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Starting next year, qualifying for Aeroplan Elite Status in 2026 will be different as Air Canada is introducing a new elite status qualification system: Status Qualifying Credits (SQCs) will replace the previous qualifying miles, segments, and dollars.
This change makes earning status simpler: no matter how far you travel, only the amount you spend will now count toward your progress.
The good news is that you can earn SQCs not only with your Air Canada flights, but also through credit card purchases, partner bookings, and even your shopping on the Aeroplan eStore.
In this article, we explain how to earn SQCs, outline the status thresholds with examples for each tier, from 25K all the way to Super Elite.
Starting in 2026, SQCs will replace qualifying miles and segments for achieving Aeroplan Elite Status. In practice, accumulation is based solely on the amount paid and the fare type.
The core of your accumulation comes from your Air Canada flights:
Even though the Standard fare earns fewer SQCs, it remains a valuable option for budget-conscious travellers, especially when combined with other sources of SQCs.
With various partners including travel, hotel, and the eStore, there is an annual cap of 25,000 SQCs, and you will earn:
Examples:
Take advantage of 5X, 7X, 10X or higher promotions on the eStore to maximize your partner SQCs, especially if you’re planning major electronics or fashion purchases.
Some Aeroplan credit cards offer major leverage:
So, for $60,000 in annual spending you’ll get 12,000 SQC with a high-end card like the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite Privilege* Credit Card. Whereas, to achieve the same result with a mid-range card like the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card, you’d have to spend $240,000. The accumulation limit is 25,000 SQC for Aeroplan credit cards.
The following examples show how different profiles, from occasional leisure travellers to frequent business travellers, can reach each tier.
These scenarios include cases with Standard and Flex fares or higher, as well as strategies that combine flights, credit cards, and partners.
25K status is the first level of the Aeroplan Elite program. It is earned by accumulating 25,000 SQCs in a calendar year.
The most direct way remains booking flights: 25K status can be achieved after spending a minimum of $6,250 on Flex or premium fares, or $12,500 on standard fares. Depending on your profile, there are several strategies for reaching this tier by combining travel and daily spending.
A traveller who flies for leisure two to three times per year and books Standard fare tickets will earn few SQCs from flights, and will therefore need to compensate with significant spending on their credit card. For example:
This traveller will be able to reach 25K status, but in terms of spending, they still had to spend a significant amount to achieve it. So unless you have a lot of expenses to put on a premium credit card, you’ll need to travel much more frequently to meet the $12,500 spent on Standard fares, or choose to travel in more comfort with Flex fares.
For a business traveller, reaching elite status can be achieved very quickly, especially with business class tickets on long-haul destinations. And if your employer covers the cost of the tickets, earning status becomes even more accessible. For example:
The 25K threshold is thus crossed in a single trip: a high amount, but the quickest and “cheapest” way to obtain status.
It’s possible to earn Aeroplan 25K Elite Status without flying, thanks to the Everyday Qualification option. The concept is simple: accumulate 100,000 base Aeroplan points within a calendar year.
These points can come from flight tickets, your credit cards, or Aeroplan partners. With a premium co-branded Aeroplan card, such as the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite Privilege* Card or the American Express® Aeroplan®* Reserve Card, you earn 1.25 points per dollar spent.
So an annual spend of $80,000 on one of these cards is enough to reach 100,000 base points, and thus 25K status… without ever setting foot on a plane. You also receive 1,000 SQCs for every $5,000 spent, i.e. 16,000 SQCs for $80,000 spent, useful for unlocking Milestone Benefits.
It’s possible for big spenders, but more expensive than aiming for a $6,250 Flex ticket.
Welcome bonuses and point transfers do not count towards the 100,000 points.
Finally, if you hold Titanium or Ambassador status with Marriott Bonvoy, you can benefit from a status match with Aeroplan and automatically receive 25K status.
To obtain the 35,000 SQCs required for 35K status, you need to spend a minimum of $8,750 on Flex or higher fares, or $17,500 on Standard fares.
As with the 25K, it’s difficult to reach 35,000 SQC on standard flights alone. If you don’t have as many daily expenses, you can optimize your Aeroplan eStore purchases during major events when multipliers can be very high, such as back-to-school or Black Friday.
For example:
Frédéric, a member of the Milesopedia team, took advantage of various promotions (10x points with his credit card, up to 10x points through the eStore, and Amex promotional credits) to maximize his Aeroplan points on purchases he needed to make anyway.
In fact, he was able to earn approximately 55,000 Aeroplan points for less than $3,000 in spending thanks to a variety of promotions.
Result: 35,000 SQC earned with a long-haul flight and partner spending for less than $10,500, which is more than just a single Flex fare or two, but potentially more attainable.
Earning Aeroplan 35K status without setting foot on a plane is possible if you leverage two sources of points accumulation:
An annual premium card spend of $125,000 already earns you 25,000 SQCs. All that’s left to do is earn an additional 10,000 SQC through partners, which equals 50,000 Aeroplan points.
Ideas for reaching those remaining 10,000 SQCs:
With this approach, you reach 35K without flying.
