The club's transfer business has been restricted this summer as Villa work to be compliant with both Premier League profit and sustainability rules and similar regulations from Uefa.
Unai Emery's men missed out on a lucrative place in this season's Champions League on the final day of last term and the controversial 2-0 defeat at Manchester United.
McGinn, who played in the second half of the weekend's 2-2 draw in Nashville to sign off for the United States pre-season tour, feels such restrictive regulations are tough on Villa owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens who are ambitious to strengthen Villa's position.
“There will be a tinge of jealousy watching the Champions League this year, but our aim is to go as far as we possibly can in the Europe League, try to get back into the Champions League, which helps the club not only for next season and for many years moving forward,” McGinn told BirminghamLive.
“We have seen the impact it has now. I don’t know any details about that, but you don’t have to be clever to realise that if you want to compete with the big boys, there are rules which are pretty much unfair if you ask me.
“We have got owners who want to invest in the team and want to spend to kick the club on, but they are not allowed to do it. It’s tough to see. The rules are similar for a lot of the clubs.”
Villa have made just two signings so far this summer - teenage Dutch striker Zepiqueno Redmond and back-up goalkeeper Marco Bizot - with a savviness required in the window. The club have strengthened with the new long-term contract to influential midfielder Boubacar Kamara.
Villa sold their women's team to the club's ownership group V Sports this summer to help comply with PSR rules.
“We just signed Bouba (Kamara) on a new long-term contract, and he is one of the best midfielders in Europe," McGinn added. "We have held onto some big players. It’s not all doom and gloom. We are positive going into the new season and make it a special one.
“Ever since the manager has come in, we have achieved something which we haven’t done before. He is as motivated as us to do the same.”