FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Aeroplan expiry policies & tips on keeping points alive (2020 onwards)

Jul 21, 2020 | 12:56 am

#5

Adam Smith

Moderator, Air Canada; FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Feb 2015

Location: YYC

Programs: AC SE MM, FB Plat, WS Plat, BA Silver, Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, Accor Gold

Posts: 18,943

Quote:

Originally Posted by mahasamatman

It's so easy to keep your miles active, I'd say this is pretty insignificant.

For those of us who travel often, it's meaningless. But there are many people out there who don't fly much and may fly Basic fares (which don't earn mileage on most markets) when they do. I know a number of FOTSGs who have expired tens of thousands of Aeroplan miles each because they didn't pay much attention, and we get a bunch of posts here every year of people desperate to try to earn some miles before they expire or reinstate miles that have already expired.

Quote:

Originally Posted by miamiflyer8

Let's hope this policy is here to stay.

While the webpage that has the information doesn't say it, the e-mail they sent around makes it pretty clear these are long-term changes. Here's the e-mail in full. I've put the relevant passages in bold red.

Quote:

Dear [Adam Smith],

Our team is working diligently to bring you a transformed Aeroplan Program later this year, and I'm excited about the changes to come. When we asked our members what they wanted from Aeroplan, we heard some consistent themes: make Aeroplan easier to use, deliver more value for all members, and have more flexible policies.

We've been thinking a lot about how to address the expiration of miles, especially in a period where fewer people are traveling. With that in mind, we are now introducing three improvements specifically related to mileage expiration, ahead of the relaunch of Aeroplan later this year.

More time to keep your account active

While a formal change to the Aeroplan General Terms & Conditions will follow, effective today, we are waiving the current expiry provisions. Members will have 18 months to keep their accounts active – six months longer than before. All you have to do to stay active is earn or redeem a single mile. Keep in mind that, while travel is core to Aeroplan, there are hundreds of other options for keeping your account active every day, such as:

Shopping online with one of our over 150 retail partners
Redeeming for gift cards and merchandise
Donating miles to a participating charity
Buying miles to get to your next reward

Miles never expire for Aeroplan credit card holders

Also, don't forget – Aeroplan Miles never expire for those who hold any of our Aeroplan credit cards, as well as Air Canada Altitude members. This advantage is one of the many benefits available to them. Learn more

More flexible options to reinstate your Aeroplan Miles

Should your miles expire – not to worry. Within six months of your account becoming inactive, just fly on an eligible Air Canada ticket or get any Aeroplan credit card. We'll then reactivate all of those recently-expired Aeroplan Miles. Of course, you'll continue to have the option to reinstate your miles immediately, for a fee.

We also understand that many members were forced to adjust their travel plans due to COVID‑19, so we're taking additional action. If you purchased a trip with Air Canada with travel commencing anytime since January 2020 and you had to cancel your travel plans, we'll be happy to reinstate all of your Aeroplan Miles which have expired since the beginning of this year. Learn more

These improvements are just a small part of how we'll be transforming Aeroplan later this year. We look forward to sharing the many new opportunities for you to engage and participate in the program. These will help ensure that more accounts stay active and fewer miles ever expire. That's more satisfying for our members, and ultimately much healthier for Aeroplan.

Mark Nasr
Vice President, Loyalty and eCommerce

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