Aeroplan Premium Credit Cards: Spend Your Way to Elite Status!

Throughout all of 2021, we’ve wondered whether Aeroplan would take any steps to make it easier for members to qualify for a higher Aeroplan Elite Status level, given our largely curtailed flying activity throughout the first half of the year. 

Air Canada has already decided to extend everyone’s Aeroplan Elite Status levels into 2022 – but would we be offered any further incentives to achieve an even higher level of status? 

The answer has arrived today, and it’s a resounding yes. New and existing Aeroplan premium cardholders will be granted Aeroplan 25K status or a one-level upgrade to the next status tier upon spending only $10,000 on their cards over the coming months. 

Spend $10,000 on the Premium Credit Cards for Higher Elite Status

The offer applies to the following four Aeroplan co-branded credit cards in the premium family:

Aeroplan Premium Credit Cards
Credit Card Best Offer Value
Up to 95,000 Aeroplan points $1,147 Apply Now
85,000 Aeroplan points $858 Apply Now
Up to 80,000 Aeroplan points† $766 Apply Now
60,000 Aeroplan points $634 Apply Now

Existing Cardholders

Existing cardholders prior to today must first register for the offer via this link. 

Then, upon spending $10,000 on your Aeroplan premium credit card, you’ll earn the following status benefits depending on your Aeroplan Elite Status as of November 30, 2021:

  • Members with no status will earn Aeroplan 25K status for 2022.
  • Members with Aeroplan 25K, 35K, 50K, or 75K status will step up to the next Aeroplan Elite Status tier for 2022.
  • Members with Aeroplan Super Elite status will earn the following qualifying benefits towards their 2023 status:
    • 25,000 bonus Status Qualifying Miles
    • 25 bonus Status Qualifying Segments
    • 3,000 bonus Status Qualifying Dollars 

New Cardholders

Meanwhile, for new cardholders who sign up between now and October 1, 2021, there is no registration required.

Instead, upon spending $10,000 on your Aeroplan premium credit card, you’ll earn the following status benefits depending on your Aeroplan Elite Status as of November 30, 2021:

  • Members with no status will earn Aeroplan 25K status for 2022.
  • Members with Aeroplan 25K, 35K, or 50K status will step up to the next Aeroplan Elite Status tier for 2022.
  • Members with Aeroplan 75K or Super Elite status will earn the following qualifying benefits towards their 2023 status:
    • 25,000 bonus Status Qualifying Miles
    • 25 bonus Status Qualifying Segments
    • 3,000 bonus Status Qualifying Dollars 

As you can see, members all the way up to Aeroplan 75K status have the opportunity to bump up to as high as Super Elite status for 2022 if they were an existing cardholder prior to this offer’s launch.

If you get a premium Aeroplan credit card after this offer’s launch, the maximum status level you’ll be able to bump up to is Aeroplan 75K status.

Use eUpgrades from your Aeroplan Elite Status to upgrade to business class

Spending Window

Importantly, your window for spending $10,000 depends on when you had opened your card. 

Make sure to identify which criterion you fulfill and keep track of your spending during the correct window:

  • If you opened your card before January 1, 2021, then you must spend $10,000 between July 1 and October 15, 2021 to qualify for Aeroplan 25K status or the one-level status upgrade.
  • If you opened your card between January 1 and July 11, 2021, then you must spend $10,000 between July 1 and November 30, 2021 to qualify for Aeroplan 25K status or the one-level status upgrade.
  • If you open your card between July 12 and October 1, 2021 (i.e., you’re a new cardholder after this offer was released), then you must spend $10,000 by November 30, 2021 to qualify for Aeroplan 25K status or the one-level status upgrade (excluding to Super Elite).

Eligibility

Finally, the TD and CIBC offers are not available to residents of Quebec.

Quebec residents will need to spend $10,000 on one of the American Express premium credit cards to take advantage of the associated status benefits during this offer period.

Optimize Your Aeroplan Elite Status Strategy

Spend $10,000, get a higher level of Aeroplan Elite Status. Sounds pretty simple, right?

If you currently don’t have any status, then you’d be able to earn Aeroplan 25K status by spending $10,000 on your premium credit card by October 15 or November 30, depending on when you had opened the card.

That’s very generous on Aeroplan’s part, allowing many members to become newly-minted elites and enjoy the magic of eUpgrades for the first time in 2022.

Similarly, if an Aeroplan 50K member were to spend $10,000 on their premium card by October 15 or November 30, they’d be bumped up to Aeroplan 75K status for 2022 – something that many 50K members otherwise might not have been able to achieve this year. 

But since the one-level status bump applies to your Aeroplan Elite Status level as of November 30, 2021, there’s actually a bit of room to optimize further here with some mileage-, segment-, or dollar-runs.

Use Aeroplan Elite Status to access Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges

Let’s say you don’t currently have any status. What if you combined this spend-based incentive with the Everyday Status Qualification benefit, which also allows you to earn Aeroplan 25K status as a non-status member?

