Ben Lipsey

You asked, we listened. Below is how we currently prioritise upgrades requested a) up to T-24 hours, and b) once the waitlist is transferred to the airport. As always, we reserve the right to change this priority at any time. It will shortly be posted to the eUpgrade section on aircanada.com

Waitlists and Confirmed Upgrades

When you request an upgrade within the booking window and there’s space available, your upgrade will be confirmed at the time of your request.

How Upgrade Availability is Determined
For eligible customers travelling on international flights with a Latitude fare (Y,B) or Premium Economy Flexible fare (O), upgrades are based on the availability of P class; for North American and Caribbean flights, upgrades are based on the availability of Z class.

For eligible customers travelling on North American, Caribbean and International flights with a ticket booked in any other eligible fare (e.g. Flex, Premium Economy Lowest), upgrades are based on the availability of R class.

Once an upgrade is confirmed, it will be booked in R class regardless of where the availability came from.

Your reservation must be complete and ticketed and you must be within the appropriate upgrade window (as pertains to your respective status) to request an upgrade. If no seats are available, you will be automatically put on a waiting list for an upgrade. If a business class seat becomes available up to 24 hours prior to your flight, upgrades will be assigned as follows:

If you do not receive an upgrade email confirming your upgrade before you check in, your request will be automatically transferred to the airport standby list. Upgrades on the airport standby list will be processed as follows:
Upgrades are subject to the terms and conditions of Air Canada eUpgrades (full list here), with the "Additional Rules" section to be shortly amended to the following:

Air Canada reserves the right to, without notice, (a) modify the terms and conditions related to eUpgrade Credit usage and eUpgrade Add-ons, (b) add, modify, or delete eligible booking classes, (c) cancel any upgrade request made in violation of the terms and conditions listed here, and (d) change upgrade priority rules. Awarding of upgrades is subject to operational considerations which are at Air Canada’s sole discretion.

BMGfan

This will make lots of people happy! Thanks Ben!

gesmith10

Thank-you. Very clear and the priority on Y, B and O for upgrades happening before the 24 hour cutoff is certainly understandable.

VoodooYYC

Thanks very much to you and Ben S.for making the sharing of this information possible. You have answered the question that has been the most wondered about on this board, and very few should take any exception to the methodology used to determine upgrades.

Thanks again.

yyj9

Wow, thanks. You guys are certainly delivering the goods.

krayZpaving

Thanks Ben!

YYCYYZ

Much appreciated. Thank you for the clarification.

karachi

Thanks. A natural extension of this is to display the u/g list at the gate a la United just so those of us sweating it out can get more realistic about our chances. If i know i'm not getting it, no point stressing at the gate and missing the early boarding for example.

rehoult

Thank you Ben, and please pass on our thanks to the Altitude team as well.

rehoult

One quick question, are you able to confirm the order of the fare classes?

i.e. Whether check-in would E/N go above M? At the gate would O/E/N go above Y?

The Lev

Very clear and sensible priority list that I think (almost) everyone can support.

Not sure why something like this should ever have been considered to be a "state secret", but this is another welcome sign of a new more open management culture at AC. ^

tyberius

Very good job!

Openness and honesty is refreshing. It's things like this that cause positive perception changes. This kind of treatment of your customers buys far more credibility and understanding than the various gushing marketing campaigns about the product.

And, it costs nothing. So we benefit, and AC benefits.

It is also nice to see how fast you instigated a change, so you and the decision makers both deserve a round of applause. Very commendable work. May it lay the groundwork for more of the same.

danapop

Thanks, Bens. Can you also clarify what happens with respect to priority when I am travelling with someone on the same PNR and the other PAX does not have status? Many FTers have had different experiences and many have been told different things. For example, I was flying with my wife FRA-YYC in May on the same PNR. Many FTers said if it goes to the gate, only her status will matter. I was told by a phone agent, she coat tails on my status all the say. Others have said my wife would have been on her own status. Please advise.

Bonaventure

Awesome! Kudos to you/whoever pushed to finally clarify this.

YEG USER

Oh oh!, Now what do we complain about?

Seriously though, thanks for this info!

Now, if somehow this information could not be posted to the website so that everyone on FT has an inside advantage!?

EDIT: One follow-up question. Could you please confirm how the travel companions/nominees factor into this? Is it based on the person's own status, or that of the nominator?