Aeroplan Elite Status: The Benefits of Being a Super Elite

Air Canada's most loyal and frequent flyers can qualify for its top tier status, Aeroplan Super Elite, by collecting 125,000 Status Qualifying Credits (SQCs) through a combination of flying, credit card spending, and partner activity each calendar year.

With the full transition to the SQC-based system in 2026, the new structure opens up some additional avenues for earning Status Qualifying Credits, including through credit card spend and partner activity that didn't count towards SQD under the old formula.  However, the effective spending requirement has also increased, and the transition has come with some trade-offs for existing Super Elites. 

Once top-tier status is unlocked, Super Elites are rewarded with a suite of exclusive benefits and perks that distinguish them as Air Canada's most valued customers.

Qualifying for Aeroplan Super Elite Status

You don't earn the title of Super Elite without spending a lot of time in the air, and a lot of money on tickets. As described in detail in our guide to Aeroplan Elite Status, Super Elites must surpass the highest qualifying threshold in the program to earn their bag tags.

As of January 1, 2026, Aeroplan replaced its old qualification system – which used a combination of Status Qualifying Miles (SQM), Segments (SQS), and Dollars (SQD) – with a single unified metric: Status Qualifying Credits (SQC). This streamlined approach means there's now just one number to track, and a new system to grow accustomed to and optimize.

To unlock Super Elite status, you must accumulate 125,000 Status Qualifying Credits (SQC) in a calendar year.

That's a high bar to clear, and there's no way around it – Super Elite is reserved for the most dedicated travellers in the program.

As a reminder, SQC can be collected from three main sources: flying, credit card spending, and eligible partner activity.

With flights, the amount of SQC you get is revenue-based, meaning the more you pay for your ticket, the more SQC you collect. Economy (Standard) fares get 2 SQC per dollar spent on the base fare and carrier surcharges, while Economy (Flex) fares and up get 4 SQC per dollar spent on the base fare and carrier surcharges.

It goes to show that if unlocking Super Elite status is important to you, Economy (Flex) fares should be the lowest fare you consider, since you're effectively doubling your SQC accrual over Economy (Standard) fares.

Note that Basic Economy fares get 0 SQC from flights, so bargain-basement tickets won't move the needle on your status journey.

Through flying alone, you'd need to spend $31,250 (CAD) on the base fare and carrier surcharges with Economy (Flex) fares and up in a calendar year to unlock Super Elite status.

Fortunately, you can reduce that effective spending threshold by collecting SQC through credit card spending and eligible Aeroplan partner activity.

With Aeroplan credit card spending, you can get up to 25,000 SQC per year. 

Aeroplan core credit cards, such as the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card, the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card, or the American Express Aeroplan Card, get 1,000 SQC per $20,000 spent. Maxing out this bucket of SQC would require spending $500,000 in a calendar year on your core credit card.

Meanwhile, premium Aeroplan cards such as the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite Privilege* Card, the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card, or the American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card, get 1,000 SQC per $5,000 spent. Maxing out this bucket of SQC would require spending $125,000 in a calendar year on your premium credit card.

It's worth noting that the Aeroplan® Credit Card issued by Chase in the United States has a completely separate SQC-accrual structure:

• Get 5,000 SQC awarded at the beginning of the year
• Get 10,000 SQC when you spend $25,000 (USD) on your Aeroplan® Credit Card
• Get 10,000 SQC when you spend $50,000 (USD) on your Aeroplan® Credit Card

If you're looking for a shortened runway to Super Elite status, consider adding a Canadian premium Aeroplan credit card to your wallet (or, if you're eligible for US credit cards, the Aeroplan® Credit Card issued by Chase). Every 1,000 SQC you get through credit card spending is 1,000 fewer SQC you need to get through flying.

The third primary pathway to SQC is through eligible Aeroplan partners. Engaging with Aeroplan's broader partner ecosystem can also contribute SQC, again up to a cap of 25,000 SQC per year.

Eligible everyday and travel partners include Starbucks, the LCBO, Journie Rewards, Uber, Uber Eats, Avis, and Marriott, as well as when you fly with Star Alliance-member airlines on tickets not issued by Air Canada.

Reaching the cap of 25,000 SQC would require a significant amount of lattes or gasoline, so treat this bucket more as a steady trickle of SQC rather than a deluge. If you fly a lot with Star Alliance airlines and credit them to Aeroplan, then the SQC accrual potential is greater.

With the 25,000-SQC caps on credit card and partner engagement, the bulk of your qualifying credits will still need to come from flying – which is exactly the point of a revenue-based system. However, you'll be rewarded with a more streamlined approach to Super Elite status by leveraging SQC accrual from all available sources, which reduces the amount of paid flight activity you'll need.

