For those who’re sitting on a wholesome stash of transferable factors 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 because of Star Alliance companion Air Canada’s Aeroplan loyalty program, you possibly can usually 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, how you can truly make these bookings on-line, and the most effective methods to earn Aeroplan factors.
Associated: Why Air Canada Aeroplan has grow to be my favourite Star Alliance loyalty program
Why and when it is best to select Aeroplan to e book United flights
Each Aeroplan and MileagePlus now worth United-operated award flights dynamically, which 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 shortly and simply examine the costs of each on the similar time utilizing the useful Seats.aero device.
Listed below are some events when it could be a greater deal to e book United flights with Aeroplan factors than different factors and miles, similar to United’s personal MileagePlus miles:
- For close-in, short-haul flights on fashionable vacation dates: MileagePlus could select to cost larger than Aeroplan, as we just lately noticed forward of the Thanksgiving vacation interval.
- If you’re blissful 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 way of Aeroplan and are prepared to attach, you might be able to 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 would e book your itinerary for simply 60,000 Aeroplan factors.
- When there’s a switch bonus to Aeroplan: Transferable rewards applications supply bonuses on transfers to pick airline loyalty applications now and again. 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, which means you have to fewer Chase factors to e book United-operated flights.
Associated: United unveils beautiful next-generation Polaris cabins with caviar service and far more
e book United flights with Aeroplan factors
You’ll be able to e book United-operated flights with Aeroplan factors on-line by way of Aeroplan’s web site. Enter your origin, vacation spot and journey dates, and be sure you choose “E-book with Aeroplan factors.”
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Then, on the subsequent web page, you possibly can choose the flights you need with the factors charges and taxes and costs listed. Please word 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 most effective 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 costs by card, and the related Aeroplan factors will probably be deducted out of your account.
earn Aeroplan factors
New Chase Aeroplan® Credit score Card (see charges and costs) 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 too can switch the next bank card rewards to Aeroplan at a 1:1 switch ratio:
The next playing cards all at present supply robust welcome bonuses with factors and miles which you could switch to your Aeroplan account:
- Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card: Earn 100,000 bonus miles after spending $10,000 on purchases inside six months of account opening.
- Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card: Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 within the first three months from account opening.
- Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see charges and costs): Earn 125,000 bonus factors after spending $6,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
- Chase Sapphire Most popular® Card (see charges and costs): Earn 75,000 bonus factors after spending $5,000 on purchases inside three months from account opening.
- American Specific® Gold Card: Discover out your supply and see if you’re eligible for as excessive as 100,000 Membership Rewards Factors after spending $6,000 on purchases inside the first six months of card membership. Welcome presents range and also you will not be eligible for a proposal.
- American Specific Platinum Card®: Discover out your supply and see if you’re eligible for as excessive as 175,000 Membership Rewards Factors after you spend $8,000 on purchases inside the first six months of card membership. Welcome presents range and also you will not be eligible for a proposal.
As well as, holders of the Aeroplan Credit score Card can obtain a ten% bonus once they switch not less than 50,000 Final Rewards factors to Aeroplan (as much as 25,000 bonus factors yearly).
Associated: Why transferable factors are price greater than different 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 companion applications.
Nevertheless, there might be nice alternatives to save lots of by way of Aeroplan once you’re reserving close-in, short-haul flights on peak dates, are blissful to attach on a long-haul itinerary or can use a switch bonus.
Earlier than you lock in a United-operated award, examine the pricing in each MileagePlus and Aeroplan after which think about any present switch bonuses to Aeroplan out of your most popular transferable forex.
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