By racking up 100,000 Aeroplan points through eligible sources before November 30, 2021, you’d be bumped up to Aeroplan 25K status by virtue of your everyday engagement with the program – and then you’d be further bumped up to Aeroplan 35K status as a result of this spending promotion on the premium credit cards. 

Similarly, consider the situation facing an Aeroplan 50K member with the top two tiers within their sights. Taking a look at the Status Qualifying Dollar (SQD) requirements for 75K and Super Elite status, there’s clearly some juicy arbitrage to capture. 

If you can qualify for Aeroplan 75K status by November 30, 2021 by achieving 75,000 Status Qualifying Miles (SQM) or 75 Status Qualifying Segments (SQS) – perhaps with the help of the spend-based SQM/SQS on the Aeroplan credit cards – in addition to $9,000 SQD (or perhaps even $4,500 SQD as a foreign resident), then you’d be bumped up to Super Elite through 2022! 

With as little as $4,500 in SQD required in this situation, compared to the usual requirement for $20,000 SQD, there will probably never be a better time to get a taste of the Super Elite lifestyle in the future. 

The real winners here? Those who might’ve completed an Altitude 35K status challenge back in 2019, levelled up to Altitude 50K under Travel at Home in 2020, and now have the opportunity to bump up to Aeroplan 75K (or perhaps a heavily discounted Aeroplan Super Elite as outlined above) under these spend-based status offers in 2021.

Conclusion

The new spend-based status incentives on the Aeroplan premium credit cards are set to give most of us a significant boost towards a higher Aeroplan Elite Status tier through the end of 2022.

Depending on their status levels as of November 30, 2021, existing and new premium cardholders alike can earn entry-level Aeroplan 25K status, a one-level status bump, or a meaningful chunk of progress towards their 2023 status qualification with only $10,000 in spending during their offer period. 

Make sure to carefully digest the terms of the promotion and identify your correct offer period based on when you had opened your premium credit card. If you have an appetite for optimization, you’ll also want to ensure you move the correct puzzle pieces into place by November 30, so that your one-level status upgrade can perhaps take you further than one level. 

If you don’t currently hold an Aeroplan premium credit card, the best deal possible would be to apply for the Aeroplan Reserve or the Aeroplan Business Reserve during their spectacular summer offers until August 3, 2021.

The minimum spending requirements here would overlap with this offer period, allowing you to knock out two birds with one stone and spend towards 150,000 Aeroplan points and a higher Aeroplan Elite Status level at the same time. 

136 Comments
  1. J

    Thanks for providing this info Ricky. Today I got my status bump to 25K after spending 10K on my TD Aeroplan privilege card in 2021.

  2. Nick

    Did anyone get a confirmation email when they signed up for this promotion? I have the Amex Reserve and am sure I registered but have nothing in my email, and as of Jan 14 no status boost (from 25K to 35K).

    Also, is it possible to early qualify twice in a year? Ex, I’m at 25K now but will hit 35K in Feb and would hit 50K in April. Assuming I’d get 35K in Feb as early qualification, could I then also get 50K in April as a second early qualification?

    Appreciate the support on this!

  3. Neil

    My partner and I both achieved 25K status from 100K everyday spending on our AP Reserve cards and neither have us have received the boost to 35K yet after spending the 10K within our allotted time periods.

    1. Neil

      Our status boost upgrades to 35K came through finally! This time we will wait until July 1 to select our additional 10 eUps for the extended validity to Jan ’23.

    2. chuck

      I am waiting as well, I found the terms and conditions which say “ The higher Aeroplan Elite Status or Bonus Status Qualifying Miles, Bonus Status Qualifying Segments and Bonus Status Qualifying Dollars will be awarded by January 31, 2022.” I really could use them now.

    3. Tiffany

      I am in the same boat, but with the TD Infinite Privilege. Checking eagerly every day…

  4. Richard

    As of Jan 1, my Dashboard shows only 10,000 SQM and 10 SQS, and no SQD instead of 25,000 SQM and 3000 SQD which was promised.

    1. Franky

      Just another data point. I had 25K in 2021 (from the status extension in 2020), spent way over 10k before November and also did not get the upgrade to 35K yet. Anxiously check the dashboard everyday.

    2. Richard

      The dashboard is now correct as of Jan 4, 2022.

    3. Winnie Tam

      I have reached my 25k before Nov 21 and I get my card in Aug 21. I still have not received booster of one level. Should I contact Aeroplan or will it take sometime?

  5. Simon

    Looks like my P2 received their status boost on Dec 27 (from 35k to 50k).

    But my account has not been upgraded yet (I’m just 25k).

    Just a data point…

  6. Ryan

    Any update from anyone? I reached well over the $10K spend, but have still not been upgraded yet. I am at 75K, so really hoping this will get me to Super Elite!

  7. Sylvie Russell

    I’m looking forward to what will happen since I only received my AmEx Aeroplan Reserve card in early November. Registered my AP# and made the spending threshold by the 30, so fingers crossed I’ll be upgraded to 35K!

  8. Lee

    Ricky, please help me on this one. Getting through to Aeroplan at 4:15 am YVR time is still as hard as any time of the day…

    I most definitely qualified for the next level upgrade with my purchases during the required period of time, for me that period ending Oct. 15.

    I currently have 35k Status. Due to travel this past week I’m now 320 SQM and $41 from qualifying for Aeroplan 50k status as of today, November 24. Based on what you say, if I hit 50k status BEFORE November 30 (in just 6 days) I would be upgraded to Aeroplan 75k status with this promotion.

    Is that correct? Should I take a quick mileage run to hit 50k in the next few days before the cut off date of November 30? Then I can hit 75k status. It would be a shame to miss out on the next tier by a few miles and 40 bucks.

  9. Jonathan Riverin

    Hi! I just hit the 10k dillars on my card. Is the 25k statut gonna show automaticaly in my aeroplan app?

  10. long

    So sad, CIBC aeroplan infinite privilege card holder, I’m form Quebec, is there any way can help me to get my superelite?

    1. Ricky YVR

      Gotta get the Amex premium card in your case.

  11. Sylvia Anna Duckworth

    Totally bummed that this promo only applies to premium cards. I have an American Express® Aeroplan® Card so I guess I will miss out. 🙁

  12. CR

    “But since the one-level status bump applies to your Aeroplan Elite Status level as of November 30, 2021, there’s actually a bit of room to optimize further here with some mileage-, segment-, or dollar-runs.”

    Hi Ricky,

    Does the above quote also applies to those who’ve had the AP Reserve before Jan 1, 2021?

    If someone has no AP status and aims to get 35k status, they would need to achieve 100k pts under the everyday status qualification by Nov 30, 2021 and need to spend $10k on the AP reserve by Oct 15, 2021? Or do they need to achieve both 100k pts + $10k by Oct 15, 2021?

    Thanks in advance 🙂

    1. Ricky YVR

      Yes. Achieve 100K through EDQ by Nov 30, and spend $10K on a premium card by Oct 15.

      1. CR

        Understood. Thank you Ricky

  13. Lynnie

    Hey Ricky,

    Could you please confirm the source that confirms the eligibility of this promotion for new card holders after July 12th? I registered for the Amex Aeroplan reserve card on August 2nd and just called in to Aeroplan inquire about this promotion to confirm my eligibility. The representative on the phone told me that this promotion was actually only applicable for people who received the targeted email on July 12th (i.e. the card registration link for the promo), and not those who registered for one of the premium cards after July 12th. This is listed under sections A and B of the American Express terms and conditions in the offer promo link – https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/home/aeroplan/status/offer.html.

    This was a little disappointing to hear, but would you know if the promo eligibility for those who registered for a premium credit card after July 12th is a non marketed one? A couple of other blogs also stated that there is eligibility for new card holders after July 12th, so I’m really confused as to why this is not listed on Aeroplan’s site.

    Thanks a lot for all your hard work and advice Ricky! This is my first time commenting on your posts but they’ve definitely helped me a lot 🙂

    Lynnie

    1. Ricky YVR

      Sounds like another uninformed Aeroplan agent.

      I believe that the language about this offer has been added to Amex’s signup page after the red-hot summer bonuses expired on August 3, not before; however, you’ll still be eligible having signed up on August 2. I don’t think there’d be a written source in this case, but rest assured that new cardholders’ eligibility was confirmed directly by Air Canada.

      1. Chelsie

        Hi Ricky

        After two hours on the phone with aeroplan they are sticking to their guns that I am not eligible as a new card holder because I did not register. Did you have anything confirming this promotion for new card holders?
        Thank yoj

      2. Lynnie

        Wow ok, thank you Ricky. That’s very good to know! 🙂 fingers crossed everything will come through smoothly in Jan-22 then!

  14. Will

    Any idea when the 25K status takes effect? I broke the 10K spending in the 1st month (July) yet do not see status change in Aeroplan acct. Thx.

    1. Ricky YVR

      By January 31, 2022.

  15. Chris

    Hi,
    I have 2 existing premium credit cards but only received the email for the status boost challenge on one of them. Can I register on the link provided by the first card (TD) but spend the $10k on the other premium card (Amex) does it need to be on the same registered card?

    1. Ricky YVR

      All the emails point to the same link. If you register for the promotion on the landing page, it should allow you to spend $10k on any of your premium cards and earn the status boost.

  16. Sami

    Hello there, dose the aeroplane status update right after reaching the 10k spend? Or it kicks in on New Years.

    1. Ricky YVR

      It will be applied by January 31, 2022 latest.

  17. Pete

    Is this a targeted promotion?
    I have two existing premium Aeroplan cards and didn’t receive any email or information on the promo other then this article from Ricky.

    1. Ricky YVR

      It applies to all premium cardholders. If you didn’t receive an email, you can use the registration link above to register.

      1. Greg

        I called amex and they said that you could only earn the upgraded status on one card, you couldn’t stack them.

  18. Pete

    Team, for Super Elites.. does the $3,000 SQD apply to threshold gifts and earning our next Priority reward?
    Do these points only help status or do we actually get them in our account to redeem on flights?
    Finally, do these SQM count towards Million Miler?
    Cheers

    1. Ricky YVR

      Yes, the $3,000 SQD would apply towards the next Priority Reward since it’s just regular SQD.

      The SQM/SQS/SQD you get as a Super Elite for fulfilling this promotion is only SQM/SQS/SQD, not Aeroplan points.

      I would be surprised if the SQM counted towards Million Miler, as my understanding is that promotional SQM is generally excluded.

  19. Chris

    Hi Ricky,
    For new applications on the Amex regular application page, the “Advance your Status” benefit is clearly stated but when I check a referral link, I can’t see to see that benefit stated on the application page.
    Can you confirm if new applications (before Oct. 1) via a referral link will still get the “Advance your Status” benefit for spending $10k by end of Nov. 2021 even if it’s not visible on the referral application page?

    1. Tofu

      Hey Chris, curious to see if you went with the referral link approach?

      I ran into this situation myself until reading your post. Just got approved for the Reserve, hopefully the 10k spending is indeed valid to obtain the status upgrade for NOV 30.

    2. Ricky YVR

      Yes, it’s for all new applicants even if it’s via a referral link.

  20. Simon

    Hi Ricky,

    Thanks for the site; great info!

    It seems that there may be some strategy subtleties to these various status promotions that Air Canada is running…

    I am 25k, and I have already met the $10k spend target since July 1, so I will be granted a 1-tier status boost on January 31st.

    I am also currently sitting on SQM 28,000 + SQD $3200, so I have also already qualified for the 2022 Jump Start offer, and my SQM and SQD will carry forward to 2022.

    Reading the 1-tier boost promotion details, Air Canada says that I will enjoy that tier of status for 2022. However, normally if I achieve another tier in January of a year, I would enjoy that status for the rest of the year, PLUS the next year.

    I had originally though that I should make a mileage run to hit 35k prior to Nov 30th, but it occurs to me that might not be the best strategy…

    It would seem to me that it might be better to get upgraded to 35k in January 2022 on the $10k tier boost promotion, and then further leverage my rollover SQM/SQD to achieve 50k status sometime in the spring of 2022 so that I can keep the 50k status for all of 2022 and 2023.

    (If I do it the reverse order by hitting 35k prior to Nov 30th or this year, my 50k tier boost in January 2022 would only be good for the remainder of the year).

    Any thoughts about this? Is my logic faulty?

    1. Ricky YVR

      Very interesting layer to the promotion, Simon. I hadn’t considered it before. I agree that you’re perhaps better off waiting until 2022 to cross the threshold to 50K (and thus enjoy it for a two-year period) if you have organic elite-qualifying activity that you can count on to get you there.

  21. Richard

    Hi Ricky:
    Start Dates in your article might be switched.
    You say “ If you opened your card before January 1, 2021, then you must spend $10,000 between July 12 and October 15, 2021 to qualify for Aeroplan 25K status or the one-level status upgrade.“
    But a call into Amex confirmed the terms of the offer I got directly from Air Canada and the start date for the 10K spending is July 1 not July 12 for all cards issued prior to January 1, 2021.

    1. CT YOW

      Hi Richard and Ricky,
      I just chatted online with an Amex rep ( via Amex webpage secured line) and he confirmed that the start date for 10K spending is calculated/started on the date you registered your card, not on July 1. I argued that I received the promo email on July 12, would they calculate retroactively? He said no. Only on the date, you enrolled your card. he also stated that the promo sends out by solicited cases. I think that means targeted random card???

      1. Richard

        Hi CT:
        The info from the Amex Agent sounds correct. All of the Amex offers I’ve seen have both a range of dates applicable to the Offer but then state that the offer applies only to transactions made after registration. (Air Canada on the other hand doesn’t have software programs as sophisticated it would seem and only requires registration for the promotion during the Offer Period).
        I’m pretty sure that Ricky posted incorrect info in this section. Knowing how Amex operates, if you only signed up for the Reserve Card after July 1, there’s simply no way you could have registered or spent on the card on July 1. Whereas if you held the card before Jan 1, 2021, it makes sense to stipulate the beginning of the Offer Period as July 1st subject only to prior registration by you.
        In terms of the email you received, I believe the Offer had been made to you via their website and the email was just a reminder and not part of a targeted campaign.
        I hope Ricky weighs in at some point. He is an authoritative voice in a Promotion mired in needless complexity.