Note that you can also get SQC through Milestone Benefits, the Head Start benefit on premium Aeroplan credit cards, Air Canada Vacations packages, and as a Million Mile member.

For full details on how SQC can be collected across all categories, check out our comprehensive guide to Aeroplan Elite Status.

Aeroplan Super Elite Core Benefits

As Air Canada's most loyal and frequent flyers, Super Elites enjoy all of the privileges afforded to lower-tier members, plus a number of exclusive additions that make this the most rewarding tier in the program.

As a reminder, Core Benefits are awarded automatically upon achieving Super Elite status – there's no need to select them. 

Among the most valuable perks are Star Alliance Gold recognition (awarded as a Core Benefit to 50K, 75K, and Super Elites, complimentary Preferred seats at the time of booking (with any fare and on all itineraries), earning a total of 6 Aeroplan points per dollar spent on eligible expenses for Air Canada flights, access to the Air Canada Concierge service, priority services everywhere (including separate check-in lines at the airport and for lounges, plus having your meal order taken first onboard), and more.

Super Elites also receive 30 eUpgrade credits as a Core Benefit, which is the highest allocation of any status tier, along with free changes and cancellations for Aeroplan bookings and the most powerful Priority Rewards.

Below, we'll break down each of these core benefits in more detail, before moving on to the selectable Milestone Benefits that Super Elites can choose from.

The full suite of benefits for Super Elites can be found on the Air Canada website, and it's also outlined in our guide to Aeroplan Elite Status. 

Free Changes/Cancellations on Aeroplan Bookings

Super Elites benefit from having free changes and cancellations to Aeroplan reward bookings. This opens up the possibility of making reward flight bookings without having to worry about cancellation or change fees that everyone else is subject to (depending on the fare purchased). 

Aside from the money saved, they can also change to a different flight that better suits their schedules, rebook on a flight when the cost in points has reduced, or move to a flight with eUpgrade availability if their original flight no longer has any. 

Given the dynamic nature of travel, if your plans change, getting all of your points, eUpgrades, and taxes/fees back without incurring any additional fees provides additional peace of mind. 

Concierge Services

On paper, the Concierge service is a team of specially trained employees that assist with special requests and aim to make the travel experience as seamless as possible for Super Elites.

They look after everything from proactively rebooking flights during delays and cancellations, assisting with last-minute hotel and restaurant bookings, and generally tailoring the travel experience.

In practice, though, the Concierge team frequently goes the extra mile for assisting Super Elites. On various online forums and blogs, they've often described as "angels" and "heroes" who do incredible work.

Concierges can also personally greet Super Elites onboard aircraft, introduce new Concierges to begin building a relationship, and meet passengers at the gate with new boarding passes (and maybe even a buggy) for a tight connection.

Concierges are of particular benefit during peak travel periods or inclement weather, when phone lines are slammed, lineups are impossibly long, and getting assistance is next to impossible. Instead, Super Elites have a team of individuals behind the scenes dealing with things so they don't have to. 

One quick phone call, email, or conversation at the airport is all it takes to have someone field a request. The personal greetings and relationship building is a nice perk for those who value such service, too.

Should there be an otherwise long lineup at a priority check-in area, most airports have Concierge "huts" nearby, where Super Elites can check in and make any requests.

Note that customers travelling in Air Canada business class on paid bookings are also eligible for Concierge services on the day of departure at the airport. However, they're limited to Concierge check-in assistance in Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver and assistance with at-risk connections to another business class flight.

eUpgrade Enhancements

Super Elites receive 30 eUpgrade credits per year – the highest allocation in the Aeroplan Elite Status program. For comparison, 75K members receive 20 credits, 50K members receive 15, 35K members receive 10, and 25K members receive just 5. This generous allotment, combined with several exclusive perks around how those credits can be used, makes eUpgrades one of the most compelling reasons to pursue Super Elite status.

Unlike all other Aeroplan Elite Status tiers, Super Elites can nominate one person each year as their eUpgrade Nominee. This allows the Nominee to use the account holder's eUpgrades on their own, without the Super Elite being on the booking reference.

The eUpgrade Nominee can only use the Super Elite's eUpgrades for themselves, and not for any companions booked on the same reservation as them.

All other Aeroplan Elite Status members can share their eUpgrades with up to four other passengers on the same booking, as well as up to four more on different bookings (but the same flight) for an upgrade request on the day of travel at the airport.

Many people gripe about not being able to use their eUpgrades for family members on separate bookings – indeed, this benefit is reserved for Super Elites.

