Most frequent flyer programs let you redeem miles on their own airline, the other members of their alliance and perhaps a handful of additional partners. Aeroplan goes much further.
Air Canada says Aeroplan points can be redeemed with more than 45 partner airlines. That includes every member of Star Alliance, major international carriers such as Emirates and Etihad Airways, and smaller regional airlines serving destinations that the larger carriers do not reach.
So, which frequent flyer program has the most airline partners?
It’s Aeroplan.
However, having access to the most airlines doesn’t mean every partner works the same way. Award availability depends on what each airline releases, some partnerships are limited to certain routes, and several Aeroplan partners now use variable award pricing.
Aeroplan’s Extensive Network Of Airline Partners
Air Canada
Of course, Aeroplan points can be used for flights operated by Air Canada. Unlike most partner awards, every available seat on an Air Canada flight can be booked with points, though the number of points required varies by route, date and demand.
Star Alliance Partners
Air Canada is a founding member of Star Alliance. That gives Aeroplan members access to award seats released by the alliance’s other 25 current member airlines:
- Aegean Airlines
- Air China
- Air India
- Air New Zealand
- ANA
- Asiana Airlines
- Austrian Airlines
- Avianca
- Brussels Airlines
- Copa Airlines
- Croatia Airlines
- EgyptAir
- Ethiopian Airlines
- EVA Air
- ITA Airways
- LOT Polish Airlines
- Lufthansa
- Shenzhen Airlines
- Singapore Airlines
- South African Airways
- SWISS
- TAP Air Portugal
- Thai Airways
- Turkish Airlines
- United Airlines
ITA Airways officially joined Star Alliance in April 2026. Asiana Airlines remains a member for now but is scheduled to leave the alliance in December 2026 as it is absorbed into Korean Air.
Non-Alliance Partners
Aeroplan’s reach goes well beyond Star Alliance. The program also partners with a large collection of international, leisure and regional airlines:
- Air Dolomiti
- Air Mauritius
- Air Serbia
- airBaltic
- Azul Brazilian Airlines
- Cathay Pacific
- Discover Airlines
- Edelweiss Air
- Emirates
- Etihad Airways
- Eurowings
- flydubai
- GOL Airlines
- Gulf Air
- Juneyao Air
- Lufthansa City Airlines
- Olympic Air
- Oman Air
- SunExpress
- Virgin Australia
Some partnerships have restrictions. For example, Aeroplan points can only be used for Cathay Pacific flights on select routes within Asia. Bamboo Airways continues to appear in some Aeroplan partner materials, but its flights do not currently appear to be available for redemption, so I have not included it in the active list.
Canadian Regional Partners
Aeroplan also partners with several smaller Canadian airlines. These carriers provide access to remote communities that are not served by Air Canada or most major international airlines:
- Air Creebec
- Air Inuit
- Bearskin Airlines
- Calm Air
- Canadian North
- PAL Airlines
This combination of global alliance members, independent international airlines and regional carriers is what sets Aeroplan apart from most competing frequent-flyer programs. You can also combine different partners on the same award, making it possible to build an itinerary using airlines that do not otherwise belong to the same alliance.
Why Aeroplan’s Partner Network Matters
Having more airline partners gives Aeroplan members more options, but the real advantage is the ability to combine different airlines on the same award.
For example, you could fly across the Atlantic on Lufthansa and connect to an Etihad Airways flight. Those airlines do not belong to the same alliance, but Aeroplan can potentially combine them on one itinerary, as long as award seats are available.
That flexibility can be particularly useful when no single airline serves your entire route. Aeroplan’s regional partners can also help with trips to smaller destinations that are difficult to reach using the major airline alliances alone.
How Aeroplan Prices Partner Awards
Aeroplan divides the world into four travel zones: North America, Atlantic, Pacific and South America. The number of points required for most partner awards is determined by the zones traveled and the total distance flown.
