bmi diamond club - Calculating AC redemption taxes

I have looked around the stickies, but this is an airline specific question, so no luck so far. Looking ahead, far into 2009, at a possible DC redemption with AC, I'm using the aircanada.com website to calculate the approximate taxes that would levied on a mileage redemption.

The AC website includes a fuel surcharge in its breakdown of the fares - should I factor this in to the taxes that would be added to a DC redemption?

Thanks ^

I have looked around the stickies, but this is an airline specific question, so no luck so far. Looking ahead, far into 2009, at a possible DC redemption with AC, I'm using the aircanada.com website to calculate the approximate taxes that would levied on a mileage redemption.

The AC website includes a fuel surcharge in its breakdown of the fares - should I factor this in to the taxes that would be added to a DC redemption?

Thanks ^

Yes - fuel surcharge (or otherwise known as YQ) is always charged on DC redemptions.

Be careful if this is a domestic booking as unless things have changed, you'll also get stung for GST, which evidently Pune apply on the full IATA fare.

Also be careful if it's a Canada-US booking and you're flying J from an airport with US Immigration pre-clearance.

There is a risk that you will find yourself in a gate area which has no access to Maple Leaf (or other) Lounges, which may be a significant diminution of your perception of the 'Business Class' benefit.

You could end up blowing extra miles and achieving very little incremental value over and above a cheap-as-chips Y paid-for.

Also be careful if it's a Canada-US booking and you're flying J from an airport with US Immigration pre-clearance.

There is a risk that you will find yourself in a gate area which has no access to Maple Leaf (or other) Lounges, which may be a significant diminution of your perception of the 'Business Class' benefit.

You could end up blowing extra miles and achieving very little incremental value over and above a cheap-as-chips Y paid-for.


Can you elaborate? I'm flying YUL-YYZ-BOS in J and guess I'll pre-clear US Immigration in YUL?

Can you elaborate? I'm flying YUL-YYZ-BOS in J and guess I'll pre-clear US Immigration in YUL?

No you will clear in YYZ which I don't think has the problem described by continentalclub.

Thanks for the info. The itinerary will almost certainly be entirely in Canada: we're aiming for a remote community in northern Minnesota that only has puddle jumper service with NW/DL through MSP, so instead we're looking at a redemption in and out of YWG with AC.

^

AC is knocking off YQ on many international destinations next year making them even more attractive than they already are! ^

More info on this Aeroplan thread.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/air-canada-aeroplan/900076-fuel-surcharge-eliminated-some-international-destinations.html

No you will clear in YYZ which I don't think has the problem described by continentalclub.

AC has a lounge in the transborder section, but I am still not sure that this is the best use of a C redemption due to the short flight durations.

AC has a lounge in the transborder section, but I am still not sure that this is the best use of a C redemption due to the short flight durations.

Agree when you consider you could fly to Alaska for the same miles.