SkyMiles vs Aeroplan
Both Delta SkyMiles and Air Canada Aeroplan are airline loyalty programs. They share enough overlap that travelers regularly compare them, but the right answer depends on your typical trips.
Quick spec comparison
| Spec | SkyMiles | Aeroplan |
|---|---|---|
| Kind | Airline miles | Airline miles |
| Alliance / network | SkyTeam | Star Alliance |
| Fixed award chart? | No (dynamic) | Yes |
| Fuel surcharges on awards | No | No |
| Expiration | Never expire | Never expire with any earning/redemption activity in 18 months |
| Transfers in from | Amex MR | Chase UR (50K Bilt cards only), Amex MR (Canadian only), Capital One Miles, Bilt |
| Signature sweet spots | Domestic main cabin from 7-15K on flash sales, SkyTeam partner pricing occasionally good for Korean Air | 60K one-way business class US to Europe, 75K one-way business to Asia, Stopovers for 5K points each |
| Flagship benefit | Easy to earn via Amex transfers + flash sales for low-cost domestic | Published award chart with cheap stopovers |
Where SkyMiles wins
- Easiest to earn but worst-value program of the US Big Three for premium cabins.
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.
Pick SkyMiles if…
You're targeting one of these specific redemptions: Domestic main cabin from 7-15K on flash sales or SkyTeam partner pricing occasionally good for Korean Air. SkyMiles is the program built for them.
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.
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 →