Aeroplan Elite Status: Should You Choose Your 2023 Select Benefits Now?

Now that we’re in 2023, it’s time for a bit of housekeeping in each of your loyalty program accounts to prepare for another year of earning and burning.

If you’re an Aeroplan Elite Status member, you’re now able to choose your 2023 Select Benefits in your member portal upon logging into your Aeroplan account.

However, there are a few unique considerations around whether you should select your benefits now, or if it makes more sense to wait.

You Can Now Choose Your 2023 Select Benefits

Aeroplan Elite Status benefits are divided into Core Benefits and Select Benefits.

All members receive the Core Benefits associated with their status levels automatically as of the turn of the year. Part of your Core Benefits include 20 eUpgrade credits, which should now be available in your account.

You also have the option to choose from two separate bundles of Select Benefits, based on which enhancements to the travel experience might matter to you the most.

As an Aeroplan Elite Status member, you’re now eligible to choose your Select Benefits for 2023 via the “Choose benefits” option under the “Benefits” tab of your dashboard.

The Select Benefits bundles available to each Aeroplan Elite Status level are summarized as below:

(Bundle 1 of benefits is the more meaningful set for most travellers. Bundle 2 offers either eUpgrades or Status Qualifying Miles in exchange for purchasing flights using Air Canada Flight Passes, so it won’t be relevant if you don’t typically travel using a Flight Pass.)

Furthermore, note that Air Canada’s changes to Aeroplan 35K status for 2023 include the option of selecting 15 eUpgrades as a Select Benefit instead of 10. However, the Air Canada website has not yet been updated to reflect this, but the correct number of eUpgrades should be available as a Select Benefit.

Which Select Benefits Should You Choose?

Among the Select Benefit choices, it’s almost always best to choose the allotment of extra eUpgrade credits as one of your benefits (or your only benefit as an Aeroplan 35K member).

It’s very valuable to collect more eUpgrades, since the “Latitude Attitude” strategy allows you to redeem Aeroplan points for an Economy (Latitude) ticket and upgrade instantly into business class. With direct bookings in business class often pricing out at dynamically high levels, the “Latitude Attitude” can be an invaluable strategy to score Air Canada…