Aeroplan Points Value: How to Work Out What Your Points Are Worth

Aeroplan doesn’t put a cash value on its points. Its terms say “Aeroplan Points have no monetary value” (Aeroplan terms and conditions), so what a point is worth comes down to what it buys: the cash a redemption saves, divided by the points it costs. The same balance can be worth a lot more on one redemption than on another. This page shows how to work that out and what changes the answer. How the program itself works, from earning to Elite Status, is in the Aeroplan guide, and the rewards programs hub covers Canada’s other loyalty programs.

How to calculate cents per point

The value of a redemption, in cents per point, is:

Cents per point = (cash price you would otherwise pay − cash you still pay on the reward) ÷ points used × 100

The “cash you still pay” part matters. Every Aeroplan flight reward still has taxes and third-party fees (which can be paid in cash or points). Booking an Aeroplan flight reward on another airline (a partner airline) adds a flat Partner Booking Fee of $39 per ticket, which can also be paid with points. Air Canada flight rewards carry no carrier surcharges (Air Canada, redeeming on Air Canada).

The two halves of the formula come from different places. The points price is on Aeroplan’s booking page and, as a guide, in its flight reward chart. The cash price is whatever the same flight costs to buy on the same day, and only counts if that flight would really have been bought.

What the flight reward chart shows

Aeroplan prices flights in two ways (chart, edition 2026-08):

• Air Canada and select partners: prices move with demand. The chart lists a “starting at” price and a median based on member redemptions with Air Canada and select partners from January 2025 through December 2026. Within North America, an economy flight in the 501 - 1,500 mile band starts at 10,000 points with a median of 15,000; business starts at 20,000 with a median of 30,100.
• All other partner airlines: a fixed price set by distance. A North America to Atlantic flight in the 0 - 4,000 mile band is 32,500 points in economy and 60,000 in business; North America to Pacific in the 0 - 5,000 mile band is 32,500 and 55,000.

Because the partner price is fixed while cash fares change, the value per point on a partner reward rises when cash fares are high and falls when they’re low. The full chart is laid out in the Aeroplan guide.

Worked example: partner economy vs business

The business figure is high only because the example assumes a traveller who would otherwise pay that business fare in cash. Measured against the economy fare that traveller might really have bought, the business reward’s value per point is much lower.

Things that change the points price

• Preferred Pricing: Primary Aeroplan credit cardholders, and everyone in their Aeroplan Family Sharing pool, can often redeem for Air Canada flights for fewer points: Preferred Pricing is applied automatically when shopping for a flight reward.
• Announced cardholder saving (Air Canada release): Air Canada has announced a 15% points saving on Air Canada flight rewards for Aeroplan credit cardholders in Canada: a promotional offer through January 11, 2027, becoming a card benefit for all primary cardholders on January 12, 2027.
• Priority Rewards: Aeroplan Elite Status members can choose a Priority Reward voucher as a Milestone benefit (it is one of the options at every 20,000 SQC). It takes 50% off the points on the base fare of one eligible flight reward for one passenger; taxes, fees, charges and any Partner Booking Fee aren't discounted. Basic fares aren't eligible, the zones and cabins a voucher covers depend on the status held when it was chosen, and it must be used within 12 months of being issued. In the formula above, those taxes, fees and any Partner Booking Fee stay in “cash you still pay”.
• Points + Cash: paying part in cash lowers the points used; the same formula applies, with the extra cash added to “cash you still pay”.

Non-flight redemptions

Points also buy hotel stays, car rentals, upgrades, in-flight Wi-Fi, gift cards and eStore merchandise (from 3,500 points). The same formula works: the cash price of the item or stay, minus any cash still paid, divided by the points. Comparing an item’s points price with its retail price shows the value.

Earning side: what a dollar of spending returns

A card’s earn rate turns into a return on spending only once a value per point is chosen, so the return depends on how the points end up being used.

Card earn rates and fees are listed in the Aeroplan guide. One more cost sits outside the formula: a cash ticket earns Aeroplan points, while a flight reward (including Points + Cash) earns none.

Welcome bonuses are promotional and change often, so any value put on one is only as current as the offer; the issuer’s site has the current terms. The credit card churning page covers chasing bonuses across cards, and are credit card rewards worth it compares points cards with cash back.

How Aeroplan compares with a fixed-value program

WestJet Rewards takes the opposite approach: WestJet publishes a fixed rate of 100 points for $1 off base fares, surcharges, bags and seats, which is 1.00 cent per point, and 105 to 115 points per $1 on taxes and fees (0.87 to 0.95 cents per point) (WestJet, redeem). An Aeroplan point has no fixed value, so it can come out above or below that depending on the redemption. The WestJet Rewards guide covers that program.

A short checklist before redeeming

• Price the same flight in cash on the same date, and use the fare that would really have been bought.
• Take off the taxes, fees and any Partner Booking Fee still owed on the reward.
• For Air Canada and its select partners (such as United and Emirates), compare the price shown with the chart’s “starting at” and median figures; for all other partner airlines, check the fixed chart price.
• Check whether Preferred Pricing, a cardholder saving or a Priority Reward voucher applies.
• Remember that a cash ticket would earn points and a flight reward doesn’t.

Related resources

• Aeroplan guide
• WestJet Rewards guide
• Best Aeroplan credit cards
• Points vs cash back credit cards
• Rewards programs hub