Air Canada’s Aeroplan program has formally shifted to a revenue-based incomes mannequin for flights as of January 1, 2026.
As an alternative of awarding factors primarily based on distance flown and fare class, Aeroplan now calculates factors primarily based on how a lot you spend in your ticket.
This variation impacts all Aeroplan members, with various outcomes relying in your fare, route, and Elite Standing.
On this information, we’ll stroll by way of how the brand new mannequin works, the way it compares to the earlier system, and how much traveller stands to learn, or lose out.
Aeroplan Factors Are Now Earned Based mostly on Spending
You now earn 1 Aeroplan level per $1 CAD spent on:
- Base fare
- Service-imposed surcharges
- eUpgrade add-on charges
You received’t earn factors on:
- Authorities-imposed taxes and airport charges
- Checked baggage charges
- Seat choice charges
- Different optionally available or third-party costs
Though your receipt whole could also be greater, Aeroplan solely calculates factors on the eligible spend portion of the fare — usually what goes on to Air Canada.
This is applicable to all fare courses, together with Financial system (Fundamental). Whether or not you ebook Commonplace or Enterprise Class, you earn factors primarily based on spend, not distance.
If you happen to pay in a foreign money aside from Canadian {dollars}, Air Canada will convert the eligible spend to CAD utilizing their inside alternate fee earlier than calculating Aeroplan factors and SQC. This ensures constant incomes throughout markets.
Elite Standing Multiplies Your Factors
You probably have Aeroplan Elite standing, you’ll earn 2–6 Aeroplan factors per greenback spent below the brand new mannequin, as Air Canada is introducing a brand new Factors Multiplier Core Profit:
- 25K standing = 2x Aeroplan factors
- 35K standing = 3x Aeroplan factors
- 50K standing = 4x Aeroplan factors
- 75K standing = 5x Aeroplan factors
- Tremendous Elite standing = 6x Aeroplan factors
This multiplier applies solely to Air Canada-operated flights, and is calculated on the identical eligible spend parts listed above.
Income-Based mostly vs. Distance-Based mostly: What’s Modified?
Underneath the outdated mannequin, Aeroplan factors have been primarily based on distance flown and fare class, that means long-haul flights, even in financial system, may lead to a stable factors haul.
That’s not the case.
Now, what issues is how a lot you spend, no matter how far you fly. This shift modifications the incentives:
- Reserving an affordable long-haul fare? You’ll seemingly earn fewer factors than earlier than.
- Reserving a last-minute or high-fare ticket? You might earn extra.
- Have Elite Standing? You’ll see your multiplier make an actual distinction.
Instance Situations
Situation 1: No Standing, Brief-Haul Financial system
- $300 base fare + $100 taxes = $400 ticket
- You earn 300 Aeroplan factors
Beforehand, a short-haul flight may’ve earned greater than this, relying on fare class and distance. Underneath the brand new mannequin, it’s immediately tied to spend.
Situation 2: Tremendous Elite, Premium Financial system
- $800 base fare + $200 taxes = $1,000 ticket
- Tremendous Elite earns 4,800 Aeroplan factors (6x multiplier on $800)
This setup advantages from each a better fare and the Elite multiplier.
Associate Flights: Extra Difficult
Factors incomes on companion flights now relies upon closely on who issued the ticket and which airline operates the flight.
Right here’s the way it breaks down:
- Air Canada-issued ticket (014) on choose companions (e.g. United, Lufthansa):
→ Earn revenue-based factors, with Elite multiplier. - Ticket issued by one other airline, even in case you fly on Air Canada:
→ Earn revenue-based factors, however no Elite multiplier. - Associate-issued ticket operated by a Star Alliance or non-alliance companion:
→ Earn factors primarily based on the outdated distance-and-fare chart, no Elite multiplier.
This distinction is important. If you happen to’re reserving companion flights by way of Aeroplan, take note of who points the ticket and what sort of flight you’re on.
For each limited- and unlimited-credit Flight Passes, you now earn factors below the income mannequin:
- Restricted-credit Passes: earn factors primarily based on the value divided by the variety of credit used
- Limitless Passes: earn factors month-to-month primarily based on the fee installment
Air Canada additionally plans to run frequent promotions on Air Canada-operated flights — providing bonus factors on prime of base earnings. These will range by vacation spot, fare sort, or journey interval.
No Change to Credit score Card Factors
Aeroplan co-branded bank cards proceed to earn bonus factors as earlier than:
- As much as 3x on Air Canada purchases
- 2x on eating and meals supply
- 1–1.25x on all different eligible purchases
These factors are separate from the revenue-based flight earnings and are nonetheless a wonderful strategy to develop your steadiness exterior of flying.
Standing Qualification Now Makes use of SQC
What Are Standing Qualifying Credit?
Aeroplan Elite Standing is now earned utilizing a brand new metric: Standing Qualifying Credit (SQC). These change the outdated mixture of SQM, SQS, and SQD.
You earn SQC primarily based on eligible spend on Air Canada flights and sure different actions.
