Apr 2, 2017, 9:28 pm
Last edit by: Bohemian1
Moderator note: Any questions regarding availability/fare buckets on a specific flight or flights should be posted in the fare bucket check request thread. Any such posts in this thread will be deleted.
Q: When should I use eUpgrades, and when should I use AC Bid?
A: For starters, you can use both of them on a single booking. If one upgrade is accepted, the other is cancelled at no cost to you. One thing to consider is that eUpgrade priority is highly influenced by your Aeroplan Elite status and the fare class of the original ticket, but AC Bid is influenced by your bid as compared to other people. If you don't have a high Aeroplan Elite status, AC Bid may be the better choice for you.
Q: If I use a Bid Upgrade do I get additional SQM / SQD now for my flights?
A: No.
Q: If I use a Bid Upgrade on an International Flight leaving YYZ/YVR do I get access to the Signature Lounge?
A: No.
Q: When will I find out if my bid was successful?
A: You will be sent an email within 36 to 48 hours prior to your departure.
Q: If I am successfully upgraded, which baggage limit applies?
A: The baggage rules of the upgraded ticket apply. Note that this is different than eUpgrades, where the original tickets baggage rules still apply.
Q: When do I pay for a bid?
A: Your credit card is only charged when the bid is accepted, which will happen no earlier than 48 hours before departure. Note that if your card is declined, even temporarily for a fraud check, you will lose the bid and will not get another opportunity.
Q: Can I cancel an AC Bid?
A: Yes, but only until 48 hours before departure.
Q: If I cancel the booking after successfully bidding for an upgrade, or if I miss the flight, will I get a refund?
A: No.
Q: If Air Canada rebooks me on another flight, what happens to my AC Bid upgrade?
A: You keep it and Air Canada will put you in the upgraded cabin on the new flight. If the new flight does not have Premium Economy, or if there are not enough Business class seats, then your AC Bid will be refunded.
Q: I have a flight going from XXX to YYY on DD-MM-YY and the minimum bid is $ZZZ - what are my chances / what should I bid?
A: No one here really knows how Plusgrade as implemented by AC really 'decides' which bids to accept.
There are so many potential variables that it's best just to bid what you feel the upgrade is worth to you.
AC Bid Upgrade - FAQs
If your upgrade request is accepted, the fare conditions for the original ticket you purchased shall remain in effect and will be applicable with respect to cancellation policies, change fees, conditions for minimum and maximum stay, and rules relating to the accrual of frequent flyer miles. All other conditions will be per the upgraded fare class.
On the AC website:
"AC Bid Upgrade - Your opportunity to travel in a higher cabin class"
https://upgrade.plusgrade.com/offer/AirCanada
Q: When should I use eUpgrades, and when should I use AC Bid?
A: For starters, you can use both of them on a single booking. If one upgrade is accepted, the other is cancelled at no cost to you. One thing to consider is that eUpgrade priority is highly influenced by your Aeroplan Elite status and the fare class of the original ticket, but AC Bid is influenced by your bid as compared to other people. If you don't have a high Aeroplan Elite status, AC Bid may be the better choice for you.
Q: If I use a Bid Upgrade do I get additional SQM / SQD now for my flights?
A: No.
Q: If I use a Bid Upgrade on an International Flight leaving YYZ/YVR do I get access to the Signature Lounge?
A: No.
Q: When will I find out if my bid was successful?
A: You will be sent an email within 36 to 48 hours prior to your departure.
Q: If I am successfully upgraded, which baggage limit applies?
A: The baggage rules of the upgraded ticket apply. Note that this is different than eUpgrades, where the original tickets baggage rules still apply.
Q: When do I pay for a bid?
A: Your credit card is only charged when the bid is accepted, which will happen no earlier than 48 hours before departure. Note that if your card is declined, even temporarily for a fraud check, you will lose the bid and will not get another opportunity.
Q: Can I cancel an AC Bid?
A: Yes, but only until 48 hours before departure.
Q: If I cancel the booking after successfully bidding for an upgrade, or if I miss the flight, will I get a refund?
A: No.
Q: If Air Canada rebooks me on another flight, what happens to my AC Bid upgrade?
A: You keep it and Air Canada will put you in the upgraded cabin on the new flight. If the new flight does not have Premium Economy, or if there are not enough Business class seats, then your AC Bid will be refunded.
