Details
Written by: RJ
Air Canada has announced changes to the loyalty program effective 1/1/26:
What’s changing in 2026
Here’s how members will earn Aeroplan points and qualify for Aeroplan Elite Status as of January 1, 2026:
- Earn points based on spend. Members will earn a minimum of 1 Aeroplan point per $1 spent on an eligible Air Canada flight (base fare and carrier surcharges, excluding applicable taxes, fees, and third-party charges). For example: Spend $427 on base fare and carrier surcharges (excluding applicable taxes, fees and third-party charges), get 427 Aeroplan points.
- Frequent bonus points offers, enabling members to reach rewards faster.
- Aeroplan Elite status Members earn more on Air Canada flights. Depending on their status level at time of travel, Aeroplan Elite status members will earn 2x to 6x Aeroplan points per dollar spent on eligible Air Canada flights.
- Qualify for Elite Status with SQC. Get up to 4 SQC per dollar on eligible Air Canada fares (base fare and carrier surcharges, excluding applicable taxes, fees, and third-party charges) based on fare type, plus up to 25,000 SQC through eligible Aeroplan credit card spending and get an additional 25,000 SQC via eligible partner activity.
Along with the new SQC-based qualification path, Aeroplan Elite status Members will have more ways to unlock benefits and get more from their status:
- Core Benefits continue to be offered based on status, including complimentary checked bags, priority airport services, and more.
- Milestone Benefits unlocked every 10,000 SQC, offering perks like bonus SQC, Status Passes and more.
- 10% Head Start. Beginning in 2027, primary Aeroplan premium credit cardholders who qualify for Aeroplan Elite status can receive a 10% SQC bonus based on their previous year’s earnings.
While each member’s activity will determine their new status level, we expect many of our current Aeroplan Elite status Members will benefit from the expanded ways to accumulate SQC. These changes are designed to better recognize and reward Aeroplan’s most loyal and engaged members.
Thoughts
Moving to spend based program seems par for the course.
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Editorial Note:
Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, vendors or companies, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.