gashwingomes

Howdy y'all,

A DL & SkyTeam regular here. For a trip to the Subcontinent in the late Fall, AC is pricing over 1k USD less out of ATL in J. I could fork out the extra $$ to get higher status with DL, but I'm relatively happy as a Platinum Medallion (I've already qualified for it for 2018). AC's 787-9 biz product looks pretty good as well, and having a N. America-India non-stop cuts down on travel time too.

Some questions:

1) The itinerary I'm looking at has a 1h35m connection in YYZ (ATL-YYZ-BOM). Is this sufficient? I'm assuming it'll all be airside, with no security or customs entanglements ...

2) The current flight around the same time (AC 7557 ATL-YYZ 644p departure) has a terrible on-time record over the past week and further back, arriving 20m-50m or more late. On the itinerary I'm pricing, Google Flights shows the first leg with the warning "often delayed by 30+ min. Earlier flights, however, price over 4k higher! I guess the price of this ticket has the risk of missing the connection built in ... ? However, since AC is selling me the ticket, it's their responsibility to get me to BOM some way ... ???

3) Crediting miles: This will be my first substantial rev ticket on SA. I have an Avianca LM account, with purchased miles, that I've used for reward trips before. I'll get 125% miles to bank. If I opened a UA Mileage Plus account, it looks like it'll get me 5x fare banked miles and 200% elite qualification miles ...

[The return is on LH -- 747-8 out to FRA, connecting to a 777. Not bad ... !]

Thanks y'all .

stinger

As long as your flight is on time, you should have no problem with the 1:35 connection as it is airside at YYZ. If you have a delay, it would be their responsibility to send you on the next flight, so possibly the next day and then you would get to tryout out their J class stopover program!

cperciva

I've done a US-to-International connection at YYZ in 12 minutes gate-to-gate. There's a Canada Border Services Agency "document check" but it takes about 15 seconds and never has any line up; they're just there to make sure that you have your passport and that you're not on any lists, not to actually admit you into the country. (One minor catch: Make sure you pay attention to the signs. The route through the CBSA counter to the international side is easy to miss, and 99% of the people on your flight will be walking past it towards Canadian arrivals.)

You'll have plenty of time to enjoy the YYZ international Air Canada lounge -- it's one of the better ones I've found.

canadiancow

Agreed.

While I wouldn't depend on 12 minutes, I certainly wouldn't expect it to take more than 30.

IluvSQ

I would book the 1:35 connection for the lower price, then try to do a same day
change at the airport to get the earlier flight. Just in case...

flyquiet

In transit, are there any visa issues or ETA that the OP needs to be prepared for?

gashwingomes

Does AC have a SDC program like DL does? I presume if it exists, there's a cost for non-elites ...

One post above suggested there was a simple, non-time consuming, document check. I have a US passport, so I don't anticipate any problems as far as admissibility to Canada goes, if that becomes an issue.

Very helpful replies y'all. Thanks. I think I'm going to be doing this!

The smallest state

Please come back and compare the AC product vs the DL product.

.....one thing you need to be aware off, AC has hit or miss customer service agents.......on the phone, at the airport, at the Gate, on the flight. This permeates the entire company.

canadiancow

It depends on your fare, but the booking page or the email receipt should tell you.

J fares within North America allow free SDC.

IluvSQ

Same day changes at (minimal?) fees depending on your fare class rules.

jc94

I've also done it in ~10 minutes but it required full on sprinting and being escorted by a random employee who took us through a shortcut and past the customs line up ... which had about 8 people.

We were also in rows 1 and 4. A lot will depend upon what D gate you get dumped off at.

These days of course, you may find yourself rebooked on a later flight.

You will need to compete the customs form.
Unkess you have something naming you exempt,
like Nexus (?).

quantumofforce

Depending on your nationality you may need an ETA to transit Canada.

flyquiet

Post 7 OP stated has US passport

gashwingomes

Hmm. So, one fills out the landing card and also clears immigration/customs as if traveling to Canada?

This is what the Pearson airport website tool says -- it seems some kind of inspection by CBSA (screenshot below). But, as others have said, it's not time consuming.

The last time I flew to Canada, I remember using a kiosk which scanned the landing card. I think that was as YUL. YYZ should also have those things ...

(I have Global Entry. That allows me the use of Nexus lanes when driving from Canada to the US. But not flying into Canada ... )

US citizen.

gashwingomes

Well, I dun it ... went ahead and booked the ticket.

ATL-YYZ-BOM on the way out.
DEL-YYZ-ATL return.

The AC return got me back home earlier in the day than LH, and was worth the few extra bucks to fly out of DEL [My final destination in India is another flight from BOM/DEL. A little closer to BOM, but DEL is easy as well ... ]

Interestingly, the return DEL-YYZ biz cabin has more seats filled right now.

Will be back with a trip report sometime early Dec. -- thanks for all the good info.

Does feel a little weird "cheating" on DL haha ...