Super Elites also have the longest eUpgrade clearance window. Aside from a Premium Economy (Flexible) or Economy (Latitude) fare booking, on which anyone can instantly confirm an eUpgrade, Super Elites can request and clear an eUpgrade 14 days prior to departure for North America and Sun destination bookings, and seven days prior to departure for International bookings.

eUpgrade Nominees are treated to the same clearance window as Super Elites.

Super Elites also enjoy waived add-on fees when using eUpgrades on bookings with lower fare classes. On international bookings paid for in cash or with Aeroplan points, there are add-on fees ranging from $200–500 on most Flex, Comfort, and Premium Economy (Lowest) fares.

Super Elites who book these fares have the add-on fees waived, resulting in savings of hundreds of dollars if the eUpgrade clears.

Lastly, Super Elites enjoy the highest upgrade priority in the entire Aeroplan program for waitlisted eUpgrade requests. Assuming all else is equal, a Super Elite will rank higher than other passengers booked in the same cabin, which is a particularly useful benefit on busy corridors like Toronto–Vancouver, Toronto–London, and more.

Priority Rewards

Perhaps one of the biggest advantages for Super Elites with Aeroplan is access to the most powerful Priority Rewards available to Aeroplan Elite members.

Priority Rewards are now one of several selectable Milestone Benefits that members can choose as they collect SQC throughout the year. Rather than being earned automatically like in years past, members must actively select a Priority Reward from a menu of options that also includes lounge passes, bonus points, Status Passes, bonus SQC, and additional eUpgrade credits.

Previously, Priority Rewards were earned automatically at various SQD thresholds – meaning you received them alongside other benefits. Now, choosing a Priority Reward means forgoing one of those alternatives, so each selection carries a real opportunity cost.

That said, the reward itself remains extremely compelling. Each Priority Reward can be used to cut in half the base Aeroplan points required for a booking for one passenger per itinerary. Note that taxes, fees, and surcharges are not discounted – only the points portion of the redemption.

Super Elites are the only members who can use their Priority Rewards on economy, premium economy, and business class rewards with Air Canada and any partner airline for bookings anywhere in the world.

For example, if the regular cost of a flight from Toronto to Hong Kong was 82,000 Aeroplan points in business class, a Super Elite's Priority Reward would cut that amount to 41,000 Aeroplan points.

A key strategic consideration: one Priority Reward voucher covers an entire round-trip itinerary, so you should ideally aim to book round-trip when redeeming with a Priority Reward. Using a voucher on a one-way booking leaves significant value on the table.

For travellers who seek to maximize their flight time and push the boundaries of what's possible with Priority Rewards, this can be a very powerful tool to cover a lot of ground. It can also be a useful way to combat dynamic pricing on Air Canada flights by bringing it back down to a reasonable level.

Further, being able to redeem them for flights with any partner airline is a very valuable benefit. With a fixed price for flights with partner airlines, it is a more predictable way to calculate value in terms of points saved on a booking, as opposed to dynamic pricing with Air Canada flights.

Depending on individual travel styles, some find Priority Rewards to be more valuable than others. For those who tend to travel mostly within Canada, the amount saved on a round-trip booking between Winnipeg and Toronto may not result in as much savings as when cutting in half the dynamic value for a highly sought-after long-haul business class route, such as Sydney–Vancouver.

Keep in mind that Priority Reward vouchers expire one year from the date they are chosen as a Milestone Benefit, so plan your selections accordingly. 

While there can be significant value garnered from Priority Rewards, the fact that you now have to choose them over other Milestone Benefits means you should think carefully about whether a Priority Reward – or something else on the menu – best suits your travel plans for the year ahead.

Aeroplan Super Elite Milestone Benefits Selection

Previously, Super Elites had three distinct layers of discretionary benefits: Threshold Rewards, Priority Rewards, and Select Benefits. 

Under Milestone Benefits, these have been consolidated into a single framework and now have a structure tied to your ongoing SQC accrual throughout the year. 

Milestone Benefits are unlocked at regular SQC intervals as you fly and collect up to and beyond the Super Elite SQC threshold. 

Assuming that you get exactly 125,000 SQC to unlock Super Elite status, let's explore the automatic and selection-based Milestone Benefits that you'd unlock.

eUpgrades

Beginning at 10,000 SQC and at every 20,000 SQC thereafter, you'll get an automatic allotment of 10 eUpgrade credits. When you add the 30 eUpgrade credits you get at the beginning of the year, you'll have a total of 90 eUpgrades (excluding any earned through eligible Flight Pass activity).

You also have the option to add another 10 eUpgrades as selections made at the 20,000 and 40,000 SQC thresholds, which would boost your balance up to 110.

