Aeroplan Card review 2024: Industry-leading airline card perks
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BLUEPRINT
Updated 12:04 p.m. UTC July 11, 2024
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The Aeroplan® Credit Card * The information for the Aeroplan® Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. ’s $95 annual fee is worth it for those who can make use of the long list of frequent flyer benefits. And while this card packs a punch for Air Canada loyalists, its real value is its ability to earn thousands of Aeroplan points for premium cabin redemptions across various Star Alliance airlines — particularly thanks to a solid welcome bonus. Read more in our full Aeroplan card review.
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- 50+ cards analyzed.
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Aeroplan Credit Card basics
- Annual fee: $95.
- Welcome bonus: Earn 70,000 points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. Plus, apply for the card for the first time between 7/8 to 7/17 and earn 40% bonus points on purchases for 40 days on up to $40,000 spent (first purchase must be made by 8/31; conditions apply).
- Rewards: Earn 3 points per $1 spent on dining, takeout and eligible delivery services, grocery stores and directly with Air Canada and 1 point per $1 on all other purchases. Earn 500 points for every $2,000 spent in a month (maximum 1,500 points per month).
- APR: 21.74% to 28.74% variable APR on purchases and balance transfers. A balance transfer fee of either $5 or 5% of each transfer, whichever is greater, applies.
- Other perks and benefits: Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or NEXUS application fee statement credit every four years, automatic Aeroplan 25K status for the first year of card membership and the following full year (with the opportunity to retain or upgrade your status level); free first checked bag; and travel and purchase insurance benefits.
- Does the issuer offer a preapproval tool? None.
- Recommended credit score: Good to excellent.
Aeroplan Credit Card review
The Aeroplan Card first debuted in late 2021 but has made waves in the world of airline credit cards. Between the automatic entry-level elite status in the Aeroplan loyalty program and the ability to redeem points for 1.25 cents a pop for any travel expense as a statement credit, the Aeroplan Card comes with a library of benefits that’s unusual for a card with a moderate $95 annual fee.
Plus, new applicants can also earn 70,000 points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. Plus, apply for the card for the first time between 7/8 to 7/17 and earn 40% bonus points on purchases for 40 days on up to $40,000 spent (first purchase must be made by 8/31; conditions apply).
The ongoing rewards rate is also exceptional at 3 points per $1 spent on dining, takeout and eligible delivery services, grocery stores and directly with Air Canada and 1 point per $1 on all other purchases. Earn 500 points for every $2,000 spent in a month (maximum 1,500 points per month). Aeroplan points are among the most valuable airline rewards to collect, as you can get extraordinary value for business- and first-class international redemptions on its Star Alliance partners.
The points-earning power of the Aeroplan Card makes the card an enticing pick for those who want to earn Aeroplan points in no time. Those who fly on Air Canada at least a few times per year will also enjoy money-saving benefits like a free first checked bag for you and up to eight travelers on the same booking.
Pros
- Good welcome offer: 70,000 points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. Plus, apply for the card for the first time between 7/8 to 7/17 and earn 40% bonus points on purchases for 40 days on up to $40,000 spent (first purchase must be made by 8/31; conditions apply).
- Up to a $100 statement credit every four years for your pick of Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or NEXUS application fees.
- Excellent frequent flyer perks like automatic Aeroplan 25K elite status and first free checked bag on Air Canada flights.
Cons
- $95 annual fee.
- May not be the right fit if you don’t fly with Air Canada or its Star Alliance partners like United, Lufthansa, Cathay Pacific and beyond.
- No introductory APR offer on purchases or balance transfers, with a high 21.74% to 28.74% variable APR on purchases and balance transfers. A balance transfer fee of either $5 or 5% of each transfer, whichever is greater, applies.
Aeroplan Credit Card rewards
The current welcome offer on the Aeroplan Credit Card is 70,000 points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. Plus, apply for the card for the first time between 7/8 to 7/17 and earn 40% bonus points on purchases for 40 days on up to $40,000 spent (first purchase must be made by 8/31; conditions apply).
The Aeroplan Credit Card earns 3 points per $1 spent on dining, takeout and eligible delivery services, grocery stores and directly with Air Canada and 1 point per $1 on all other purchases. Earn 500 points for every $2,000 spent in a month (maximum 1,500 points per month).
Using government data and other publicly available information, we estimate that a household in the U.S. that would be in the market for this card has roughly $29,525 in expenses they are likely to be able to charge to a credit card. Here’s how our sample household’s rewards could break down on this card:
| SPENDING CATEGORY | SPENDING AMOUNT | POINTS PER DOLLAR (OR CASH-BACK RATE) | POINTS (OR CASH-BACK) EARNED |
|---|---|---|---|
Groceries
| $5,703
| 3 points
| 17,109
|
Dining
| $3,639
| 3 points
| 10,917
|
Air Canada purchases
| $1,414
| 3 points
| 4,242
|
Other purchases
| $18,769
| 1 point
| 18,769
|
TOTAL
| $29,525
| 51,037 points
|
Based on the above example, this sample cardholder could earn a grand total of 51,037 points in rewards annually.
Where can your Aeroplan points take you? Because Air Canada is part of the Star Alliance, there are virtually endless ways to redeem and get maximum value from your rewards beyond Air Canada-operated flights. The flexibility afforded by this frequent flyer program is a big reason why frequent travelers may want to open an Aeroplan card.
Air Canada offers various award charts to help you decipher how many points you’ll need for your flight. To provide a few examples of some great partner redemptions, you can score a round-trip business class flight to Europe starting at 120,000 points. For travel closer to home, you can book domestic United one-way economy class tickets for as little as 6,000 points.
