In case you’re sitting on a wholesome stash of transferable factors and miles and wish to fly United Airways for much less, your first intuition could also be to maneuver them to United’s MileagePlus program. However because of Star Alliance companion Air Canada’s Aeroplan loyalty program, you may usually e book the identical United-operated flights utilizing Aeroplan factors as an alternative — and in some conditions, you’ll pay fewer factors than if you happen to booked with United miles.
This is when it is smart to make use of Aeroplan factors to e book United flights, easy methods to truly make these bookings on-line, and the perfect methods to earn Aeroplan factors.
Associated: Why Air Canada Aeroplan has turn out to be my favourite Star Alliance loyalty program
Why and when it’s best to select Aeroplan to e book United flights
Each Aeroplan and MileagePlus now value United-operated award flights dynamically, that means the variety of factors or miles required fluctuates relying on demand.
In case you are contemplating whether or not to redeem United MileagePlus miles or Aeroplan factors on your subsequent United-operated flight, you may shortly and simply evaluate the costs of each on the similar time utilizing the useful Seats.aero software.
Listed below are some events when it might be a greater deal to e book United flights with Aeroplan factors than different factors and miles, akin to United’s personal MileagePlus miles:
- For close-in, short-haul flights on fashionable vacation dates: MileagePlus might select to cost increased than Aeroplan, as we just lately noticed forward of the Thanksgiving vacation interval.
- In case you are completely satisfied to attach on long-haul itineraries to save lots of 1000’s of factors: Whereas nonstop flights in United Polaris enterprise class to Europe normally begin from 80,000 Aeroplan factors or 80,000 MileagePlus miles, if you happen to e book by way of Aeroplan and are prepared to attach, you could possibly save. For instance, if you happen to go from Newark Liberty Worldwide Airport (EWR) to Lisbon Airport (LIS) by way of Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) with the primary leg on United and the second, quick hop on TAP Air Portugal, you possibly can e book your itinerary for simply 60,000 Aeroplan factors.
- When there’s a switch bonus to Aeroplan: Transferable rewards applications supply bonuses on transfers to pick airline loyalty applications infrequently. For instance, till Jan. 5, 2026, you may earn as much as 25% bonus factors if you switch your Chase Final Rewards factors to Air Canada’s Aeroplan program, that means you will want fewer Chase factors to e book United-operated flights.
Associated: United unveils beautiful next-generation Polaris cabins with caviar service and rather more
Tips on how to e book United flights with Aeroplan factors
You’ll be able to e book United-operated flights with Aeroplan factors on-line by way of Aeroplan’s web site. Enter your origin, vacation spot and journey dates, and be sure you choose “Ebook with Aeroplan factors.”
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Then, on the subsequent web page, you may choose the flights you need with the factors charges and taxes and charges listed. Please observe that these costs are in Canadian {dollars}; CA$47 is roughly $34.
Then, select the proportion of factors versus money you wish to pay. You will usually get the perfect worth out of your factors and miles by selecting the mix on the earlier web page’s search outcomes (on this case, 15,000 factors).
You will then pay any taxes and charges by card, and the related Aeroplan factors shall be deducted out of your account.
Tips on how to earn Aeroplan factors
New Chase Aeroplan® Credit score Card (see charges and charges) candidates can earn an elevated welcome supply of as much as 100,000 bonus factors: 75,000 bonus factors after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening and an extra 25,000 bonus factors after spending $20,000 within the first 12 months from account opening.
It’s also possible to switch the next bank card rewards to Aeroplan at a 1:1 switch ratio:
The next playing cards all presently supply robust welcome bonuses with factors and miles you can switch to your Aeroplan account:
- Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card: Earn 100,000 bonus miles after spending $10,000 on purchases inside six months of account opening.
- Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card: Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 within the first three months from account opening.
- Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see charges and charges): Earn 125,000 bonus factors after spending $6,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
- Chase Sapphire Most popular® Card (see charges and charges): Earn 75,000 bonus factors after spending $5,000 on purchases inside three months from account opening.
- American Categorical® Gold Card: Discover out your supply and see if you’re eligible for as excessive as 100,000 Membership Rewards Factors after spending $6,000 on purchases throughout the first six months of card membership. Welcome provides differ and also you is probably not eligible for a proposal.
- American Categorical Platinum Card®: Discover out your supply and see if you’re eligible for as excessive as 175,000 Membership Rewards Factors after you spend $8,000 on purchases throughout the first six months of card membership. Welcome provides differ and also you is probably not eligible for a proposal.
As well as, holders of the Aeroplan Credit score Card can obtain a ten% bonus once they switch no less than 50,000 Final Rewards factors to Aeroplan (as much as 25,000 bonus factors yearly).
Associated: Why transferable factors are value greater than different rewards
Backside line
Air Canada’s Aeroplan program is not a assured cheaper different for each United-operated redemption, as each Aeroplan and United’s personal MileagePlus program now dynamically value United awards, and United will not launch all award seats to companion applications.
Nonetheless, there will be nice alternatives to save lots of by way of Aeroplan if you’re reserving close-in, short-haul flights on peak dates, are completely satisfied to attach on a long-haul itinerary or can use a switch bonus.
Earlier than you lock in a United-operated award, evaluate the pricing in each MileagePlus and Aeroplan after which think about any present switch bonuses to Aeroplan out of your most well-liked transferable forex.
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