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The Chase Aeroplan® Credit Card comes with a compelling welcome bonus, excellent travel perks, and a range of benefits that incentivize big spending on the card. It’s also got a feature unique among airline cards — cardholders will be able to redeem points through Chase Pay Yourself Back for any travel purchase.
Review: Is the Chase Aeroplan card the best credit card for you?
It’s not often an airline credit card makes waves with a strong welcome bonus and completely unique benefits, but the Chase Aeroplan® Credit Card has managed to do just that.
As the first Air Canada-branded credit card offered by Chase (and the only Aeroplan card on the US market since TD Bank discontinued their card in 2020), the Chase Aeroplan® Credit Card is packed with perks — and it’s worth considering, even if you’re not a regular Air Canada flyer.
The Chase Aeroplan® Credit Card has a welcome bonus offer of Chase Aeroplan® Credit Card. New cardholders also receive automatic Aeroplan 25K Elite Status for the remainder of the first calendar year, plus the following calendar year.
If you’re an Air Canada flyer, the automatic elite status that comes with the card for up to two years is a great deal — and it’s rare to see an airline card award elite status outright. Aeroplan 25K status includes perks like eUpgrade credits, priority boarding, and Maple Leaf Lounge passes.
Other card benefits include a free first checked bag on Air Canada flights for the primary cardholder and up to eight companions on the same reservation, the ability to re-earn (or step-up) elite status by hitting spending thresholds, and up to $100 reimbursement for the Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS application fee every four years.
One of the most compelling perks doesn’t have anything to do with Air Canada. Starting later in 2022, cardholders will have the option to redeem up to 50,000 Aeroplan points per year toward any eligible travel purchase via Chase Pay Yourself Back. Points redeemed this way are worth 1.25 cents apiece, and qualifying travel includes airfare, car rentals, hotels, rideshares, and much more.
The Chase Aeroplan® Credit Card annual fee is a reasonable Chase Aeroplan® Credit Card — in line with other mid-tier airline cards like the United℠ Explorer Card and Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®.
That said, if you don’t think you can use Air Canada-specific benefits like a free checked bag or elite status, you may be better off with a card that earns points you can transfer to Aeroplan, like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, American Express® Gold Card, or Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card. That way you have more flexibility in how you redeem your rewards without being locked into a single airline loyalty program.
We’re focused here on the rewards and perks that come with each card. These cards won’t be worth it if you’re paying interest or late fees. When using a credit card, it’s important to pay your balance in full each month, make payments on time, and only spend what you can afford to pay.
How to earn points from the Chase Air Canada Aeroplan card
Most co-branded credit cards reserve their highest rewards earning rate for purchases made with the airline, with lower rewards for other bonus categories (or no other bonus categories at all). The Chase Aeroplan® Credit Card takes a different approach, rewarding eligible everyday spending as highly as Air Canada purchases.
Cardholders earn:
3x points on purchases made with Air Canada directly (tickets booked through third-party sites won’t qualify)3x points on dining (including at restaurants, takeout, and eligible delivery services)3x points at grocery stores (excluding warehouse clubs and stores like Target and Walmart)1 point per dollar on all other purchases
In addition, cardholders earn 500 points for every $2,000 they spend in a calendar month, up to a maximum of 1,500 points per calendar month — potentially up to 18,000 extra points each calendar year.
Air Canada Aeroplan points are worth, on average, 1.5 cents apiece based on Insider’s points and miles valuations — but the exact value you’ll get depends on how and when you redeem your rewards.
How to use Aeroplan points
Air Canada and partner flights
Air Canada Aeroplan offers the most partners of any airline program — a total of 45, including 25 Star Alliance partners like United, Turkish, and ANA, and other partners like Etihad, GOL, and Gulf Air.
Aeroplan’s award charts are a little complicated and combine region/distance-based pricing with dynamic pricing that varies by demand and availability. For example, short-haul economy flights within North America can cost as little as 6,000 points, but longer flights within the region can clock in as high as 25,000 points one-way.
Instead of wading through multiple award charts to figure out how much you’ll pay for a flight, Aeroplan offers a Points Predictor tool that shows you the minimum and maximum number of points you’d typically pay on that route (not factoring in high-demand periods).
