A rare headline in airline cards worth your attention
Airline cards don’t spike the meter very often. Today is one of those exceptions: Chase and Air Canada just rolled out the Aeroplan card’s richest welcome offer to date—up to 115,000 points—alongside meaningful new perks that change the math for frequent North American flyers.
What changed—and why it matters now
The refreshed Chase Air Canada Aeroplan Credit Card now advertises up to 115,000 bonus points: 75,000 points after $4,000 in purchases within 3 months, plus 40,000 more after $20,000 in purchases within 12 months. The Points Guy values Aeroplan points at 1.5 cents each, putting the full haul at roughly $1,725 in travel. The refresh also brings automatic Aeroplan 25K status for cardholders, a standing 15% discount on eligible Air Canada award bookings, and up to $100 in annual Air Canada statement credits—all packaged with a higher $195 annual fee. According to The Points Guy’s report on Sept. 10, these benefits are live and represent the card’s most compelling bundle yet.
In practical terms, this is a different proposition than the airline cards you may know. Elite-lite travel perks (priority check-in and boarding), a percentage-off award discount, and a mid-four-figure welcome bonus are typically split across separate products. Here, they converge in a single card that pairs well with U.S. domestic and transborder travel as well as aspirational long-hauls booked through Aeroplan’s vast Star Alliance network.
The playbook: turn the offer into real flights
Here’s a simple pathway to capture the full 115,000 points without contorting your budget:
- Phase 1 (first 3 months): Put fixed bills and everyday spend on the Aeroplan card to clear $4,000 and lock the initial 75,000-point tranche. Think utilities, insurance premiums, streaming, and travel already on your calendar.
- Phase 2 (months 4–12): Aim for an additional $16,000 over the rest of the first year to reach the $20,000 threshold. Divide it as $1,600 per month—within reach for many households once you include travel, gas, and occasional airfare. If you fall short, you still keep the initial 75,000.
Redemption examples help anchor the value: a one-way economy award within North America often starts in the mid‑teens of thousands of points, and the new 15% discount can shave thousands of points off eligible Air Canada itineraries. Mix in a partner connection or target off-peak dates, and your 115k can stretch to multiple round-trips—or be saved for a premium-cabin splurge to Europe or Asia where Aeroplan still shines on certain partners.
Earning structure matters, too. TPG’s breakdown notes improved multipliers on travel (now 3x) and gas (2x), with dining and groceries at 3x through Dec. 31, 2026, then 2x starting Jan. 1, 2027. That makes the Aeroplan card a strong traveler’s workhorse today and a targeted tool in 2027 for airfare, hotels, rideshares, and road trips—while you may prefer a Chase Sapphire Preferred, Amex Gold, or Capital One SavorOne for long-term dining and grocery heavy lifting.
Who benefits most
- Flyers who book (or want to book) with Air Canada and Star Alliance partners and value a cardholder-only 15% discount on eligible Air Canada award tickets.
- Travelers who’ll use the up to $100 in annual Air Canada credits—split into biannual $50 credits—to partly or fully offset the higher $195 annual fee.
- Anyone who can realistically plan $20,000 in first‑year spend without debt to unlock the full 115,000‑point bonus.
- Status-curious members: automatic 25K status every year boosts the day-of-travel experience and can stack with Aeroplan’s broader elite ecosystem.
If you don’t fly Air Canada or redeem via Aeroplan regularly, you may still pursue the initial 75,000‑point tranche for partner awards—but compare it against flexible currencies (Chase Sapphire Preferred/Reserve or Amex Gold/Platinum) that earn broadly and move into Aeroplan as needed.
Should you apply now?
If you’ve had the Aeroplan card on your radar, this is the moment. The up to 115,000‑point offer is the richest yet, and the simultaneous perk upgrades make it easier to justify the fee if you can use even one or two headline benefits in the next 12 months. The $100 in credits in effect brings the net annual cost to $95 if you’re buying an Air Canada ticket or ancillary services anyway.
Two notes of nuance:
- The second 40,000‑point chunk requires $20,000 in 12‑month spend. Map that out first to avoid chasing points with purchases you wouldn’t otherwise make.
- Earning on dining and groceries steps down to 2x in 2027. If those are your primary categories, slot in Amex Gold (4x dining, 4x U.S. supermarkets up to $25,000/year) or Chase Sapphire Preferred (3x dining) as your anchors, and treat Aeroplan as your travel‑and‑Air‑Canada specialist.
Let SuperPay do the heavy lifting
This strategy gets even simpler with SuperPay:
- Rewards Roadmap (PRO+): We’ll analyze your wallet and show exactly where the Aeroplan card fits—how much of your 12‑month spend could (and should) run through it to capture the full 115,000 points without overpaying with sub‑optimal categories. You’ll see projected points across Aeroplan, Sapphire, Amex Gold, and more.
- Smart Card Picker: At the register or online, SuperPay tells you which card earns more right now—so you channel travel and gas to Aeroplan while keeping dining at Amex Gold or Sapphire when it makes sense.
- Spending Reports: Track your progress toward $20,000 in first‑year purchases and see how the new 15% award discount and $100 credits are affecting your real‑world value.
Your next move
Try PRO+ free for 7 days and unlock your personalized Rewards Roadmap.