Ben Smithson is a senior writer for TPG and is based in London. Originally from Australia and a qualified lawyer with a financial services background, he has almost a decade of experience writing about a broad range of travel and loyalty topics.
October 2, 2026 • 7 min read
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Quick summary
Booking United-operated flights with Air Canada Aeroplan points can sometimes require fewer points than using United's own loyalty program, especially for short-haul or transatlantic routes.
Aeroplan points are accessible through several major transferable rewards programs, which do not transfer directly to United's program.
Both Aeroplan and United now use dynamic pricing for award flights, so comparing both programs before transferring points is essential.
Tools like Seats.aero allow travelers to easily compare award rates across programs in real time.
What to consider
Aeroplan adds a partner booking fee per ticket and charges additional service fees for bookings made through its contact center.
Award seat availability and pricing can differ between Aeroplan and United, and not all United seats are available to Aeroplan members.
Transfers to Aeroplan or United are irreversible, so confirm award space and pricing before moving points.
What you'll miss from the article
Step-by-step instructions for booking United flights with Aeroplan points and tips for maximizing value with transfer bonuses.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
If you’re sitting on a healthy stash of transferable points and miles and want to fly United Airlines for less, your first instinct may be to move them to United's MileagePlus program. But thanks to Star Alliance partner Air Canada, you can often book the same United-operated flights using Air Canada Aeroplan points instead — and, in some situations, you’ll pay fewer points than if you booked with United miles.
If you are considering whether to redeem United MileagePlus miles or Aeroplan points for your next United-operated flight, you can quickly and easily compare the prices of both at the same time using the handy Seats.aero tool.
Here are some occasions when it may be a better deal to book United flights with Aeroplan points than other points and miles, such as United's own MileagePlus miles:
For short-haul flights on popular holiday dates: Aeroplan's current North America chart starts at 6,000 points each way in economy for flights of up to 500 miles. United-operated awards aren't guaranteed to be priced at that level because United is a Select Partner, but Aeroplan can still undercut MileagePlus on some dates, which can be especially handy during peak travel.
For transatlantic United awards when Aeroplan prices favorably: For travel between North America and Aeroplan's Atlantic zone, business-class awards operated by Air Canada or Select Partners currently start at 60,000 points for journeys of up to 4,000 miles, 75,000 points for journeys between 4,001 and 6,000 miles, 90,000 points for journeys between 6,001 and 8,000 miles and 110,000 points for journeys over 8,000 miles. These are starting prices, not guaranteed rates, but can be much cheaper than what MileagePlus charges.
When there is a transfer bonus to Aeroplan: Transferable rewards programs offer bonuses on transfers to select airline loyalty programs from time to time that can include transfers to Air Canada Aeroplan. For example, through Dec. 31, (see rates and fees) members can receive a 10% bonus when transferring at least 50,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points to their Aeroplan account in a single transaction, up to 25,000 bonus points per calendar year.
You can book United-operated flights with Aeroplan points online through Aeroplan's website. Enter your origin, destination and travel dates, and make sure you select "Book with Aeroplan points."
Because United awards are dynamically priced through Aeroplan, don't assume that a United seat available through MileagePlus will be available through Aeroplan at the same price — or at all. Compare both programs before transferring any points.
AIR CANADA
Then, on the next page, you can select the flights you want with the points rates, and taxes and fees listed. Note that these prices are in Canadian dollars; CA$47 is approximately $34.
AIR CANADA
Then, choose the proportion of points versus cash you want to pay. You'll normally get the best value from your points and miles by choosing the combination shown in the search results on the previous page (in this case, 15,000 points).
AIR CANADA
You'll then pay any taxes and fees by card, and the relevant Aeroplan points will be deducted from your account.
United awards booked through Aeroplan include Aeroplan's CA$39 (about $27) partner booking fee per ticket in addition to applicable taxes and third-party charges. If you book through the Aeroplan Contact Center instead of online, a nonrefundable service fee of CA$30 (about $21) also applies.
How to earn Aeroplan points
New applicants can earn up to 80,000 bonus points: 60,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening, plus up to 20,000 bonus points by earning 50% more bonus points per $1 spent on purchases that normally earn 1 bonus point in the first two months from account opening.
You can also transfer the following credit card rewards to Aeroplan at a 1:1 transfer ratio:
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening, plus receive a $300 credit to use on hotel and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel in the first cardholder year.
(see rates and fees): Earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
(see rates and fees): Earn 75,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
: Find out your offer and see if you are eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $8,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. Welcome offers vary, and you may not be eligible for an offer.
: Find out your offer and see if you are eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $12,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. Welcome offers vary, and you may not be eligible for an offer.
Additionally, holders of the Air Canada Aeroplan Credit Card can receive a 10% bonus when they transfer at least 50,000 Ultimate Rewards points to Aeroplan (up to 25,000 bonus points every year). This perk will be available through Dec. 31 and then removed.
Air Canada's Aeroplan program isn't a guaranteed cheaper alternative for every United-operated redemption, as both Aeroplan and United's own MileagePlus program now dynamically price United awards, and United won't release all award seats to partner programs.
It can still make sense to book through Aeroplan when its dynamic price undercuts MileagePlus, particularly if you hold transferable currencies that don't transfer directly to United or can take advantage of a transfer bonus.
Before you lock in a United-operated award, compare the pricing in both MileagePlus and Aeroplan and then factor in any current transfer bonuses to Aeroplan from your preferred transferable currency. Remember that transfers to programs like MileagePlus and Aeroplan cannot be reversed.
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