        1. Ricky YVR

          After reading the terms carefully, the July 1 start date should be correct for existing Amex cardholders prior to July 12 (when the offer went live). In both the Amex A and B offers, the “Offer Period” starts on July 1, and the terms state that the purchases must be made during the Offer Period. Meanwhile, for TD and CIBC’s A and B offers, the “Offer Period” starts on July 12 but the terms explicitly state that the spending period starts on July 1.

          You’re correct about how standard Amex Offers usually work, but this isn’t an Amex Offer; rather, it’s delivered on the Air Canada side. I’d place more stock in the terms and conditions than what Amex chat agents say.

          If you signed up for the card on, say, July 6, then obviously you couldn’t have spent anything on July 1, and July 6 would be your effective start date.

          1. Richard

            Thanks for the clarification regarding the July 1 start Ricky.

  22. Tony

    Hi ….

    I’ve read through the thread and am still confused on applicability of either the:
    A) Spend $10K by Oct 15 offer
    or
    B) Spend $10K by Nov 30 offer

    I held the TD VIP Visa prior to 2021 and received an email indicating A) offer above.

    But I also am a new Amex Aero Reserve holder in 2021 and received an email indicating B) offer above. However upon reading the terms listed on the email noticed the following clause:
    “Aeroplan members who are existing Premium Aeroplan credit cardholders as of December 31, 2020 are not eligible for this Offer. Premium Aeroplan credit cards include: American Express®* Aeroplan® Reserve Card, American Express®* Aeroplan® Business Reserve Card, TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite Privilege* Card and the CIBC Aeroplan® Visa Infinite Privilege® Card. ”

    Also on the actual Air Cda website noticed:
    “Members who held an Aeroplan premium credit card as of December 31, 2020, regardless of the credit card issuer are not eligible for this Offer.”

    I don’t see any other term further in the section that refutes this; therefore am I really eligible for B) offer through Amex; I’d prefer that route as I was planning on leveraging other spending this summer like “eats & drink”.

    Thanks!

  23. Alex Preo

    Hey Ricky, as a cardholder prior to Jan 1, 2021, do you know whether the offer has to be signed up for and THEN the spend starts accumulating in their system, or if I just signed up for the offer today but had 10k spend between July 1 and now, would that spend be counted as a part of the offer?

    Thank you!

    1. Ricky YVR

      The latter.

  24. Justine VO SMALL

    I have TD Privilege for years and 25k and I registered it fir the Rlite upgrade promo. I just got Amex Reserve after July 12th. Will the spending on both cards be combined or each card has to do the 10,000 spending by the deadline? Thank you Ricky

    1. Ricky YVR

      You need to do the $10k spending all on a single card to get the status bump. Doing the spend on both cards won’t get you anything extra.

  25. Alain

    i applied for the card on july 8, amex business reserve, haven’t got it yet. will be activated this coming week. will i need to register it ? date applied : is july 8, date activated : sometimes this week

    thanks and regards

    1. Ricky YVR

      It’s typically based on your approval date, so yes, register.

      1. Alain

        i got the new card (amex biz aeroplan) and activated it. i called aeroplan this morning and they don’t know which card is associated to the promotion. the only thing i know is that i got an email to activate the offer on my Amex aeroplan personal card that i already have for a while. any advice? shall i activate the offer i got on my old card? or what do you suggest? thanks and regards

  26. Sam

    If I held a TD Infinite Aeroplan (not privilege) and got a reserve after July 12, am I eligible for the new cardholder offer?

    1. Ricky YVR

      Yes!

  27. Ryan

    I recently received Visa Infinite Privilege card – it was approved on July 10th (and got email from Aeroplan confirming it was linked to my account) but I didn’t receive and activate the card until July 15th. I know some people that receive an email from Aeroplan asking them to register for offer but I haven’t but registered under that link nonetheless. Should I have received some confirmation or do you think I’m good to go?

    1. Ricky YVR

      If you’ve registered through the link, you should be good to go. You can always register again for peace of mind.

  28. Rachel

    I had a CIBC Premium Aeroplan VIP card since May 2020, and got a Amex Aeroplan Reserve this past month, so does this mean I can only get Offer B – spending 10K on the CIBC card? Problem being I already spent 6K on the Amex Aeroplan Reserve, and almost nothing on the CIBC card since July 1. Sigh.

  29. Richard

    Is it possible to get the Super Elite bump twice if prior to Jan 1, 2021 I held 2 premium cards?
    If not, and if I had 2 Amex Reserve Cards, how do I determine which one I need to spend $10K on?

    1. Ricky YVR

      The terms mention that it’s a one-time status bump. You can spend $10,000 on either card and it’ll kick in.

  30. David

    How is this a good offer for existing card holders when it says…

    “Aeroplan members who are existing Premium Aeroplan credit cardholders as of December 31, 2020 are not eligible for this Offer.”

    1. Ricky YVR

      Continue to read the terms.

