Aeroplan SQC Bonus: 6 SQC per Dollar on Flights to Europe Until October 11
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Air Canada is offering select Aeroplan members an SQC bonus: 6 Status Qualifying Credits (SQC) per dollar instead of 4 on Premium Economy and Business Class fares between Canada and Europe booked from October 5 to 11, 2026. Travel must be completed by November 30, 2026.
The offer is targeted. Only members who received the Air Canada email qualify, and no registration is required. If you are chasing an Aeroplan Elite Status tier before the qualification year ends, this bonus cuts the spend needed for each block of SQC by a third.
What the Offer Includes
The bonus comes on top of the SQC you already earn on these fares:
- Bonus: 2 extra SQC per dollar, for a total of 6 SQC per dollar
- Booking window: October 5, 2026 at 12:01 a.m. (Newfoundland time) to October 11, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. (Pacific time)
- Travel window: October 5 to November 30, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. (Pacific time)
- Eligible fares: Premium Economy Basic, Standard and Latitude, and Business Class Basic, Standard and Latitude
- Eligible members: Aeroplan members targeted by email, in good standing at the time of travel
- Cap: the terms do not state any cap on bonus SQC
Eligible Flights and Itineraries
The bonus applies to Air Canada-operated flights between Canada and Europe, including flights operated by Air Canada Rouge and under the Air Canada Express banner. Connecting itineraries also count when they start in Canada, the United States (including Hawaii), Mexico, the Caribbean or Europe, include travel between Canada and Europe, and every segment is operated by Air Canada.
Your booking must be new, paid in cash, and cover a round trip or two one-way trips. A booking created before October 5 and then changed to fall within the travel window does not count.
- Economy fares: Basic, Standard, Flex, Comfort and Latitude
- Aeroplan flight rewards, including Points + Cash bookings
- Unlimited Flight Pass purchases
- Codeshare and interline flights, and flights operated by any other partner airline
- Bookings created before October 5, 2026, even if changed later
How Many SQC the Bonus Earns
Your SQC are calculated on the base fare and carrier-imposed surcharges, excluding taxes, government fees and third-party charges. In Premium Economy and Business Class, the regular rate is 4 SQC per dollar.
Take a Montreal (YUL) to Paris (CDG) round trip in Business Class Standard with $2,000 in eligible fare. It normally earns 8,000 SQC. With the offer, 4,000 bonus SQC are added, for 12,000 SQC in total.
Put another way: 1,000 SQC normally take $250 in eligible fare. With the bonus, it takes about $167.
| Eligible fare | Regular SQC (4 per dollar) | Bonus (2 per dollar) | Total with the offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| $1,000 | 4,000 | 2,000 | 6,000 |
| $2,000 | 8,000 | 4,000 | 12,000 |
| $3,000 | 12,000 | 6,000 | 18,000 |
| $4,000 | 16,000 | 8,000 | 24,000 |
| $5,000 | 20,000 | 10,000 | 30,000 |
Bonus SQC are credited separately from regular SQC, up to 6 weeks after you fly.
Who Should Book
The 2026 annual Aeroplan Elite Status thresholds:
- Aeroplan 25K: 25,000 SQC
- Aeroplan 35K: 35,000 SQC
- Aeroplan 50K: 50,000 SQC
- Aeroplan 75K: 75,000 SQC
- Super Elite: 125,000 SQC
The bonus is most useful when you are a set distance from your next tier. A member sitting at 35,000 SQC who books a Europe round trip with $2,500 in eligible fare earns 15,000 SQC under the offer, exactly what it takes to reach 50K. Without the bonus, that would take $3,750 in eligible fare.
Price both cabins. Premium Economy and Business Class earn the same 6 SQC per dollar, so Business Class only earns more per trip because it costs more. Pick the fare that lands closest to your target without overshooting by much. Our roadmaps to Aeroplan Elite Status with Air Canada flights walk through more scenarios.
Your Aeroplan credit cards keep adding SQC alongside your flights. Premium cards, such as the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Credit Card and the American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card, earn 1,000 SQC per $5,000 spent. Core cards, such as the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card, earn 1,000 SQC per $20,000. The combined total is capped at 25,000 SQC per calendar year across all cards. With American Express, you can check whether you would be approved before you apply, with no impact on your credit score. Our list of the best credit cards compares the options.
| Credit card | Annual fee | Welcome offer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| $599 | |||
| $599 | |||
| $0 | |||
| $120 |
The bonus only applies to SQC. Aeroplan points are earned as usual, starting at 1 point per dollar on Air Canada flights, multiplied by your status.
Before You Book
- Make sure you received the offer email: without it, the bonus does not apply.
- Add your Aeroplan number to the booking before departure, in Manage My Bookings or at check-in. Retro-credit requests are not eligible.
- Avoid codeshare flights and partner-operated connections: only the Air Canada-operated segment would earn the bonus, and only if it meets the other conditions.
- The offer can be combined with other current promotions, subject to their own terms.
- SQC do not count toward Million Mile recognition.
Bonus SQC are credited up to 6 weeks after your flight. For a trip in late November, they may post after December 31, when the qualification year ends. If your requalification depends on it, check with Aeroplan which year the bonus will count toward.
Bottom Line
If the email landed in your inbox and a trip to Europe before November 30 was already on your list, book your Premium Economy or Business Class fare before October 11 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific time: every dollar earns 6 SQC instead of 4. If you were not planning to go, the bonus alone does not justify a trip. To catch the next SQC promotion, sign up for our newsletter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who qualifies for the SQC bonus on flights to Europe?
Only Aeroplan members who received the Air Canada offer email qualify. No registration is required, but your account must be in good standing at the time of travel. Without the email, you will not receive the 2 bonus SQC per dollar.
Do bonus SQC count toward Milestone Benefits?
Yes. Air Canada awards a Milestone Benefit for every 10,000 SQC earned, up to 200,000 SQC, and the offer terms present SQC as the path to Aeroplan Elite Status and Milestone Benefits. A round trip with $2,000 in eligible fare earns you 12,000 SQC instead of 8,000, enough to clear one more milestone.
Does the bonus stack with SQC from Aeroplan credit cards?
Yes, they are two separate sources. Aeroplan premium credit cards earn 1,000 SQC per $5,000 in spending, up to 25,000 SQC per calendar year, on top of the SQC you earn in the air. Paying for the ticket with an Aeroplan card also earns you points on the purchase.
Are Economy Flex or Latitude fares eligible?
No, no Economy cabin fare is eligible, including Flex, Comfort and Latitude. Only Premium Economy and Business Class Basic, Standard and Latitude fares earn the 2 bonus SQC per dollar.
Does a connection from the United States qualify for the bonus?
Yes, as long as every segment is operated by Air Canada and the itinerary includes travel between Canada and Europe. Itineraries starting in the United States, Mexico, the Caribbean or Europe are eligible. A segment operated by a partner or sold as a codeshare does not earn the bonus.
Can I use Aeroplan points to take advantage of the offer?
No, you must pay for the ticket in cash. Aeroplan flight rewards, Points + Cash bookings and Unlimited Flight Pass purchases are excluded from the SQC offer.
When do bonus SQC appear in my Aeroplan account?
Bonus SQC are credited separately from regular SQC, up to 6 weeks after your flight. For a late-November flight, they may post after December 31. If your requalification depends on it, check with Aeroplan which qualification year the bonus will count toward.
