The Air Canada Stopover Hotel Program [likely terminated as of early 2022]
 

Does anyone know if one is eligible for the program .......flying Executive class.....with a greater than 6 hr layover in YVR..then carrying on to Hawaii?
Or does it have to be an International destination?
If so....What are the YVR Hotel choices offered?

Moderator note: It appears that, as of May 2022, this program has been permanently discontinued, per discussion beginning in this post. - Adam Smith, AC Forum Co-Moderator

The answer unfortunately is no.

Check the eligibility clauses at the bottom of the link.

The destination must include outside of Canada and USA

"itineraries that include at least one city outside Canada and the U.S. as well as a connection in Toronto, Montreal or Vancouver of over 6 hours;"


http://www.aircanada.com/en/travelin...ver/index.html

Thank -you for the clarification. I thought as much...but just wanted to check it out for sure.

This program seems to be one of the least understood one's out there. I've called in to ask a question or two and no one at AC seemed to have any clue how it works (or that it even existed). However, when I was talking to them about it they told me about another program I hadn't heard of - if you are flying J with an international connection in certain cities (he only mentioned NRT and HKG) and have a connection the next day AC will pick up a hotel room for you. Mind you they couldn't say what level of hotel (or what type of hotel you'd end up with on the stopover program) but it was an interesting offering I've never seen advertised.

For some reason I'd never heard of this program before, despite being dead centre of its demographic (I almost always make an intentional stopover in YYZ enroute to LHR and back for the purposes of "breaking up the trip").

While I suspect I know the answer to it, though, am I right in assuming this program is only free for paid lat/J tickets? For example, a *A J award LHR-YUL-YVR wouldn't qualify for a free overnight and I'd be looking at the (admittedly pretty reasonable) $45 charge? Either way, we're certainly going to do this on the next routing, but it would be an added bonus if we could get it via the J award ticket.

And I'll definitely be forwarding this and (strongly) suggesting that my parents look into it for their next trip out here in December...

AFAIK J only - no award tickets, no Latitude.

Latitude entitles to the free stopover hotel program. See post # 2 for eligibility.

As for reward, I don't know.

So has anyone ever used this? I'd imagine that somebody has for them to keep the program running. I'm trying to figure out if the complimentary hotel option works with upgrades to Executive. I can't see anywhere on the stopover site that says it doesn't. But I'm guessing that it wouldn't work. Has anyone ever done the paid option? I'd be interested in knowing what hotels they offer "starting at $49" per night. Also, how strict is the minimum 96 hours advance booking rule?

Thanks in advance to anyone who has any knowledge on this!

I was routed SEA YVR SYD on T+ fare and tried to find out info prior to booking to see how much a room would cost($49+ was quoted), and which hotels were available in YVR.
My plan was to book the YVR SYD leg for the next day if the hotel was cheap.
Nobody could give me any info, passed the buck to various phone numbers.
Finally gave up and just booked with connections on the same day.
Received a prompt whilst booking, your connection is greater than 6 hours do you want to take advantage of our stopover program?(arrived YVR am, left pm)
3 hotels were listed, the cheapest was greater than $49 (I think $69) and the most expensive $199 or thereabouts. Maybe marginally cheaper than if you booked direct.
Really this info should be available prior to booking so people which flights to book.

BrownB, did you get the prompt before or after the prompt for payment?

Thanks.

After payment prompt!

Available only if the itinerary including the stopover is offered at AC.com and cannot be booked using mutli city function to force an overnight or >6 hour stopover:

"round-trip and one-way bookings only (multi-city bookings are not eligible)"

So flying LHR-YUL-YVR, only if AC.com offers you an itinerary that includes a >6 hours stopover at YUL, you do not qualify.

Similarly for YYZ-HKG, unless AC.com offers an itinerary that connects via YVR with >6 hours' layover, one will not be eligible for this programme if one tries to force a layover by using the multi city function.

MCO-HKG will qualify because it requires a layover at YYZ on the way to HKG as AC does not have immediate connection available shorter than 6 hours.

There are very few situations where one cannot find an immediate connection within 6 hours.

I flew YVR YYZ SJU last December in paid J and tried to use this program and was denied. Classic Airline interpretation that SJU (and Hawaii) is considered an international destination when it comes to COS bonus and IKK, but domestic for the stopover program.

Rats... I have a 12 hour layover in YYZ on my way to CDG, but alas it is a J award ticket. :(

Guess I'll be using SPG points for the Gateway Sheraton.

In a similar vein, any suggestions as far as a 6-hr layover (2330 hrs - 0530 hrs) in YYZ on a reward flight ? We're flying YEG-YYZ-EWR. The domestic lounge closes at 0000 hrs (IIRC) and Trans-border doesn't open back up until 0500 ? I don't think it worth it to use SPG points at the Sheraton Gateway, and am wondering if anyone had any other suggestions ? Is there a good place to curl up or are there lounger-type seats anywhere in the trans-border area ?

Thanks for any advice anyone can provide :-)

Cheers,

Singlepoint