Your ultimate guide to Aeroplan’s routing and stopover policies

Air Canada's Aeroplan program provides significant benefits.

Earning points is straightforward as a transfer partner of various credit card currencies. Although Air Canada's redemption rates are now dynamically priced, the program still maintains an award chart for partner flights with very competitive rates, unlike other programs that frequently increase partner redemption costs.

An often-overlooked yet fascinating advantage of the Aeroplan program is its routing and stopover regulations. You can include a stopover on a one-way journey for just 5,000 Aeroplan points, and if you book a round-trip, you can add another stopover for an additional 5,000 points.

Let's explore Aeroplan's current routing and stopover guidelines in detail, which will help you optimize your points for extended trips that cover multiple cities. Additionally, check out the sample itineraries below to discover fantastic destinations as you plan your upcoming journey.

Optimizing Aeroplan's routing guidelines

Routing rules define the journey from your starting point to your destination. While this may not be crucial for direct flights, it clarifies the options available when planning connecting routes.

Typically, you'll want to select the shortest itinerary possible. For instance, if you're traveling from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Václav Havel Airport Prague (PRG) using Aeroplan points, you're likely to book a route like ORD to Frankfurt Airport (FRA) to PRG on Lufthansa. It's efficient and straightforward.

Why should you care about these rules? It's simple: they allow you to book trips to places with limited award availability and make the most of your travels by incorporating long layovers (up to 24 hours) that grant you a day in a new city.

Aeroplan's routing rules are both robust and surprisingly straightforward. They begin with the program's loosely defined award chart: Four regions are illustrated in the image below. Award pricing is determined (more details to come) based on the regions you are traveling between and the total flight distance, which includes layovers and stopovers.

Aeroplan permits transit through another region — whether for a layover or stopover. This means you could fly from New York City to New Delhi via Australia if you choose. However, you'll need to pay points based on the total distance of your flights, as Aeroplan employs both region-based and distance-based pricing.

Aeroplan allows you to include one stopover on a one-way flight and two on a round-trip flight for 5,000 points each. All awards are priced as one-way tickets, enabling you to add an open jaw (arriving in one city and departing from another) on round-trip bookings.

For instance, if you wish to travel from New York City to Norway, you can include a stopover in Frankfurt for up to 45 days for just an additional 5,000 points.

Alternatively, if you're planning to visit two locations within the same region, such as the Atlantic, you can add a short-haul flight to the second destination for only 5,000 points, making it an excellent value.

Aeroplan allows up to six segments on a one-way ticket operated by a partner airline. For tickets operated by Air Canada, the airline’s internal routing rules will apply.

Regrettably, you cannot incorporate open jaws between stopovers or other connections. This means you cannot have a stopover in Tokyo and depart from Osaka, Japan, to your final destination. The open jaw must occur after reaching your final destination.

There are no restrictions on the number of carriers you can fly with. Additionally, you can mix non-alliance airlines like Etihad Airways and Emirates.

Important restrictions to remember

Stopovers are not permitted within the U.S. or Canada. Furthermore, you're limited to 12-hour layovers in these countries, so exploring the U.S. is not an option for Aeroplan rewards.

Moreover, you cannot return through the same airport after passing through it. For example, you can't travel from New York City to Frankfurt to Prague and then back to Frankfurt. Generally, this isn't a significant issue.

Additionally, your routing must remain logical. You cannot book itineraries where connections exceed the direct distance between two cities by 100%. For instance, a route like New York to Abu Dhabi to Frankfurt cannot be booked on a one-way ticket.

This is due to the distance being over twice that of a direct flight from New York to Frankfurt. Conversely, a route like New York to Abu Dhabi to New Delhi is permissible, as it constitutes a logical path.

When booking tickets within a single zone, they must remain in that zone. This means you can't travel from London to Tokyo to Madrid. However, you can book a journey from London to Frankfurt to Madrid.

Keep in mind that Air Canada's system determines what can be booked and what cannot. Therefore, you may still encounter challenges with more complicated itineraries. If that happens, you might want to politely end the call and try again with a different representative. In some instances, you may need to adjust your booking.

What are the costs for Aeroplan redemptions?

