Apr 2, 2017, 9:28 pm
Last edit by: warrens
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: 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: 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
Dec 12, 2016, 2:51 pm
#91
Join Date: Sep 2014
Programs: AC SEMM
Posts: 1,379
Pretty frustrating experience today. ... none of the text in the e-mail which was supposed to be a link actually worked -- it's purely text. The e-mail also contains a number of typos, including a full sentence that reads only "For the full terms and conditions of AC Bid Upgrade, please ." There is no link to any terms and conditions and the sentence just ends there.
...
...
Dec 12, 2016, 3:17 pm
#92
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Canada's worst airport....YYJ
Programs: AC: E75K, Marriott :Titanium, National: EXEC ELITE
Posts: 594
I'd agree that the e-mails go out exactly 10 days prior, as I got an invite for flights on the 22nd. Looks like some of the errors might be cleaned up, as there were no typos in mine, and links functioned properly.
The bid range was $350 to $800 for YYC-YYZ and $95 to $200 for YYZ-YOW, both on the 763. Hard pass on either offer, given there's likely minimal chance that many will bid at those prices, and from prior Xmas experience, there's at least a 30% chance of an op-up as a 50K. Otherwise, bulkhead pair for such short flights is fine with me.
The bid range was $350 to $800 for YYC-YYZ and $95 to $200 for YYZ-YOW, both on the 763. Hard pass on either offer, given there's likely minimal chance that many will bid at those prices, and from prior Xmas experience, there's at least a 30% chance of an op-up as a 50K. Otherwise, bulkhead pair for such short flights is fine with me.
Dec 12, 2016, 9:56 pm
#95
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: YGK
Programs: Aeroplan, AAAdvantage
Posts: 57
Okay Folks, I decided to take the plunge and explore this Upgrade Bid deal. And I have a single data point to share.
I booked a YVR-YYZ fare in Tango and, 10 days out, I was offered an upgrade bid option for the YVR-YYZ portion of the flight.
I had a look at recent LMU's for this route and compared these to the bid range in the email. The minimum allowed bid was $400 and I believe the max was around $950.
Curiosity got the better of me, and I decided to take one for the team and make a bid. I bid $405 - $5 more than the minimum and a bid that was ranked as "Poor" according to the "bid-o-meter". I made the bid a few hours shy of the -96 hour cutoff and I made it assuming it would be rejected. However approximately 72 hours prior to the flight I was advised that the bid was successful and I was upgraded to J.
So my total cost for this segment in J was approximately $710.
Well folks, in this beta period for upgrade bids there is at least one instance where the lousy bid gets the upgrade. #TookOneForTheTeam
I booked a YVR-YYZ fare in Tango and, 10 days out, I was offered an upgrade bid option for the YVR-YYZ portion of the flight.
I had a look at recent LMU's for this route and compared these to the bid range in the email. The minimum allowed bid was $400 and I believe the max was around $950.
Curiosity got the better of me, and I decided to take one for the team and make a bid. I bid $405 - $5 more than the minimum and a bid that was ranked as "Poor" according to the "bid-o-meter". I made the bid a few hours shy of the -96 hour cutoff and I made it assuming it would be rejected. However approximately 72 hours prior to the flight I was advised that the bid was successful and I was upgraded to J.
So my total cost for this segment in J was approximately $710.
Well folks, in this beta period for upgrade bids there is at least one instance where the lousy bid gets the upgrade. #TookOneForTheTeam
Dec 12, 2016, 10:19 pm
#96
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: YWG
Posts: 2,272
Okay Folks, I decided to take the plunge and explore this Upgrade Bid deal. And I have a single data point to share.
I booked a YVR-YYZ fare in Tango and, 10 days out, I was offered an upgrade bid option for the YVR-YYZ portion of the flight.
I had a look at recent LMU's for this route and compared these to the bid range in the email. The minimum allowed bid was $400 and I believe the max was around $950.
Curiosity got the better of me, and I decided to take one for the team and make a bid. I bid $405 - $5 more than the minimum and a bid that was ranked as "Poor" according to the "bid-o-meter". I made the bid a few hours shy of the -96 hour cutoff and I made it assuming it would be rejected. However approximately 72 hours prior to the flight I was advised that the bid was successful and I was upgraded to J.
So my total cost for this segment in J was approximately $710.
Well folks, in this beta period for upgrade bids there is at least one instance where the lousy bid gets the upgrade. #TookOneForTheTeam
I booked a YVR-YYZ fare in Tango and, 10 days out, I was offered an upgrade bid option for the YVR-YYZ portion of the flight.
I had a look at recent LMU's for this route and compared these to the bid range in the email. The minimum allowed bid was $400 and I believe the max was around $950.
Curiosity got the better of me, and I decided to take one for the team and make a bid. I bid $405 - $5 more than the minimum and a bid that was ranked as "Poor" according to the "bid-o-meter". I made the bid a few hours shy of the -96 hour cutoff and I made it assuming it would be rejected. However approximately 72 hours prior to the flight I was advised that the bid was successful and I was upgraded to J.
