‍DALLAS — Over the years, Air Canada (AC) has positioned itself as a premier choice for U.S. travelers heading abroad. It operates over 180 daily flights from the U.S. to Canada, with convenient onward connections to Europe and Asia.

Air Canada’s primary international connection hubs are strategically situated at Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ), Montreal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL), Vancouver International Airport (YVR), and Calgary International Airport (YYC). These hubs facilitate seamless connections between North America and various international destinations, including Europe, Asia, and beyond.

As the largest foreign carrier serving the U.S., AC’s extensive network spans 52 U.S. airports, including major hubs like LaGuardia (LGA) and Newark (EWR)—74,000 monthly pax, Los Angeles (LAX)—65,000 monthly pax, San Francisco (SFO)—41,000 monthly pax, Orlando (MCO)—32,000 monthly pax, and Boston (BOD)—27,000 monthly pax, allowing for efficient and affordable travel to six continents.

However, there are some underrated aspects of AC's offerings, such as its relatively unknown loyalty program and its perks for U.S. travelers. The airline wants to change that.

Driving Demand from U.S. Passengers

Beyond travel to Canada itself, the Canadian flag carrier attracts U.S. passengers by offering seamless connectivity and time-saving routes. Leveraging "Sixth Freedom" rights—where an airline can fly customers between two foreign countries via a stop in its home country, AC enables travelers to connect easily through its Canadian hubs, minimizing layover times and simplifying customs. To that effect, Aeroplan has become a top choice for U.S.-based travelers looking to earn and redeem travel rewards worldwide.

In 1984, the airline established Aeroplan, its loyalty program for frequent flyers. Later, in 2002, Aeroplan became a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Canadian airline. However, financial issues led to the sale of a 12.5% stake in Aeroplan in 2005, making it the world’s first publicly traded loyalty program.

After decades of operating separately, AC announced in 2017 its intention to end its relationship with Aeroplan and launch an in-house loyalty program. This move caused Aeroplan’s parent company stock to plummet, prompting the airline to bid for Aeroplan at a significant discount. Ultimately, the acquisition proved profitable for the largest airline in Canada.

The acquisition of Aeroplan was completed in 2019. On November 8, 2020, AC launched its new Aeroplan program, the brainchild of Scott O’Leary, Air Canada’s Vice President of Loyalty and Product, with a refreshed award chart, eliminating carrier-imposed surcharges, enhancing award policies, and improving the elite status program.

With access to over 1,300 destinations across 45 airlines, including 25 Star Alliance partners, the 40 year-old loyalty program offers flexibility and value, particularly for those aiming to travel internationally from the U.S. Aeroplan boasts over nine million members, with more than a million based in the U.S., who can book flights using points with no blackout dates and options for stopovers for as little as 5,000 points.

Aeroplan Rejuvenated

This week, Airways was invited to a media event in New York City hosted by AC. The airline used this opportunity to discuss its rejuvenated Aeroplan program with the media, just months after celebrating the revamped loyalty program's 40th anniversary. Alongside AC Client Relations Manager Justin Resuello, Etalk L.A. correspondent Liz Trinnear, and Managing editor of thepoitsguy.com Clint Henderson, O’Leary shared candid insights into the program's evolution.

After a stint at at United Airlines (UA) and Continental Airlines, with senior roles in eCommerce, loyalty, and customer experience, O’Leary now oversees the Aeroplan loyalty program and AC’s in-flight and ground product experiences, including their network of Maple Leaf Lounges and Signature Suites.

For context, O’Leary joined AC in 2017 and has held various leadership positions within the company. Before his current role, he served as Managing Director of Loyalty, where he led the redesign of the Aeroplan program after taking cues from Amazon Prime, Costco and other hotel-related loyalty programs. O’Leary also introduced a new lineup of travel and retail partnerships, and relaunched its portfolio of co-branded credit cards.

Back to Aeroplan. Today, the program allows members to redeem flights starting at just 6,000 points and offers competitive rates compared to many U.S.-based loyalty programs, particularly for North American and long-haul flights.

Unlike many loyalty programs, Scott noted that every seat on AC flights was available for purchase with points, even during peak times. He also added that rates could fluctuate dependent on demand and availability. As for connecting flights, U.S.-based members don’t need to connect through Canada on every route, making Aeroplan an attractive option for global travel.

