It's not often an airline credit card makes waves with a strong welcome bonus and completely unique benefits, but the Aeroplan® Credit Card manages to do just that.
As the first Air Canada-branded credit card offered by Chase (and the only Aeroplan card on the U.S. market) the Aeroplan® Credit Card is packed with perks. And it's worth considering, even if you're not a regular Air Canada flyer.
$95
N/A
20.49% - 28.99% Variable
Earn up to 70,000 bonus points
Good to Excellent
- Generous welcome bonus which you can use for Air Canada and Star Alliance partner award flights
- Free first checked bag on Air Canada flights for cardholder and up to eight companions
- Automatic Aeroplan 25K Elite Status for the remainder of the first calendar year, plus the following calendar year (priority check-in, early boarding, upgrades on Air Canada flights)
- Redeem points toward any travel purchase at 1.25 cents each through Pay Yourself Back
- After the first two calendar years, you’ll need to requalify for 25K elite status by spending $15,000 in a calendar year
- Card doesn’t offer airport lounge access or passes
The Aeroplan® Credit Card comes with a great welcome bonus, excellent travel perks, and a range of benefits that incentivize big spending on the card. It's also got a feature unique among airline cards — cardholders can now redeem points through Chase Pay Yourself Back for any travel purchase.
- Earn up to 70,000 bonus points
- Earn 60K bonus points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. Earn 10K bonus points after your annual fee renewal payment posts and is paid in full
- $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
Aeroplan Credit Card Overview
The Aeroplan® Credit Card has a welcome bonus offer of 60,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening and 10,000 bonus points after your annual fee renewal payment posts and is paid in full.
New cardholders also receive automatic Aeroplan 25K Elite Status for the remainder of the first calendar year, plus the following calendar year. If you're an Air Canada flyer, the automatic elite status that comes with the card for up to two years is a great deal — and it's rare to see an airline card award elite status outright. Aeroplan 25K status includes perks like eUpgrade credits, priority boarding, and Maple Leaf Lounge passes.
Other card benefits include a free first checked bag on Air Canada flights for the primary cardholder and up to eight companions on the same reservation, the ability to re-earn (or step-up) elite status by hitting spending thresholds, and up to $100 reimbursement for the Global Entry, TSA PreCheck®, or NEXUS application fee every four years.
One of the most compelling perks doesn't have anything to do with Air Canada. Cardholders now have the option to redeem Aeroplan points toward any eligible travel purchase via Chase Pay Yourself Back. Points redeemed this way are worth 1.25 cents apiece, and qualifying travel includes airfare, car rentals, hotels, rideshares, and much more.
The Aeroplan® Credit Card annual fee is a reasonable $95 — in line with other mid-tier airline cards like The New United℠ Explorer Card and Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® .
That said, if you don't think you can use Air Canada-specific benefits like a free checked bag or elite status, you may be better off with a card that earns flexible points you can transfer to Aeroplan, like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, American Express® Gold Card, Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, or Bilt Mastercard®. That way you have more flexibility in how you redeem your rewards without being locked into a single airline loyalty program.
Aeroplan Credit Card Rewards
Aeroplan Card welcome bonus offer
The Aeroplan® Credit Card is offering 60,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening and 10,000 bonus points after your annual fee renewal payment posts and is paid in full. That's worth up to $1,050 in travel, based on Business Insider's points and miles valuations.
How to earn points from the Aeroplan card
Most co-branded credit cards reserve their highest rewards earning rate for purchases made with the airline, with lower rewards for other bonus categories (or no other bonus categories at all). The Aeroplan® Credit Card takes a different approach, rewarding eligible everyday spending as highly as Air Canada purchases.
Cardholders earn:
- 3 points on purchases made with Air Canada directly (tickets booked through third-party sites won't qualify)
- 3 points on dining (including at restaurants, takeout, and eligible delivery services)
- 3 points at grocery stores (excluding warehouse clubs and stores like Target and Walmart)
- 1 point per dollar on all other purchases
In addition, cardholders earn 500 points for every $2,000 they spend in a calendar month, up to a maximum of 1,500 points per calendar month — potentially up to 18,000 extra points each calendar year.
Air Canada Aeroplan points are worth, on average, 1.5 cents apiece based on Business Insider's points and miles valuations — but the exact value you'll get depends on how and when you redeem your rewards.
How to use points from the Aeroplan card
Air Canada and partner flights
Air Canada Aeroplan offers the most partners of any airline program — over 45, including 25 Star Alliance partners like United, Turkish, and ANA, and other partners like Etihad, GOL, and Gulf Air.
Aeroplan's award charts are a little complicated and combine region/distance-based pricing with dynamic pricing that varies by demand and availability. For example, short-haul economy flights within North America can cost as little as 6,000 points, but longer flights within the region can clock in as high as 25,000 points one-way.
Instead of wading through multiple award charts to figure out how much you'll pay for a flight, Aeroplan offers a Points Predictor tool that shows you the minimum and maximum number of points you'd typically pay on that route (not factoring in high-demand periods).
