Key Points

• Aeroplan's June 1, 2026 award chart changes hit transatlantic and transpacific premium cabins hardest, with partner first class jumping 20,000 to 25,000 points one-way and some Atlantic-Pacific routes rising nearly 67%.
• The devaluation narrows Aeroplan's pricing advantage over United MileagePlus and Turkish Miles&Smiles on several key long-haul routes, making program comparisons more important than ever before booking.
• If you missed the pre-June 1 booking window, a smart post-devaluation strategy still exists — and it starts with knowing which transfer partners let you top off your Aeroplan balance fast.

Aeroplan quietly rolled out updated award pricing on June 1, 2026, and while Air Canada framed the announcement around "adjustments to the number of points you may need to redeem for a reward," let's call it what it is: a devaluation. Not a catastrophic one, but a meaningful one — especially if long-haul premium cabins are your thing.

Here's what changed, what it means in real-world booking terms, and how to think about Aeroplan going forward now that the pre-June 1 booking window has closed.

What Actually Changed (The Short Version)

Aeroplan uses a zone-and-distance-based chart for most partner awards, combined with dynamic pricing on Air Canada and a handful of select partners like United, Emirates, and Etihad. The fixed partner chart — where the real sweet spots live — is where the biggest increases landed.

The headline numbers on fixed partner awards:

• Transatlantic first class, 4,001–6,000 miles: 100,000 → 120,000 points one-way (+20%)
• Transatlantic first class, 6,001–8,000 miles: 130,000 → 150,000 points one-way (+15.4%)
• Transatlantic first class, 8,001+ miles: 140,000 → 165,000 points one-way (+17.9%)
• Transpacific partner business, 7,501–11,000 miles: 87,500 → 102,500 points one-way (+17.1%)
• Atlantic-Pacific business, 7,001+ miles: 60,000 → 100,000 points one-way (+66.7% — the chart's ugliest line item)

Economy wasn't spared either. Most long-haul economy bands ticked up 5,000 points, though a handful of shorter bands did get cheaper. Short transatlantic economy (under 4,000 miles) dropped from 35,000 to 32,500 points — a small consolation.

If you're just starting to evaluate whether the Aeroplan Credit Card belongs in your wallet, these changes are worth factoring into your decision.

What This Looks Like on Real Routes

Raw chart numbers are one thing. Here's what the changes actually mean for routes you might be booking.

Chicago (ORD) to Frankfurt (FRA) in Lufthansa First ClassThis routing falls in the 4,001–6,000-mile band. One-way partner first class just jumped from 100,000 to 120,000 Aeroplan points. A round trip used to cost 200,000 points — now it's 240,000. That's an extra 40,000 points per couple, or roughly the equivalent of a solid credit card welcome bonus gone just on this one trip.

Los Angeles (LAX) to Tokyo (HND/NRT) in ANA Business ClassANA's "The Room" business class on the LAX-Tokyo route falls in the 7,501–11,000-mile band. Partner business class on this routing moved from 87,500 to 102,500 points one-way — still a strong redemption, but 15,000 more points than it cost last month.

New York (JFK) to London (LHR) in Business ClassThe sub-4,000-mile band for business class starting prices is unchanged for Air Canada and select partners at 60,000 points. But the median — what most members actually pay on Air Canada metal — jumped from 107,500 to 129,300 points. The starting price is window dressing; the median is reality.

For a deeper look at cards that earn points directly with Air Canada, our guide to the best credit cards for Air Canada flights is a good next read.

How Aeroplan Now Compares to the Competition

This is the piece most coverage misses. A devaluation only matters in context. So how does Aeroplan stack up against the programs that cover similar partner space?

Transatlantic Business Class (U.S. East Coast to Western Europe)

• Aeroplan: 75,000 points one-way (fixed partner, 4,001–6,000 miles)
• United MileagePlus: Varies, typically 55,000–70,000 points one-way on partner carriers (saver level, when available)
• Turkish Miles&Smiles: 45,000 miles one-way for Star Alliance business class on many transatlantic routes

Transpacific Business Class (U.S. to Japan/Korea/Southeast Asia)

• Aeroplan: 102,500 points one-way (fixed partner, 7,501–11,000 miles)
• United MileagePlus: Typically 70,000–80,000 points one-way on partner business (saver)
• Turkish Miles&Smiles: 45,000–55,000 miles one-way on Star Alliance business class

The honest assessment: Aeroplan is no longer the automatic first call for many transatlantic and transpacific business class bookings on partner carriers. It still has real advantages — stopovers, open-jaws, and broad partner access — but the pricing advantage that made it a no-brainer has shrunk considerably.