So my total cost for this segment in J was approximately $710.
Well folks, in this beta period for upgrade bids there is at least one instance where the lousy bid gets the upgrade. #TookOneForTheTeam
Dec 13, 2016, 5:15 am
#98
Join Date: May 2013
Location: YYT/YYC/TPE
Programs: AC SE, UA, National Exec Elite, Nexus, GE
Posts: 1,810
Okay Folks, I decided to take the plunge and explore this Upgrade Bid deal. And I have a single data point to share.
I booked a YVR-YYZ fare in Tango and, 10 days out, I was offered an upgrade bid option for the YVR-YYZ portion of the flight.
I had a look at recent LMU's for this route and compared these to the bid range in the email. The minimum allowed bid was $400 and I believe the max was around $950.
Curiosity got the better of me, and I decided to take one for the team and make a bid. I bid $405 - $5 more than the minimum and a bid that was ranked as "Poor" according to the "bid-o-meter". I made the bid a few hours shy of the -96 hour cutoff and I made it assuming it would be rejected. However approximately 72 hours prior to the flight I was advised that the bid was successful and I was upgraded to J.
So my total cost for this segment in J was approximately $710.
Well folks, in this beta period for upgrade bids there is at least one instance where the lousy bid gets the upgrade. #TookOneForTheTeam
I booked a YVR-YYZ fare in Tango and, 10 days out, I was offered an upgrade bid option for the YVR-YYZ portion of the flight.
I had a look at recent LMU's for this route and compared these to the bid range in the email. The minimum allowed bid was $400 and I believe the max was around $950.
Curiosity got the better of me, and I decided to take one for the team and make a bid. I bid $405 - $5 more than the minimum and a bid that was ranked as "Poor" according to the "bid-o-meter". I made the bid a few hours shy of the -96 hour cutoff and I made it assuming it would be rejected. However approximately 72 hours prior to the flight I was advised that the bid was successful and I was upgraded to J.
So my total cost for this segment in J was approximately $710.
Well folks, in this beta period for upgrade bids there is at least one instance where the lousy bid gets the upgrade. #TookOneForTheTeam
Dec 13, 2016, 7:19 am
#100
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 107
Okay Folks, I decided to take the plunge and explore this Upgrade Bid deal. And I have a single data point to share.
I booked a YVR-YYZ fare in Tango and, 10 days out, I was offered an upgrade bid option for the YVR-YYZ portion of the flight.
I had a look at recent LMU's for this route and compared these to the bid range in the email. The minimum allowed bid was $400 and I believe the max was around $950.
Curiosity got the better of me, and I decided to take one for the team and make a bid. I bid $405 - $5 more than the minimum and a bid that was ranked as "Poor" according to the "bid-o-meter". I made the bid a few hours shy of the -96 hour cutoff and I made it assuming it would be rejected. However approximately 72 hours prior to the flight I was advised that the bid was successful and I was upgraded to J.
So my total cost for this segment in J was approximately $710.
Well folks, in this beta period for upgrade bids there is at least one instance where the lousy bid gets the upgrade. #TookOneForTheTeam
I booked a YVR-YYZ fare in Tango and, 10 days out, I was offered an upgrade bid option for the YVR-YYZ portion of the flight.
I had a look at recent LMU's for this route and compared these to the bid range in the email. The minimum allowed bid was $400 and I believe the max was around $950.
Curiosity got the better of me, and I decided to take one for the team and make a bid. I bid $405 - $5 more than the minimum and a bid that was ranked as "Poor" according to the "bid-o-meter". I made the bid a few hours shy of the -96 hour cutoff and I made it assuming it would be rejected. However approximately 72 hours prior to the flight I was advised that the bid was successful and I was upgraded to J.
So my total cost for this segment in J was approximately $710.
Well folks, in this beta period for upgrade bids there is at least one instance where the lousy bid gets the upgrade. #TookOneForTheTeam
Or, maybe it doesn't. WHO KNOWS.
Dec 13, 2016, 7:21 am
#101
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 2,494
Very interesting -- thanks for the update. For what it's worth, I got exactly the same range for YYZ-YVR 10 days out, and my fare was a low-Flex fare. This seems to suggest that the system will not take into account the original fare class when selecting the winners of the auction -- that is, auction will be "Bid vs. Bid" rather than "Total Amount Paid (Original Fare + Bid) vs. Total Amount Paid (Original Fare + Bid)". Interesting.
Or, maybe it doesn't. WHO KNOWS.
Or, maybe it doesn't. WHO KNOWS.
Dec 13, 2016, 7:24 am
#102
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: 35,254
All this is info is great and stuff, but it would be of great benefit to also post what the availability was like prior to and after one's said winning bid.
For starters, R inventory.
For starters, R inventory.
Dec 13, 2016, 7:27 am
#103
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: YYC
Programs: AC SE 1MM, Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 3,395
Dec 13, 2016, 7:32 am
#105
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: 35,254
also skip posts on purpose (to avoid the emergency department when my eyes get stuck rolling to the back of my head), and occasionally miss the odd good post! 
