Air Canada Aeroplan and Marriott Bonvoy Add Elite Status Matching

The elite status benefits of both Air Canada Aeroplan and Marriott Bonvoy just got a little bit sweeter, thanks to their launch of reciprocal elite status matching.

Here are the details of this expanded partnership and how you can take advantage of it on your upcoming travels.

Get Complimentary Elite Status With Air Canada or Marriott

For starters, to be eligible for reciprocal elite status matching, you need to link your Air Canada Aeroplan and Marriott Bonvoy accounts if you haven’t done so already.

Air Canada Aeroplan members with 50K, 75K, or Super Elite status will have their status matched to Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status, which comes with perks like:

• 25% bonus points on stays
• 2 p.m. late checkout (subject to availability)
• Enhanced room upgrades (subject to availability)
• Welcome gift or bonus points at check-in

On the other side of the partnership, those with Marriott Bonvoy Titaniaum or Ambassador Elite status will have their status matched to Aeroplan 25K status, which offers:

• Complimentary preferred seats at check-in
• 2 free checked bags
• Priority boarding
• 2 Maple Leaf Lounge guest passes for 1-time visits
• 25 eUpgrade credits

Other Options for Aeroplan and Marriott Bonvoy Elite Status

If you don’t currently have Aeroplan or Marriott Bonvoy elite status and aren’t eligible for this reciprocal status match, all hope isn’t lost.

Fortunately, there are a handful of credit card options that can offer you complimentary elite status with one of these programs.

A good option is the Aeroplan^® Credit Card, which offers new cardholders automatic Aeroplan 25K status for the remainder of the calendar year, plus the following calendar year.

Aeroplan^® Credit Card

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The Aeroplan card is a great option for Air Canada flyers looking to earn more points and receive automatic elite status.

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Aeroplan^® Credit Card

The Aeroplan card is a great option for Air Canada flyers looking to earn more points and receive automatic elite status.

Welcome Offer

Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. Plus, 25,000 bonus points after you spend $20,000 on purchases in the first 12 months.

Up to 100,000 bonus points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$1,500

Annual Fee

$95

APR

20.99% - 27.99% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

Flyers based in the U.S. may think they wouldn’t have a need for a card like the Aeroplan^® Credit Card, it might be much better suited for you than you think.

Not only does Air Canada offer fantastic award redemptions, but adding the card to your wallet makes the program even more rewarding by offering elite status, more points, travel coverage, and more. Let’s take a closer look and see why the Aeroplan card might make a lot of sense for you.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 3x points per $1 on Air Canada purchases, at grocery stores, and dining at restaurants (including takeout and eligible delivery services)
• 500 bonus points for every $2,000 you spend in a calendar month (up to a maximum of 1,500 bonus points)
• Receive Aeroplan 25K status for the remainder of the calendar year, plus the following calendar year, and continue to extend it beyond that by spending $15,000 on the card per calendar year

Cons

• $95 annual fee
• Does not earn transferable rewards

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Card Highlights

• Earn up to 100,000 bonus points
• Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. Plus, 25,000 bonus points after you spend $20,000 on purchases in the first 12 months.
• $95 Annual Fee
• Redeem points for both international and domestic flights with the Aeroplan^® Credit Card.
• Fly to another continent and travel the world with the Aeroplan^® Credit Card.
• Earn 3X points for each dollar spent at grocery stores, on dining at restaurants, and Air Canada directly. Earn 1X point for each dollar spent on all other purchases.
• 500 bonus points for every $2,000 you spend in a calendar month - up to 1,500 points per month.
• Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 20.99% - 27.99% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Those with the Aeroplan card also have the ability to extend their 25K status further by spending $15,000 on their card in a calendar year, and they can jump 1 tier higher to 35K status with $50,000 in spending during a calendar year.

When it comes to Marriott Bonvoy elite status, you’ve got no shortage of card options that provide automatic elite status just for holding the card, including:

• Marriott Bonvoy Bold^® Credit Card and Marriott Bonvoy Boundless^® Credit Card: Automatic Silver Elite status
• Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express^® Card, Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Credit Card, Marriott Bonvoy Business^® American Express^® Card, The Platinum Card^® from American Express (enrollment required), and The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express (enrollment required): Automatic Gold Elite status
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card: Automatic Platinum Elite status

Final Thoughts

Recently Air Canada and Marriott launched the ability to transfer points between the 2 programs, and now they have further enhanced that partnership by adding reciprocal elite status matching.

This certainly isn’t adding huge value, given that you can easily get both of these elite status levels through certain credit cards. That said, it is still a nice addition for those who have elite status within one of the programs.