Aeroplan® Credit Card primary cardholders get preferred pricing on flight rewards, which means they can often book flight rewards for even fewer points. There are no restrictions on award seat availability — if a seat is available for sale, you can book it with points — but if it's one of the last seats on the plane, it's likely the points price will be extremely high.
Air Canada's award charts offer some lucrative sweet spots that allow you to book award flights on certain routes for fewer points than other airline programs charge. For example:
- Short-haul economy flights within North America (including Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean) under 500 miles: 6,000 to 10,000 points; 501 to 1,500 miles: 10,000 to 15,000 points
- US to Europe: 35,000 to 40,000 points in economy, 60,000 to 70,000 points in business class, 90,000 to 100,000 points in first class
- US West Coast to Hawaii: 12,500 points in economy, 25,000 points in business class
- US to Asia: 35,000 to 75,000 points in economy, 55,000 to 105,000 points in business class
In addition, Aeroplan no longer adds fuel surcharges to Air Canada or partner flights, and if you want to add in a stopover, it costs just an additional 5,000 points each way.
Aeroplan points usually expire if there's been no activity in your account for 18 months. However, points transferred to your Aeroplan account from the Aeroplan® Credit Card won't expire as long as your card account is open.
Pay Yourself Back
Aeroplan® Credit Card cardholders can now redeem Aeroplan points for any eligible travel purchase through Chase's Pay Yourself Back feature.
Pay Yourself Back was introduced on Chase's Ultimate Rewards® earning cards early in the pandemic as a way to get a higher value from your points without having to book travel. The version on the Aeroplan® Credit Card allows cardholders to apply Aeroplan points to "erase" qualifying purchases made in the past 90 days at a rate of 1.25 cents per point.
Eligible travel purchases include:
- Airfare (with any airline)
- Hotels
- Car rentals
- Cruises
- Travel agencies
- Discount travel sites
- Campgrounds
- Trains
- Buses
- Taxis/limousines
- Ferries
- Toll bridges/highways
- Parking lots/garages
Other ways to use Aeroplan points
Aeroplan offers several other options for redeeming points, but the value per point varies and is often lower than what you'd get by booking flights or redeeming through Pay Yourself Back. These include:
- Hotels
- Car rentals
- Air Canada Vacations packages
- Activities and travel experiences
- Merchandise
- Gift cards
- Upgrades
- Inflight Wi-Fi
Aeroplan Card Benefits
Automatic Aeroplan 25K elite status (new cardholders)
On top of the welcome bonus, new Aeroplan® Credit Card members receive automatic Aeroplan 25K elite status valid for the remainder of the calendar year in which the card is opened, as well as the following calendar year.
Elite 25K status is Aeroplan's lowest status tier, and it comes with benefits that include:
- Priority check-in, boarding, and airport standby
- Complimentary checked baggage allowance
- Complimentary sports equipment handling
- Priority seat selection
- 50% discount on preferred seats
- eUpgrade credits
Elite 25K members also have the option to choose from a number of "select benefits", which include two one-time Maple Leaf Lounge passes, bonus Aeroplan points with Air Canada and select partners, additional eUpgrade credits, and bonuses for eligible Flight Pass activities.
If you need more Aeroplan points to top off your account, you can transfer points from Chase Ultimate Rewards, Amex Membership Rewards, Capital One, Bilt Rewards, or Marriott Bonvoy to make up the difference.
Incentives for spending
Once your initial automatic status expires, you can requalify for 25K elite status by spending at least $15,000 on the Aeroplan® Credit Card in a calendar year. Those who've already earned Aeroplan elite status can also receive a one-level status boost to 35K status or higher for the next year after spending $50,000 in a calendar year.
Bigger spenders can receive even more benefits, starting at reaching $100,000 in purchases in a calendar year. These include 50% off priority rewards and companion benefits — and those who spend $1 million or more annually will receive an unlimited-use Global+1 companion pass that refunds 100% of the points used to bring a travel companion along on award flights worldwide, in any class of service.
Free first checked bag on Air Canada flights
With the Chase Aeroplan® Credit Card, the primary cardholder and up to eight companions on the same reservation get a free first checked bag on Air Canada, Air Canada Express, and Air Canada Rouge flights.
Normally, Air Canada charges 30 Canadian dollars (about $23) for a first checked bag, so this perk can translate into significant savings if you travel a few times a year.
Global Entry/TSA PreCheck/NEXUS application fee credit
Like many travel rewards credit cards, the Chase Aeroplan® Credit Card offers a statement credit toward the Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® application fee every four years.
The Chase Aeroplan® Credit Card also offers this credit for the NEXUS application fee ($50). NEXUS comes with Global Entry and TSA PreCheck® benefits, but also allows the member expedited entry on arrival into Canada.
Car rental insurance
When you use the Chase Aeroplan® Credit Card to pay for your rental and decline the rental company's collision damage waiver, you're covered for damage due to collision or theft for most car rentals in the US and abroad.
