Aeroplan is dangling a 100% bonus on point purchases through September 25, 2026, dropping the effective cost to about 1.35 US cents per point at the top tier. That sounds like a deal—until you run the math against the program’s recent card fee hikes and the reality of where these points actually deliver outsized value.
The offer is tiered and targeted. Log in to see your version, but the best one gives 50% on 5,000–29,000 points, 80% on 30,000–79,000, and the full 100% only when you buy 80,000 or more (up to 500,000 per transaction).
At that level, you’re effectively buying at 1.35¢ USD after the bonus. Anything less and the effective price climbs fast.The Chase Aeroplan card just saw its annual fee jump from $95 to $195, with the new rate hitting most renewals starting December 2026. In exchange you get automatic 25K status that sticks as long as you keep the card, up to $100 in Air Canada credits, and a 15% discount on eligible Aeroplan awards that include an Air Canada flight. Nice, but it raises the bar for everything else in the ecosystem—including whether bought points are worth parking in your account.
Elite status itself has shifted to a spend-based SQC model in 2026. The card helps with some of those credits, but the overall churn in fees and qualification makes hoarding speculative points even riskier. Points sitting idle while the program tweaks its value proposition are just expensive digital dust.
Where the math actually works
At 1.35¢ per point, you need redemptions worth at least 2.0–2.2¢ each to clear a respectable hurdle after taxes, opportunity cost, and the hassle of dealing with Aeroplan’s award search quirks. That threshold is tough in economy or short-haul. It only really pays off on specific Star Alliance business class sweet spots to Europe or Asia.
Realistic examples on the current chart:
- East Coast to Europe on Lufthansa, Swiss, or Austrian business class: ~60,000–75,000 points one-way. Cash fares routinely run $3,000–$5,000. That’s 4–6¢+ per point if you catch good space.
- West Coast to Europe: 75,000–90,000 points. Still often beats cash in premium cabins.
- North America to Japan on ANA or partners in business: 75,000–85,000 points one-way in many bands. ANA’s “The Room” product makes this feel like theft when available.
- Turkish Airlines business from the US to Europe or connecting to Asia: Often the most available and can price in the 55,000–70,000 range depending on routing.
These are the redemptions that move the needle. Everything else—domestic hops, economy to Europe, or routes where cash fares are cheap—rarely clears 2.0¢ per point. Buying points for those is how people accidentally turn a decent promo into an expensive lesson.
The new card perks don’t change the core equation much. The 15% award discount helps on Air Canada metal redemptions, but the real leverage here is still partner awards with low fuel surcharges and high cash prices. If you’re already sitting on a confirmed Lufthansa business award to Frankfurt or an ANA flight to Tokyo that you plan to take soon, the promo can be brilliant. Otherwise it’s just another way to convert cash into points that might devalue before you use them.
Aeroplan has been generous with buy-bonus offers in 2026—110% showed up earlier this year—but this one expires soon. The program’s annual fee changes and status overhaul are already forcing everyone to be more surgical. Buying points is no different.
Bottom line
Only pull the trigger if you have a specific, high-value redemption locked in (or highly likely) that values the points above 2.2¢. For most readers chasing Star Alliance business class to Europe or Asia on Lufthansa, ANA, or Turkish, that bar is reachable. Everyone else should skip it. The promo isn’t going to rescue mediocre redemptions.
Action item: Log into your Aeroplan account today, check your personalized bonus tiers, identify one concrete award that clears the 2.2¢ hurdle, and only buy exactly what you need to complete it before September 25. Anything more is speculation dressed up as optimization.
