August 30, 2026
If you’re Canadian, you’ll probably need Air Canada Aeroplan points at some point. Even if you live in Western Canada and mainly fly with WestJet, it’s still helpful to have a stockpile of Aeroplan points for flights to Europe or stays through Aeroplan HotelSavers. The good news is that building up a healthy balance of Aeroplan points is actually very simple.
There are two main ways to build your Aeroplan points balance:
- Maximizing your everyday spending
- Earning credit card welcome bonuses
Everyday Spending
Surprisingly, the best card for earning Aeroplan points isn’t an Aeroplan co-branded credit card, it’s the American Express Cobalt Card. This card earns 5X the points on groceries and dining, 3X on subscriptions and streaming, 2X on gas and rideshare, and 1X on everything else.
American Express Membership Rewards transfer to Air Canada Aeroplan at a 1:1 ratio. It’s still a good idea to have a co-branded Aeroplan card for free checked bags and other airline perks, but I wouldn’t put all your spending on it.
Welcome Bonuses
Another way to build your balance is by opening new Aeroplan credit cards and earning their welcome bonuses. Even though Aeroplan has eight personal credit cards to choose from, you can’t earn a welcome bonus on all eight. The cards are divided into three categories: entry, core, and premium. They are offered by CIBC, TD, and American Express. You can earn one welcome bonus in each category per lifetime.
While this may feel limiting, a partner who is also collecting points can earn their own welcome bonuses. You can then combine your points through the Aeroplan Family Sharing program.
I recommend prioritizing American Express cards when they have elevated welcome offers. They tend to have the largest bonuses, and I find their spending requirements easier to meet. If you’d like to see a breakdown of all the Aeroplan credit cards, you can refer to my post on the topic:
There you have it, a simple strategy for earning Aeroplan points. Put most of your everyday spending on your Cobalt Card, although you’ll obviously want to take a break if you’re working toward a large welcome bonus. In addition to Cobalt card, you will open Aeroplan co-branded credit cards to earn welcome bonuses. If you’re up for an extra challenge, you can boost your points by shopping through the Aeroplan eStore and keeping an eye on the offers section of the app.
Happy travelling!
—Alexis