About Air Canada

Air Canada is one of the five founding members of Star Alliance, and its frequent flyer program is called Aeroplan. Members can redeem miles for flights on Air Canada itself as well as Star Alliance partners such as United, Air China, and ANA. Aeroplan had previously been popular with many frequent travelers—especially Chinese Americans in the U.S.—because of its flexible redemption policies and some high-value sweet spots, such as short-haul flights within North America and long-haul transatlantic business class awards.

However, Air Canada has “unexpectedly” released a new award chart that will take effect on June 1, 2026. Overall, most award redemptions will require 10% to 20% more miles, and some categories are going up by as much as 67%. For Chinese Americans in the U.S. who are used to redeeming Aeroplan miles for U.S.-China, U.S.-Asia, and U.S.-Europe routes, this means a significant devaluation in mile value.

One blogger put together a very clear comparison chart.

  • Between North America and Asia, short-haul economy gets cheaper, business class rises slightly, and first class jumps sharply
  • The hardest-hit region is North America to Europe

Specific Impact on Chinese Americans in the U.S.

The analysis below is based on the new award chart and focuses on the route regions most commonly used by Chinese Americans in the U.S. (North America–Pacific and North America–Atlantic), while comparing the old and new mileage requirements.

1. U.S.-China / U.S.-Asia Routes (North America - Pacific): Business Class and Premium Economy See Major Increases

These are the key routes for Chinese Americans in the U.S. traveling back to Asia (China, Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia, etc.) or onward to Australia. Under the new chart, many popular redemptions are getting much more expensive:

  • Business class (partner airlines): West Coast to East Asia (5,001-7,500 miles) rises from 75,000 to 85,000 miles (+13.3%). East Coast to East Asia/Southeast Asia (7,501-11,000 miles) rises from 87,500 to 102,500 miles (+17.1%).
  • Premium economy (Air Canada): On the same long-haul band (7,501-11,000 miles), pricing rises from 70,000 to 85,000 miles (+21.4%).
  • Economy (partner airlines): Most distance bands increase by 5,000-10,000 miles, or roughly 8-20%.
  • The only decrease: Ultra-long-haul partner economy (11,001+ miles) drops from 75,000 to 70,000 miles (-6.7%), though this affects a relatively small set of routes.

2. U.S.-Europe Routes (North America - Atlantic): First Class and Ultra-Long-Haul Economy Are Hit Hardest

Redeeming for transatlantic Star Alliance partner first class (such as Lufthansa and SWISS), as well as very long economy itineraries, will become much more expensive:

  • First class (partner airlines, 8,001+ miles): rises from 140,000 to 165,000 miles (+17.9%).
  • Business class (Air Canada/Select, 8,001+ miles): rises from 100,000 to 110,000 miles (+10%).
  • Economy (4,001-6,000 miles): generally increases by 2,500-5,000 miles, or about 6-9%.

3. Domestic U.S. and Short-Haul Flights Within North America: Mixed News, With a Smaller Sweet Spot

Previously, one of Aeroplan’s best sweet spots was short-haul economy within North America (<500 miles) for just 7,500 miles. Under the new chart:

  • 0-1,000-mile band: Business class actually gets cheaper, dropping from 15,000 to 12,500 miles (-16.7%), which is a rare positive change.
  • 1,001-2,000-mile economy: rises from 12,500 to 15,000 miles (+20%), offsetting much of the short-haul value.

4. Most Extreme Devaluation: Certain Intercontinental Routes Jump 67%

Ultra-long-haul routes connecting the Atlantic and Pacific regions (7,001+ miles, such as Europe to Asia or Australia) are seeing shocking increases:

  • Air Canada business class: jumps from 60,000 to 100,000 miles (+66.67%).
  • Air Canada economy: rises from 40,000 to 60,000 miles (+50%).

Urgent Action Steps for Chinese Americans in the U.S.

  1. Lock in future trips before June 1, 2026: If you plan to use Aeroplan miles soon—especially for transpacific business class, transatlantic first class, or ultra-long-haul economy—book before this date to secure the current lower rates.
  2. Reevaluate your earning and transfer strategy: Aeroplan is no longer the best option for Star Alliance business class awards back to China or elsewhere in Asia. You may want to redirect transferable points (Chase UR, AMEX MR, Capital One, etc.) to other Star Alliance programs such as Avianca LifeMiles and United MileagePlus.
  3. Avoid the worst devaluation zones: After June 1, if you still need to use Aeroplan, try to avoid categories that rose by more than 30%, such as Air Canada ultra-long-haul business/economy, partner first class, and 1,000-2,000-mile economy awards within North America.
  4. Use a “Transfer & Burn” strategy: Aeroplan may now work better as a transfer-when-needed program. Only move points in when you have a clear high-value redemption lined up—for example, the occasional price drop on short-haul business class—and ticket right away instead of stockpiling miles.