Chase Aeroplan® Credit Card primary cardholders get preferred pricing on flight rewards, which means they can often book flight rewards for even fewer points. There are no restrictions on award seat availability — if a seat is available for sale, you can book it with points — but if it’s one of the last seats on the plane, it’s likely the points price will be extremely high.
Air Canada Aeroplan is changing its award charts on September 1, 2022, and some award flights will become more expensive. If you can book before that date, you may be able to save points.
Air Canada’s award charts offer some lucrative sweet spots that allow you to book award flights on certain routes for fewer points than other airline programs charge. For example:
Short-haul economy flights within North America (including Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean) under 500 miles: 6,000 to 10,000 points; 501 to 1,500 miles: 10,000 to 15,000 pointsUS to Europe: 35,000 to 40,000 points in economy, 60,000 to 70,000 points in business class, 90,000 to 100,000 points in first classUS West Coast to Hawaii: 12,500 points in economy, 25,000 points in business classUS to Asia: 35,000 to 75,000 points in economy, 55,000 to 105,000 points in business class
In addition, Aeroplan no longer adds fuel surcharges to Air Canada or partner flights, and if you want to add in a stopover, it costs just an additional 5,000 points each way.
Pay Yourself Back
Starting later in 2022, Chase Aeroplan® Credit Card cardholders will have the option to redeem Aeroplan points for any eligible travel purchase through Chase’s Pay Yourself Back feature.
Pay Yourself Back was introduced on Chase’s Ultimate Rewards® earning cards early in the pandemic as a way to get a higher value from your points without having to book travel. The version being rolled out on the Chase Aeroplan® Credit Card will allow cardholders to apply Aeroplan points to “erase” qualifying purchases made in the past 90 days at a rate of 1.25 cents per point.
Eligible travel purchases include:
Airfare (with any airline)HotelsCar rentalsCruisesTravel agenciesDiscount travel sitesCampgroundsTrainsBusesTaxis/limousinesFerriesToll bridges/highwaysParking lots/garages
This benefit is capped at a maximum of 50,000 points per year (up to $625 in value), but it’s a good option if you don’t have plans to redeem Aeroplan points for flights in the immediate future but have travel expenses you want to cover with rewards.
Aeroplan points usually expire if there’s been no activity in your account for 18 months. However, points transferred to your Aeroplan account from the Chase Aeroplan® Credit Card won’t expire as long as your card account is open.
Other ways to use Aeroplan points
Aeroplan offers several other options for redeeming points, but the value per point varies and is often lower than what you’d get by booking flights or redeeming through Pay Yourself Back. These include:
HotelsCar rentalsAir Canada Vacations packagesActivities and travel experiencesMerchandiseGift cardsUpgradesInflight Wi-Fi
Aeroplan credit card benefits and features
Automatic Aeroplan 25K elite status (new cardholders)
On top of the welcome bonus, new Chase Aeroplan® Credit Card members receive automatic Aeroplan 25K elite status valid for the remainder of the calendar year in which the card is opened, as well as the following calendar year.
Elite 25K status is Aeroplan’s lowest status tier, and it comes with benefits that include:
Priority check-in, boarding, and airport standbyComplimentary checked baggage allowanceComplimentary sports equipment handlingPriority seat selection50% discount on preferred seatseUpgrade credits
Elite 25K members also have the option to choose from a number of “select benefits”, which include two one-time Maple Leaf Lounge passes, bonus Aeroplan points with Air Canada and select partners, additional eUpgrade credits, and bonuses for eligible Flight Pass activities.
If you need more Aeroplan points to top off your account, you can transfer points from Chase Ultimate Rewards, Amex Membership Rewards, Capital One, or Marriott Bonvoy to make up the difference.
Incentives for spending
Once your initial automatic status expires, you can requalify for 25K elite status by spending at least $15,000 on the Chase Aeroplan® Credit Card in a calendar year. Those who’ve already earned Aeroplan elite status can also receive a one-level status boost to 35K status or higher for the next year after spending $50,000 in a calendar year.
Bigger spenders can receive even more benefits, starting at reaching $100,000 in purchases in a calendar year. These include 50% off priority rewards and companion benefits — and those who spend $1 million or more annually will receive an unlimited-use Global+1 companion pass that refunds 100% of the points used to bring a travel companion along on award flights worldwide, in any class of service.
