aeroplan Points
Air Canada Aeroplan is one of the more rewarding airline programs out there, especially if you fly with Star Alliance carriers. Air Canada belongs to Star Alliance, the largest airline alliance in the world, so you can redeem Aeroplan points on partners like United, Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines, and Singapore Airlines. Aeroplan also has a long list of non-alliance partners, including Emirates, Etihad, Gulf Air, and Oman Air, which gives you even more places to put your points to use.
You'll want to book partner flights whenever you can, since Aeroplan uses a fixed, zone-based award chart for partners rather than the dynamic pricing it applies to Air Canada's own flights. That means you'll always know exactly how many points a partner redemption costs, based on the total distance between two zones.
Business class tends to deliver the strongest value per point, often close to 1.8 cents each, compared to roughly 1.3 cents for economy. If your schedule is flexible, look for sweet spots where a route sits just under a distance-band cutoff, since a small increase in mileage can push you into a pricier band.
Aeroplan's stopover policy is another standout perk. You can add a stopover to a one-way redemption for just 5,000 points, letting you visit a second city for very little extra cost. And unlike many programs, Aeroplan doesn't add fuel surcharges on partner awards, though a CA$39 partner booking fee does apply.
Pros and Cons
Here’s a quick overview of this card’s advantages and disadvantages:
Pros:
Strong Earning Structure: The 3x points on dining, groceries, and Air Canada flights makes this one of the most rewarding airline cards for everyday spending. The bonus points for monthly spending thresholds add even more value.
Elite Status Benefits: You’ll receive Aeroplan 25K status for the remainder of the calendar year plus the following year, giving you valuable perks like priority check-in, security, boarding, and lounge passes – unusual for a card at this price point.
Transfer Partner Flexibility: With over 50 airline partners, you can redeem points for flights on Star Alliance carriers and other partners, giving you extensive options beyond just Air Canada flights.
Travel Protections: Comprehensive coverage, including trip cancellation/interruption, baggage delay, trip delay, and auto rental collision damage waiver insurance, provides peace of mind when traveling.
Cons:
Limited Domestic Value: Without regular Air Canada flights in the US, many of the card’s benefits like free checked bags and elite status perks have reduced value for US-based travelers.
High Spending Requirements: Getting the most value requires significant spending. Maintaining status and earning higher-tier benefits require substantial annual spending that may be unrealistic for many.
Complex Redemption Rules: The distance-based award chart and partner booking rules can be confusing compared to simpler airline programs, requiring more effort to maximize value.
Better Transfer Options Available: Since many flexible rewards programs transfer to Aeroplan at 1:1 with better earning rates, getting this specific co-brand card may not be the optimal way to earn Aeroplan points.
Is the Air Canada Aeroplan Card Worth it?
The Aeroplan Credit Card stands out as an exceptional value for travelers, offering substantial benefits that extend far beyond just Air Canada flights.
You’ll get immediate Aeroplan 25K elite status, triple points on dining, groceries, and Air Canada purchases, plus valuable perks like a free first checked bag and annual fees that are offset by the card’s benefits.
What really makes this card shine is the flexibility to redeem points across more than 50 airline partners without fuel surcharges, along with the unique ability to use points at 1.25 cents each for any travel purchase through Pay Yourself Back.
Even if you never step foot on an Air Canada plane, the card’s transfer bonus feature with Chase Ultimate Rewards and broad redemption options make it a valuable addition to your wallet. For a modest $95 annual fee, this card offers exceptional value and flexibility that outpaces many competing airline cards, making it a smart choice for anyone looking to maximize their travel rewards.
- Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
- 3x Points at Grocery Stores, Restaurants, and Air Canada directly.
- New Cardmember Aeroplan 25K Elite Status for This Year and Next Year
- Free First Checked Bag for You & Up to 8 Companions
- $95 Annual Fee and No Foreign Transaction Fees.
