Aeroplan has just announced a series of changes to the Flight Reward Chart, effective September 1, 2022. These prices will be effective for flight rewards booked on or after September 1, 2022.

While most of the changes represent an increase in cost, there are some new distance band categories and some pricing decreases scattered throughout. All of the changes are for the charts that don’t include flights within North America.

Let’s take a look at the details of the upcoming changes, with further analysis and strategy to soon follow.

The First Change Since Launching

The upcoming changes to Aeroplan’s Flight Reward Chart represent the first change since the loyalty program relaunched in November 2020. Aeroplan has received a lot of attention since then, gaining attention from flight loyalty enthusiasts around the world.

The program has established itself as one of the key players in the worldwide loyalty scene. The frequent addition of new partners has further strengthened and bolstered the program.

It’s slightly disappointing to see changes to the Flight Reward Chart less than two years after launching. While these changes could certainly be worse, it is unsettling to see changes so early into the program’s life.

Flights within North America were spared from changes, but there are changes happening to many of the other zone charts.

Between North America and Atlantic Zones

One of the most popular zone pairs for Aeroplan redemptions is between North America and the Atlantic zone. This large zone covers Europe, Africa, Central Asia, the Middle East, and India. 

The upcoming changes affect business class and First Class costs in the third and fourth distance bands:

• 6,001–8,000 mile distance band
  • Business class (Partner): Increases from 85,000 to 90,000 Aeroplan points
  • First Class (Partner): Increases from 120,000 to 130,000 Aeroplan points
• 8,001+ mile distance band
  • Business class (Partner): Increases from 100,000 to 110,000 Aeroplan points
  • First Class (Partner): Increases from 130,000 to 140,000 Aeroplan points

The changes for long-haul partner redemptions from North America to the Atlantic zone represent an increase to an already costly redemption.

The upcoming changes are represented in the following chart:

Between North America and Pacific Zones

Another popular itinerary for Aeroplan redemptions is between North America and the Pacific zone, which covers much of Asia and Oceania.

Similar to the changes to the North America to Atlantic zone, the upcoming changes affect business class and First Class costs in the third and fourth distance bands:

• 7,501–11,000 mile distance band
  • Business class (Partner): Increases from 85,000 to 87,500 points
• 11,001+ mile distance mile band
  • Business class (Partner): Increases from 105,000 to 115,000 points
  • First Class (Partner): Increases from 140,000 to 150,000 points

The first change in the third distance band represents a nominal increase of only 2,500 Aeroplan points. This remains one of the sweet spots within Aeroplan’s Flight Reward Chart, including the opportunity to use “Atlantic/Pacific Arbitrage” to gain advantage over comparatively high prices in the North America to Atlantic zone.

The fourth distance band represents larger increases of 10,000 Aeroplan points for both business class and First Class. This will mean a higher cost to take the long way around from North America to Australia or New Zealand, for example, which is one way to avoid the most costly, dynamic pricing between Canada and Oceania with Air Canada.

The upcoming changes are represented in the following chart:

Between North America and South America Zones

The Flight Reward Chart for flights between North America and South America is currently split into two distance bands: 0–4,500 miles and 4,501+ miles.

As of September 1, 2022, the charts will be further subdivided into three distance bands: 0–2,500 miles, 2,501–4,500 miles, and 4,501+ miles.

The biggest change is the addition of a new distance band of 0–2,500 miles:

• 0–2,500 mile distance band (new band with reduced pricing)
  • Economy (Air Canada): 20,000–45,000 points
  • Economy (Partner):  20,000 points
  • Premium economy (Air Canada): 35,000–100,000 points
  • Business class (Air Canada): 40,000–150,000 points
  • Business class (Partner): 40,000 points
  • First Class (Air Canada): 60,000–175,000 points
  • First Class (Partner): 60,000 points

The prices in the second distance band, formerly 0–4,500 miles, remain the same:

• 2,501–4,500 mile distance band
  • Economy (Air Canada): 30,000–60,000 points
  • Economy (Partner): 30,000 points
  • Premium economy (Air Canada): 45,000–125,000 points
  • Business class (Air Canada): 50,000–175,000 points
  • Business class (Partner): 50,000 points
  • First Class (Air Canada): 80,000–200,000 points
  • First Class (Partner): 80,000 points

The soon-to-be third and highest distance band will remain the same:

• 4,501+ mile distance band
  • Economy (Air Canada): 40,000–70,000 points
  • Economy (Partner): 40,000 points
  • Premium economy (Air Canada): 55,000–150,000 points
  • Business class (Air Canada): 60,000–200,000 points
  • Business class (Partner): 60,000 points
  • First Class (Air Canada): 100,000–250,000 points
  • First Class (Partner): 100,000 points

The biggest change here is the addition of a new distance band for shorter flights between North America and South America.