When discussing how when booking flights, most Gen X use their laptops and most millennials use their mobile devices, the key concept for O'Leary is to make flight booking so quick that it can be done during “an elevator ride.” Users of the AC app can do just that, and also choose to pay with points or cash with a quick toggle of a button.

Enhanced Benefits Through Partnerships

The discussion also touched on the Chase Aeroplan Card partnership, which enables U.S. members to accumulate points rapidly. According to Resueldo, the sign-up bonus is up to 100,000 points, which can cover a business-class flight to Europe. Cardholders also benefit from free first-checked bags, no foreign transaction fees, and access to airport lounges.

Aeroplan members can also transfer points from American Express Membership Rewards, Capital One Miles, Bilt Rewards, and Chase Ultimate Rewards, amplifying earning potential.

On that note, O'Leary and Trinnear highlighted the program’s suitability for family groups, particularly its feature of allowing members to transfer points to one another. Additionally, families can collectively accumulate points for a single flight, catering to the needs of a single family member. This flexibility in sharing points with family and friends presents an appealing option for U.S. travelers.

Another interesting feature mentioned was the option for Aeroplan members to include a stopover during their international travel, although this perk is not available within the United States.

Finally, Aeroplan’s HotelSavers partnership offers up to 30% savings on points redemptions at over 7,000 hotels globally for members interested in more than just flights. Certain Aeroplan credit cardholders also enjoy a free hotel night after every four-night consecutive stay booked with points.

Key U.S. Departure Cities, International Destinations

Air Canada’s most frequented U.S. departure cities include New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Orlando, and Boston. Popular connections to Toronto outpace some domestic U.S. routes, with thousands of travelers preferring AC’s efficient flight options for transcontinental trips.

With the addition of the Maple Leaf Lounges at select U.S. airports, frequent and business-class travelers enjoy elevated comfort before boarding—Scott mentions here that all Aeroplan members can access the lounges using their points, so you don’t need to be a business-class traveler to enjoy them.

Scott briefly mentioned that while Europe and Asia are the top international destinations for Aeroplan members, he did notice an increase in flights to Greece. Afterward, Peter Arjona, Senior Sales Manager for Regional Sales, informed me that other markets like India were gaining traction. However, due to the ongoing regional conflicts, there was a temporary halt in the airlines’ capacity growth in those regions—AC cannot fly over Russian airspace.

Finally, the AC executives also highlighted the streamlined process to make connections as smooth and quick as possible. When making an international connection through a Canadian airport with AC, travelers usually stay in the same terminal building. Their checked baggage is automatically transferred to their connecting flight, and they go through a quick document check instead of a full customs clearance. U.S.-bound passengers can even pre-clear U.S. customs while still in Canada.

Streamlined Travel Experience

Travelers passing through Canada experience quicker passport checks and can use U.S. pre-clearance facilities at key Canadian airports. This enables Americans returning home to clear customs before their flight, reducing wait times upon re-entry to the U.S.

Air Canada has also set minimum connection times that differ based on traveler’s itinerary. For instance, Canada to international destinations requires a minimum of 40 to 60 minutes, depending on the connecting airport. Similarly, flights from the U.S. to international destinations need a minimum of 60 to 85 minutes.

Going further, international flights to international destinations have a minimum connection time of 40 to 60 minutes. For instance, when connecting from a U.S. flight to an international destination through Toronto, the minimum connection time is 60 minutes.

Air Canada History, Fleet, Connectivity

Air Canada, founded in 1937, initially operated as Trans-Canada Air Lines, offering a 50-minute international flight between Vancouver and Seattle. Over the years, the airline introduced several aviation innovations, including onboard oxygen systems, de-icing procedures, and the “black box” flight recorder. The airline would become a founding member of the Star Alliance.

According to Cirium data, AC’s fleet of 358 aircraft, including Boeing 777s, 787s, and Airbus A220s, operates over 1,000 daily flights, connecting U.S. passengers to destinations worldwide through Canada.

One that note, AC announced today that it would be expanding its direct flights between Canada and China. Despite the carrier’s efforts to increase capacity on other Asia Pacific routes, these flights remain significantly lower than pre-COVID levels. The airline stated that it will resume daily service from Vancouver to Beijing on January 15. Additionally, it will be increasing its Shanghai flights to daily service starting on December 7.

Air Canada's robust North American network, international connections through its airline partnerships, and customer-centered approach make it a top choice for U.S. travelers seeking efficient, streamlined international travel options.