Air Canada beginning Jan. 1, 2026, will award Aeroplan loyalty program points based on member spend rather than on distance traveled, the carrier announced Wednesday. Air Canada also will introduce a new mechanism to achieve elite status called Status Qualifying Credits, effective Jan. 1.
Members will earn Status Qualifying Credits, which are "a new single path for achieving Aeroplan elite status," through eligible flight purchases, Aeroplan credit card spend and activity with the program's partners. Elite status qualification for the remainder of 2025, including methods of status achievement for 2026, remains unchanged, according to Air Canada.
Members from Jan. 1 will earn via Aeroplan a minimum of one Aeroplan point per $1 spent on an eligible Air Canada flight, along with bonus points offers and multipliers of two to six times points per dollar spent on eligible flights for elite status members. Members also will be able to qualify for elite status with Status Qualifying Credits, and will be able to earn up to four SQC per dollar spent based on fare type, plus up to 25,000 SQC through eligible Aeroplan credit card spending, along with an additional 25,000 SQC via eligible partner activity.
While core benefits for elite members, such as complimentary checked bags and priority service, remain unchanged, they'll also be able to receive benefits unlocked with every 10,000 SQC. In addition, beginning in 2027, primary Aerocard premium credit card holders who qualify for elite status can receive a 10 percent SQC bonus based on their prior year's earnings, according to Air Canada.