Where Aeroplan still shines: complex itineraries that take advantage of its stopover rules, redemptions on carriers where United charges more than Aeroplan (Air Canada itself, for example), and routes where Turkish availability is poor.

The Transfer Partner Picture: How to Stock Up on Aeroplan Points

If you're recalibrating your Aeroplan strategy post-devaluation, the first question is how efficiently you can accumulate points. Aeroplan transfers in from several major programs, all at a 1:1 ratio.

American Express Membership Rewards is the most flexible option. Amex transfers to Aeroplan in roughly 24 hours. The Amex Gold Card earns 4x on dining and U.S. supermarkets, making it one of the strongest everyday earners for people who want to build toward an Aeroplan redemption without flying Air Canada.

Chase Ultimate Rewards transfers to Aeroplan from the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve at 1:1. If you're already in the Chase ecosystem, this is likely the most seamless path to topping off your balance. Our full breakdown of transferring Chase Ultimate Rewards to airline partners covers the mechanics in detail.

Capital One Miles transfer to Aeroplan at 1:1, and the Capital One Venture X earns a flat 2x on all purchases, giving you a straightforward earning path. For more on how Capital One miles work as a transfer currency, see our guide on understanding Capital One miles.

Bilt Rewards earns points on rent without a transaction fee and transfers to Aeroplan at 1:1. The Bilt Mastercard is the only card in the market that lets you earn transferable points on your monthly rent payment — a meaningful edge for high-rent households building toward a long-haul award.

One note worth flagging: with first class awards now costing 120,000 to 165,000 points one-way, you need more points than ever to reach the premium sweet spots. That makes earning rate and welcome bonus size more important, not less.

Post-Devaluation Strategy: What to Do Now

The June 1 booking window has closed, so the advice to "book now before prices go up" isn't relevant anymore. Here's what actually matters going forward.

Stop hoarding Aeroplan points. This devaluation is a reminder that points sitting in an account are points losing value. If you have a trip in mind, start pricing it out and booking it. Waiting for "the perfect redemption" while award prices creep upward rarely pays off.

Reconsider which program to use for premium long-haul bookings. For straightforward transatlantic or transpacific business class, Turkish Miles&Smiles and United MileagePlus now offer lower point costs on many of the same partner carriers. The math has shifted. Run the comparison before assuming Aeroplan is cheapest.

Lean into Aeroplan's stopover advantage. Where Aeroplan still leads most programs is itinerary flexibility. You can book a stopover in a third city at no extra cost — a feature that programs like United and Turkish don't offer as generously. If you're building a complex multi-city trip to Europe or Asia, Aeroplan can still be the smartest tool for the job.

Use partner awards over Air Canada metal when possible. The fixed partner chart — even post-devaluation — still usually beats the median price on Air Canada's own flights, which are dynamically priced and typically land well above the chart's starting price.

The Bottom Line

Aeroplan's June 2026 changes aren't devastating, but they're real. Premium cabin partner awards are 15% to 20% more expensive across most long-haul routes, and the program's pricing edge over United MileagePlus on transatlantic and transpacific business class has meaningfully narrowed.

Aeroplan is still a program worth maintaining and earning in — especially if you value itinerary flexibility, stopover routing, and access to partners like Lufthansa, ANA, and Singapore Airlines. But it's no longer the automatic first choice for every premium long-haul redemption, and running a quick comparison against competing Star Alliance programs before booking is now genuinely worth the five minutes it takes.

Your transfer partner balances in Amex, Chase, Capital One, and Bilt are still the most efficient way to top off an Aeroplan account. Just make sure you're moving those points toward a redemption, not letting them sit while award prices continue to drift upward.

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