Air Canada Aeroplan Extends eUpgrade Validity & Lower SQD Discontinued 2022

Air Canada Aeroplan has already previously extended member tiers through the end of 2022 and today announced three changes to the program, one affecting members outside of Canada.

Aeroplan extends eUpgrade validity by two weeks from December 31 to January 15, allowing members to use them during the holidays. You won’t get a new membership kit unless you reach a higher tier in 2022. In addition, members residing outside Canada will no longer have a lower Status Qualifying Dollar requirement in 2022.

You can access Air Canada’s page for Aeroplan updates here.

Here are the changes announced today:

Elite Status Updates for 2022

eUpgrade Validity

To ensure members can more easily upgrade their travels over the holiday season, going forward, we are extending the validity date on eUpgrade credits by two weeks, from December 31 to January 15. This extension will also apply to unused credits earned over the course of 2021 and will be reflected in member’s eUpgrade account by the end of November. (We are targeting the third week of November to complete this update.)

2022 Membership Kit

Members will only receive a new membership kit for the coming year if they achieve a higher status than they currently hold in 2021. Otherwise, they can continue to use their 2021 luggage tags, and access their membership card via the Air Canada mobile app. For example, a member whose Aeroplan 75K Status is rolling over from 2021 to 2022 will not receive an additional membership kit in early 2022.

Status Qualifying Dollars

Members whose primary residence is located outside of Canada will no longer be able to qualify for status with 50% fewer Status Qualifying Dollars.

This means, starting in January 2022 and beyond, all members will need to reach the published Status Qualifying Dollar requirement to qualify. A few considerations here

• Note that this change impacts a small fraction of our international membership of Elite Status members. We are introducing this change to be fair and consistent across our membership base.
• In tandem with this change, we are also working on new ways to help all of our members earn Elite Status more quickly and easily in the years to come – in part due to the fact that we realize that travel plans in the coming months remain uncertain.

Note the following previously announced changes:

Aeroplan Elite Status and Priority Rewards Extension

A member’s current status, and any unused Priority Rewards issued through the end of 2021, will be extended to December 31, 2022.

Take note: this is a further extension of Priority Rewards. Earlier this year, we extended any unused Priority Rewards issued in 2020 through December 31, 2022. Now, any unused Priority Rewards issued in 2021 will be extended through that date as well.

Elite Status Rollover Benefits

A reminder that members who are the Primary Cardholder of an Aeroplan premium credit card will have their eligible Status Qualifying Miles and eUpgrade credits rolled over to 2022. Any rollover Status Qualifying Miles or eUpgrade credits that apply to your cardholder status will be posted to their account separately by the last week of January.

To be eligible for the rollover benefits, Status Members who are not already cardholders must be approved for a new Aeroplan premium credit card no later than December 15, 2021.

Aeroplan premium credit cards include the following:

• TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card
• CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card
• American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card
• American Express Aeroplan Business Reserve Card
• American Express Aeroplan Corporate Reserve Card

Select Benefits Reminder

Member’s still have until December 31, 2021, to choose this year’s Select Benefits.

Conclusion

The SQD change may affect a fraction of Aeroplan members but may make them consider twice which Star Alliance program to go with in the future.

Many programs have already discontinued physical membership kits, although I still like them for having the program benefit information in handy paper format.

Extending eUpgrade credits allows members to use them in the first two weeks of 2022 before they expire.