Air Canada’s Aeroplan programme isn’t exactly a big name around here, but it’s still surprisingly handy. Some people swear by it, as it can provide some good redemption values.
Aeroplan has announced changes to its award charts, and in most cases that means you’ll need more points to book an award ticket. There are a few exceptions where the points required will actually drop, However, for those of us in Australia, the impact is bigger than it first seems. Popular long‑haul redemptions, including flights to Asia and Europe, fall into distance bands that are set to rise by roughly 20%.
The Changes
Aeroplan has released an updated flight reward chart that will take effect for redemptions made on or after 1 June 2026. The changes apply to both Air Canada flights and partner airlines, and they’re also expected to affect any modifications made to existing bookings.
For the most part, it is the changes to the partner airlines that affect us in Australia. That’s where you’ll find the redemption rates for partners like Air China, ANA, EVA Air, Singapore Airlines, and THAI. Let’s take a look how that affects flights
- Within the Pacific zone (such as Australia to Asia)
- Between the Pacific and North America (such as Australia to the United States or Canada)
- Between the Pacific and the Atlantic (such as from Australia to Europe, Africa or the Middle East)
For reference, you can refer to the current reward charts here, and the new reward charts here.
Within the Pacific zone
The following chart shows the effects of the upcoming changes within the Pacific zone. For those of us in Australia, this chart applies to redemptions between Australia and Asia. It generally means travel on one of the partner airlines, such as SIngapore AIrlines.
Under the current pricing, Business Class redemptions between Australia and Asia cost 45,000 Aeroplan Points. From 1 June 2026, this will increase to 52,500 points, reflecting Aeroplan’s updated distance‑based bands.
Economy class redemptions are similarly affected, and will see an increase from 25,000 points to 30,000 points
| One-way Award Prices | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles | Economy | Business | First |
| 0 to 1,000 | 8K | 20K | 25K |
| 1,001 to 2,000 | 15K (was 12.5K) +20% | 30K | 50K |
| 2,001 to 5,000 | 30K (was 25K) +20% | 52.5K (was 45K) +17% | 60K |
| 5,001 to 7,000 | 35K (was 37.5K) -7% | 72.5K (was 60K) +21% | 80K |
| 7,001+ | 50K (was 55K) -9% | 85K (was 90K) -6% | 130K |
Between the Pacific and North America
This also covers partner flights between Australia and North America. As an example, this would include flights heading to the U.S. on United. And as a reminder, Air Canada’s own flights to Vancouver use dynamic pricing, so they’ll usually cost more than what’s shown in the table.
| One-way Award Prices | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles | Economy | Business | First |
| 0 to 5,000 | 32.5K (was 35K) -7% | 55K | 90K |
| 5,001 to 7,500 | 50K | 75K | 120K (was 110K) +9% |
| 7,501 to 11,000 | 65K (was 60K) +8% | 102.5K (was 87.5K +17% | 140K (was 130K) +8% |
| 11,000+ | 70K (was 75K) -7% | 115K | 150K |
Between the Pacific and Atlantic zone
This included flight to Europe, which in most cases will fall in the 7,001+ band. These see Economy redemptions increasing from 65,000 points to 75,000 points. In the case of Business, you’ll need 20,000 more points as they increase from 110,000 points to 130,000 points.
| One-way Award Prices | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles | Economy | Business | First |
| 0 to 2,500 | 25K | 47.5K (was 40K) +19% | 55K (was 50K) +10% |
| 2,501 to 5,000 | 40K | 75K (was 60K) +25% | 95K (was 80K) +19% |
| 5,001 to 7,000 | 60K (was 50K) +20% | 92.5K (was 80K) +16% | 120K (was 100k) +20% |
| 7,001+ | 75K (was 65K) +15% | 130K (was 110K) +18% | 150K (was 140K) +7% |
Final Words
These changes are not unexpected as the costs of flights keep increasing. That said, they do remove some of the sweet spots that existed in the program. For example, Australians will now need to stump up more points for redemptions to many locations.
Even so, the revised pricing remains competitive, and Aeroplan has a strong track record of maintaining solid value over time. These updates certainly make the program less enticing, but far from unattractive.
