In case you’re sitting on a wholesome stash of transferable points and miles and need to fly United Airways for much less, your first intuition could also be to maneuver them to United’s MileagePlus program. However due to Star Alliance associate Air Canada’s Aeroplan loyalty program, you possibly can typically e book the identical United-operated flights utilizing Aeroplan factors as a substitute — and in some conditions, you’ll pay fewer factors than in the event you booked with United miles.
This is when it is smart to make use of Aeroplan factors to e book United flights, find out how to truly make these bookings on-line, and the perfect methods to earn Aeroplan factors.
Associated: Why Air Canada Aeroplan has become my favorite Star Alliance loyalty program
Why and when you must select Aeroplan to e book United flights
Each Aeroplan and MileagePlus now price United-operated award flights dynamically, that means the variety of factors or miles required fluctuates relying on demand.
If you’re contemplating whether or not to redeem United MileagePlus miles or Aeroplan factors in your subsequent United-operated flight, you possibly can rapidly and simply evaluate the costs of each on the identical time using the handy Seats.aero tool.
Listed here are some events when it might be a greater deal to e book United flights with Aeroplan factors than different factors and miles, comparable to United’s personal MileagePlus miles:
- For close-in, short-haul flights on common vacation dates: MileagePlus could select to cost greater than Aeroplan, as we recently saw forward of the Thanksgiving vacation interval.
- If you’re completely happy to attach on long-haul itineraries to save lots of 1000’s of factors: Whereas nonstop flights in United Polaris enterprise class to Europe often begin from 80,000 Aeroplan factors or 80,000 MileagePlus miles, in the event you e book by Aeroplan and are keen to attach, you could possibly save. For instance, in the event you go from Newark Liberty Worldwide Airport (EWR) to Lisbon Airport (LIS) by way of Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) with the primary leg on United and the second, brief hop on TAP Air Portugal, you possibly can e book your itinerary for simply 60,000 Aeroplan factors.
- When there’s a switch bonus to Aeroplan: Transferable rewards packages offer bonuses on transfers to pick airline loyalty packages every now and then. For instance, till Jan. 5, 2026, you possibly can earn as much as 25% bonus factors once you switch your Chase Final Rewards factors to Air Canada’s Aeroplan program, that means you have to fewer Chase factors to e book United-operated flights.
Associated: United unveils stunning next-generation Polaris cabins with caviar service and much more
Methods to e book United flights with Aeroplan factors
You possibly can e book United-operated flights with Aeroplan factors on-line by Aeroplan’s web site. Enter your origin, vacation spot and journey dates, and be sure to choose “Ebook with Aeroplan factors.”
Reward your inbox with the TPG Every day publication
Be part of over 700,000 readers for breaking information, in-depth guides and unique offers from TPG’s consultants
Then, on the following web page, you possibly can choose the flights you need with the factors charges and taxes and charges listed. Please observe that these costs are in Canadian {dollars}; CA$47 is roughly $34.
Then, select the proportion of factors versus money you need to pay. You may usually get the perfect worth out of your factors and miles by selecting the mix on the earlier web page’s search outcomes (on this case, 15,000 factors).
You may then pay any taxes and charges by card, and the related Aeroplan factors will probably be deducted out of your account.
Methods to earn Aeroplan factors
New Chase Aeroplan® Credit Card (see rates and fees) candidates can earn an elevated welcome supply of as much as 100,000 bonus factors: 75,000 bonus factors after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening and a further 25,000 bonus factors after spending $20,000 within the first 12 months from account opening.
You can even switch the next bank card rewards to Aeroplan at a 1:1 switch ratio:
The next playing cards all at the moment supply sturdy welcome bonuses with factors and miles you can switch to your Aeroplan account:
- Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: Earn 100,000 bonus miles after spending $10,000 on purchases inside six months of account opening.
- Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 within the first three months from account opening.
- Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees): Earn 125,000 bonus factors after spending $6,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees): Earn 75,000 bonus factors after spending $5,000 on purchases inside three months from account opening.
- American Express® Gold Card: Discover out your supply and see in case you are eligible for as excessive as 100,000 Membership Rewards Factors after spending $6,000 on purchases throughout the first six months of card membership. Welcome presents differ and also you is probably not eligible for a suggestion.
- American Express Platinum Card®: Discover out your supply and see in case you are eligible for as excessive as 175,000 Membership Rewards Factors after you spend $8,000 on purchases throughout the first six months of card membership. Welcome presents differ and also you is probably not eligible for a suggestion.
As well as, holders of the Aeroplan Credit Card can obtain a 10% bonus once they switch a minimum of 50,000 Final Rewards factors to Aeroplan (as much as 25,000 bonus factors yearly).
Associated: Why transferable points are worth more than other rewards
Backside line
Air Canada’s Aeroplan program is not a assured cheaper various for each United-operated redemption, as each Aeroplan and United’s personal MileagePlus program now dynamically worth United awards, and United will not launch all award seats to associate packages.
Nevertheless, there will be nice alternatives to save lots of by Aeroplan once you’re reserving close-in, short-haul flights on peak dates, are completely happy to attach on a long-haul itinerary or can use a switch bonus.
Earlier than you lock in a United-operated award, evaluate the pricing in each MileagePlus and Aeroplan after which consider any present switch bonuses to Aeroplan out of your most well-liked transferable foreign money.
Associated studying: