Aeroplan's parent company continues to surprise, and Canadians now have another choice for the popular rewards/loyalty program.

Aimia Inc. today announced a new preferred partnership arrangement with Air Transat, Canada's number one holiday airline, effective July 2020. Aeroplan Miles will be earned and redeemed on all Air Transat flights and vacation packages.

"Adding Air Transat to Aeroplan come July 2020 further differentiates and significantly enhances our Aeroplan experience by bringing our members closer to their favourite sun and holiday destinations," said Jeremy Rabe, Chief Executive Officer, Aimia. "This is an exciting step toward our goal of providing Aeroplan Members with great value when both earning and redeeming miles on travel bookings to popular holiday and transatlantic destinations."

"We are thrilled about this agreement in principle and look forward to Air Transat, recently recognized by Skytrax as the World`s Best Leisure Airline, partnering with Aeroplan for its members' leisure travel needs to some 60 destinations in the Americas, Europe and the Middle East," said Joseph Adamo, Chief Distribution Officer, Transat.

Aeroplan also announced that Canadian ultra-low cost carrier, Flair Airlines, will also be joining the program in July 2020.

“The addition of Flair Airlines as a preferred partner airline further strengthens our air offering in Canada for Aeroplan Members come July 2020," said Jeremy Rabe, Chief Executive Officer, Aimia. "In addition to providing members with the ability to fly any airline, anywhere, this relationship with Flair will give our members exceptional value for popular Western Canadaroutes."

When flying with Flair Airlines, a Canadian low-fare airline, Aeroplan Members will earn Aeroplan Miles for their flight and ancillary product purchases and have the ability to redeem for Flair flights at fixed-rate fares. The relationship with Flair Airlines will give Aeroplan Members new redemption options, particularly those travelling out of Flair's Edmonton hub, extending from coast to coast and upcoming southern destinations.

"At Flair we provide affordable flight options for Canadians. Our arrangement with Aeroplan helps further that commitment," said Jim Scott, CEO Flair Airlines. "Our passengers will now be rewarded for their loyalty with the ability to earn and redeem Aeroplan Miles for flights. This partnership strengthens our value proposition, giving more people the ability to fly to their preferred destination."

It's been a tumultuous couple weeks for Aeroplan. Seemingly out of nowhere, Air Canada two weeks ago announced it was making a bid to buy the company, despite having announced a plan more than a year ago to back out of Aeroplan and form its own loyalty/rewards program.

Aeroplan rejected Air Canada's bid late last Thursday night. The next morning, Aeroplan's parent company announced a deal with Porter Airlines.

Now they're adding Air Transat, which will give Canadians a much wider range of flight options, including flights to the Caribbean, Mexico and Europe, than Porter alone would have offered, and Flair Airlines, the first ULCC to join the program.

"Aeroplan continues to expand and enhance its member offering to provide Canadians with the best travel loyalty program experience come July 2020 including the flexibility to fly any airline, anywhere at any time," officials said. "Preferred agreements, like the one, announced today, coupled with bulk and block purchasing and stand-alone charters, unlock meaningful discounts supporting the delivery of great value to members on flight redemptions, Aeroplan officials said in a press release.