Less than 24 hours after the massive strike of its on -board agents, Air Canada announced on Wednesday a major overhaul of its airkeeper program which will heavily penalize travelers with tight budgets.
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From January 1, 2026, the Aeroplan members will accumulate points according to their expenses rather than the distance traveled. This transformation, although dressed in promises of “frequent promotional offers”, masks another reality.
“This new structure can actually disadvantage certain travelers, particularly those who favor economic rates over long distances,” analyzes Jean-Maximilien Voisine, founder of the specialized Milesopedia site.
Airlines notes the specialist, optimizing their programs according to customer profitability for a few years already.
For the rich
Reaching Super Elite status will now cost $ 37,500 per year, compared to $ 25,000 currently under the old distance based on the distance traveled.
Photo provided by Air Canada
A Montreal Vancouver flight reported 4,300 points under the old system, a journey that will now generate between 200 and 800 points depending on the price paid. Air Canada justifies this approach by stressing that “the most active members are not content to travel: they accumulate points with our partners and use aeroplan credit cards”.
Logic: reward more expense capabilities than geographic fidelity. Business travelers will accumulate more points than people in economics like families or students.
$ 37,500 per year of expenses
The introduction of “qualification credits to a status” (CQS) even more complicates the situation. To reach the super elite status, it will be necessary to accumulate 125,000 CQs, 25 % more than at present. Worse: Impossible to do it without spending massively directly at Air Canada.
According to Milesopedia calculations, the Super Elite will be granted to customers who spend $ 37,500 per year, combined flights and credit cards, compared to around $ 25,000 now for frequent travelers.
Air Canada maintains that “these changes aim to better recognize the participation of members who spend more and are more active within the program”. This position is not without commercial logic: loyalty programs represent significant costs that companies seek to optimize.
Aéroplan transformation illustrates the evolution of loyalty programs to models promoting high margin segments. Although legitimately legitimate, this approach questions equity towards the whole of the customers.
