Air Canada Aeroplan, Air Canada’s loyalty program, was created to provide its members with ways to find value using Aeroplan points. At the same time, Chase partnered with Air Canada to release the Aeroplan® Credit Card; this card could help you earn points directly within the Aeroplan program.
What kind of value does the Chase Aeroplan Card offer? Can you find space for it in your wallet? Aeroplan has a lot to offer, but it also has some drawbacks. So who is it suitable for?
Is the Aeroplan Credit Card right for you?
Do you fly Air Canada often? Then it would help if you considered getting an Aeroplan Credit Card. It’s designed to earn Air Canada Aeroplan points and comes with a $95 annual fee. While it doesn’t have premium travel benefits, it could be a good fit for frequent Air Canada fliers.
The Air Canada Credit Card is only your best choice if you frequently fly Air Canada or its partner airlines. You will also need good or excellent credit to qualify for the card. However, the card does offer some great benefits for travelers, so it may be worth considering if you travel often.
Aeroplan Credit Card benefits
- Generous welcome offer: To receive 70,000 points, spend $3,000 in the first three months after opening your account.
- Helpful rewards: Receive triple the points when you shop at grocery stores, dine out or make purchases directly with Air Canada. For all other purchases, you’ll still receive 1X points.
- Ongoing bonus points: As a cardholder, you can earn 500 bonus points per $2,000 spent in a calendar month, up to 1,500 bonus points.
- Elite status: Receive Aeroplan 25K Status when you open your card account and spend at least $15,000 in a calendar year to maintain this status.
- Status boost: To reach the level of Aeroplan elite status, you need to shell out at least $50,000 in a calendar year. You’ll enjoy more free baggage allowance, priority boarding, and complimentary access to specific airport lounges.
- DoorDash benefits: Get a free 12-month DashPass subscription when you sign up by December 31, 2024. With DashPass, you’ll get $0 delivery fees on orders over $12.
- No foreign transaction fees: No foreign transaction fees are associated with this card.
- Free checked bag: As an Air Canada cardholder, you and up to seven other companions on the same reservation can check your first bag for free. This benefit applies when traveling on an Air Canada flight.
- Trusted traveler programs: You could be eligible for up to $100 in statement credits to help cover the cost of applying for a trusted traveler program like TSA PreCheck or Global Entry.
- Cardmember concierge: You will have access to their 24/7 concierge service.
- No award restrictions: You can book Air Canada flights using either cash or rewards.
- Preferred pricing: Aeroplan credit card holders may be eligible for discounts on Air Canada award flights.
- Travel coverage: With travel insurance, you’ll be covered in trip cancellations or interruptions, baggage delays, auto rental collision damage, and more.
- Transfer partners: Boost your Aeroplan points earning potential by transferring rewards from other loyalty programs to your Aeroplan account.
The Aeroplan Credit Card has some drawbacks
- Annual cost: The annual fee for this card is $95. It’s less expensive than some travel cards, but it’s also not free.
- Limited travel earning: This card is not ideal for general travel expenses, as it does not offer rewards on non-Air-Canada purchases, including taxis, rideshares, hotels, and more.
- Limited premium benefits: With this credit card, you can enjoy several travel perks like elite status and reimbursement for specific traveler program application fees. However, other cards may offer better benefits for airport lounge access, travel credits, and other premium travel options.
Redeeming and earning points
Potential Earnings In Years One And Two
Here’s a look at how your points can add up with the Aeroplan Credit Card. These values were calculated with a point valuation of 1.5 cents per point.
This is only an estimate of what you might spend. The actual amount will depend on your spending habits and which categories you spend money on.
Year one earnings: $1,916.50
Year two payments: $866.50
Remember, you might be able to get more value out of this card by taking advantage of specific benefits like the ongoing bonus points perk or having elite status with Aeroplan.
Best Ways To Earn
If you want to earn the most points possible with a rewards credit card, it is best to use it for purchases that fall within the card’s bonus categories. For example, the Aeroplan Credit Card offers bonus points for grocery stores, restaurants, and direct purchases with Air Canada. Using the card for these purchases can help you earn more points.
