Air Canada announced a couple of days ago that it’ll be updating its award chart from June 1, 2026. Unfortunately the most prevalent change is an increase, with ~85% of the bands requiring more Aeroplan points. That does mean that ~15% of the pricing bands do see a decrease, but that’ll be scant consolation for most people.
A full list of the changes can be found below; where there aren’t values listed for certain types of awards, that means they’ll be unchanged from present. There are references to both select partner airlines and partner airlines; select partner airlines include United Airlines, Emirates, Flydubai, Etihad Airways, Canadian North, Calm Air, Bearskin Airlines, and Provincial Airlines Ltd.
Various different regions are referred to in the headings; you can see which countries fall under which region in the map below:
Between North America & Atlantic regions
- 0-4,000 miles:
- Economy 35K → 32,500 points (-2,500)
- 4,001–6,000 miles:
- Economy: 40K → 42,500 points (+2,500)
- Business: 70K → 75K points (+5K)
- First class (on partner airlines): 100K → 120K points (+20K)
- 6,001–8,000 miles
- Economy (on partner airlines): 55K → 60K points (+5K)
- Business (on Air Canada & select partner airlines): 85K → 90K points (+5K)
- First class (on partner airlines): 130K → 150K points (+20K)
- 8,001+ miles
- Economy (on partner airlines): 70K → 75K points (+5K)
- Business (on Air Canada & select partner airlines): 100K → 110K points (+10K)
- First class (on partner airlines): 140K → 165K points (+25K)
Between North America & Pacific Regions
- 0-5,000 miles
- Economy: 35K → 32,500 points (-2,500)
- 5,001–7,000 miles
- Business: 75K → 85K points (+10K)
- First class (on partner airlines): 110K → 120K points (+10K)
- 7,501–11,000 miles
- Economy (on partner airlines): 60K → 65K points (+5K)
- Premium economy (on Air Canada & select partner airlines): 70K → 85K points (+15K)
- Business (on partner airlines): 87,500 → 102,500 points (+15K)
- First class (on partner airlines): 130K → 140K points (+10K)
- 11,001+ miles
- Economy (on partner airlines): 75K → 70K points (-5K)
- Economy (on Air Canada & select partner airlines): 65K → 70K points (+5K)
- Premium economy (on Air Canada & select partner airlines): 80K → 95K points (+15K)
Within Atlantic region
- 0-1,000 miles
- Business: 15K → 12,500 points (-2,500)
- 1,001-2,000 miles
- Economy: 12,500 → 15K points (+2,500)
- Business: 25K → 22,500 points (-2,500)
- 2,001-4,000 miles
- Economy (on partner airlines): 25K → 30K points (+5K)
- Business: 45K → 40K points (-5K)
- First class (on partner airlines): 60K → 75K points (+15K)
- 4,001-6,000 miles
- Economy (on partner airlines): 35,500 → 42,500 points (+7,000)
- Business (on partner airlines): 60K → 70K points (+10K)
- First class (on partner airlines): 90K → 100K points (+10K)
- 6,001+ miles
- Business (on partner airlines): 80K → 95K points (+15K)
Within Pacific region
- 1,001-2,000 miles
- Economy (on partner airlines): 12,500 → 15K points (+2,500)
- 2,001-5,000 miles
- Economy (on partner airlines): 25K → 30K points (+5K)
- Business (on partner airlines): 45K → 52,500 points (+7,500)
- 5,001-7,000 miles
- Economy (on partner airlines): 37,500 → 35K points (-2,500)
- Business (on partner airlines): 60K → 72,500 points (+12,500)
- 7,001+ miles
- Economy: 55K → 50K points (-5K)
- Business: 90K → 85K points (-5K)
Between Atlantic & Pacific regions
- 0-2,500 miles
- Business (on partner airlines): 40K → 47,500 points (+7,500)
- First class (on partner airlines): 50K → 55K points (+5K)
- 2,501-5,000 miles
- Economy (on Air Canada & select partner airlines): 30K → 40K points (+10K)
- Business (on partner airlines): 60K → 75K points (+15K)
- Business (on Air Canada & select partner airlines): 50K → 60K points (+10K)
- First class (on partner airlines): 80K → 95K points (+15K)
- 5,001-7,000 miles
- Economy (on partner airlines): 50K → 60K points (+10K)
- Economy (on Air Canada & select partner airlines): 40K → 50K points (+10K)
- Business (on partner airlines): 80K → 92,500 points (+12,500)
- Business (on Air Canada & select partner airlines): 60K → 80K points (+20K)
- First class (on partner airlines): 100K → 120K points (+20K)
- 7,001+ miles
- Economy (on partner airlines): 65K → 75K points (+10K)
- Economy (on Air Canada & select partner airlines): 40K → 60K points (+20K)
- Business (on partner airlines): 110K → 130K points (+20K)
- Business (on Air Canada & select partner airlines): 60K → 100K points (+40K)
- First class (on partner airlines): 140K → 150K points (+10K)
- First class (on partner airlines): 100K → 130K points (+30K)
Quick Thoughts
Devaluations are never a good thing, but at least Air Canada has given us all a heads up ~5 weeks ahead of time, rather than doing a Virgin Atlantic Flying Club and implementing these changes overnight with no warning.
