Air Canada Announces Plans to Switch from Aeroplan to Their Own Loyalty Program
By Ambia Staley
May 11, 2017Air Canada surprised many earlier today by announcing plans to launch their own customer loyalty rewards program beginning in 2020.
Currently, frequent Air Canada flyers can collect points through the Aeroplan reward program, however the contract between the airline and Aeroplan's parent company, Aimia comes to an end on June 29, 2020. As of June 30, Air Canada plans to make the shift to their own program, however the exact details of the new program still remain unknown. The airline hopes that by creating their own loyalty program, they can offer their customers "additional earning and redemption opportunities, more personalized service, and a better digital experience".
Aeroplan started as Air Canada's in-house rewards program in 1984, but became an independent entity under the company Aimia as of 2008.
Aimia announced the possibility of a split from Air Canada late Wednesday night, however it was not until Air Canada made it official with their announcement Thursday morning, that Aimia's stock dropped approximately 57% in the market. Aimia's plans after the split remain uncertain, however in today's announcement, Air Canada stated that they are "committed to business as usual by working closely with Aimia with the objective of providing consistent service for Aeroplan members."
If you're currently an Aeroplan member, you will still be able to collect and redeem your miles on Air Canada and Star Alliance flights until June 29, 2020. After that date, all miles earned from your flights will be credited to the new program. Most importantly, you will not be able to convert your Aeroplan miles to the new loyalty program, so if you have plans to redeem your miles on Air Canada flights, do so before June 2020.
Are you an Aeroplan member? What do you think of this announcement? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
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