Q: I have a flight going from XXX to YYY on DD-MM-YY and the minimum bid is $ZZZ - what are my chances / what should I bid?
A: No one here really knows how Plusgrade as implemented by AC really 'decides' which bids to accept.
There are so many potential variables that it's best just to bid what you feel the upgrade is worth to you.
AC Bid Upgrade - FAQs
If your upgrade request is accepted, the fare conditions for the original ticket you purchased shall remain in effect and will be applicable with respect to cancellation policies, change fees, conditions for minimum and maximum stay, and rules relating to the accrual of frequent flyer miles. All other conditions will be per the upgraded fare class.
On the AC website:
"AC Bid Upgrade - Your opportunity to travel in a higher cabin class"
https://upgrade.plusgrade.com/offer/AirCanada
Air Canada Bid Upgrade Program
Oct 5, 2018, 11:37 am
#751
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: YVR
Programs: AC SE 2MM; UA MP Premier Silver; Marriott Bonvoy LT Titanium Elite; Radisson; Avis PC
Posts: 35,255
Success YUL - MCO Rouge flight
Bought a ticket on points in Y, paid for preferred exit row seat.
Bid the lowest, $205 CAD, highest options was $700.
Got an email this morning accepting it, this is three days out from flight.
Preferred seat fee also refunded.
Considering I get lounge access, food and drinks, two free checked bags and zone 2. I would say this is a win.
Bought a ticket on points in Y, paid for preferred exit row seat.
Bid the lowest, $205 CAD, highest options was $700.
Got an email this morning accepting it, this is three days out from flight.
Preferred seat fee also refunded.
Considering I get lounge access, food and drinks, two free checked bags and zone 2. I would say this is a win.
Oct 5, 2018, 11:01 pm
#752
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, BA Gold, SQ Silver, Bonvoy Tit LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond
Posts: 44,324
Success YUL - MCO Rouge flight
Bought a ticket on points in Y, paid for preferred exit row seat.
Bid the lowest, $205 CAD, highest options was $700.
Got an email this morning accepting it, this is three days out from flight.
Preferred seat fee also refunded.
Considering I get lounge access, food and drinks, two free checked bags and zone 2. I would say this is a win.
Bought a ticket on points in Y, paid for preferred exit row seat.
Bid the lowest, $205 CAD, highest options was $700.
Got an email this morning accepting it, this is three days out from flight.
Preferred seat fee also refunded.
Considering I get lounge access, food and drinks, two free checked bags and zone 2. I would say this is a win.
Oct 7, 2018, 7:35 am
#754
Join Date: May 2016
Location: NYC
Posts: 265
Tried bidding 285usd on a sfo to yyz flight (economy to biz) earlier this Feb which was not accepted.
Bid successful for 400 cad on a yyz to sfo flight for today (Oct 7) economy to biz. Excited! Range was around 200 to 700.
Bid successful for 400 cad on a yyz to sfo flight for today (Oct 7) economy to biz. Excited! Range was around 200 to 700.
Oct 7, 2018, 8:01 am
#755
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: YYZ
Programs: FOTSG Tangerine Ex E35k (AC)
Posts: 5,612
Oct 11, 2018, 6:24 am
#756
formerly airedalemom
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: YVR
Programs: AC 25K, AF, Marriott etc......
Posts: 260
I was successful for one out of two bids on award tickets
Bid $400 for yul to yvr - bid not accepted, I did check EF and there were only 3 seats available in J as of yesterday
Bid $150 (lowest offer) for yvr to yxy , both bids were successful , J section is almost empty
Bid $400 for yul to yvr - bid not accepted, I did check EF and there were only 3 seats available in J as of yesterday
Bid $150 (lowest offer) for yvr to yxy , both bids were successful , J section is almost empty
Oct 11, 2018, 1:30 pm
#757
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: YVR
Programs: Aeroplan, Marco Polo
Posts: 57
I've given up. We bid the max both ways on the AC 33/34 from YYZ to SYD. (2 grand from memory). Didn't win either way. Initially the O/B was accepted and we had a warning from VISA (other CCs are available) of a large transaction followed by a second email 30 mins later stating the charge was cancelled.
of course, it goes without saying there were several seats free in both directions. We were in PE and so slummed it, just off the plane more tired, less hungover, more hungry, more stiff etc though the 10 across in Y for a 15 hour flight looked brutal.