If you continue getting SQC beyond the minimum threshold for Super Elite, you'll automatically get a further 20 eUpgrades starting at 130,000 SQC (and every threshold of 20,000 SQC up to 190,000, and then at 200,000 SQC and every threshold of 20,000 SQC thereafter).

Depending on your travel habits, and if you tend to use eUpgrades with cash or award bookings, 90 or 110 eUpgrades should be enough for most Super Elites over the course of the year. 

This is especially true if you apply them to bookings with family members, since you can now share them with up to four passengers on the same booking (as well as four others on the same flight on the day of travel, plus your Super Elite eUpgrade Nominee).

Unless you're an eUpgrade power user, I'd say your efforts are better spent on other Milestone Benefit choices at the 20,000 and 40,000 SQC thresholds.

Priority Rewards

Assuming you meet the bare-minimum threshold of 125,000 SQC to unlock Super Elite status, you could have up to 6 Priority Rewards at your disposal.

They're available as a selection starting at the 20,000-SQC threshold, and every increment of 20,000 SQC thereafter.

While choosing a Priority Reward means you'll have to forego other options, the reasons why I believe Priority Rewards are the best option over other choices are as follows:

• Super Elites earn 6 Aeroplan points per dollar spent on Air Canada flights. With a significant amount of spending required to hit Super Elite, you'll wind up with a tidy sum of Aeroplan points through flying activity.

• If you pay for your Air Canada flights with the American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card, you'll get 3 Aeroplan points per dollar spent on Air Canada flights. This card offers the highest category earning rate for Air Canada flights, and you'll supercharge your Aeroplan balance over the course of the year.

• Aeroplan points are otherwise very easy to earn, by way of 1:1 transfers from American Express Membership Rewards, purchases from the Aeroplan eStore, and much more. 
• You can redeem Super Elite Priority Rewards for 50% any Aeroplan redemption in business class, premium economy, and economy.

Pairing the facts that Aeroplan points are easy to earn with the vast amount of partners available for redemptions and the power of Super Elite Priority Rewards, it won't take long to squeeze out excellent value from your points and your Priority Rewards as a Super Elite.

It's important to note that your Priority Reward's eligible geographic zones and class of service depend on your status at the time of selection. 

This is an important consideration to make if you're on track to hit Super Elite status by the end of the year. If you hold off on choosing your Milestone Benefits until you hit Super Elite, you'll enjoy the most powerful Priority Rewards available.

Plus, any benefits you choose have a validity period of one year after the date of selection. Therefore, if you don't have any immediate need for Milestone Benefits, consider holding off until later in the year once your travel needs and choices are set in stone.

Other Milestone Benefits

Instead of locking in two Select Benefit selections once per year in the old system, you now face multiple choice points throughout the year, allowing you to adapt your selections based on upcoming travel plans and evolving needs. 

Of course, the trade-off here is that you were previously automatically awarded Priority Rewards and Threshold Rewards throughout the year, in addition to making your Select Benefit choices once per year.

Aside from eUpgrades and Priority Rewards, you'll encounter the following other Milestone Benefit options en route to hitting Super Elite status each year:

• Maple Leaf Lounge passes (valid worldwide, though none are given as Core Benefits any longer)

• Bonus Aeroplan points (5,000 or 7,500, depending on the threshold)

• 30% off a car or hotel redemption

• 30% off a gift card or merchandise redemption

• Bonus SQC (2,500)

• Status Passes

• Air Canada gift card ($150)

• Status Gift (25K or 35K)

It's worth reiterating that Priority Rewards are available at 20,000, 40,000, 60,000, 80,000, 100,000, and 120,000 SQC, and in my opinion, they're the best choice over all other options.

However, at the 70,000, 90,000, and 110,000-SQC thresholds, you'll get to choose between 5,000 Aeroplan points, 2 Status Passes, a $150 Air Canada gift card, and a 25K or 35K status gift (at 70,000 and 90,000 SQC, respectively). 

Of these, go with whichever options you find most useful, while keeping in mind that Super Elites also get 2 Status Passes each year as a Core Benefit.

In my opinion, 5,000 Aeroplan points is effectively 10,000 Aeroplan points when used in conjunction with a Priority Reward, and it's probably the option that I'd side with.

Conclusion

Being a Super Elite with Air Canada comes with a number of perks and privileges. As the airline's most loyal customers, they're afforded benefits above and beyond what other Aeroplan Elite Status members are offered.

Super Elites enjoy a streamlined travel experience with priority everything, fast-tracking to the front of the line, and a personalized Concierge service. They also have the most powerful Priority Rewards and the greatest flexibility with eUpgrades.

If you're a very frequent flyer with Air Canada, consider finessing your way to Super Elite status to enjoy the airline's most exclusive perks.