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What happens to points already in your Aeroplan account?
Closing an Aeroplan co-branded credit card does not, by itself, close your Aeroplan membership. TD says points earned with an Aeroplan co-branded card accumulate in the member’s Aeroplan account regardless of which financial institution issued the card. That means a balance already credited to Aeroplan is separate from the credit-card account.
For example, if you switch from one issuer’s Aeroplan card to another, points already showing in your Aeroplan account are not a balance that needs to be transferred from the old card. TD explains this distinction in its Aeroplan card FAQ.
What if you close or change the card before points arrive?
Points earned during a recent billing period may still be pending. Whether they are awarded can depend on the issuer’s terms, the account’s status and the timing of the statement. Do not treat points shown as earned on a card statement as confirmed in Aeroplan until they appear in your Aeroplan account.
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- TD: TD warns that closing or transferring a card account may result in forfeiture of bonus points that have not yet been awarded. Its terms also state that the account must meet the applicable bonus conditions.
- CIBC: CIBC’s Aeroplan Visa benefits guide says monthly points are awarded only if the card account is in good standing on each monthly statement date; otherwise, points earned in that period are cancelled.
- American Express: Its terms allow specified cancellation, reversal or deduction of points that were issued improperly.
These are issuer- and product-specific rules, not one universal Aeroplan rule for pending rewards. Check the exact card agreement and ask the issuer whether points from the current cycle or an unawarded bonus will be sent before cancelling or changing the product. TD’s current card offer terms are available here; CIBC’s guide is here.
Which card benefits could end?
Keeping the Aeroplan point balance does not guarantee that card-linked perks survive a cancellation or product change. TD’s offer terms say airline benefits are no longer available upon account closure, regardless of the reason, or if the credit-card product is changed. Other cards may have different conditions, so review the terms for your particular card.
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Before making a change, identify any airline benefits, certificates, insurance coverage or bonuses associated with the card and check when each ends. A product change can affect benefits even when you keep the same issuer.
Do not close your Aeroplan membership by mistake
Closing the credit card and closing the Aeroplan account are different actions. Aeroplan’s General Terms and Conditions say that points remaining when you terminate your membership or close your Aeroplan account are immediately forfeited. If your goal is only to cancel a card, keep the Aeroplan membership open.
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Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Will your points expire after the card closes?
After the card is closed, the Aeroplan account remains subject to Aeroplan’s inactivity policy. Aeroplan’s public guidance describes expiry after 18 consecutive months without account activity and lists earning, redeeming, donating, transferring or converting points as ways to keep an account active. The guidance currently says point expiry is temporarily paused, so check the live policy and the inactivity date shown in your Aeroplan account rather than relying on the usual period as a guaranteed deadline.
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Aeroplan says it may send an email notice up to 60 days before points expire. Its guidance also describes recovery options available within six months of expiry: buying back expired points for a fee, flying on Air Canada, or getting an Aeroplan credit card. Conditions apply. Current details are on Aeroplan’s terms page and its points-expiry page.
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Before you cancel or switch: a practical checklist
- Sign in to Aeroplan. Confirm the account identity, current balance and displayed inactivity date.
- Check the next statement and pending rewards. Review points earned in the current cycle, then ask the issuer whether they have been sent to Aeroplan and whether the account must remain open or in good standing through a statement date.
- Confirm bonus timing. Check whether welcome, spending or anniversary bonuses have been awarded and whether closing or changing the account could forfeit any outstanding bonus.
- Review card-specific perks. Find out when airline benefits, certificates and other card-linked features end after closure or a product change.
- Keep your Aeroplan membership open. Cancel the card only if that is your intention; do not request closure of the Aeroplan account unless you accept losing its remaining points.
- Plan for account activity. Once the card is closed, check Aeroplan’s current expiry policy and whether any replacement eligible card or Elite Status affects expiry protection.
How the main choices differ
| Choice | Points already in Aeroplan | Pending points or bonuses | Card benefits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keep the current card | Remain in the Aeroplan account. | Still subject to the issuer’s award and bonus conditions. | Continue only under the card’s applicable terms. |
| Change the card product | Remain in the Aeroplan account if membership stays open. | May be affected by issuer-specific terms; TD warns that an unawarded bonus may be forfeited on transfer. | May end; TD says its airline benefits end on product change. |
| Close the card but keep Aeroplan open | Remain in the Aeroplan account. | May be affected by issuer-specific terms; confirm before closure. | May end; TD says its airline benefits end on account closure. |
| Close the Aeroplan membership/account | Immediately forfeited under Aeroplan’s terms. | Issuer-specific treatment is not established by Aeroplan’s membership rule. | Card benefits are governed separately by the issuer’s terms. |
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