SQC Incomes Charges on Air Canada Flights
- Financial system (Fundamental): 0 SQC per $1 spent
- Financial system (Commonplace): 2 SQC per $1 spent
- Flex / Consolation / Latitude: 4 SQC per $1 spent
- Premium Financial system / Enterprise: 4 SQC per $1 spent
- eUpgrade Add-on Charges: 2 SQC per $1 spent
You don’t earn SQC on baggage or seat choice charges, nor on taxes and third-party costs.
SQC on Associate Flights
SQC on companion flights is dependent upon ticketing and working airline:
- AC-issued ticket + Star Alliance-operated flight → SQC primarily based on fare
- AC-issued ticket + non-alliance companion → no SQC
- Associate-issued ticket + flown on Air Canada → SQC primarily based on cabin:
- 2 SQC per $1 in financial system
- 4 SQC per $1 in premium cabins
- Associate-issued ticket + flown on Star Alliance → 1 SQC per 5 Aeroplan factors earned
- Associate-issued ticket + non-alliance companion → no SQC
You may earn a most of 25,000 SQC per yr from companion flights not issued by Air Canada or on a regular basis companion exercise mixed.
SQC from On a regular basis Companions & Credit score Playing cards
Earn As much as 25,000 SQC from On a regular basis Companions
For each 5 Aeroplan factors earned by way of choose companions, you earn 1 SQC, as much as 25,000 per yr.
Eligible companions embody:
You don’t earn SQC from:
- Aeroplan eStore
- Bank card welcome bonuses
- Factors transferred from exterior packages (e.g., Amex MR)
Earn As much as 25,000 SQC from Credit score Card Spend
Bank card spending additionally earns SQC, once more, capped at 25,000 per yr.
- Core Aeroplan Playing cards: 1,000 SQC per $20,000 spent
- Premium Aeroplan Playing cards: 1,000 SQC per $5,000 spent
To max out, you’ll must spend $500,000 on a core card, and $125,000 on a premium card.
Premium Aeroplan Credit score Playing cards
The Chase Aeroplan Card (U.S.) additionally earns SQC in 3 ways:
- 5,000 SQC yearly
- 10,000 SQC at $25,000 (USD) spend
- 10,000 SQC at $50,000 (USD) spend
On a regular basis Standing Qualification Nonetheless Exists
Along with incomes standing by way of SQC, you may nonetheless qualify for Aeroplan 25K by incomes 100,000 eligible Aeroplan factors in a calendar yr.
This various pathway, generally known as On a regular basis Standing Qualification (EDQ), stays unchanged below the 2026 program.
SQC Head Begin (Coming in 2027)
Air Canada is introducing a Head Begin profit in 2027 for premium Aeroplan credit score cardholders.
You’ll obtain 10% of your earlier yr’s SQC credited at the beginning of the subsequent yr. There’s no cap.
To qualify:
- Be the major cardholder of a premium Aeroplan card
- Maintain the cardboard by December 15 of the earlier yr
In 2026 solely, eligible rollover SQM from 2025 converts to SQC at a 5:1 ratio, capped at 200,000 SQM (40,000 SQC).
Lifetime Qualifying Miles (LQM)
Lifetime Qualifying Miles proceed to depend towards Air Canada’s Million Mile program. LQMs are nonetheless primarily based on the distance flown on Air Canada-operated flights, no matter fare sort.
Nevertheless, bonus LQMs that was once awarded for greater fare courses are not issued below the brand new system.
Milestone Advantages: Changing Threshold & Choose Advantages
Air Canada now rewards Elite members with Milestone Advantages primarily based in your SQC accumulation.
Right here’s how they work:
- Each 10,000 SQC as much as 200,000: earn a Milestone
- Each 20,000 SQC past 200,000 (as much as 1 million): proceed incomes Milestones
You’ll obtain:
- 10 eUpgrades robotically at 10K, 30K, 50K SQC
- One profit choice (e.g. Precedence Reward, lounge move, bonus factors, reductions) at 20K, 40K, 60K and past
Necessary: You have to already maintain Elite Standing to start incomes Milestones at 10K and 20K. If you happen to don’t have standing but, your first Milestone is at 30,000 SQC.
Core Profit Adjustments for 2026
- Maple Leaf Lounge passes are not a Core Profit (now Milestone-only)
- eUpgrade credit change by tier — some tiers get extra, others much less
- Now you can share eUpgrades with as much as 4 companions upfront, and 4 extra on the airport on the identical flight
- eUpgrade add-on charges improve on Financial system (Commonplace):
- +$100 for North America and Solar locations
- +$150 for worldwide
These modifications apply to all flights from January 1, 2026, even when upgrades are requested earlier.
Conclusion
Air Canada’s 2026 Aeroplan modifications mark a significant shift in the way you earn each factors and standing. Factors at the moment are tied to eligible spend, and Aeroplan Elite Standing is measured by Standing Qualifying Credit (SQC), which you’ll be able to earn from flights, companions, and bank card exercise.
The brand new system rewards travellers who spend extra or maintain standing, whereas these reserving low-cost long-haul fares might earn lower than earlier than.
Understanding the principles round companion flights, ticketing, and Milestone Advantages is essential to profiting from Aeroplan in 2026 and past.
