Using Aeroplan Points for Business Class Travel

The best part about earning frequent flyer miles is using them for a free flight. However, if you truly want to maximize the value of your points and experience something you might not otherwise do, flying business class with your reward miles is a great thing to do. Thanks to the Star Alliance, of which Air Canada belongs, Aeroplan is a great program for finding business class seats on a variety of airlines around the world.

Matt Bailey enjoying Air Canada Business Class to London, England.

Here are five incredible business class experiences available through Aeroplan.

Air Canada Business Class

Since Aeroplan is the reward program of Air Canada, it comes as no surprise that many flights can be booked with them. Air Canada’s business class can be quite good, especially if you can take one of their Dreamliner flights. My wife and I have taken a number of business class flights with Air Canada’s Dreamliner, including a short-haul from Calgary to Toronto and some long-hauls like Toronto to London, England. Food is great, as is the entertainment, and if you happen to be at an airport with a Maple Leaf Lounge, you’ll have access to tasty food, an open bar, and comfortable seating. The only thing you’ll want to watch out for is the high taxes that can accompany an Air Canada flight. However, we paid just $200 in taxes for a one-way business class flight from Calgary to England, which in my opinion, was more than worth it. 

Ethiopian Airlines Business Class

I’ve rarely heard mention in the travel hacking world about Ethiopian Airlines but after flying business class with them from Ethiopia to Dubai, I was quite impressed. It was much roomier than the pod-style seating found on Air Canada and other airlines, and the food was unique and delicious. Ethiopia is also a fabulous country for adventurers and if you fly Ethiopian Airlines into or out of the country (or both as we did), you’ll also get half-price local flights within the country! Plus, there’s no fuel surcharges with Ethiopian when booked through Aeroplan.

Turkish Airlines Business Class

When we flew Business Class on Turkish Airlines, we didn’t get the fancy lie-down seats available on the 777’s but the seats were still very comfortable and the free Turkish delight was welcoming. The food is also great and if you happen to fly through Istanbul, you can enjoy one of the best airport lounges in the world. Plus, Turkish Airlines flies to more countries in the world than any other airline, so there’s plenty of options for various destinations you may have in mind.

Singapore Airlines Business Class

Singapore Airlines is ranked as one of the best airlines in the world and for good reason; they offer incredible service, delicious food, and high-quality business class. I’ve flown in Singapore Airlines business class from the Philippines to Singapore and from Singapore to Hong Kong and both flights were incredibly comfortable and luxurious. Singapore Airlines is also famous for their first class product, which is a little harder to come by. However, if you don’t mind not having your own private suite, the business class product is also world-class.

Lufthansa Business class

Lufthansa is quite famous in the travel hacking world due to their luxury first class product, but their business class is also great and a little easier to find when booking an award through Aeroplan. However, Keep in mind that there is a fuel surcharge on Lufthansa flights, so you’ll want to make sure it’s worth the cost.

Although business class isn’t usually all that special when flying within North America, it can be quite the experience if you’re flying overseas. If business class is not something you’ve tried before, I highly recommend using your Aeroplan points to see what it’s like. Beware though, going back to economy will be difficult!