The shortest flights between Canada and South America all fall in the second distance band, so there won’t be any changes here. For flights from the United States and anywhere else in North America, the cost for flights up to 2,500 miles will decrease. 

Otherwise, the costs will largely remain the same for Canadians flying to South America.

The upcoming changes are represented in the below chart:

Within South America Zone

Speaking of South America, the chart for flights within South America is set to change on September 1, too.

Currently, the entire continent is considered to be one distance band. The upcoming changes will see it split into two distance bands:

• 0–1,600 mile distance band (new)
  • Economy (Partner): Decreases from 15,000 to 10,000 points
  • Business class (Partner) Decreases from 30,000 to 20,000 points
  • First Class (Partner): Decreases from 50,000 to 30,000 points

The second distance band covers flights of anything over 1,601 miles, and will see increases in pricing with partner airlines:

• 1,601+ mile distance band (new)
  • Economy (Partner): Increases from 15,000 to 20,000 points
  • Business class (Partner): Increases from 30,000 to 35,000 points
  • First Class (Partner): Remains the same at 50,000 points

Indeed, for an entire, large continent to be considered one zone was unusual. Short-haul flight redemptions within South America will become slightly more affordable, while longer-haul flights will increase by 5,000 points apiece for economy and business class redemptions.

The upcoming changes are summarized in the below chart:

Between Atlantic and Pacific Zones

The most complex changes will affect flights between the Atlantic and Pacific zones. 

These include the addition of a new distance band and the introduction of Air Canada premium economy to the reward chart, which currently isn’t offered.

Currently there are three distance bands: 0–5,000 miles, 5,001–7,000 miles, and 7,001+ miles. As of September 1, there will be four distance bands on the chart for flights between the Atlantic and Pacific zones: 0–2,500 miles, 2,501–5,000 miles, 5,001–7,000 miles, and 7,001+ miles.

The first distance band is essentially being split into two distance bands. It is also having Air Canada premium economy added as an option, which currently isn’t marked on the chart:

• 0–2,500 mile distance band (new band with reduced pricing)
  • Economy (Air Canada): 25,000–50,000 points
  • Economy (Partner): 25,000 points
  • Premium economy (Air Canada): 30,000–65,000 points
  • Business class (Air Canada): 40,000–75,000 points
  • Business class (Partner): 40,000 points
  • First Class (Air Canada): 50,000–100,000 points
  • First Class (Partner): 50,000 points

The second distance band covers the second-half of the mileage range of the old first distance band. So far, the prices will remain the same as the original 0–5,000 mile distance band, with the addition of Air Canada premium economy:

• 2,501–5,000 mile distance band
  • Economy (Partner): 40,000 points
  • Premium economy (Air Canada): 50,000–75,000 points (new)
  • Business class (Partner): 60,000 points
  • First Class (Partner): 80,000 points

The third distance band will largely remain the same, with the addition of Air Canada premium economy:

• 5,001–7,000 mile distance band
  • Economy (Partner): 50,000 points
  • Premium economy (Air Canada): 65,000–80,000 points (new)
  • Business class (Partner): 80,000 points
  • First Class (Partner): 100,000 points

And lastly, the fourth and highest distance band will see increases across the board, as well as the addition of Air Canada premium economy as an option:

• 7,001+ mile distance band
  • Economy (Partner): Increases from 60,000 to 65,000 points
  • Premium economy (Air Canada): 80,000–110,000 points (new)
  • Business class (Partner): Increases from 100,000 to 110,000 points
  • First Class (Partner): Increases from 130,000 to 140,000 point

Splitting the first distance band into two makes sense, as the prices to get between, say, Delhi and Bangkok were proportionally quite high. In economy, the price on this route will decrease from 40,000 points to 25,000 points, and in business class, from 60,000 points to 40,000 points with partner airlines.

Long-haul flights between these zones, such as flights from London to Australia via Abu Dhabi with Etihad Airways, will increase by 5,000–10,000 points, depending on the class of service.

The upcoming changes are summarized in the below chart:

Conclusion

Aeroplan has announced the first changes to its Flight Reward Chart since the launch of the new program in November 2022.

Many of these changes represent increases in costs, while others mark a decrease to shorter-haul flights between zones.

Let’s hope that these changes aren’t a sign of things to come, and the remainder of the sweet spots within the program remain unscathed.