      1. David

        Members from Quebec that already hold a premium card with TD or CIBC since before the start of the year are not eligible for any of the offers. Can’t even apply for the American Express offer since they are already existing cardholders of a premium card. Terrible promotion for those who have had the card the longest and happen to live in Quebec. There are 6 offers in total and current cardholders in Quebec can’t make use of any of them.

        1. Ricky YVR

          You can take advantage of American Express Offer B, which applies to existing cardholders from pre-2021 and doesn’t exclude Quebec.

          1. David

            for Offer B “(2) have acquired an American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card or American Express Business Reserve Card prior to January 1, 2021 and (3) have at least $10,000 in qualifying net purchases”

            Offer B of the American Express does not include existing cardholders of a CIBC or TD premium cards it only applies to those in Quebec that signed up before the beginning of the year for the American Express card not those who sign up later.

            Offer A from American Express does not work if someone from Quebec already had one of the premium CIBC or TD cards prior to the New Year so there are no offers that can be used.

            Offer A seems to be for those after the new year and Offer B for those before the new year. I wrote to Air Canada to complain and I’ll share their response. Maybe it’s a very small % of people in that situation but it’s discouraging. Probably wont sign up for any of the Aeroplan cards, maybe one of the regular ones.

  31. Mike

    Any clarification on whether $$$ spent already from July 1st – present will count towards this? Or only new spend from time of registering for the offer until November 30th?
    T+C didn’t really answer this for me.

  32. Diego

    How likely do you think this will persist next year?

    1. Ricky YVR

      Very unlikely. The elite ranks will be quite heavy in 2022, so they’ll definitely want those who aren’t “true” elites to drop off by 2023.

  33. William

    Also a question about 2-player mode. You mentioned going back and forth with referrals. Amex advised me that my Platinum welcome bonus was ‘once in a lifetime’. Does this somehow circumvent this? Thanks.

    1. Ricky YVR

      Each player can get the bonus once in their lifetime, so you get two bonuses as a household instead of one.

  34. William

    Just curious. Why do you value the Business Reserve over the regular Reserve card? I’m trying to decide between the 2. Thanks.

    1. Ricky YVR

      On the face of it, the Business Reserve earns you marginally more points once you’re done with it, since the spending requirement is higher. But the downside is also that the spending requirement is higher, which isn’t factored into the total calculation of points value.

      1. BigG

        Quick question . By achieving status this way does this allow the roll over of segments etc for next year or only if you achieve status through spend and miles etc? Thanks

      2. William

        Ok thx. I thought they were both 150k pts so equal….and the regular Reserve actually has a better referral.
        Will be using your link as usual 🙂

  35. Jay

    I am planning to book a flight ticket through Aeroplan as a “Standard reward” flight from Vancouver to Delhi(India) and I hold Amex Aeroplan reserve card. How many checked bags do I get without paying fees? Their luggage allowance calculator (https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/home/plan/baggage/checked.html) is confusing to me.

    1. Ricky YVR

      Unless you have 50K status or higher, it would be two checked bags.

      1. Jay

        Hi Ricky,
        When I check on their website, it says for Standard Reward Economy Flight, first bag is $75 and second bag is $100 which makes me confuse. (apologies for replying to the wrong tread initially! :()

  36. Pascale

    What a bummer for us Quebecers…I was so happy reading your article and then …you left me weeping on the floor.
    🙂

    1. Ricky YVR

      C’est dommage. The Amex cards are the way to go.

  37. Jim

    I’ve held the Reserve card since last November. If I do the spend by Oct 15 and jump from Altitude 75k to SE will I get the SE benefits for the balance of 2021 as well as 2022?

    1. Ricky YVR

      You’ll get SE benefits starting when the status is applied to your account, which can be as late as January 31, 2022.

  38. Beef Supreme

    If you were to find a friend that’s a 75k/SE and they gave you 35k/50k status for other considerations, would this bump you to the next level come November?

    1. Ricky YVR

      Yes.

  39. John

    I’d like to aim for everyday status plus this. I’d probably meet the $10,000 spend first.

    1. The status tier bump only happens on nov 30th, correct? And not once I hit $10,000.
    2. How long does it usually take to get everyday 25,000 status: instant or is there a delay? If a delay, how long?
    3. I know some things like amex points earned and e store points take a bit to credit to the Aeroplan account. If we met 100,000 by say nov 15th but stuff only posted december 5th, would this grant us everyday qualification for nov 15th and thus the $10,000 spend would boost up to 35,000 status?

    1. Ricky YVR

      1. Correct
      2. From a few data points I’ve heard, it can take about a few weeks. I’d aim to get the 100,000 points done as early as possible.
      3. The system would most likely apply the one-tier upgrade based on what it thinks your status is as of November 30. If there are delays in points posting that would bring you to 100,000 points / 25K status on November 30, it’d probably have to be a manual follow-up after the fact.

  40. Andre

    Another confusing thing in this promo is that it says you need to complete the spend before October 15, while its fine print says it should be before December 7. So which date is correct?