Once at this level, the shortest and least expensive route is to spend $12,500 on Flex or higher rates, or $25,000 on standard rates.
For occasional travellers, to make up for limited spending, it’s better to choose Flex fares or higher.
Given that it’s possible to find business class flights to Europe between $5,000 and $8,000, depending on the season, then you could reach 50K status with two flights in the luxury of Air Canada business class. For example:
Another option is to prioritize flights booked in Economy Latitude fare. These flights are eligible for upgrades using eUpgrade credits. You could also use an Air Canada Worldwide Companion Pass to travel with your partner and earn SQC at an accelerated rate. This approach can be more cost-effective, considering you get (almost) two tickets for the price of one, giving you a significant boost toward your status goals.
As explained above, you can combine different SQC sources.
Aeroplan 50K status can be earned without travelling by following the same strategy as for 35K status, but you need to fully maximize both annual earning caps.
Specifically, you need to:
If you reach both ceilings (25,000 SQC card + 25,000 SQC partner), you’ll earn 50K status without ever having to fly.
Aeroplan 75K elite status requires 75,000 SQCs in the calendar year. Applying the maximum multiplier (Flex and higher fares), this represents $18,750 in Flex or Business tickets to reach this threshold. Standard fares would require $37,500 in flight expenses.
At this level, it’s not possible to achieve status without travelling. However, you can still combine different sources of SQC if you don’t want all your spending to go towards flights.
If I go back to the examples given in the previous section, two flights in business class can earn you more than 50,000 SQCs. To find the missing 25,000 SQCs, you can maximize the SQC earning cap through Aeroplan partners, take advantage of the SQC cap available with a credit card, or use a combination of both methods. For example:
The Holy Grail of the Aeroplan program, Super Elite status, is reserved for the most frequent travellers… or the most ingenious (spending) strategists.
To earn it, you need to accumulate 125,000 SQCs in a calendar year.
As with other status levels, SQC can be combined from flights, credit cards, and partner activity. However, just like Aeroplan 75K Elite Status, it’s not possible to qualify for Super Elite status through non-flight spending alone.
Until now, Super Elite members could carry over up to 200,000 excess SQMs to the following year. Starting in 2026, the rollover will be on the basis of 5 SQM = 1 SQC. In concrete terms, you could start the year with 40,000 SQC if you have a premium credit card, depending on your travel profile in 2025.
Here is an example of a strategy in 2026:
For members who were already driving 200,000 SQMs a year, the transition won’t be too difficult. But from 2027 onwards, things get tougher: turnover will be limited to 10% of accumulated SQCs. So a Super Elite who reaches 125,000 SQCs in 2026 will start the following year with only 12,500 SQCs.
There are no shortcuts and no free passes: achieving this status will remain expensive. Frequent business travellers will have the advantage, as their habits involve regular flights, which are often flexible… and therefore more expensive.
The move to the SQC system simplifies qualification, but is now based on a single principle: every dollar counts. Yes, it is possible to achieve high status without travelling every week, by combining Air Canada flights, partner purchases and credit card spending… but this often involves very high amounts.
This is where you need to reflect: is it really worth it? If the only goal is to achieve status, but you don’t travel much afterwards, you may not be able to take full advantage of your hard-earned (and expensive) benefits. Aeroplan status levels are most rewarding for those who fly frequently enough to take advantage of upgrades, lounge access, and other benefits.
For many, another strategy may make more sense: focus on earning Aeroplan points directly with a co-branded Aeroplan credit card or a Membership Rewards points card, such as the American Express Cobalt® Card, which allows you to transfer points to Aeroplan. These points can then be redeemed for business class flights or a variety of premium benefits without chasing elite status and often at a lower overall cost. Also, consider whether the perks you’re seeking with status could be accessed simply by holding the right credit card.
Ultimately, it all comes down to your travel habits and spending patterns. I encourage you to run your own simulations: estimate your potential SQC based on your planned trips, annual spending, and earning opportunities. The purpose of this guide was to give you some concrete examples and food for thought… now it’s up to you to see if it’s worth the effort.
In 2026, Aeroplan is replacing qualifying miles, segments, and dollars with Status Qualifying Credits (SQC). From now on, your progress toward elite status will be determined primarily by the amount you spend on airfare and related expenses.
You can earn SQC by spending on Air Canada flights, making purchases through Aeroplan partners (such as the eStore), and using a co-branded Aeroplan credit card. Air Canada flights booked in Flex fare or higher offer more SQC per dollar spent.
Yes, it is possible to reach statuses like 25K by earning enough Aeroplan points through everyday spending with specific credit cards and Aeroplan partner programs. For example, earning 100,000 base Aeroplan points through various purchases can qualify you for 25K status.
Aeroplan elite status offers various benefits, such as upgrade credits, lounge access, priority check-in and boarding, and free baggage. The higher the status, the more generous the benefits.
Absolutely! You can maximize your SQC accumulation by combining spending on flights, purchases with Aeroplan partners, and using premium credit cards. This hybrid approach is ideal for boosting your SQC while matching your spending habits.
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