Take advantage of Aeroplan's 125% bonus offer: Enjoy a round-trip flight to Europe in business class for just $1,368

Plan your ideal getaway with Air Canada Aeroplan's exciting new promotion. In celebration of Aeroplan's 40th anniversary, the airline is providing a generous 125% bonus on purchases of Aeroplan points until July 11. After that, the bonus will be 100% from July 12 to 19.

Typically, Aeroplan points are priced at around 2.58 cents each. With the current promotion offering a 125% bonus, you can acquire Aeroplan points for about 1.14 cents per point, which is lower than TPG's July 2024 valuation of Aeroplan points at 1.5 cents each. This sale can lead to savings if you have a particular redemption in mind. Read on for further insights into this limited-time Aeroplan points offer and how to make the most of it for your next booking.

Air Canada Aeroplan is providing a 125% bonus for points purchases

Aeroplan members can acquire or gift up to 500,000 points in a single transaction. Note that there’s an annual limit of 1 million points for purchases, along with a 500,000-point gifting cap. To qualify for the 125% bonus, members must buy a minimum of 60,000 points, which costs 2,100 Canadian dollars (approximately $1,540) for a total of 135,000 points, including the bonus.

Although TPG usually advises against buying points—unless you're topping off your account or have a specific redemption planned—this sale allows you to purchase points for less than our valuation. Consequently, this offer could lead to significant savings, especially for pricey business-class award tickets.

This promotion is a fantastic opportunity to book Star Alliance flights at a discounted rate—such as round-trip business-class tickets from the U.S. to Europe starting at just $1,368 before taxes and fees, which is remarkable.

To fly business class from the East Coast to many parts of Western Europe, you'll need only 60,000 Aeroplan points each way. For instance, you can take Singapore Airlines' daily fifth-freedom route connecting New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Frankfurt Airport (FRA) in Germany. After purchasing 135,000 points for $1,540, you'll have 15,000 points remaining, meaning you effectively spend about $1,368 for the 120,000 points required for your European flight.

Keep in mind that you'll also need to cover airport fees and government taxes in addition to your redemption. In the Singapore Airlines scenario mentioned, these fees and taxes would total CA$331.50 (around $228), though some European airlines like Swiss may have even lower fees and taxes.

Purchasing a round-trip business-class ticket for the same flights would set you back nearly $4,000. This means you can save over $2,000 by buying points during this promotion.

Additionally, the 15,000 points you have left could be utilized for domestic United Airlines flights, which start at just 6,000 Aeroplan points.

Every Aeroplan member can take advantage of this rate, as it’s not a targeted offer. While residents of Canada must pay sales tax on points purchases, U.S. Aeroplan members are exempt.

Air Canada allows members to add stopovers to one-way tickets for 5,000 miles and does not impose fuel surcharges on any award tickets.

Welcome offer for Aeroplan Credit Card

If you’re considering other options to boost your Aeroplan account, the Aeroplan® Credit Card from Chase is a great cobranded airline credit card that provides ongoing benefits for a reasonable annual fee.

Currently, you can earn:

75,000 bonus points after making $4,000 in purchases within the first three months of opening your account. Additionally, you can earn 25,000 bonus points after spending $20,000 in the first 12 months.

According to TPG's September 2024 valuations, Aeroplan points are valued at 1.5 cents each, meaning that 100,000 Aeroplan points earned would be worth $1,500.

For holders of a Chase credit card, the issuer is currently providing a 20% transfer bonus to Aeroplan until July 31. Since Chase Ultimate Rewards points convert to Aeroplan at a 1:1 ratio, this bonus means you'll receive 1,200 points with this offer.

Purchase Aeroplan points using these credit cards

When you buy Aeroplan points through this promotion, the transaction will be handled by Points.com instead of Air Canada. Unfortunately, you won't earn bonus rewards if you use a card that has airline spending as a bonus category.

To maximize the points earned on your purchase, use a credit card that provides a strong return on non-bonus spending. Also, opt for a card that doesn't charge foreign transaction fees, as Aeroplan points are billed in Canadian dollars.

Here are some of our top recommendations:

*Based on TPG's July 2024 valuations and not provided by issuers.

Final thoughts

If you're considering booking flights to Europe, now might be the perfect time to accumulate Aeroplan points. With the current promotion offering up to 125%, these additional points can be used for discounted economy, premium economy, and business-class tickets. Just remember, to take advantage of the full bonus, you need to purchase the points before July 11; after that, the bonus decreases to 100% until July 19.

This is an excellent opportunity to save on your next flight or to top up your Aeroplan account, allowing you to upgrade to a business-class seat instead of an economy ticket once the extra points are credited to your account.