This insurance is secondary to your personal insurance in the US, otherwise, it's primary car rental insurance. Be sure to read the terms and conditions that come with the card for any exclusions.
Trip cancellation/interruption insurance
Using a credit card with travel insurance to pay for flights can be a lifesaver if your travel plans get disrupted. When you pay for pre-paid, non-refundable travel expenses with your Chase Aeroplan® Credit Card (including passenger fares, tours, and hotels) and your trip is canceled or cut short by a covered reason like illness or severe weather, you can be reimbursed up to $1,500 per person and $6,000 per trip.
Baggage delay insurance
If you paid for your fare with the Chase Aeroplan® Credit Card and the carrier delays your bags for at least six hours, you can be reimbursed up to $100 per day for three days for essentials, like toiletries and clothing.
Trip delay reimbursement
If your flight or other common carrier travel is delayed by at least 12 hours or requires an overnight stay, you and your family can be covered with the card's trip delay insurance for up to $500 per ticket for unreimbursed expenses, like hotel rooms and meals, if you paid with your Chase Aeroplan® Credit Card.
Roadside assistance
Chase Aeroplan® Credit Card members have access to a roadside assistance hotline, which can arrange services like towing, winching, and fuel delivery. The hotline itself is free, but cardholders are responsible for roadside service fees.
World Elite Mastercard benefits
Because the Chase Aeroplan® Credit Card is a World Elite Mastercard, it comes with additional travel and shopping benefits. These include free Shoprunner membership, Lyft and DoorDash credits, and access to a global assistance hotline and concierge.
DoorDash DashPass membership
Chase Aeroplan® Credit Card members can activate a complimentary one-year DoorDash DashPass membership which waives delivery fees on qualifying orders. Enrollment is required by December 31, 2024.
Carbon offsets
To help reduce the impact of greenhouse gas emissions associated with travel, Air Canada will purchase carbon offsets for primary cardholders of the Chase Aeroplan® Credit Cardand all travel companions on the same award reservation, for any flight segments on Air Canada, Air Canada Express, and Air Canada Rouge.
Aeroplan Credit Card Annual Fee and Other Costs
The Aeroplan® Credit Card charges a $95 annual fee, but you won't pay foreign transaction fees, which makes it a good card to use when you're traveling internationally. Try to avoid carrying a balance on the card, because it charges a 20.49% - 28.99% Variable APR.
There are other situations in which you may be charged fees, including balance transfers, foreign transaction, and cash advances.
Aeroplan Credit Card Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What credit score do you need for the Chase Aeroplan credit card?
Like most other travel rewards cards, the Aeroplan® Credit Card typically approves new cardholders who have at least a good to excellent credit score — that is, a FICO score of 670 or higher.
Who is eligible for the Aeroplan card?
As with other Chase cards, the Aeroplan® Credit Card falls under the Chase 5/24 rule, which means if you've opened five or more credit cards from any bank (excluding some small-business cards), you won't be approved.
Otherwise, you're not eligible if you already have a Aeroplan® Credit Card open, or previously opened the card in the past 24 months.
Is the Chase Aeroplan card worth it?
If you fly Air Canada with any regularity, even a couple of times a year, the Aeroplan® Credit Card is definitely worth it for the automatic elite status and perks like a free first checked bag on the airline. It's also worth it if you don't have other cards that provide travel and purchase protections and are looking for a travel card with a moderate annual fee.
That said, if your main objective is to earn Aeroplan points and you're not worried about getting perks on the airline, a card that earns points that transfer to Aeroplan could be a better choice. Chase, Amex, Capital One, and Bilt Rewards all partner with Aeroplan, so a card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, American Express® Gold Card, Bilt Mastercard®, or Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card could be a better fit for you.
Can Canadians get the Chase Aeroplan card?
To qualify for the Aeroplan® Credit Card, you'll need to have a US social security number or ITIN (individual tax identification number). That means most Canadians aren't eligible unless they meet those requirements. However, there are numerous Aeroplan credit cards available in Canada from TD Bank, CIBC, and American Express.
Methodology: How we reviewed the Aeroplan card
Business Insider's credit cards team reviewed the Aeroplan® Credit Card in comparison to other top airline credit cards available right now. We looked at factors including:
- Ease of use — Is the card's rewards program easy to navigate? Are there multiple options for earning and using rewards?
- Earning potential — Is there a generous welcome bonus offer and bonus categories that are useful to a wide variety of travelers? Do any categories have a maximum spending limit?
- Annual fee — If there's an annual fee, is it worth paying when you consider the card's rewards and benefits?
- Benefits — Do the card's benefits, particularly those related to travel on the airline, match or exceed perks you'd receive on competing cards?
Read about how we rate credit cards at Business Insider for a close look at our methodology.
Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews, or recommendations expressed in this article are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer. Read our editorial standards.
Please note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they're subject to change at any time and may have changed, or may no longer be available.
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