When do Aeroplan points expire?

Aeroplan points expire after 18 months of account inactivity. Any qualifying transaction — earning points by flying or using a co-branded card, or redeeming points for any reward — resets the 18-month clock. Simply logging in to the app does not count as activity.

What counts as activity to prevent Aeroplan expiry?

Earning points on a purchase (using your Aeroplan credit card at any retailer), flying on Air Canada or a Star Alliance partner, or redeeming points for any reward all count as qualifying activity and reset the 18-month expiry clock. Logging in to the app or website does not reset it.

When do Scene+ points expire?

Scene+ points expire after 24 months of account inactivity. Any earn or redeem transaction resets the clock. Using your Scene+ card at Scotiabank, Sobeys, Safeway, IGA, Cineplex, or any Scene+ partner counts as activity.

Do bank credit card points expire in Canada?

For most bank-issued rewards programs — including Amex Membership Rewards, BMO Rewards, RBC Avion Rewards, TD Rewards, and CIBC Rewards — points do not expire as long as the credit card account remains open and in good standing. If you cancel the card, any unredeemed points are typically forfeited.

Do Air Miles points expire in Canada?

Air Miles removed its expiry policy in 2023. Miles no longer expire under any rolling-window rule. You should still verify current terms directly with Air Miles, as program rules can change.

Aeroplan Expiry and Points Expiry Rules for Every Major Canadian Program

Quick reference: expiry rules at a glance

Program	Expires?	Window	What resets the clock
Aeroplan	Yes	18 months inactivity	Any earn or redeem transaction
Scene+	Yes	24 months inactivity	Any earn or redeem transaction
WestJet Rewards	Yes	24 months inactivity	Any WestJet Dollar earn or redeem
Amex Membership Rewards	Card-linked	No expiry while card is open	Points forfeit on card cancellation
RBC Avion Rewards	Card-linked	No expiry while card is open	Points forfeit on card cancellation
TD Rewards	Card-linked	No expiry while card is open	Points forfeit on card cancellation
BMO Rewards	Card-linked	No expiry while card is open	Points forfeit on card cancellation
CIBC Rewards	Card-linked	No expiry while card is open	Points forfeit on card cancellation
Air Miles	No	No expiry policy (as of 2023)	N/A
More Rewards	No	Points do not expire	N/A
PC Optimum	No	Points do not expire	N/A

Aeroplan expiry: the details

Aeroplan is the program most Canadians need to watch. The 18-month inactivity window is shorter than people expect, and the definition of "activity" is narrower than most assume.

What counts as activity

Any of these transactions resets the 18-month clock:

Earning Aeroplan points on a purchase using a co-branded card (TD Aeroplan, CIBC Aeroplan, Amex Aeroplan) — any purchase, anywhere, counts
Flying on Air Canada, Air Canada Express, or any Star Alliance partner and crediting the miles to Aeroplan
Earning points through an Aeroplan partner (hotels, car rentals, retail partners)
Redeeming points for any reward (flights, merchandise, gift cards)
Transferring points into Aeroplan from a partner program

What does not count

Logging in to the Aeroplan app or website
Checking your balance
Receiving a marketing email and clicking through
Holding an Aeroplan number without any associated transaction

The simplest way to keep Aeroplan points alive: hold any co-branded Aeroplan credit card and use it at least once every 18 months. Even a single small purchase resets the clock. You do not need to fly.

What happens when points expire

Aeroplan cancels all points in the account. They do not reduce gradually or tier out. The entire balance goes at once on the 18-month mark. Aeroplan does offer a reinstatement process, but it involves a fee (typically around $30 USD plus a per-mile cost for large balances), and it is not guaranteed. Prevention is far cheaper than reinstatement.

Scene+ expiry

Scene+ runs a 24-month inactivity window. The program has a wide partner network, which makes it relatively easy to stay active without thinking about it. Any purchase at Sobeys, Safeway, IGA, FreshCo, or Cineplex earns Scene+ points and resets the clock. Scotiabank cardholders earn points on every purchase, so card use alone keeps the account active.

The main risk: someone who opens a Scene+ account, earns some points at Cineplex, then stops going to movies and switches banks. Two years later the balance disappears quietly. If you hold points in Scene+ but do not actively use it, a small grocery purchase at Sobeys every year or so is all it takes to keep the account live.

WestJet Rewards expiry

WestJet Dollars expire after 24 months without any earning or redeeming activity. WestJet cardholders who use their card regularly will never hit this threshold. Casual WestJet flyers who are not cardholders need at least one WestJet booking every two years to keep their balance intact.

Bank card points: no expiry while the card is open

Amex Membership Rewards, RBC Avion Rewards, TD Rewards, BMO Rewards, and CIBC Rewards are all card-linked programs. Points accumulate in your account as long as the card is open. There is no inactivity window to manage.

The risk with card-linked programs is different: cancellation. When you cancel the card, unredeemed points are typically forfeited immediately. This means the right time to redeem is before you cancel, not after. If you are planning to cancel a card, redeem whatever you have first, or transfer to a partner program where the balance will persist (Amex MR to Aeroplan is the most common path).

If you are cancelling an Amex card, transfer your Membership Rewards balance to Aeroplan first. The transfer is 1:1 and happens within a few days. Once the Amex account closes, the MR points are gone.

Air Miles: expiry removed in 2023

Air Miles operated a rolling 5-year expiry window for many years — any miles older than 5 years would be forfeited. That policy was removed in 2023. As of that change, Air Miles no longer expire under a rolling rule. Verify current terms directly with Air Miles before making redemption decisions based on any older guidance you may have seen.

More Rewards and PC Optimum: no expiry

Both programs have no expiry policy. More Rewards points accumulate indefinitely; same with PC Optimum. For BC shoppers building toward a More Rewards travel redemption, there is no clock pressure. The only risk is program devaluation over time, which is a reason to redeem when you have enough, not a reason to rush.

The simplest prevention strategy

For programs with inactivity windows, the lowest-effort fix is also the best: hold a co-branded credit card for any program where you carry a meaningful balance, and use it regularly. Everyday spending on an Aeroplan card keeps Aeroplan active indefinitely. A Scene+ card at Sobeys does the same for Scene+.

If you hold points in a program without a co-branded card — for example, Aeroplan points earned through flying but you do not hold a TD or CIBC Aeroplan card — set a calendar reminder for the 12-month mark. That gives you six months to either earn something or redeem before the window closes.