Aeroplan vs MileagePlus
Both Air Canada Aeroplan and United MileagePlus are airline loyalty programs in the Star Alliance. They share enough overlap that travelers regularly compare them, but the right answer depends on your typical trips.
Quick spec comparison
| Spec | Aeroplan | MileagePlus |
|---|---|---|
| Kind | Airline miles | Airline miles |
| Alliance / network | Star Alliance | Star Alliance |
| Fixed award chart? | Yes | No (dynamic) |
| Fuel surcharges on awards | No | No |
| Expiration | Never expire with any earning/redemption activity in 18 months | Never expire (eliminated 18-month policy) |
| Transfers in from | Chase UR (50K Bilt cards only), Amex MR (Canadian only), Capital One Miles, Bilt | Chase UR, Bilt, Marriott Bonvoy |
| Signature sweet spots | 60K one-way business class US to Europe, 75K one-way business to Asia, Stopovers for 5K points each | Excursionist Perk: free segment on round-trip awards, Polaris business class US to Europe at 60-77K saver, Star Alliance partner sweet spots (ANA, Lufthansa, Swiss, Singapore) |
| Flagship benefit | Published award chart with cheap stopovers | Largest transferable points partner ecosystem (Chase, Bilt) + Excursionist Perk |
Where Aeroplan wins
- Aeroplan publishes a fixed award chart — easier to plan ahead.
- Aeroplan accepts transfers from more bank programs — easier to top up.
- Best transparent Star Alliance award chart with cheap stopovers.
Where MileagePlus wins
- Easiest US-based Star Alliance program with deep Chase integration.
Pick Aeroplan if…
You're targeting one of these specific redemptions: 60K one-way business class US to Europe or 75K one-way business to Asia. Aeroplan is the program built for them.
Pick MileagePlus if…
You're targeting one of these specific redemptions: Excursionist Perk: free segment on round-trip awards or Polaris business class US to Europe at 60-77K saver. MileagePlus is the program built for them.
Can you have both?
Yes — and you probably should. Most serious award travelers maintain status (or at least active accounts) across multiple programs because the best partner award for a given route is rarely the same program twice in a row. Find the saver seat first; then book through whichever program prices it cheapest.
Find availability before you transfer
AwardLocker shows live saver award space across every program. Confirm space first, then transfer points only when you're ready to book.
Check availability →