Air Canada Aeroplan for Business Travelers: The Actual Playbook

Aeroplan has changed twice since 2020. Most online guides are using outdated values. Here's what actually works for redeeming miles in 2026 — and where the program is genuinely good.

I've earned and redeemed roughly 1.4M Aeroplan miles over the last six years across three credit cards. The program got better when it moved away from zone-based redemption in 2020, then quietly clawed some of that back through devaluations. Here's what's worth chasing in 2026 and what isn't.

Where Aeroplan is genuinely good

Short-haul North American business class at 25,000 miles + ~$80 in taxes for a one-way Toronto-NYC flight is excellent value. Cash price is usually $700-900. Best use case for business travelers.

Star Alliance redemptions to Europe in business class at 60,000-90,000 miles one-way. Lufthansa, Swiss, Turkish — all bookable through Aeroplan at fixed costs that haven't moved much in three years.

Stopover bonus. A single Aeroplan award allows one stopover for an extra 5,000 miles. If you can build a multi-city trip around this, you're getting a free segment most other programs don't offer.

Where it's not

Domestic Canada economy redemptions during peak periods. The dynamic pricing means you'll burn 40,000 miles for a Toronto-Vancouver flight that costs $300 cash. Bad math.

Hotel redemptions through the Aeroplan portal. Always worse than transferring to a hotel program if available, or just paying cash and earning miles elsewhere.

Aeroplan eStore shopping portal. Mostly mediocre rates compared to credit-card-direct cashback. Skip unless there's an unusual bonus.

The right credit card setup

Two cards is enough. The Amex Aeroplan Reserve for actual flight perks (lounge access, free checked bag) and a TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite or CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite for everyday earn. Three or more cards and you're paying for benefits you don't use.

Travel gear that earns its keep

A carry-on bag that fits Air Canada's strict size limits (some "international standard" carry-ons get gate-checked on the smaller regional jets). packing cubes for organization. A neck pillow for the trans-Atlantic business-class seats (still worth it even reclined). A travel adapter with USB-C for European outlets. A RFID wallet for the cards you'll be carrying.

The honest math

Earning miles is only worth it if you're putting business expenses through the card anyway. Chasing welcome bonuses on three cards a year by paying fees just to earn miles is a losing game for almost everyone. The real value is on spending you'd do regardless, redeemed in business class for international flights.