    1. Ricky YVR

      The spend needs to be completed by October 15 or November 30, depending on when you got your premium card. For 2021 Amex premium cardholders who need to complete their spend by November 30, the transactions must post to the account by December 7.

      Unnecessarily complicated? I agree.

      1. Andre

        Thanks for clarification, Ricky. By the way, it looks like spending window not necessarily falls into three categories you mentioned. I opened my Reserve card in 2020, however I’m given a window from July 1 (and not July 12) to October 15 according to my targeted email message.

        1. Ricky YVR

          Yeah it looks like it’s further broken down by issuer in terms of July 1 vs. 12. Mind-numbingly pedantic, but it is what it is.

          I’ll edit the article.

  41. Omar YYZ

    Ricky,
    Already having the Amex Reserve card, Im assuming that once I complete my grocery spending with the 10x pt event, I’ll have another 50000 points added to my account. To reach the 100000 pt goal to earn 25K status before my Oct 15,21 deadline, would it be prudent to apply for the Bus reserve card as well and take advantage of the 10x pts on dining and gas there? Even though I’m looking at a $599, the 50000 pts would put over 100000. I would get the 25K status, then I can shoot for the 35K upgrade on Nov 30th

    1. Omar YYZ

      Ricky,

      Just read the terms and conditions. I dont we are eligible if we opened the account in 2020. Also, Signing up now for a new card doesnt appear to work either as the deadline was July 11, 21
      Am I missing something here??

      1. Ricky YVR

        You’re eligible under Offer “B” of the Amex Aeroplan Reserve, not Offer “A”.

        1. Dan

          Offer B states that you must have acquired the card before January 1st 2021.

          The following terms and conditions apply to the Advance your Status Offer (the “Offer”) that will take place from July 12, 2021 to October 15, 2021 (“Offer Period”):

          To qualify for this offer you must; (1) register for the Offer by October 15th, 2021 and (2) have acquired a TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite Privilege* Card before January 1, 2021 and (3) have at least $10,000 in qualifying net purchases (the “eligible minimum spend requirements”) charged to your account between July 1, 2021 and October 15, 2021. This Offer is only available to the Primary Cardholder of the new TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite Privilege* Card account. The Aeroplan member and the Primary Cardholder of such the eligible TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite Privilege* Card account must be the same person.

          1. Ricky YVR

            Exactly, “before January 1, 2021” = in 2020.

            1. Dan

              Offer A states that you must have acquired the card between January 1st and July 11th 2021, so by the sounds of it, a new card member who applies now is not eligible for this offer.

              o qualify for this offer you must; (1) register for the Offer by November 30, 2021 and (2) have acquired an American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card or American Express Business Reserve Card between January 1, 2021 and July 11, 2021

                1. Dan

                  Thanks Ricky. Although there doesn’t seem to be a hugh difference between 25k and 35k, it’s only an extra $4k on top of the MSR so it’s probably worth doing. Who knows what the future will bring, maybe there will be another opportunity to jump a status level easily next year.

              1. Ricky YVR

                Oh I see – I was responding on the “in 2020” portion of Omar’s question, although you were asking me about new applicants.

                New applicants don’t need to register on that page. The terms and conditions for new applicants is supposed to go live shortly on a different page and I’ll share it here when it does. Rest assured new applicants will get the offer as well.

                1. Daveh

                  But since I already have a TD Infinite Privilege card, I don’t believe I can qualify if I get the Amex Reserve Aeroplan card and since I live in Quebec I think I am out of luck.

                  1. Ricky YVR

                    You can still qualify if you get the Amex Aeroplan Reserve.

                    1. Daveh

                      Should I wait until the promotion for new cardholders goes live or will it be grandfathered to July 12 th and after?

                    2. Ricky YVR

                      It’s live now as of July 12, the marketing terms just haven’t been put up yet. You can go forth and apply.

        2. Omar YYZ

          Unless there is a typo error by Air Canada, part “B” under the Amex section stipulates the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite Privilege* Card, not the AMEX Reserve card. Its a duplicate of what is indicated under the TD section.

          hence..my confusion 🙁

          1. Ricky YVR

            The error is corrected now.

          2. Ricky YVR

            Yes, that’s a typo and will be updated to reflect the Amex T&Cs.

  42. Simergy

    I just read the terms and conditions and it shows existing card holders as of December 31, 2020 are NOT eligible for this offer. Only available to those who received a card in the 2021 year.

    1. Ricky YVR

      Reread them. There are two separate offers for cardholders who opened their cards in 2021 and 2020.

      1. Tony

        Can someone direct me to the terms where these two separate offers are listed?

        1. Mike

          Hello Ricky,

          Do you have any tips on reaching the 10k spending. I have til Nov 30th to spend another $5400 which is just over a month.

          Will ths hotel trick work to by myself more time?

          Any other ways?

