Aeroplan Adds Partnership with Aeromar

Air Canada had first launched their interline agreement with Mexican regional airline Aeromar in the spring of 2022.

As of today, the two airlines have taken their relationship to the next level, and it’s now possible to earn and redeem Aeroplan points on Aeromar flights.

As a small airline based in Mexico City, Aeromar will serve as a great connection hub for Aeroplan members who wish to fly to smaller Mexican destinations beyond the likes of Puerto Vallarta and Cancún.

Redeem Aeroplan Points on Aeromar

Just like all other partner redemptions, Aeroplan redemptions on Aeromar will follow the following set of principles:

• Aeromar flights will be priced based on Aeroplan’s Flight Reward Chart.
• Members will be able to book Aeromar flights online and over the phone.
• Aeromar flights can be combined with flights operated by Air Canada and other international airline partners.
• A $39 partner booking fee will apply.

Aeromar flights are already fully online and bookable on the Aeroplan search engine, with a fair amount of availability in economy class.

Aeromar Destinations

Let’s take a look at some new Aeromar routes that we’re able to redeem for. Aeromar’s route map is as follows, spanning destinations in Mexico, Guatemala, Cuba, and the US state of Texas:

(The colour of the lines are of little importance, as they represent which are operated by Aeromar and which by subsidiaries. The experience will be largely the same.)

The new Aeromar partnership adds a new layer of flexibility to planning a fully fleshed out itinerary to Mexico. Currently, Air Canada only serves a handful of cities in Mexico. While United Airlines does serve many more, award space isn’t the easiest to come by.

The option to redeem Aeroplan points on Aeromar adds new one-stop possibilities from Canada, such as Villahermosa (VSA), Colima (CLQ), and Ixtepec (IZT).

As a refresher, here’s Aeroplan’s award chart for flights within North America:

Any flight solely on Aeromar will cost on Aeromar would cost just 6,000 Aeroplan points in economy class if it’s less than 500 miles in distance flown, and 10,000 Aeroplan points in economy class if it’s under 1,500 miles in distance flown.

The vast majority of flights fall under the first distance band, while a few individual flights such as Mexico City (MEX) – Piedras Negras (PDS) would fall in the wider band, as would most connections via the Mexican capital.

Connections within North America are where the Aeromar partnership really shines. Flying to the majority of Aeromar’s network via Mexico City on a direct flight from Air Canada will be under 2,750 miles, meaning that it will start at only 12,500 points one-way in economy class or 25,000 points one-way in business class.

And while you may recall that Aeroplan stopovers are not allowed in Canada and the United States, they are very much allowed in Mexico.

You could therefore fly to Cancún, relax on the beach for a couple days, and then continue onwards to Guatemala. This routing would start at 12,500 points in economy class or 25,000 points in business class, plus an additional 5,000 points for the stopover.

What’s Aeromar’s Onboard Product Like?

As you can expect from an airline with a mostly domestic route network, Aeromar flies a total of 10 planes of two types: the ATR 42-600 and the ATR 72-600.

These are small, narrow-body turboprops. Therefore, Aeromar operates only in economy class; however, you’ll find them to be decently comfortable, with a 2-2 seating arrangement rather than 3-3 on larger regional planes.

On another note, I expect service to vibrant once onboard – just check out the home page of the Aeromar website.

Earn Aeroplan Points on Aeromar

In addition to redeeming points on Aeromar, Aeroplan members are now able to earn points when flying on paid fares with Aeromar.

The earning chart is as follows:

Conclusion

Aeroplan and Air Canada’s steady addition of new partners is a breath of fresh air compared to other frequent flyer programs.

After building a strong roster of partner airlines in 2021, the program has now its first foray into Mexico with a new Aeromar partnership.

While this partnership may not as sexy as Oman Air’s 787 First Class or Gulf Air’s Apex Suites, it still provides the fundamentals by expanding the program’s overall range of accessible destinations.

Since it’s so close to home, Mexico is an extremely popular destination among Canadians, and I expect award redemptions on Aeromar to be quite popular now that it’s live.