Huge News: Aeroplan and World of Hyatt Join Forces

Aeroplan and World of Hyatt have just announced a partnership that gives Canadian travellers new ways to earn, convert, and redeem points across both programs.

As of today, July 15, 2026, members can link their Aeroplan and World of Hyatt accounts to unlock two-way point conversions, free night redemptions at Hyatt hotels, dual earning on Aeroplan credit cards, and fast-tracks to elite status in both programs.

This is easily one of the biggest loyalty stories of the year for Canadians. We'll dig into everything the partnership includes below.

How the Partnership Works

The collaboration spans a combined network of more than 1,300 destinations and 1,500 hotels, and it touches nearly every part of both programs, from redemptions and conversions to credit card earning and elite status.

To get the most out of it, you'll want to link your Aeroplan and World of Hyatt accounts, since most of the new benefits are reserved for linked members.

A few features work without linking. Anyone can convert World of Hyatt points to Aeroplan points or elect to earn 500 Aeroplan points per Hyatt stay, and the boosted Aeroplan earning rates on the co-branded credit cards apply either way. The World of Hyatt Bonus Points on card spending, though, are reserved for linked accounts.

Redeem Aeroplan Points for Hyatt Free Nights

Aeroplan members can now redeem points for World of Hyatt Free Night Awards, with two options on the table.

• Category 1–4 Free Night Award: 25,000 Aeroplan points
• Category 1–7 Free Night Award: 75,000 Aeroplan points

In the other direction, World of Hyatt members can redeem 50,000 World of Hyatt points for a 30,000-point Aeroplan flight reward certificate, which can be applied toward flight rewards with Air Canada and its partner airlines.

Whether these redemptions represent good value depends on where you'd use the certificates. A Category 1–4 Free Night Award can unlock strong value at the right property, especially after this year's award chart changes pushed many hotels into higher categories.

Convert Points Between Aeroplan and World of Hyatt

For the first time, points can move between the two programs in both directions, always at a 2:1 ratio.

Any member can convert World of Hyatt points to Aeroplan points, starting at a minimum of 5,000 points and in 1,000-point increments thereafter. Converting 50,000 World of Hyatt points would net you 25,000 Aeroplan points.

Going the other way is an exclusive perk for Aeroplan Elite Status members. If you hold Aeroplan status and link your accounts, you can convert Aeroplan points to World of Hyatt Bonus Points at 2:1, with a minimum of 500 Aeroplan points at a time.

Conversions in that direction are capped at 100,000 Aeroplan points per day, or 250,000 Aeroplan points per week.

My honest take is that 2:1 conversions are best kept for topping off an account ahead of a specific redemption, rather than moving points in bulk. Both currencies are worth more when spent within their own program, and we'll break down the full math in a follow-up analysis.

There's one niche exception. If you end up in a city with a Category 1 Hyatt hotel offering a PointSaver rate of 3,000 World of Hyatt points, converting 6,000 Aeroplan points to cover the night can easily be worth it.

Earn Both Currencies with Aeroplan Credit Cards at Hyatt

What really caught my eye is the new earning structure for Aeroplan credit cardholders, which Air Canada is calling a first-of-its-kind feature.

If you hold a Canadian-issued Aeroplan credit card and link your accounts, you'll now earn both World of Hyatt Bonus Points and accelerated Aeroplan points on spending at participating Hyatt hotels and resorts.

Every Aeroplan credit card gets a rate bump at Hyatt properties as part of the change. The graphic below shows how the earning rates compare, per $1 (CAD) spent at Hyatt.

The American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card sees the biggest jump, going from 1.25 to 2 Aeroplan points plus 2 World of Hyatt Bonus Points per dollar spent at Hyatt properties.

Separately, Aeroplan members can now earn on eligible Hyatt stays even without a co-branded card. Members of both programs can elect to earn a flat 500 Aeroplan points per stay in lieu of earning World of Hyatt points.

Fast-Track Your Way to Hyatt Elite Status

The partnership also opens up new paths to elite status, and this is where Aeroplan elites and premium cardholders should pay close attention.

Aeroplan Elite Status members and eligible premium credit cardholders will be able to fast-track their way to World of Hyatt status through an annual 90-day status challenge.

The two programs are keeping the finer details under wraps for now, with more to come soon. Based on Hyatt's previous status match challenges, like the American Airlines AAdvantage fast-track, I'm anticipating tiers along the lines of 4 nights for Discoverist, 10 nights for Explorist, and 20 nights for Globalist.

Globalist is one of the most rewarding hotel statuses out there, with free breakfast for up to four people, room upgrades, and 4pm late checkout upon availability. You can read more in our guide to World of Hyatt elite status.

If the tiers land anywhere near that, 10 nights in 90 days for Explorist would be the sweet spot for most travellers, especially now that Explorists also get an extended 13-month award booking window.

On top of the challenge, Aeroplan premium credit cardholders will also receive a suite of ongoing World of Hyatt benefits.

• Complimentary Discoverist status, which comes with 2pm late checkout upon availability, elite check-in, and more
• Five Tier-Qualifying Night credits each calendar year to accelerate progress toward higher status

World of Hyatt elites get something out of the deal, too. Linked Discoverist, Explorist, and Globalist members will receive a $20 (CAD) Air Canada flight credit as an annual benefit.

One more piece is still on the horizon. Coming later in 2026, World of Hyatt Explorists and Globalists will be able to register for annual challenges to fast-track their way to Aeroplan Elite Status.

We've had an early peek at what's planned, and Aeroplan loyalists will have plenty to look forward to. Full details are under wraps for now, so keep an eye out for updates later this year.

Is This a Good Partnership for Canadians?

Absolutely, yes. I'd go as far as calling this the best hotel loyalty news Canadians have had in years.

World of Hyatt is one of the last major programs that still prices awards on a fixed award chart. Most competitors have moved to dynamic pricing, which often makes redemption costs hard to predict, and that reliability is exactly why Hyatt points are so prized.

The catch has always been earning them. Until now, Canadians didn't have a meaningful way to collect World of Hyatt points beyond staying at Hyatt hotels and earning from the folio.

This partnership blows that wide open. You can now earn Hyatt points with the Aeroplan credit card already in your wallet, convert Aeroplan points when you're short for a redemption, and fast-track your way to one of the most valuable elite statuses in the hotel world.

Even better, Hyatt is planning to double down on its footprint in Canada. More properties at home, paired with all these new ways to earn and redeem, is a winning combination for Canadian and global travellers alike.

The status challenge is the piece I'm watching most closely. If you hold Aeroplan status or a premium Aeroplan card, a well-timed run at Hyatt status could reshape how you book hotels for the next two years, so keep an eye out for the full details.

I'll be linking my accounts today and putting the new benefits to the test, so keep an eye out for a deeper analysis of the conversion and redemption math.

Conclusion

Aeroplan and World of Hyatt have launched a wide-ranging partnership, with two-way point conversions, Free Night Award redemptions from 25,000 Aeroplan points, dual credit card earning at Hyatt properties, and reciprocal status fast-tracks.

Aeroplan has spent the past few years building the strongest airline program in North America. Adding a hotel partner of Hyatt's calibre fills the one gap that remained, and I wouldn't be surprised to see the two programs deepen this relationship over time.

If you're a member of both programs, linking your accounts is a no-brainer. The only real question is how quickly you can put the new benefits to work.