Chase Air Canada Aeroplan Credit Card review: A compelling and valuable airline card

Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.

Chase Aeroplan® Credit Card overview

The Chase Aeroplan Credit Card is one of our favorite cobranded airline credit cards, offering award flexibility and valuable airline benefits. With its strong earning rate and incentives to spend on the card beyond earning the sign-up bonus, the Aeroplan credit card is worth considering for many points and miles enthusiasts — even those who don’t live in Canada. Card rating*: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

* Card rating is based on the opinion of TPG’s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.

Air Canada’s Aeroplan card, launched in December 2021, offers unique benefits we’ve rarely seen on other cobranded airline cards, all for a reasonable annual fee of $95.

You’ll most likely need a good credit score of at least 670 to successfully apply for this card.

If automatic elite status and the ability to use points on over 40 airlines worldwide sounds appealing, keep reading.

Aeroplan Card welcome offer

Right now, new applicants can earn up to 100,000 Aeroplan points: 75,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first three months from account opening, plus an additional 25,000 Aeroplan points after spending $20,000 total in the first 12 months from account opening.

TPG values Aeroplan points at 1.5 cents each, making this sign-up bonus worth up to $1,500.

Hand holding the Aeroplan Credit Card — THE POINTS GUY

Aeroplan Card benefits

How often do you see a card with a $95 annual fee grant you automatic elite status? With the Air Canada Aeroplan credit card, cardholders will receive automatic Aeroplan 25K status for the remainder of the calendar year they open the card and the following year. With Aeroplan 25K, elite status members are entitled to the following perks:

Priority check-in, security and boarding
Two one-time passes to Air Canada’s Maple Leaf Lounges
20 eUpgrade credits to upgrade from economy to premium cabins on Air Canada-operated flights
Automatic Star Alliance Silver elite status, with access to priority wait-listing and standby

the entrance to an Air Canada airport lounge — BRENDAN DORSEY/THE POINTS GUY

After the introductory period, you can retain (or extend) that status — but cardholders are incentivized to spend a lot to do so. Cardholders must spend $15,000 on the card in a calendar year to maintain 25K status (valid through the end of the following year).

But by spending $50,000 in a calendar year, cardholders can earn a one-level status boost to 35K elite status (or beyond). This could be a great option for high spenders who already earn elite status based on flying, as hitting the $50k threshold could essentially upgrade you to a higher tier.

Even if you don’t maintain your elite status beyond the first year, here are all of the other benefits you’ll get from the Aeroplan credit card:

First free checked bag on Air Canada flights, along with up to eight companions
Up to $100 statement credit for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or NEXUS application every four years
Travel protections such as trip cancellation and interruption insurance, baggage delay insurance, trip delay reimbursement, auto rental insurance and roadside assistance
World Elite Mastercard benefits, including 24/7 concierge service, access to Mastercard Priceless® experiences, everyday discounts and offers and more
No foreign transaction fees

This is one of the first cards we’ve seen to reimburse NEXUS applications, allowing pre-screened travelers to expedite security when entering the U.S. and Canada.

Earning points on the Aeroplan Card

Cardholders earn 3 Aeroplan points per dollar spent at grocery stores, dining, and purchases made directly with Air Canada and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.

For every $2,000 you spend on the card each month, you also can receive up to a 500-point bonus — up to 1,500 points per month. These bonus points can add up if you’re a heavy spender, potentially earning up to 18,000 bonus points annually.

Redeeming points on the Aeroplan Card

You can redeem your points for flights to over 1,300 destinations through Star Alliance and Air Canada’s 40+ airline partners — and for generally fewer points than you’d need with other loyalty programs.

Even better, Air Canada publishes distance-based award charts with tons of sweet spots to look out for (including Lufthansa first class). For example, you can fly from New York to Tokyo in ANA’s “The Room” Business Class for 75,000 points one-way.

Senior credit cards editor Matt Moffitt counts Aeroplan Points as his favorite airline loyalty program currency. He maximizes his redemptions by flying in business class on United Airlines to his hometown of Sydney, Australia and EVA Air to Asia.

Transferring points on the Aeroplan Card

For those who get lost trying to optimize their points and miles, Chase Aeroplan cardmembers can also redeem their Aeroplan points toward travel purchases — on any airline, hotel, car rentals and more — at a rate of 1.25 cents each. There is a redemption limit of 50,000 points annually using the Pay Yourself Back tool, though this limit is waived for 2023.

Which cards compete with the Air Canada Aeroplan card?

The Air Canada Aeroplan card comes with a $95 annual fee, which matches the price of other popular travel credit cards that earn transferable rewards. Let’s compare some credit cards of the same caliber and determine if the Aeroplan credit card is the best option for you.

If you want more general rewards: Try the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card. This card is more than a decade old and has proved its value time and time again, making it one of our all-time favorite travel credit cards. While its sign-up bonus is lower, it’s a much more flexible rewards card. For more information, check out our full review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred.
If you value simplicity: Go for the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card (see rates and fees). Also with a $95 annual fee, this card offers a simple earning rate of 2 miles per dollar spent on everything you buy, taking away the stress of remembering bonus categories and strategies to maximize your spending. You also can earn 5 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. For more information, check out our full review of the Venture Rewards.

For additional options, check out our full list of the best travel cards.

Is the Aeroplan card worth it?

With solid perks for just a $95 annual fee, this is a card that can be well worth it for the average consumer, especially if you can capitalize on an elevated welcome offer. It brings fresh benefits that we haven’t seen on most airline cards before. Even if you’re not a regular flyer of Air Canada — or perhaps have never flown the airline at all — chances are that you’ve flown its Star Alliance partners.

Bottom line

Automatic elite status is nothing to sneeze at, no matter the airline. And with Aeroplan points as one of the most valuable airline currencies out there, this credit card is an excellent way to help you book your dream vacation using miles to save money on flights — no matter where you may be going.

Official application link: Aeroplan Credit Card

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply

Additional reporting by Ryan Smith and Stella Shon.