Air Canada Vacations is Air Canada’s dedicated tour operator, offering a variety of pre-packaged trips to destinations worldwide, from all-inclusive beach resorts to iconic city escapes and even cruises.
Not only do these packages provide convenience and value, but they also give you the unique opportunity to earn Aeroplan points on your bookings.
In this post, we’ll explore how earning Aeroplan points with Air Canada Vacations works, along with some best practices to help you maximize your points on every trip.
In This Post
Earning Aeroplan Points on Air Canada Vacations
There are several ways to earn Aeroplan points when booking your travel on Air Canada Vacations.
You’ll earn points on the flight portion of your trip as long as your booking is paid with cash.
Paying with an Aeroplan co-branded credit card will further increase your earnings on the entire purchase, and on top of that, Air Canada Vacations often runs promotions offering bonus Aeroplan points on select properties, provided you meet the minimum stay requirements.
To put it all together, let’s look at an example vacation package for two people that includes a round-trip flight from Toronto (YYZ) to Cancun (CUN) and a seven-night stay at a resort.
Earn from Air Canada Vacations Promotions
Air Canada Vacations regularly runs Aeroplan promotions on specific hotels, resorts, or packages. These can be worth up to 20,000 extra Aeroplan points per member on select packages to Mexico, the Caribbean, the US, Canada, Europe, Asia, Australia, South America, and more.
Searching for a seven-night package from Toronto to Cancun brings up plenty of options. One of the standout choices is Atelier Playa Mujeres, where Air Canada Vacations is currently running a promotion. This package includes 12,000 extra Aeroplan points when you book a minimum seven-night stay.
For simplicity, we’ll use this property to use as our example.
By selecting this property, each person will earn 12,000 Aeroplan points right away. You can also use the filter on the left side of the page to display only properties with ongoing promotions.
There may be additional promotions available at the time of your booking, so be sure to check the Air Canada Vacations website regularly to take advantage of these deals and accumulate points even faster.
Earn From the Flight Portion of the Package
Separate from any hotel or package promo, you’ll earn a fixed number of Aeroplan points for the flight portion of your Air Canada Vacations package.
The amount depends on where you’re flying and which cabin you book. For packages to Mexico, the Caribbean, South & Central America, Canada, and the US (the “Americas” region), the fixed earn per member is:
- Economy: 500 Aeroplan points
- Premium Economy: 600 Aeroplan points
- Business: 1,000 Aeroplan points
Since our Atelier Playa Mujeres package is an economy package to Mexico, each traveller earns 500 Aeroplan points for the flights.
Keep in mind that these fixed points are credited as a single earning activity per member after the last flight in the package is completed, and each traveller needs to have their Aeroplan number on the booking to earn their share.
Earm from Co-branded Credit Cards
Selecting the right credit card for your Air Canada Vacations booking can significantly boost the number of Aeroplan points you earn while also offering valuable perks like airport lounge access, travel insurance, and savings on foreign transaction fees.
For Air Canada Vacation bookings, Aeroplan co-branded cards are the top choice. Not only do they help you maximize your points, but they also offer insurance coverage, even if you use Aeroplan points to cover part of your booking cost.
That said, depending on your needs, other credit cards may also be worth considering. Here are three cards to consider when making Air Canada Vacations bookings.
American Express® Aeroplan®* Reserve Card
When it comes to maximizing earnings on Air Canada flights, the American Express® Aeroplan®* Reserve Card stands out thanks to its exceptional earning rate of 3 Aeroplan points per dollar spent (all figures in CAD) on Air Canada Vacations and Air Canada flights, the highest of all Aeroplan co-branded cards.
Using this card for our example booking, which comes in at a total price of $5,749 per person, you would earn an impressive 17,247 Aeroplan points!
When we combine all points earnings from the Air Canada Vacations promotion, the flight portion, and the credit card, the total for two people reaches an impressive 59,494 Aeroplan points, broken down as follows:
- Promotional bonus: 12,000 Aeroplan points x 2 = 24,000 Aeroplan points
- Flight portion: 500 points × 2 = 1,000 points
- Credit card earn (Amex Aeroplan Reserve): 34,494 Aeroplan points
Total: 24,000 + 1,000 + 34,494 = 59,494 Aeroplan points
That’s a pretty generous amount of points back on a trip you were probably going to book anyway.
Additionally, it’s possible to split the payment between a maximum of two credit cards, so if you’re travelling with a friend, you can easily divide up the cost of the vacation in a way that allows you to both earn credit card rewards.
On top of the strong earning potential, this card also comes with plenty of travel benefits, including:
- Priority check-in & priority Zone 2 boarding (for you and up to eight passengers on the same reservation)†
- Access to Maple Leaf Lounges and Air Canada Cafés (for you plus one guest)†
- Free first checked bag on Air Canada flights (for you and up to eight passengers on the same reservation)†
- An Annual Worldwide Companion Pass (earned after making $25,000 in net purchases within the membership year)†
- Comprehensive travel insurance, including trip cancellation, trip interruption, flight delay, baggage delay, and out of province/country emergency medical insurance†
- Earn 60,000 Aeroplan points upon spending $7,500 in the first three months
- Plus, earn 25,000 Aeroplan points upon spending $2,500 in month 13 as a cardholder
- Always earn 3x Aeroplan points on Air Canada purchases and 2x Aeroplan points on dining and food delivery
- And, earn 1.25x Aeroplan points on all other eligible purchases
- Aeroplan preferred pricing, free first checked bag, priority check-in and boarding on Air Canada flights
- Unlimited Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge access in North America
- Bonus Aeroplan points for referring family and friends
- Get an Air Canada Annual Worldwide Pass upon spending $25,000 each year
- No minimum income requirement
- Annual fee: $599
The Platinum Card® from American Express
If you prefer earning flexible points, the American Express Platinum Card is a great choice. With an earning rate of 2 Membership Rewards (MR) points per dollar spent on travel purchases, you’d earn 11,498 MR points per person on our example booking.