Your feelings on these changes will likely depend on how you most frequently redeem Aeroplan points. For example, if you often book short-haul business class awards within the Atlantic region (which includes Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and a decent portion of Asia), you likely won’t be too fussed as redemptions for journeys of up to 1,000 miles will drop in price from 15,000 points to 12,500. If you mostly book business or first class awards between the US and Europe though, you’ll now be looking at an increase from 70,000 to 75,000 miles for business class and from 100,000 to 120,000 for first class (assuming your travel distance is 4,001-6,000 miles.
The thing is, all the reductions are minimal; any time a pricing band drops in price, it’s only by either 2,500 points or 5,000 points – there aren’t any substantial drops. Compare that to some of the increases and there’s a marked difference, with increases ranging from an additional 2,500 points at the low end to a whopping 40,000 points more at the high end.
People who book ultra-long haul Aeroplan awards between the Pacific and Atlantic regions will definitely feel the pain, with trips of 7,001+ miles increasing by anything from 10,000-40,000 points, no matter whether you’re traveling in economy, business, or first class, and no matter whether you’re flying on Air Canada metal or with a partner airline.
Overall, this is all bad news, but Aeroplan pricing will still be somewhat competitive on many routes, not to mention that you still have another month before these changes come into play. Fingers crossed that we get one or more Aeroplan transfer bonuses in the next month to lock in even cheaper prices. Don’t forget that there is a 20% transfer bonus right now from Chase Ultimate Rewards to Aeroplan.
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Interesting to see the shortest distance bands from North America untouched for Business class. It’s in line with economy redemptions actually decreasing but leads to some pretty big gaps between cities right on the mileage cutoff.
I managed to book a SEA-HND NH award earlier this month for 55K, which worked out great with the Chase transfer bonus. The same award from SFO or LAX would now move to 85K – a full 30K more for J from cities less than a thousand miles apart.
I find both the article and the comments interesting – they are truly from a US points and miles perspective only – which I get, the majority of the readers are Americans.
Here’s the issue with the devaluation – it comes on the heels of the Aeroplan status and points awarding structure – where earning points in a traditional bums in seats way has been slashed, making earning points harder to accomplish to then apply them to a higher award chart that is really only in play for partners where dynamic pricing isn’t in play – if and when partners make awards available.
The US angle is in play because outside of the US, the only real transfer partner is Amex and there are zero bonus transfers, ever. So – as a Canadian who flies AC enough to have decent status, this devaluation hurts a lot more as I’m earning fewer points, have one transfer partner (Marriott isn’t realistic) with zero bonus options.
I get that for most readers AP still seems like a viable option, but for everyone outside the US it’s just another kick in the teeth from a program that has devalued continuously over the last few years.
You’re telling me there’s still a published award chart with somewhat reasonable partner availability together with ~3x a year ~20% transfer bonuses from Chase? Plus I get to pay comparatively low surcharges in weak Canadian dollars? Headline is correct, hard to get too excited about these relatively minor devaluations especially when they are keeping under 4k TATL at 60k.
