Program Guides
How to Transfer Amex Points to Aeroplan (and When Not To)
American Express Membership Rewards points transfer to Aeroplan at 1:1: 1,000 Amex points become 1,000 Aeroplan points. That one door is why we value Membership Rewards at 1.9¢ a point instead of the 1¢ you get from a statement credit. Here's how to make the transfer, and the one rule that matters more than the steps.
The rules at a glance
| Rule | Amex to Aeroplan |
|---|---|
| Ratio | 1 Membership Rewards point = 1 Aeroplan point |
| Minimum | 1,000 points |
| Increments | 100 points |
| Speed | Often instant; can take a few days |
| Reversible? | No. Points can't come back to Amex |
| Which cards | Cards that earn Membership Rewards, including the Cobalt, Gold Rewards, Platinum, Green, Business Gold and Business Platinum |
Amex's Aeroplan co-brand cards (the Aeroplan Card and Aeroplan Reserve) are a different thing: they earn Aeroplan points directly, so there's nothing to transfer.
Find the flight before you move a single point
Transfers are one-way. Once points are in Aeroplan, they can only be used the way Aeroplan allows, and they're exposed to whatever Aeroplan does next, as its June 2026 chart change showed. Points sitting in Membership Rewards keep every option open: Aeroplan, British Airways Avios, Air France KLM Flying Blue, or a statement credit.
So the order is always:
- Price the trip. Our Aeroplan flight reward calculator shows what a route costs on Air Canada's published chart, so you know roughly how many points you need.
- Find an actual seat. Search for the reward on aircanada.com while signed in to Aeroplan. Partner flights follow the fixed chart when a seat is available; Air Canada's own flights are priced by demand and can cost more than the chart's starting figure.
- Then transfer exactly what you need, rounded up to the next 100.
How to make the transfer
- Join Aeroplan if you haven't. It's free, and you'll need your nine-digit Aeroplan number.
- Sign in to your Amex account online or in the Amex app and open Membership Rewards.
- Choose to transfer points to a frequent flyer program, and pick Aeroplan.
- Enter your Aeroplan number the first time. Use an account in your own name.
- Enter the number of points (at least 1,000, in multiples of 100) and confirm.
- Check your Aeroplan balance. Many transfers arrive instantly. If nothing has arrived after a few business days, call Amex before you call Aeroplan: the transfer starts on their side.
Want the points in a partner's or parent's Aeroplan account? Check Amex's terms before trying, since transfers are designed to go to your own account. The cleaner route is usually to transfer to yourself and pool balances through Aeroplan Family Sharing, which is free and lets up to eight household members redeem from one balance.
Don't wait for a transfer bonus
Amex Canada runs transfer bonuses from time to time, but they're rare for Aeroplan; Milesopedia's guide to Amex transfers calls Aeroplan promotions almost nonexistent. The precedent this year was a 25% bonus to Flying Blue, not Aeroplan (details in our transfer partners guide). If a good seat is available today, take it rather than holding out for a bonus that may not come.
A small transfer keeps Aeroplan points alive
Aeroplan points expire after 18 months with no activity, and Air Canada's pause on expiry ends November 30, 2026. Converting points in from another program counts as activity, so a 1,000-point transfer from Amex resets the clock for your whole Aeroplan balance. If you're not sure where your account stands, check it with our expiry checker.
Is Aeroplan the right door?
For most Canadians, yes. Aeroplan gets you Air Canada and its Star Alliance partners with no fuel surcharges, and it sets the ceiling on what an Amex point is worth. The two other 1:1 airline doors suit narrower trips: Avios for short partner flights on American or Alaska, and Flying Blue for Europe on Air France or KLM. Our transfer partners guide ranks every option, including the hotel transfers that usually lose value.
If you don't have a trip in mind, don't transfer at all. Membership Rewards don't expire while your card is open, and a point you haven't moved can still go anywhere.
Transfer ratio, minimum, increments and timing are from our transfer partner data, verified against Amex Canada's partner list, and from Prince of Travel's Canadian Membership Rewards guide (updated September 24, 2026). The rarity of Aeroplan transfer bonuses is Milesopedia's assessment (September 2026). Aeroplan's expiry rule is from Air Canada's own pages, checked October 5, 2026. Valuations are editorial estimates: The Points Standard Index. Published October 6, 2026.