Do the third party company take status into account? I've tried for Denver, Halifax and also nowt. I guess the upgrade now feature provides certainty! That said, I skip the upgrade now from YOW to YYZ for a 40 min flight with a (cold) continental breakfast and no booze for $160 on an E190.
I guess my only complaint is the entire process is not transparent, and is a lottery and so the winning formula - if there is one (and it's not random) remains a mystery
of course, it goes without saying there were several seats free in both directions. We were in PE and so slummed it, just off the plane more tired, less hungover, more hungry, more stiff etc though the 10 across in Y for a 15 hour flight looked brutal.
Do the third party company take status into account? I've tried for Denver, Halifax and also nowt. I guess the upgrade now feature provides certainty! That said, I skip the upgrade now from YOW to YYZ for a 40 min flight with a (cold) continental breakfast and no booze for $160 on an E190.
I guess my only complaint is the entire process is not transparent, and is a lottery and so the winning formula - if there is one (and it's not random) remains a mystery
Curious because I have YVR-MEL coming up and put in a less significant bid but it looked pretty good on the little rainbow meter they had on the website.
Oct 11, 2018, 1:45 pm
#758
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: YVR
Programs: AC SE 2MM; UA MP Premier Silver; Marriott Bonvoy LT Titanium Elite; Radisson; Avis PC
Posts: 35,255
Are you basing this off the seatmaps in EF? Or the actual inventory numbers?
Oct 11, 2018, 5:21 pm
#759
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: MEX
Programs: AC E75K
Posts: 4,171
Question about the relationship (if any) between bid upgrades and instant upgrades.
Per AC.com's FAQs:
But as you may know (and the FAQ page points out immediately above that line), one can also go to https://upgrade.plusgrade.com/offer/AirCanada at any time and submit a bid at any time, with or without the e-mail invitation.
Here's my question: If I go to the plusupgrade.com page and submit my bid before any e-mail invitation and more than 10 days prior to departure, will I still be eligible for an instant upgrade later? Said differently, is AC's IT smart enough to dynamically offer up instant upgrades?
I doubt anyone knows for a fact, but curious to hear about different experiences.
Per AC.com's FAQs:
If you booked via the Air Canada website, Air Canada mobile website or via Air Canada Reservations and have opted to receive communications from Air Canada, we may invite you via email, 10 days prior to departure, to make an offer. If your flight is eligible for an Instant Upgrade, that option will be included in the email. To make your offer, just follow the directions mentioned in the email.
Here's my question: If I go to the plusupgrade.com page and submit my bid before any e-mail invitation and more than 10 days prior to departure, will I still be eligible for an instant upgrade later? Said differently, is AC's IT smart enough to dynamically offer up instant upgrades?
I doubt anyone knows for a fact, but curious to hear about different experiences.
Oct 13, 2018, 11:44 am
#761
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: YUL
Posts: 1,001
Success YUL - MCO Rouge flight
Bought a ticket on points in Y, paid for preferred exit row seat.
Bid the lowest, $205 CAD, highest options was $700.
Got an email this morning accepting it, this is three days out from flight.
Preferred seat fee also refunded.
Considering I get lounge access, food and drinks, two free checked bags and zone 2. I would say this is a win.
Bought a ticket on points in Y, paid for preferred exit row seat.
Bid the lowest, $205 CAD, highest options was $700.
Got an email this morning accepting it, this is three days out from flight.
Preferred seat fee also refunded.
Considering I get lounge access, food and drinks, two free checked bags and zone 2. I would say this is a win.
Got the same deal for the return trip. Plane was completely full. No lounge at MCO, but used The Club lounge, which was perfectly fine with Priority Pass.
Oct 13, 2018, 8:04 pm
#763
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, BA Gold, SQ Silver, Bonvoy Tit LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond
Posts: 44,324
Oct 13, 2018, 9:15 pm
#765
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: YVR
Programs: AC SE 2MM; UA MP Premier Silver; Marriott Bonvoy LT Titanium Elite; Radisson; Avis PC
Posts: 35,255
I don't have access to EF anymore so I looked at the BCD travel tool.
(The seat map is often not a good indicator)
For Sunday, October 14, 2018 on AC126 YVRYYZ it looks to be J0 and open in the back showing O9 and Y9.
Having done this flight often (~50 times) on Sunday nights, J has always been full.