airline
Air Canada is the Toronto-based flag carrier of Canada (founded 1937), with a separate loyalty program (Aeroplan) that crazy4points covers in detail on its own page. The fleet runs roughly 190 aircraft: A220, A320/321 family, A330-300, 737 MAX 8/9, 777-200LR/300ER, 787-8/9. Hubs are YYZ (Toronto Pearson) primary, YVR (Vancouver), and YUL (Montreal). US gateway coverage is unmatched among non-US carriers - 50+ US cities served from Canadian hubs, essentially every major US metro.
Air Canada Signature Class (long-haul Business) is one of the better North American premium-cabin products: 1-1-1 reverse herringbone lie-flat on 787, 777, A330. The Signature Suite at YYZ, YVR, LHR, and YUL is a tier-above-lounge dining experience for Signature Class international passengers, separate from the Maple Leaf Lounge network. The standout Aeroplan-driven sweet spot for AC metal: NO fuel surcharges on partner-program-issued AC awards since 2020. That fuel-surcharge-free policy is the headline value of Aeroplan and a structural advantage when redeeming on AC vs. virtually any other long-haul Star carrier. Award chart and tier benefits live on the Aeroplan page.
The actual numbers. Get your nerd on, memorize the cheap ones.
The cheat sheet.
AC metal redeems at the Aeroplan partner-chart distance/region-band pricing. The full award chart lives on the Aeroplan page; key cells for AC as of May 2026 (verify post-June-2026 chart updates):
| Route | Cabin | Aeroplan miles one-way |
|---|---|---|
| Intra-North America short-haul | Economy | 6,000-12,500 |
| US-Canada transcon | Economy | 12,500-15,000 |
| US-Canada transcon | Business (Signature) | 25,000-35,000 |
| North America-Europe | Business (Signature) | 60,000-70,000 |
| North America-Asia | Business (Signature) | 75,000-87,500 |
| Within North America | Business | 15,000-25,000 |
NO fuel surcharges on AC metal via Aeroplan since 2020. Verify on aeroplan.com.
Where your points punch above their weight.
Where this currency genuinely shines.
The status ladder. 5 rungs, each unlocking better lounges, bags, and bragging rights.
5 status levels.
25,000 SQC (Status Qualifying Credits) in a calendar year
35,000 SQC in a calendar year
50,000 SQC in a calendar year
75,000 SQC in a calendar year
125,000 SQC in a calendar year
Where to vanish before takeoff. Your status (or ticket) opens which doors.
Who gets in, who doesn't, and the carve-outs.
Air Canada operates Maple Leaf Lounges across its hubs (YYZ, YVR, YUL) and select international (LHR, etc.). Signature Suites at YYZ, YVR, LHR, and YUL provide a tier-above dining experience for Signature Class international passengers (separate from Maple Leaf). Aeroplan 50K and above (Star Gold) plus same-day AC business passengers get Maple Leaf access. Star Alliance Gold from any partner gets reciprocal lounge access on same-day Star international flights.
The high-leverage moves. Read this before you transfer a single mile.
The smart-money plays.
Stopover rules, surcharges, the stuff nobody tells you until you've been burned once.
The fine print, decoded.
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Last reviewed: May 2026
Loyalty programs change rules, fees, transfer ratios, and award pricing all the time — sometimes without warning. We do our best to keep these pages current, but the program's own site is always the final word. Always confirm specifics directly with Air Canada before transferring miles or booking an award. Treat anything on this page as a starting point, not a guarantee. Crazy4Points is not responsible for actions taken based on information here — see our Terms of Service for full details.