Of course, some people don’t want to go through the mental gymnastics of redeeming frequent flyer miles. Fortunately, you can redeem Aeroplan points through Chase’s unique Pay Yourself Back® tool at a rate of 1.25 cents a piece for any flight (from any carrier), hotel or other travel purchase on your statement. There’s no limit to the number of points you can redeem using this benefit until Dec 31, 2024.
Aeroplan Credit Card perks
If you tap into the other benefits, you can truly maximize the value presented by the Aeroplan card. Here are some of the most valuable Aeroplan card perks:
- Free first checked bag for you and up to eight travel companions you’ve booked on the same Air Canada reservation.
- Receive complimentary Aeroplan 25K status for the first year of account opening and the full year afterwards, providing you 20 eUpgrade credits, 25% bonus points on Air Canada and eligible partner airline bookings and more.
- You can continue to keep your 25K elite status by spending at least $15,000 on the card in a calendar year, or upgrade to 35K elite status by spending at least $50,000 on the card in a calendar year.
- Application fee reimbursement as a statement credit for one of the following programs every four years: Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or NEXUS.
- Access to Preferred Flight Pricing, meaning you could score award flights for fewer points.
- No foreign transaction fees.
How the Aeroplan Credit Card compares to other airline cards
Many competing airline cards carry annual fees under $100, but not many can offer the breadth of benefits that the Aeroplan Credit Card does. Currently, no U.S. domestic airline rewards cards offer automatic elite status, although many will offer free first checked bags, and premium cards will offer reimbursement statement credits for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or NEXUS application fees.
Aeroplan Card vs. United℠ Explorer Card * The information for the United℠ Explorer Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
A direct competitor to the Aeroplan Card comes from its Star Alliance partner, United Airlines. The United℠ Explorer Card * The information for the United℠ Explorer Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. also comes with a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95 annual fee, but it’s waived for the first year of account opening. With the United Explorer Credit Card, you’ll get similar perks as the Aeroplan Card but for United flights: first free checked bag, up to a $100 reimbursement statement credit for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or NEXUS application fees every four years and priority boarding.
However, the card earns United MileagePlus miles at a lower rate: 2 miles per $1 on dining including eligible delivery services, hotel stays and United purchases and 1 mile per $1 on all other purchases. Not to mention, it’s harder to find outsized redemption value with United miles compared to Aeroplan points, as United has eliminated its award charts. Aeroplan offers a greater array of redemption sweet spots, particularly for international business class flights on partner airlines.
Aeroplan Card vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
The $95 annual fee Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card earns Ultimate Rewards® points, which can be redeemed for travel in two ways. First, you can get a fixed value of 1.25 cents per point for flights, hotels and other travel bookings made through the Chase Travel℠ portal. For potentially even greater value, you can transfer your points directly to Chase’s 14 airline and hotel loyalty partners — which includes Air Canada Aeroplan points.
You’ll have greater redemption opportunities with your points from the Chase Sapphire Preferred. Otherwise, the Aeroplan Card provides hard-hitting airline perks.
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Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Aeroplan Card vs. Bilt World Elite Mastercard®
If you’re a renter in the U.S., chances are you’re not earning points on your monthly rent. The Bilt World Elite Mastercard® offers the chance for cardholders to earn 1 point per $1 on rent payments without a transaction fee (on up to 100,000 points each year), 2 points per $1 on travel (when booked through the Bilt Travel Portal or directly with an airline, hotel, car rental or cruise company), 3 points per $1 on dining and 1 point per $1 on other purchases. At least five transactions must be made per statement period to earn these rewards.
These points can be transferred to Air Canada Aeroplan, United MileagePlus, World of Hyatt and a handful of other Bilt’s airline and loyalty partners. While there’s no annual fee on the Bilt Mastercard, there’s also no welcome offer.
The Aeroplan Card is right for you if:
- You fly Star Alliance airlines. You’ll get the most value from this card by redeeming your rewards for flights on the airlines in this alliance.
- You want big travel perks at a modest cost. If you love the perks but not the price on premium cards, this card may be a good compromise for you.
- Your spending habits fit the card. If you spend a fair amount on groceries, dining and Air Canada purchases, this card could be a fit.
Methodology
Our credit cards team has spent hours analyzing hundreds of travel credit cards. We took a deep dive into the details of each product and that analysis, combined with our years of experience covering credit cards, informed us as we developed these credit card rankings. We factored the following into our analysis:
- Annual fees.
- Travel reward rates.
- Value of rewards.
- Redemption options.
- Additional benefits that a card may offer for travelers, such as travel insurance.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
We recommend that you have a good to excellent credit score (FICO score of 670 or higher) to maximize your chances of approval for the Aeroplan Credit Card.
The Aeroplan Credit Card currently has a welcome offer of 70,000 points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. Plus, apply for the card for the first time between 7/8 to 7/17 and earn 40% bonus points on purchases for 40 days on up to $40,000 spent (first purchase must be made by 8/31; conditions apply).
The value of Aeroplan points will depend on how you choose to redeem them. For example, you could achieve a value of 1.25 cents per point when using Chase’s Pay Yourself Back Tool to redeem Aeroplan points for all travel-related purchases on your statement credit. When booking Aeroplan or Star Alliance-operated flights, you should be able to snag a value of at least 1.25 cents per point — if not greater — for economy or business-class award tickets.
*The information for the Aeroplan® Credit Card and United℠ Explorer Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
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