Free first checked bag on Air Canada flights
With the Chase Aeroplan® Credit Card, the primary cardholder and up to eight companions on the same reservation get a free first checked bag on Air Canada, Air Canada Express, and Air Canada Rouge flights.
Normally, Air Canada charges 30 Canadian dollars (about $23) for a first checked bag, so this perk can translate into significant savings if you travel a few times a year.
Global Entry/TSA PreCheck/NEXUS application fee credit
Like many travel rewards credit cards, the Chase Aeroplan® Credit Card offers a statement credit toward the Global Entry ($100) or TSA PreCheck ($85) application feeevery four years.
The Chase Aeroplan® Credit Card also offers this credit for the NEXUS application fee ($50). NEXUS comes with Global Entry and TSA PreCheck benefits, but also allows the member expedited entry on arrival into Canada.
Car rental insurance
When you use the Chase Aeroplan® Credit Card to pay for your rental and decline the rental company’s collision damage waiver, you’re covered for damage due to collision or theft for most car rentals in the US and abroad.
This insurance is secondary to your personal insurance in the US, otherwise, it’s primary insurance. Be sure to read the terms and conditions that come with the card for any exclusions.
Trip cancellation/interruption insurance
When you pay for pre-paid, non-refundable travel expenses with your Chase Aeroplan® Credit Card (including passenger fares, tours, and hotels) and your trip is canceled or cut short by a covered reason like illness or severe weather, you can be reimbursed up to $1,500 per person and $6,000 per trip.
Baggage delay insurance
If you paid for your fare with the Chase Aeroplan® Credit Card and the carrier delays your bags for at least six hours, you can be reimbursed up to $100 per day for three days for essentials, like toiletries and clothing.
Trip delay reimbursement
If your flight or other common carrier travel is delayed by at least 12 hours or requires an overnight stay, you and your family can be covered for up to $500 per ticket for unreimbursed expenses, like hotel rooms and meals, if you paid with your Chase Aeroplan® Credit Card.
Roadside assistance
Chase Aeroplan® Credit Card members have access to a roadside assistance hotline, which can arrange services like towing, winching, and fuel delivery. The hotline itself is free, but cardholders are responsible for roadside service fees.
World Elite Mastercard benefits
Because the Chase Aeroplan® Credit Card is a World Elite Mastercard, it comes with additional travel and shopping benefits. These include free Shoprunner membership, Lyft and DoorDash credits, and access to a global assistance hotline and concierge.
Carbon offsets
To help reduce the impact of greenhouse gas emissions associated with travel, Air Canada will purchase carbon offsets for primary cardholders of the Chase Aeroplan® Credit Cardand all travel companions on the same award reservation, for any flight segments on Air Canada, Air Canada Express, and Air Canada Rouge.
Aeroplan credit card fees and costs
The Chase Aeroplan® Credit Card charges a Chase Aeroplan® Credit Card annual fee, but you won’t pay foreign transaction fees, which makes it a good card to use when you’re traveling internationally.
Like most other cards, the Chase Aeroplan® Credit Card charges fees for cash advances, balance transfers, and late or returned payments.