There are other ways to help boost your earning potential. One way is to use credit cards that earn rewards that can be transferred to your Aeroplan account. For example, the American Express® Gold Card earns Membership Rewards points, which can be transferred to Aeroplan.
You could also use a card such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, which earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points. These points of this card can also be transferred to Aeroplan.
How To Maximize Redemptions
There are many ways to redeem your Aeroplan points. Here are some of the options available:
- Flights with Air Canada and partner airlines
- Seat upgrades and travel perks
- Hotel stays
- Car rentals
- Vacation packages
- Aeroplan eStore shopping, including purchasing merchandise, gift cards, activities, and more
There are many ways to redeem your rewards points, but often the best value comes from using them for flights or hotel stays. With an airline credit card like the Aeroplan Credit Card, you can get the most bang for your buck by redeeming your flight points. Other redemption options may offer less value for your issues.
Transfer Partners For Aeroplan Credit Card
With the Chase Aeroplan card, members can enjoy opportunities to use their points on partner flights with other airline loyalty programs. For example, Air Canada is a member of the Star Alliance, which includes these 26 member airlines:
- Aegean
- Air Canada
- Air China
- Air India
- Air New Zealand
- All Nippon Airways (ANA)
- Asiana Airlines
- Austrian Airlines
- Avianca
- Brussels Airlines
- Copa Airlines
- Croatia Airlines
- EGYPTAIR
- Ethiopian Airlines
- EVA Air
- LOT Polish Airlines
- Lufthansa
- SAS
- Shenzhen Airlines
- Singapore Airlines
- South African Airways
- SWISS
- TAP Air Portugal
- Thai Airways
- Turkish Airlines
- United Airlines
Air Canada also partners with other airlines that are not part of the Star Alliance, like:
- Aer Lingus
- Air China
- Air Dolomiti
- Cathay Pacific
- Central Mountain Air
- Etihad Airways
- Eurowings/Germanwings
- GOL
- Middle East Airlines
- SriLankan Airlines
- Turkish Airlines
- Virgin Australia
There are many loyalty programs that you can use to transfer rewards to your Aeroplan account:
- Accor Live Limitless (ALL)
- American Express Membership Rewards
- Best Western Rewards
- Capital One miles
- Chase Ultimate Rewards
- Choice Privileges
- Coast Rewards
- IHG Rewards Club
- Marriott Bonvoy
- Hilton Honors
- Radisson Rewards
- Shangri-La Golden Circle Award
- Wyndham Rewards
Aeroplan Credit Card FAQs
What Is The APR Of The Aeroplan Credit Card?
With an APR of 19.49% to 26.49% (variable), carrying an outstanding balance on Aeroplan is not advisable since you would accrue interest charges. It’s best to use this card for purchases and take advantage of any introductory APR offers for balance transfers.
How Much Does The Aeroplan Credit Card COst?
Aeroplan Credit Card has an annual fee of $95, which is not waived for the first year. This amount is in line with other travel credit cards that don’t offer premium benefits.
Does The Aeroplan Credit Card Require A Certain Credit Score?
A high credit score is necessary to qualify for the Aeroplan Credit Card. According to the FICO scoring model, one of the most popular credit scoring systems, a good credit score is at least 670. An excellent credit score is 800 or higher.
Take a look at these other cards
Do you often fly with Air Canada or find Aeroplan points valuable? Then, the Aeroplan Credit Card might be a good fit for you. However, other travel cards available could better suit your needs, like Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card or Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card.
Capital One’s Venture Rewards credit card comes with a $95 annual fee and a sign-up bonus of 75,000 miles. You can earn 2X miles on every purchase, every day, and 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. This card also offers 5X miles per dollar when you book on Turo through May 16, 2023.
American Express Delta Gold could be a choice for frequent fliers of Delta Airlines. There is no annual fee for the first year, and 40,000 bonus miles are given after spending $2,000 in the first six months. You can earn 2X miles on qualifying Delta purchases, including restaurants worldwide, takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets, and 1 mile per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases. Terms apply.
Aeroplan Credit Card Review
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Aeroplan Review