  43. Gustav

    Considering the offer and registration was only announced today (july 12) I am assuming AP will count back and include spend posted since July 1 onwards (even before registration). Will the status upgrade be applied immediately on hitting 10K spend- or will it be deferred until Nov 30th to kick in?

    1. Ricky YVR

      Yes, for cardholders who opened their cards in 2021. Status will be applied by January 31, 2022, based on your status level as of Nov 30 2021.

  44. David

    Thanks Ricky and Team !

    If am am starting from Zero and I’ve have the Aeroplan Reserve for 2 weeks, can you please explain exactly what my options are to get Status ?

    I understand the “Boost to 25K” or 1 level more but I don’t really understand how spending works with SQM, SQS, SQD, AQM, etc.

    IE: How much would I need to spend on my Reserve to get > 25K Status, is there more than 1 option ?

    Thanks !!!!

    1. Ricky YVR

      You’d need to earn 100,000 Aeroplan points through eligible sources (i.e., excluding signup bonuses and credit card points transfers) to bump up to Aeroplan 25K by your deadline through the Everyday Status Qualification (EDQ) benefit, and then your spend-based incentive would kick in to boost you to 35K.

      Here’s something simple you could do: get both the personal and business Aeroplan Reserves (you have the personal already). Then spend $5,000 on food and drinks on both cards, giving you 50,000 points each under the 10x promotions, netting you the 100,000 points you need to earn Aeroplan 25K status through EDQ.

      Then, spend a further $5,000 on either card (in any category) to reach $10,000 in all purchases for the one-level status bump.

      1. Beef Supreme

        So you can’t double-dip by getting the 10k spend on both cards?

        1. Ricky YVR

          No.

      2. Tyson

        Wouldn’t it be tight timeline to get Aeroplan 35k? Assuming you can spend both Aeroplan Reserves 10x promo, you still would need EDQ status to reflect by November 30th. Is it a given that Aeroplan Status is effective immediately after meeting EDQ 100k AP or by the time it’s awarded to the member? Looks like lots of milestones and very dependent on getting status 25k first and then triggering boost for $10k annual spend. Not impossible but some caveats.

        1. Ricky YVR

          Most data points indicate that it’s taken a few weeks for EDQ to kick in. So I’d aim to get the 100K done by around mid-November to avoid having to manually follow up about this after it’s all over. Some caveats, for sure.

  45. Ron Sigal CAL

    What if you have two premium cards, e.g. Amex Aeroplan Reserve and TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege? Does it matter which card reaches the $10,000 spend first? Can you pool your spending across the two cards to reach $10,000, or does it have to be on one card?

    1. Ricky YVR

      It needs to be $10,000 on one card.

      1. Xi'an Reda

        Ricky,
        Again gold platinum premium content in here. I feel like this website needs a monthly
        membership!!! Because of your video I became credit cards and points maximizer a bit of regrets starting while I’m outside Canada.
        Anyways follow up questions.
        Can we link let’s say The Aeroplan core charge card with the Amex reserve and basically spread the 5000$ on each cards? Is this something doable? Not exactly sure how linking to Amexs works ?
        Merci

        1. Ricky YVR

          Premium membership you say?

          https://patreon.com/princeoftravel

          (We’ll be moving this onto the site itself shortly to give you a more integrated membership experience, too.)

          No, you can’t link the Aeroplan cards together to pool the spending. The $10,000 spend has to be completed on one of the premium cards.

          1. Xi'an Reda

            Do we get any discount for non Canadian resident? A kind of SQD style:D

            1. Ricky YVR

              Not in this case, although the SQD discount for non-Canadian residents feels generous enough 😉

              1. Xi'an Reda

                Gold it is as a start.

  46. Jane

    I love puzzles like this. If I’m understanding the terms correctly it looks like a 75k Elite would need to get more SQD even after the 10K spend in order to qualify for 100K SE. The 10k promo spend seems to only give 3000 SQD and not enough to bump you up to that tier.

    1. Jane

      Oops! I missed the distinction between existing cardholders and new cardholders. Existing cardholders can leap from 75k to 100k but new cardholders can’t. This truly is a great shortcut to 100k SE status. Les will not be happy!

      1. Ricky YVR

        Correct.

  47. RWrubel

    Can you put 10k in purchases over 2 of the premium cards or does it have to be 10k on one card?

    1. Ricky YVR

      Has to be $10,000 on one card.

  48. YYC Flyer

    Does the $10k spend have to be on one card or is it cumulative spend between all the cards? I assume the former, and if so is there an opportunity to spend $10k on one card, then grab another one to bump your status up another level? Not that I have $20k spend between now and November haha, just curious.

    1. Ricky YVR

      It can’t be double-upped because it’s all based on your status as of November 30, 2021.

  49. farzanhaq YYZ

    Do the purchases need to be charged to the premium card, or can they charged to any co-branded Aeroplan card as long as you also hold a premium card?

    1. Ricky YVR

      They need to be charged to the premium credit card.

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