That means Aeroplan does not have one price for every flight between two regions. A shorter flight within a zone can cost fewer points than a longer flight within the same zone, so it is important to check the distance band on Aeroplan’s award chart.
Most partner airlines continue to follow the published award chart. However, Aeroplan uses variable pricing for a group it calls Select Partners. Those airlines currently include United Airlines, Emirates, flydubai, Etihad Airways, Calm Air, Canadian North and PAL Airlines.
Award prices on those airlines can vary from one itinerary to another and may be higher than the prices listed for Aeroplan’s other partners. Aeroplan says the tradeoff is that members may have access to more reward seats on these airlines.
It is an important distinction. Aeroplan may offer access to more airline partners than any other frequent flyer program, but not every partner offers the same predictable award pricing.
Other Useful Aeroplan Features
- Combine Airlines On One Award: Aeroplan allows members to include flights operated by multiple partner airlines on the same itinerary, even when those airlines do not belong to the same alliance.
- No Airline-Imposed Fuel Surcharges: Aeroplan does not pass along the large fuel surcharges imposed by some airlines. Members still pay government taxes, airport charges and other third-party fees.
- Stopovers For 5,000 Points: You can add a stopover to an eligible international award for 5,000 additional points. Aeroplan allows one stopover in each direction, and the stopover must be outside Canada and the United States.
There is also a C$39 partner booking fee for each ticket that includes a flight operated by an Aeroplan partner. That charge applies even when the itinerary is booked online. Booking through the Aeroplan Contact Centre can add another C$30 service fee.
These fees reduce the value of very inexpensive awards, especially when booking several passengers. However, they may be easier to accept on a long-distance premium-cabin award where Aeroplan’s broad selection of partners provides access to an itinerary that would otherwise be difficult to book.
My Experience Using Aeroplan
When I originally wrote this post, I had only used Aeroplan once. Since then, I’ve used it for a much more ambitious international itinerary, which gave me a better sense of both the program’s strengths and its limitations.
My first Aeroplan redemption was a short Singapore Airlines flight within the Pacific Zone. Since the flight covered less than 1,000 miles, I paid 8,000 Aeroplan points per ticket.
The flight did not appear on the Aeroplan website, so I had to call to book it. Aeroplan waived the contact center fee because the award could not be booked online, but I still had to pay the C$39 partner booking fee for each ticket.
More recently, we booked Lufthansa business class from Washington Dulles to Munich, followed by a Eurowings flight to Hamburg, for 70,000 Aeroplan points plus approximately C$110 per person.
This was exactly the type of itinerary that makes Aeroplan’s partner network so useful. We were able to combine two different airlines on one award and continue to our final destination without booking separate tickets.
Our plans later changed because of a Lufthansa strike, leading to a much more complicated rebooking process that I covered in a separate post. The experience reinforced one important point: Aeroplan can give you access to a long list of airlines, but it can only book the award seats those partners make available.
That is how I now look at Aeroplan’s enormous partner network. It gives you more airlines to search and more ways to build an itinerary, but it does not guarantee that every option will be available when you need it.
Earning Aeroplan Points
Aeroplan points are also relatively easy to earn, even if you rarely fly Air Canada. The program is a transfer partner of American Express Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Capital One Miles and Chase Ultimate Rewards, with transfers generally available at a 1:1 ratio.
You can also transfer Marriott Bonvoy points to Aeroplan, although the 3:1 ratio is less attractive. Chase also offers an Aeroplan co-branded credit card in the United States.
Final Thoughts
Aeroplan’s biggest advantage is not simply the number of airlines on its partner list. It is the ability to combine Star Alliance carriers, independent international airlines and regional partners within one program.
Not every partner offers predictable pricing or plentiful award space, and partner bookings come with additional fees. Even so, Aeroplan remains one of the most flexible frequent flyer programs available, especially when a trip requires multiple airlines or takes you beyond the routes served by a single alliance.
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