Good News, Bad News: Changes Coming to Air Canada Aeroplan

FlyerTalkers are taking exception to the changes coming in September 2019 for Air Canada’s Aeroplan program. The carrier will force flyers into only one stopover or one “open jaw” on a roundtrip award, while travel in the same continent will no longer allow stopovers.

Changes are coming to Air Canada’s Aeroplan program, after the airline re-purchased the loyalty program from private holding. And as with most changes, FlyerTalkers are not taking kindly to it. On the forums, flyers are taking notice of two key changes: the allowance of stopovers or “open jaw” itineraries on roundtrip award flights.

The full changes were detailed on the blog One Mile At A Time, which includes free refunds within 24 hours of booking and refunding award bookings within 21 days of departure. However, FlyerTalkers are frustrated at the ending of two program mainstays: stopovers and “open jaw” reservations.

Many flyers have used Air Canada’s Aeroplan miles to book miniature “around the world” trips through booking round trip flights with stopovers in select cities. But on September 1, 2019, those allowances are changing. After that date, travelers will only be allowed one stopover or one “open jaw” on international itineraries, down from either two stopovers or one stopover and one “open jaw” segment. And effective immediately, travel on the same continent is limited to no stopovers and one “open jaw” booking.

In addition, Aeroplan will cut “around-the-world” rewards. Currently, travelers can book these itineraries for as little as 200,000 Aeroplan miles, including five stopovers, one “open jaw” segment, with mandatory crossings over the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. After September 1, 2019, those itineraries will no longer be available within the Aeroplan program.

FlyerTalkers were quick to mourn the losses of the program. On the forums, member aeroman380 writes: “Sad news for us mini-RTW flyers. I was just planning another one for next year. I have one booked in September that I hope won’t change.” FlyerTalker eigenvector calls it an end of an era: “Glad I just burned my last 150K miles.”

But some are looking at the collective changes as a good thing. Member canadiancow writes: “The negative changes are called out as “temporary” for “system upgrades”, and the fee waivers for [Super Elites] are what certain members have always used to tout why [United Airlines is better. As someone who’s only used two stopovers once, and one of them was only 36 hours, I’m extremely pleased with these changes.”

What’s your take on the Air Canada Aeroplan changes? Make your voice heard on the FlyerTalk forums!

[Featured Image: Air Canada]