How to transfer credit card points to Air Canada Aeroplan

Last updated October 20, 2026 · By Kyle Burrows

Aeroplan is Air Canada's program, and you don't need to live in Canada to use it. For US travelers its main draw is Star Alliance: with Aeroplan points you can book United, Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian, ANA, Turkish and other partners, plus Air Canada itself.

Four of the big US card programs transfer to it, which makes it the usual way for Amex and Capital One holders to reach United flights, since neither of those banks transfers to United directly.

Which bank points transfer to Aeroplan

Bank points	Ratio	How long it takes
American Express Membership Rewards	1:1	Usually instant
Chase Ultimate Rewards	1:1	Most by the next business day. Chase says up to 7 business days.
Capital One Miles	1:1	Usually instant
Bilt Points	1:1	Usually instant. Bilt says allow up to 48 hours.

Citi and Wells Fargo don't transfer to Aeroplan.

Before you move any points

Open a free Aeroplan account at aircanada.com if you don't have one. Your Aeroplan number is 9 digits and shows in your account menu.
Make the names match on your bank account, Aeroplan account and passport.
Find the flight first. Search aircanada.com for the exact flights and price before you transfer. Points can't come back to your bank once they move.
Transfer in round thousands. Every bank here moves points in blocks of 1,000.

How to transfer from each bank

American Express. Log in at americanexpress.com, open Membership Rewards and choose Transfer Points, then Air Canada Aeroplan. The first time, link your Aeroplan number and confirm with your card's security code or a one-time code. Amex only sends points to your own account, or to an authorized user who has had their card for at least 90 days. New Amex card? Each new US Membership Rewards card can start with its own separate points balance. Before you transfer, and before you cancel that card, link it to your main account under Manage Connections on the Amex website or app, so all your points sit in one balance.

Chase. Open Ultimate Rewards on a Sapphire Preferred, Sapphire Reserve or Ink Business Preferred, find the option to transfer points to travel partners (Chase has moved this menu around, so look for the word Transfer), and pick Air Canada. You can send to your own Aeroplan account or to one household member listed as an authorized user on your card.

Capital One. Sign in, open your rewards and choose the option to transfer your miles, then Aeroplan. The name on your Capital One account has to match your Aeroplan account. The minimum is 1,000 miles.

Bilt. In the app, go to Rewards, then Travel rewards, and tap Transfer. Choose Air Canada Aeroplan and link your number. Blue status members have a 2,000-point minimum.

Check that the points arrived

Log in at aircanada.com and look at the points balance on your account page. If they haven't shown up in the usual time, check the bank's transfer history for the number and name you used. Don't send a second transfer.

How to book the award

Go to aircanada.com and sign in to Aeroplan.
In the flight search, switch on the option to book with points. It's easy to miss, and without it you'll be looking at cash prices.
Enter airports, dates, cabin and travelers.
Pick your flights. Aeroplan sometimes shows more than one price for the same flight, a lower one and a more flexible one. Make sure you know which you're choosing.
Check the cabin on every leg. Mixed-cabin itineraries are common here, and a business class trip can include an economy segment.
Enter each traveler's name, date of birth and gender exactly as on the passport.
Pay the taxes and fees. Aeroplan will offer to cover them with points too. Most of the time paying cash is the better deal.
Save the confirmation and ticket numbers.

What it costs in points and cash

On Air Canada's own flights, the points price follows the cash price, so busy dates cost more. Air Canada doesn't add carrier surcharges on its own flights, so you pay only taxes and airport fees.

Partner flights, like United or Lufthansa, are priced on a fixed chart based on distance. That makes them more predictable. Air Canada updated that chart on June 1, 2026 and most distance bands went up, so price your exact trip on aircanada.com rather than relying on an older figure. Bookings that include a partner airline add a flat partner booking fee per ticket. Air Canada's rules, including on its US site, set it at CA$39. Check the fee shown at checkout.

Stopovers

Aeroplan lets you add a stopover to an international award for 5,000 extra points. That means staying more than 24 hours in a city along the way, up to 45 days. You get one stopover in each direction, and it has to be in a city outside the US and Canada. Use the Multi-city/Stopover option when you search.

Done well, this turns one trip into two cities for a small number of extra points.

Changes and cancellations

You can cancel for free within 24 hours of booking.
After that, you can change or cancel up to 2 hours before departure. A fee may apply, and on a cancellation your points and taxes come back.
Cancellations can be done online in Manage My Booking. Changes go through the Aeroplan Contact Centre.
Once you're past the 2-hour cutoff, or if you miss the flight, the award is usually lost.

Do Aeroplan points expire?

Aeroplan points normally expire after 18 months with no account activity, such as earning, redeeming or a transfer from your bank. Logging in doesn't count. Air Canada has paused expiry until November 30, 2026, and the normal 18-month rule applies again after that.

Mistakes I see most

Searching in cash mode. If the prices look like dollars, the points switch is off.
Booking the wrong mix of flights. Aeroplan shows many combinations. Match flight numbers and times, not just the price.
Waiting too long. Partner seats can disappear while you think it over. Decide, transfer, book.
Paying taxes with points by default. It's offered at checkout, and it's usually poor value.

Sources I checked

Start a Trip Request