Published award charts are funny sometimes. Right now the difference in an economy flight from, say, NY to Zurich versus NY to Munich is 35k v 40k because the distance straddles the 4,000 mile mark by less than 100 miles on either side. Now that will go to 32.5k v 42.5k for essentially the same flight. Big difference for a family of 4.
Here’s another fun one – FRA to NYC. Right now LH to EWR is 35k miles (soon to be 32.5k) and UA to EWR is 40k miles. Why? Nothing to do with mileage, United is just a “Select” partner and has different rates (SQ is 35k from FRA to JFK BTW, but I’m sure the “Select” experience with UA into EWR is worth the extra 5k-7.5k miles/pp).
Moral of the story – Aeroplan is still an essential part of the tool kit (kind of feels like the entirety of the reason to keep earning Chase points… yes I know all you hotel enthusiasts love Hyatt…), but check those flights folks, and if you’re going to central Europe, look to fly into Zurich / Frankfurt on LH/LX/SQ versus heading into Munich / Berlin etc. Apparently they have a somewhat reliable network of high speed trains in Europe that can get you the rest of the way there.
100%. Peter, whenever you comment, I read every word, because you GET IT. “Aeroplan is still an essential part of the tool kit” …well said.
“You’re telling me there’s still a published award chart with somewhat reasonable partner availability . . .” Did he actually write anything about partner availability? I might well have missed it.
I suppose only by implying that folks use Aeroplan to redeem for partner awards. The embellishment was mine. I’m not saying there’s always availability, but I’m usually booking a business class flight through Aeroplan at least once a year. It’s far from perfect, but still a good part of the tool kit.
Acknowledged. Less and less are airlines affording premium cabin award inventory to their partners. In some cases, none. Like reciprocation of tier status benefits, reciprocation of award inventory is a premise of the alliances. Yet, it has become a promise less and less delivered upon.
For those of us who fly international more frequently, it has become a bone of contention.
I hear you and agree – the alliances are a loose patchwork at best – but I also just booked 4x J seats on LX for 50k each through Aeroplan with the latest 20% bonus. I also booked and flew SQ business last year through Aeroplan. And have had decent success in the past.
Do I aspire to be one of the lucky few that get a JAL first or business redemption through AA one day? Sure. But BA business is routinely available with AA points if you are willing to pay the surcharge. I’ve used that 2-3 times in the past year alone.
I’ve booked Delta domestic through Virgin in the past year.
I’ve booked Vietnam Airlines through Flying Blue in the past year.
Just thinking about the recent partner redemptions that come to mind (obviously not counting many more redemptions on the actual airlines the programs relate to). Am I booking further out than before? In some cases yes, sometimes no. My only point is that partner redemptions exist, even if availability is not what it once was. Then again, I suppose when I was a kid I walked to school uphill both ways in the snow. What can you do.
At the end of the day, it seems clear that a lot of this is United wanting awards ex-North America to (eventually) cost roughly the same whether you book via Aeroplan or Mileage Plus (or other programs that have any saver space awards on the Star Alliance JV partners). There are a few data points about this elsewhere on the web- obvious end game is to drive more people to have at least one UA card and 1-2 UR cards.
UR cards? Get behind me Satan.
LOL.
Sure. 75k seems more like the UA 88k than 70k. Of course we get transfer bonuses to Aeroplan.
As much as UA grumbles about Chase, hard to imagine that relationship really going anywhere. I’m sure not a coincidence the Aeroplan USA card is offered through Chase.
Forgot about Air India J through Aeroplan last year as well. Good year for Aeroplan for me.
I’ve used Delta SkyMiles for Vietnam Airlines regional flights in SE Asia; should’ve checked Flying Blue, too!
+1 to getting great value on Vietnam Airlines J via Delta SkyMiles.
I despise when travel bloggers try to both-sides things or pretend that a bloodbath devaluation isn’t a bloodbath (hello Hyatt) but in this case you’re right. Devaluations are inherently unpleasant but this one is comparatively mild, although I didn’t expect another one until next year at the very earliest after the one last year.
Speaking of blood in the water… reminds me of that scene from Walter Mitty: “I don’t think it’s a porpoise… It’s not a porpoise!”