The New Aeroplan Program Is Here. Will You Earn More or Less With It?

Air Canada’s Aeroplan program is the latest in a string of airline loyalty programs to shift away from awarding points or miles based on a combination of flying and spending, now doing so based solely on spending.

It’s no surprise to see, as major U.S. carriers like American Airlines and Delta Air Lines have pioneered this model in North America. However, the new system will undoubtedly rub some flyers the wrong way because distance flown no longer matters when it comes to how Aeroplan points are awarded.

On the other hand, there are situations in which the new system will be more rewarding, depending on the flyer and the specific ticket purchased.

Today, we’ll take a look at several specific booking scenarios and compare earnings under the new system and the old system to see how it’s really going to affect everyday flyers. Let’s dive in!

What’s New With Aeroplan?

In summer 2025, Air Canada shared the details of its overhauled Aeroplan program, which eschewed the distance-and-spending-based earning structure in favor of one that’s entirely revenue-based.

The new Aeroplan program went into effect on January 1, 2026, meaning you’re now awarded with points based entirely on how much you spend on your ticket and your level of elite status within the program. Points are only awarded for the base fare and carrier surcharges, while taxes, fees, and third-party charges aren’t eligible for points earning.

General members earn 1 Aeroplan point per CA$1 (roughy $0.72 USD) spent, but elite members earn at higher rates, according to the following structure:

• 2 points per CA$1 spent for Aeroplan 25K members
• 3 points per CA$1 spent for Aeroplan 35K members
• 4 points per CA$1 spent for Aeroplan 50K members
• 5 points per CA$1 spent for Aeroplan 75K members
• 6 points per CA$1 spent for Aeroplan Super Elite members

Earning elite status within the program has also changed. Previously, you earned elite status by achieving a combination of Status Qualifying Miles (SQMs), Status Qualifying Segments (SQSs), and Status Qualifying Dollars (SQDs). All of these are officially a thing of the past. They’ve been replaced by a single metric: Status Qualifying Credits (SQCs).

For every CA$1 spent, Aeroplan members earn up to 4 SQCs. Once again, this does not include taxes, fees, or third-party charges.

Members earn 4 SQCs per CA$1 spent on Economy Flex and higher fares (such as business class), 2x SQCs on Economy Standard fares and eUpgrade Add-Ons, and 1x on Air Canada Vacations packages. Members also earn 1 SQC for every 5 Aeroplan base points earned with Aeroplan partners, though points transfers, bonus points, and the Aeroplan eStore aren’t included. Members can accumulate a maximum of 25,000 SQCs from these partners annually.

There are a few other ways to earn SQCs as well, such as through qualifying co-branded credit card spend and the ability for premium credit card holders to earn a 10% SQC bonus on the previous year’s SQC earnings when they qualify for Aeroplan elite status.

Finally, members can achieve so-called Milestone Benefits — which include bonus SQCs and status passes, among other options — for every 10,000 SQCs earned.

Comparing Earnings in the New and Old Systems

Now that we have an idea of what the new Aeroplan program looks like and how it functions, let’s dig into whether these changes are positive, negative, or a wash.

The short answer is “it depends.” Because you now earn Aeroplan points (and elite status) based entirely on how much is spent on your tickets, that matters quite a bit. Logically, it makes sense that those who spend more — whether on a last-minute fare or an international business-class ticket — will be rewarded more than those who spend less on tickets.

Under the old program, Aeroplan awarded points based on a combination of distance flown and a multiplier determined by the fare class booked. It was broken down as follows:

• Business class fares earned 150% of miles flown.
• Premium economy and Latitude fares earned 125% of miles flown.
• Comfort fares earned 115% of miles flown.
• Flex fares earned 100% of miles flown.
• Standard fares between Canada and the U.S. or other international destinations earned 50% of miles flown.
• Standard fares within Canada earned 25% of miles flown.

Now, let’s take a look at some flights and see how earnings vary between the new and old programs.

Los Angeles to Bangkok in Business Class

First, we’ll take an expensive, long-haul business-class flight and assume you’re a general Aeroplan member with no elite status. This flight between Los Angeles (LAX) and Bangkok (BKK) costs CA$6,595 (about $4,773).

In the new Aeroplan program, it’s important to remember that only the base fare counts toward mileage earning, which in this case is CA$5,494. Here’s what you’d earn depending on your level of elite status:

Under the old system, you’d earn 150% of the distance flown as Aeroplan points, since this is a business class fare. The journey from Los Angeles to Bangkok via Vancouver (YVR) and back covers a distance of 16,849 miles. So in this case, that means you would have earned a whopping 25,273 Aeroplan points.

As you can see, the new system rewards elite members far more than general members. However, you’d still need to be an Aeroplan 75K member to surpass the mileage earnings you would have received under the old program, which awarded the same earnings regardless of elite level, provided you purchased the business class fare.

Montreal to Chicago in Economy Class

Let’s take another example: a short flight between Montreal (YUL) and Chicago (ORD). You can buy a round-trip economy flight for CA$482 (about $349).

The base fare accounts for CA$301 of that, so here’s what you’d earn in the new program:

Under the old system, you’d earn just 50% of the distance flown as miles, since this is a Standard fare. Montreal to Chicago and back covers a distance of 1,496 miles, meaning you would have earned 748 Aeroplan points from this flight as a general member. If you’re a 35K member or above, you’d come out ahead in the new program.

Newark to Paris in Economy Class

Finally, let’s look at a long-haul economy ticket. The round-trip ticket between Newark (EWR) and Paris (CDG) via Montreal costs CA$881 (roughly $638) for a Standard economy fare.

The base fare makes up CA$298 of the total. Here’s what you’d earn in the new program:

Under the old system, you’d earn 50% of the distance flown as Aeroplan points, since this is a Standard economy international fare. The flight from Newark to Paris via Montreal covers a distance of 7,545 miles, meaning you would have earned 3,773 Aeroplan points, regardless of elite level.

As you can see, relatively inexpensive long-haul flights are really where the new program guts earnings. The highest number of points you can now earn for this flight is 1,788, and that’s reserved only for the top-tier elite members.

Final Thoughts

Air Canada Aeroplan’s program changes are a mixed bag in the end. In the old system, it was very easy to determine your earnings on a given flight, as they were based solely on the fare booked and the total distance flown.

Now, it depends entirely on how much you spend. If you have high levels of elite status within the program, this can ultimately work in your favor; however, if you don’t, it’ll most likely be a downgrade. Low-status and no-status members typically earn less in the new system.