Do Aeroplan Points Expire? Everything You Need to Know

Many travelers spend years collecting Aeroplan points without giving much thought to expiration. After all, Aeroplan has become one of the largest and most flexible airline loyalty programs in North America, with dozens of airline partners, hotel partners, shopping opportunities, and credit card relationships. Because members can earn points in so many different ways, it is easy to assume those points will remain in the account forever.

That assumption can be expensive.

Aeroplan points do expire under certain circumstances, although the rules are far more forgiving than they once were. The good news is that maintaining an active account is surprisingly easy. In most cases, a single qualifying transaction every year and a half is enough to keep an entire balance alive indefinitely.

Understanding how Aeroplan’s expiration policy works can help ensure that years of accumulated points remain available when you are finally ready to book that business-class redemption or family vacation.

Do Aeroplan Points Expire?

Yes, Aeroplan points can expire, but only if your account becomes inactive.

Under Aeroplan’s current rules, points expire after 18 months without qualifying activity in the account. Qualifying activity can include earning points, redeeming points, donating points, transferring points, or converting points through eligible Aeroplan partners. As long as some qualifying activity occurs within every rolling 18-month period, your points remain active.

The program monitors the activity of the account itself. A single qualifying transaction effectively resets the inactivity clock for the entire balance.

This means that a member with 500,000 points receives the same protection from a small qualifying transaction as someone with only 5,000 points.

Aeroplan’s Temporary Expiration Pause

Aeroplan’s expiration policy has undergone several temporary changes over the last few years.

The program suspended points expiration during the pandemic and subsequently extended that pause multiple times. According to Aeroplan’s published guidance, points that would otherwise expire remain protected through November 29, 2026. The normal inactivity policy is currently scheduled to resume on November 30, 2026.

Once the temporary pause ends, the standard 18-month inactivity rule will once again apply.

What Counts as Qualifying Activity?

Flying with Air Canada is certainly one way to keep an account active, but it is far from the only option. Members can also earn points through partner airlines, hotel stays, car rentals, the Aeroplan eStore, retail partners, and eligible point transfers. Redeeming points for flights, donating points, or converting points from another program can also reset the inactivity clock.

In practice, keeping an account active is usually much easier than many travelers expect.

A small purchase through the Aeroplan eStore, a short hotel stay credited to Aeroplan, or even a modest points redemption can be enough to protect an entire balance.

What Does Not Count as Activity?

This is where some members get caught off guard.

Simply logging into your account does not count as activity. Updating your profile information, checking your balance, browsing award availability, or searching for flights will not reset the expiration clock.

Aeroplan requires an actual qualifying transaction involving points. The activity must result in points being earned, redeemed, transferred, donated, or converted.

As a result, travelers should not assume that occasional account visits provide any protection against expiration.

Aeroplan Credit Cards Provide Additional Protection

Members who hold an eligible Aeroplan credit card from participating issuers can prevent their points from expiring due to inactivity. The same protection generally applies to members holding Aeroplan Elite Status.

What Happens If Your Points Expire?

If Aeroplan points expire due to inactivity, all is not necessarily lost. Recovering points generally involves additional effort and, in some cases, additional cost.

Aeroplan provides several methods that may allow members to recover expired points within a limited period following expiration. Members may be able to reinstate points by paying a reinstatement fee, obtaining an eligible Aeroplan credit card, flying with Air Canada within the specified recovery period, or requesting missing partner points that should have posted before expiration.

Bottom Line

Aeroplan points do expire, but only after 18 months of inactivity on your account. Any qualifying activity — earning, redeeming, transferring, donating, or converting points — resets this period and keeps your entire balance active. Aeroplan credit cardholders and members with Aeroplan Elite status receive additional protection that can help prevent points from expiring entirely.

The current temporary pause on point expiration provides even more time until November 2026, but members should not rely on temporary rules indefinitely. Typically, it’s enough to make a simple qualifying transaction from time to time to keep the points you’ve accumulated over the years.

With just a little attention and periodic activity, Aeroplan points can remain available indefinitely until the perfect opportunity to use them arises.