Air Canada to change how Aeroplan points are earned in 2026

Air Canada will overhaul its Aeroplan loyalty program next year.

Starting on January 1, 2026, customers on Canada’s largest airline will begin earning Aeroplan points based on dollars spent, versus distance travelled. On that same date, Air Canada will also introduce Status Qualifying Credits (SQC), which provides flyers with a “single path” for achieving Aeroplan Elite status. Air Canada says these changes have been made to “better recognize Aeroplan members who spend more and travel more with Air Canada and who actively engage across the program.”

Here’s a deeper breakdown of the changes:

• Earning points based on dollars spent — Members will receive a minimum of 1 Aeroplan point per $1 spent on eligible Air Canada flights (base fare and carrier surcharges, excluding additional fees like taxes).
• SQC Elite Status — Get up to four SQC per dollar on eligible Air Canada fares (plus up to 25,000 SQC through eligible Aeroplan credit card spending, and an additional 25,000 SQC via eligible partner activity).
• Frequent bonus points offers to help members reach rewards faster.
• Aeroplan Elite status members will earn 2x to 6x Aeroplan points per dollar spent on eligible Air Canada flights.

On top of that, Elite Status members will get more perks down the line, including Milestone Benefits like bonus SQC and status passes every 10,000 SQC, a 10 percent SQC bonus for Aeroplan premium credit cardholders (starting 2027) and more.

News of the Aeroplan overhaul comes amid Air Canada flight attendants voting overwhelmingly in favour of strike action. The union, which is seeking higher wages, says a strike could begin as soon as August 16 should a deal not be reached with Air Canada. This would result in over 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants walking off the job and thousands of flights potentially being cancelled.

Image credit: Air Canada

Source: Air Canada