Comparison: Aeroplan credit card vs other Chase cards
Chase Aeroplan® Credit Card
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
United℠ Explorer Card
Annual fee
Chase Aeroplan® Credit Card
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
United℠ Explorer Card
Rewards rate
3x points on Air Canada purchases
3x points on dining
3x points at grocery stores
1 point per dollar on everything else
500 points for every $2,000 you spend in a calendar month, up to a maximum of 1,500 points per calendar month
5x points on Lyft rides through March 2025
5x points on all travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards
3x points on dining, including eligible delivery services, takeout, and dining out
3x points on select streaming services
3x points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs)
2x points on other travel
1 point per dollar on everything else
2x miles on eligible United purchases
2x miles on dining and hotel stays booked directly with the hotel
1 mile per dollar on everything else
Welcome bonus offer
Chase Aeroplan® Credit Card
Automatic Aeroplan 25K Elite Status for the remainder of the first calendar year, plus the following calendar year
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
United℠ Explorer Card
Travel benefits
Free first checked bag on Air Canada flights
New cardholders automatically receive Aeroplan 25K status for the remainder of the calendar year, plus the following calendar year
Requalify for 25K status by spending $15,000 or more in a calendar year
Elite Status Level Up by spending $50,000 or more in a calendar year
Preferred pricing on flight awards
Aeroplan redemption benefits for meeting spending thresholds
Global Entry/TSA PreCheck/NEXUS application fee credit
Redeem points for eligible travel purchases through Pay Yourself Back (1.25 cents per point)
Up to $50 in statement credits toward hotel stays booked through Chase
Two United Club one-time passes per anniversary year
Free first checked bag on United flights*
Priority boarding on United flights
25% back on United inflight purchases
Nexus, Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit
Complimentary Premier upgrades
500 Premier Qualifying Points (PQP) for every $12,000 you spend on purchases***
Expanded access to United award flights
Review
Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card review
United Explorer credit card review
*When you use your card to pay for your ticket, or the taxes and fees on an award ticket
***Up to 1,000 PQP in a calendar year for the United Explorer Card
Aeroplan credit card vs other airline credit cards
Chase Aeroplan® Credit Card
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card
Annual fee
Chase Aeroplan® Credit Card
$99, waived for first 12 months
$99, waived for the first year
Rewards rate
3x points on Air Canada purchases
3x points on dining
3x points at grocery stores
1 point per dollar on all other purchases
500 points for every $2,000 you spend in a calendar month, up to a maximum of 1,500 points per calendar month
2x miles on eligible American Airlines purchases
2x miles at eligible restaurants and gas stations
1 mile per dollar on all other eligible purchases
2x miles on eligible Delta purchases
2x miles at US supermarkets and at restaurants worldwide
1 mile per dollar on everything else
Welcome bonus offer
Chase Aeroplan® Credit Card
Automatic Aeroplan 25K Elite Status for the remainder of the first calendar year, plus the following calendar year
50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after $2,500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
35,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 in purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
Travel benefits
Free first checked bag on Air Canada flights
New cardholders automatically receive Aeroplan 25K status for the remainder of the calendar year, plus the following calendar year
Requalify for 25K status by spending $15,000 or more in a calendar year
Elite Status Level Up by spending $50,000 or more in a calendar year
Preferred pricing on flight awards
Aeroplan redemption benefits for meeting spending thresholds
Global Entry/TSA PreCheck/NEXUS application fee credit
Redeem points for eligible travel purchases through Pay Yourself Back (1.25 cents per point)
Free first checked bag on American Airlines domestic itineraries
Preferred boarding on American Airlines flights
$125 American Airlines flight discount when you spend $20,000 or more in an account anniversary year and renew your card
Free first checked bag and priority boarding on Delta flights
$100 flight credit when you spend $10,000 or more in a calendar year
20% off inflight purchases as a statement credit
Review
Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select credit card review
Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express credit card review
Aeroplan credit card frequently asked questions (FAQ)
What credit score do you need for the Chase Aeroplan credit card?
Like most other travel rewards cards, the Chase Aeroplan® Credit Card typically approves new cardholders who have at least a good to excellent credit score — that is, a FICO score of 670 or higher, or a VantageScore of at least 700.
If you don’t have much credit history or are rebuilding your credit, be sure to read our guide to increasing your credit score and learn how using credit cards can help you boost your score.
Who is eligible for the Aeroplan card?
As with other Chase cards, the Chase Aeroplan® Credit Card falls under the Chase 5/24 rule, which means if you’ve opened five or more credit cards from any bank (excluding some small-business cards), you won’t be approved.
Otherwise, you’re not eligible if you already have a Chase Aeroplan® Credit Card open, or previously opened the card in the past 24 months.
Is the Chase Aeroplan card worth it?
If you fly Air Canada with any regularity, even a couple of times a year, the Chase Aeroplan® Credit Card is definitely worth it for the automatic elite status and perks like a free first checked bag on the airline. It’s also worth it if you don’t have other cards that provide travel and purchase protections and are looking for a travel card with a moderate annual fee.
That said, if your main objective is to earn Aeroplan points and you’re not worried about getting perks on the airline, a card that earns points that transfer to Aeroplan could be a better choice. Chase, Amex, and Capital One all partner with Aeroplan, so a card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, American Express® Gold Card, or Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card could be a better fit for you.