Although this card doesn’t offer as high of an earning rate as the American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card, Membership Rewards points are transferable to a wide range of airline and hotel programs, giving you more flexibility for future travel.
Key benefits of this card include:
- Complimentary Priority Pass†
- Priority security lane access at Toronto Pearson Airport†
- $200 annual travel credit†
- $200 annual dining credit†
- Strong travel insurance coverage, including trip cancellation, trip interruption, flight delay, baggage delay, and travel accident insurance†
- Earn 80,000 MR points upon spending $10,000 in the first three months
- Plus, earn 30,000 MR points upon making a purchase in months 15–17 as a cardholder
- Earn 2x MR points on all dining and travel purchases
- Receive an annual $200 travel credit
- Receive an annual $200 dining credit
- Transfer MR points to Aeroplan, The British Airways Club, Flying Blue, and other frequent flyer programs for premium flights
- Unlimited airport lounge access for you and one guest at Priority Pass, Plaza Premium, Centurion, and other lounges
- Credits and rebates for daily expenses throughout the year with Amex Offers
- Bonus MR points for referring family and friends
- Annual fee: $799
Scotiabank Passport™ Visa Infinite Privilege* Card
If you’d like a premium Visa option with no foreign transaction fees, the Scotiabank Passport™ Visa Infinite Privilege* Card is a compelling choice.
The card earns 3 Scene+ points per dollar on eligible travel purchases, 2 Scene+ points per dollar on dining and entertainment, and 1 Scene+ point per dollar on everything else.
Since an Air Canada Vacations package codes as travel, paying for our $11,498 booking with this card would earn:
- $11,498 × 3 = 34,494 Scene+ points
You can redeem Scene+ points against travel purchases (including flights and packages), shop through Scene+ Travel, or use points for statement credits, groceries, gift cards, and more.
Where this card really shines for travel:
- No foreign transaction fees on purchases in other currencies – saving you the usual ~2.5% surcharge when you spend abroad
- 10 complimentary airport lounge visits per year via the Visa Airport Companion Program, for you and your additional cardholders
- A $250 annual travel credit that can be applied to eligible bookings through Scene+ Travel
- Premium Visa Infinite Privilege perks, including hotel benefits, Avis President’s Club status, priority security and parking at select Canadian airports, and access to curated dining and wine experiences
For an Air Canada Vacations trip where you’ll also be charging dining, excursions, and shopping in a foreign currency, this card pairs nicely with the package: strong earn on the booking itself, plus no FX hit on your on-the-ground spending.
- Earn 30,000 Scene+ points upon spending $3,000 in the first three months
- Plus, earn an additional 45,000 Scene+ points upon spending $20,000 in the first six months
- And, earn an additional 25,000 Scene+ points when you make at least one eligible purchase during the 14th month of account opening
- Earn 3x Scene+ points on eligible travel purchases
- Earn 2x Scene+ points on dining and entertainment purchases
- Visa Airport Companion membership with 10 free lounge visits per year
- $250 annual travel credit
- Redeem points for a statement credit against any travel expense
- Minimum income: $150,000 personal or $200,000 household
- Annual fee: $599
Earning Aeroplan Elite Status with Air Canada Vacations
Beyond regular Aeroplan points, Air Canada Vacations packages can also help you move closer to Aeroplan Elite Status through Status Qualifying Credits (SQC).
With Air Canada Vacations, you’ll earn 1 SQC per $1 spent on an Air Canada Vacations package, per member, based on the total value of the package including taxes and fees. Plus, there’s no cap on how many SQC you can earn from Air Canada Vacations bookings.
In other words, SQC are calculated on each traveller’s share of the package cost, not just the flight portion.
Using our Atelier Playa Mujeres example again:
- Total package price: $11,498 for two adults
- Per-person cost: $5,749
Each Aeroplan member on the booking would earn 5,749 SQC from this one vacation package.
Those SQC post after the last flight in your package is flown, but they’re dated to the departure of your first flight, which can be helpful for hitting a status threshold right at year-end.
On top of that, you’ll still be earning Everyday Status Qualification (EDQ) from regular Aeroplan points on partner and credit card activity (including your credit card earn on this booking), which can unlock or renew entry-level status through everyday spending.
Those SQC count directly toward both Elite Status tiers and Milestone Benefits, alongside SQC from flights, Aeroplan credit card spend, and other partners.
For anyone chasing or maintaining Aeroplan Elite Status, folding an Air Canada Vacations package into your plans can give your SQC total a serious nudge upwards – without any creative mileage runs.
Conclusion
Booking with Air Canada Vacations is more than just a convenient way to bundle flights, hotels, and transfers – it’s also a powerful way to earn Aeroplan points and push your Elite Status progress forward at the same time.
With the right package, a current Aeroplan promotion, and a well-chosen credit card, a single trip can generate tens of thousands of points plus a healthy dose of SQC, all while you’re busy enjoying the beach, the buffet, or the swim-up bar.
If you’re not already holding an Aeroplan co-branded or travel-focused credit card, consider adding one to your wallet before you lock in your next Air Canada Vacations booking. Pairing the right card with the right package is one of the easiest ways to make sure every dollar you spend on your getaway is working hard for your future trips.
And next time you’re planning a vacation, take a look at Air Canada Vacations, keep an eye out for Aeroplan promos, and let your holiday start paying you back before you even leave the airport.
