Every Canadian should have an Aeroplan account, despite the upcoming changes to the program in 2020. At this point, I have no problem collecting Aeroplan miles as long as you have a plan to use them all before June 2020. Aeroplan has been trying hard to improve their program, but that’s mostly irrelevant until we see what the new Aeroplan and Air Canada programs will offer.

1,000 Free Aeroplan Miles for New Accounts

1,000 Bonus Aeroplan Miles for New Accounts

Right now, Aeroplan is offering 1,000 bonus miles if you open a new account and make your first transaction. This runs until July 15, 2018, and you must sign up through this link. The cheapest flight reward only requires 7,500 Aeroplan, so someone opening a new account only needs to transfer 6,500 from SPG or American Express.

These promotions are pretty rare, so if you do have that friend that still doesn’t have an account, this is a good time to get one. It’s extremely easy to earn Aeroplan points from flights, credit cards, online shopping (now with Amazon), or transfer partners.

The easiest way to earn airline miles and loyalty points quickly are from credit cards. You need to have good credit before that happens, so I would suggest getting your credit reports for free online. You can get a free Equifax Score from Borrowell and TransUnion Score from Credit Karma.

American Express Gold Rewards Card – 30,000 Points

The best ‘starter’ card for those looking to earn rewards is the American Express Gold Rewards Card. You can earn up to 30,000 Membership Rewards points transferrable to Aeroplan or British Airways Avios by meeting the minimum spend and adding an authorized user through the referral offer. The public offer only awards up to 25,000 points.

It also earns 2x points on gas stations, drugstores, groceries, and travel, which lets you earn bonus points on a huge swath of transactions. Overall, it’s an excellent starter card that anyone can get. For those who already travel a lot, the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite is a great complement as it’s one of the few in Canada with no foreign transaction fees.

Join Aeroplan today and earn 1,000 free bonus miles after your first transaction.