Pricing an Aeroplan itinerary is relatively straightforward. The award chart is divided into four regions: North America, Atlantic, Pacific, and South America. Each region features a distance-based award chart for flights to and from North America and other areas. You can access these award charts on the Aeroplan website.

Take a look at the award chart for flights from North America to the Atlantic. Keep in mind that the Atlantic region includes Europe, Africa, India, and the Middle East, spanning from Greenland to South Africa.

You'll see that Air Canada flights have varying price ranges. This is because Air Canada now permits Aeroplan members to book any available seat on a flight. Therefore, if you're trying to book a popular flight last minute, you're likely to pay towards the higher end of the range. Flights that have standard "Saver" award availability will be priced at the lower end.

To calculate the award price, use a tool like Great Circle Mapper to determine the total distance of your journey and match the total miles traveled against the award chart. For instance, a partner flight from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) to Johannesburg's O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB), with a stopover at Zurich Airport (ZRH), totals 9,157 miles. According to the North America to Atlantic award chart, this would require 115,000 points in business class, including the 5,000-point fee for the stopover.

Here are some examples of itineraries that can be booked, showcasing the strength of Aeroplan's routing rules. These itineraries comply with what we understand about Aeroplan's routing guidelines:

• A European journey: Start your trip by flying from New York City's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD), with a stopover in Lisbon Airport (LIS), Portugal. Then, return from Prague to New York with a stopover in Frankfurt. This itinerary allows you to explore Portugal, Spain, the Czech Republic, and Germany all in one go on partner airlines, and can be booked for 85,000 points in economy, including the 10,000 points for the two stopovers.
• An Asian adventure: You can fly in economy from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK), including a stopover at Incheon International Airport (ICN) in Seoul on the way there and Tokyo's Narita International Airport (NRT) on the return trip, costing 130,000 Aeroplan points.
• A trip to India via Asia, returning through Europe: Since India is part of the Atlantic zone, it has lower pricing than the Pacific award chart. You could fly from LAX to Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) with a stopover at ICN, then return to LAX with a stopover at Warsaw Chopin Airport (WAW) in Poland for just 150,000 Aeroplan points per person.

To book a stopover, you can use the multicity tool online by entering the stopover airport you wish to visit.

If you run into difficulties, especially with a complex itinerary, it's wise to check for flights one segment at a time and then combine them later. This can be done on Air Canada's website or your preferred Star Alliance search tool.

Once you've found the flights you want, if you're unable to complete the booking online, you can call Air Canada for assistance. A representative should be able to help arrange your itinerary.

How to accumulate Air Canada Aeroplan points

To enhance your Aeroplan balance, consider applying for the Aeroplan® Credit Card. New applicants can earn 75,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 within the first three months of opening their account. Additionally, cardholders can earn another 25,000 bonus points after spending $20,000 in the first year. For more information on the benefits of the Aeroplan card, you can read our full review here.

Air Canada's Aeroplan program partners with American Express Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Capital One miles, Chase Ultimate Rewards, and Marriott Bonvoy. Transfers from these programs, excluding Marriott, are typically at a 1:1 ratio and process instantly.

Transfers from Marriott Bonvoy to Aeroplan occur at a 3:1 ratio, and you will receive a bonus of 5,000 Aeroplan points for every 60,000 Marriott points transferred.

Here are some top welcome offers for credit cards that can be converted to Aeroplan points:

• Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 in the first three months after account opening.
• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 within the first three months.
• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first three months, plus a $300 travel statement credit.
• Chase Sapphire Reserve®: Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first three months.
• American Express® Gold Card: Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $6,000 on eligible purchases within the first six months, plus 20% back in statement credits on eligible restaurant purchases (up to $100) during that period.
• The Platinum Card® from American Express: Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards Points after spending $8,000 within the first six months of card membership.

Final Thoughts

Aeroplan's routing and stopover policies offer distinctive and valuable opportunities. With the insights shared here, you can craft intricate itineraries that maximize your Aeroplan points to explore more destinations around the globe.

Save this article for future reference when planning your Aeroplan trips. You can now book stopovers online, allowing for significant savings without the hassle of waiting on hold for an Air Canada agent.