Apr 2, 2017, 9:28 pm
Last edit by: Wigg
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.
Q: I was successful in a Bid Upgrade to the PY cabin. Can I now use my e upgrades to attempt to upgrade to J?
A: No. Only 1 upgrade is allowed. The same applies to a last minute upgrade to PY.
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 $ZZZ - what are my chances / what should I bid?
A: No one here really knows how Plusgrade as implemented by AC really 'decides' which bids to accept.
There are so many potential variables that it's best just to bid what you feel the upgrade is worth to you.
Q: I was successful in a Bid Upgrade to the PY cabin. Can I now use my e upgrades to attempt to upgrade to J?
A: No. Only 1 upgrade is allowed. The same applies to a last minute upgrade to PY.
AC Bid Upgrade - FAQs
If your upgrade request is accepted, the fare conditions for the original ticket you purchased shall remain in effect and will be applicable with respect to cancellation policies, change fees, conditions for minimum and maximum stay, and rules relating to the accrual of frequent flyer miles. All other conditions will be per the upgraded fare class.
On the AC website:
"AC Bid Upgrade - Your opportunity to travel in a higher cabin class"
https://upgrade.plusgrade.com/offer/AirCanada
Air Canada Bid Upgrade Program
Dec 7, 2022, 4:11 am
#1426
Join Date: Dec 2022
Posts: 3
First post alert: this is an awesome place for Aeroplan and AC related content
Need advice: I'm flying AC56 tomorrow (12/8). Currently in Eco with infant in lap and spouse. AC Bid upgrade for 1100$ to Signature. Shows J4 at the time of post. Haven't received the email for upgrade acceptance. Do the folks think it will clear?
Need advice: I'm flying AC56 tomorrow (12/8). Currently in Eco with infant in lap and spouse. AC Bid upgrade for 1100$ to Signature. Shows J4 at the time of post. Haven't received the email for upgrade acceptance. Do the folks think it will clear?
Dec 7, 2022, 5:07 am
#1427
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: ARN
Programs: AC, SK, Marriott
Posts: 1,150
First post alert: this is an awesome place for Aeroplan and AC related content
Need advice: I'm flying AC56 tomorrow (12/8). Currently in Eco with infant in lap and spouse. AC Bid upgrade for 1100$ to Signature. Shows J4 at the time of post. Haven't received the email for upgrade acceptance. Do the folks think it will clear?
Need advice: I'm flying AC56 tomorrow (12/8). Currently in Eco with infant in lap and spouse. AC Bid upgrade for 1100$ to Signature. Shows J4 at the time of post. Haven't received the email for upgrade acceptance. Do the folks think it will clear?
If you're within T-36h it likely won't clear and eUps will be processed at the gate. Between T-48 and T-36 there is still a chance, but not a great one with J4 and a bid of < $100 per hour
Dec 7, 2022, 5:18 am
#1428
Join Date: Dec 2022
Posts: 3
Also, the highest bud was less than 100$/hr on the bid upgrade page
Dec 7, 2022, 5:42 am
#1429
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: ARN
Programs: AC, SK, Marriott
Posts: 1,150
Dec 7, 2022, 7:29 pm
#1432
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: YEG
Programs: Table scraps from Aeroplan and AmEx Plat
Posts: 901
If I am understanding this, depending on availability, the upgrade offer at check-in would often be lower than even the minimum bid?
When do the offers at check-in become available? If the flight in question is the second or third leg of my itinerary, do I get a jump start of N hours on someone for whom that flight is their first/only segment? Or do the offers come in at T-24 of that particular flight?
When do the offers at check-in become available? If the flight in question is the second or third leg of my itinerary, do I get a jump start of N hours on someone for whom that flight is their first/only segment? Or do the offers come in at T-24 of that particular flight?
Dec 8, 2022, 6:25 pm
#1433
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: YEG
Programs: Table scraps from Aeroplan and AmEx Plat
Posts: 901
To answer my own question in case anyone else is wondering, I did get an upgrade offer for the YYC-YUL flight at check-in for our YEG-YYC-YUL-FDF trip, so definitely at an advantage over someone who's starting their trip in Calgary.
But... a redeye-popping $1,319.00 per person. Hard pass. Mixed cabin lowest reward J booking, so we got the preferred seats for free. Pitch and width on the A220 for those are quote decent, so....
But... a redeye-popping $1,319.00 per person. Hard pass. Mixed cabin lowest reward J booking, so we got the preferred seats for free. Pitch and width on the A220 for those are quote decent, so....
Dec 9, 2022, 6:25 am
#1434
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: YCD
Programs: AC 75K, HIlton Honors Gold, Marriott Gold Elite, Radisson Rewards Gold
Posts: 513
Data points - logged into my wifes account:
AC116 YVR-YYZ
AC116 YVR-YYZ
- Business Class upgrade buy now at $895
- Business Class "recommended bid" of $630, lowest slider was $460
- Business Class upgrade buy now at $600 <purchased since I'm already eUp'd on this flight for my PNR>
- Business Class "recommended bid" of $360, lowest slider was $315
- Business Class upgrade buy now at NO OFFER
- Business Class "recommended bid" of $360, lowest slider was $315
- Business Class "recommended bid" of $710, lowest slider was $520
Last edited by theranj; Dec 9, 2022 at 6:38 am
Dec 13, 2022, 1:56 pm
#1435
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: TPA
Programs: United MP
Posts: 463
UA Plat flying Rouge TPA-YOW on 4/7 (AC1695)
Seat map shows 7/12 J seats occupied with the usual caveat that the seat map doesn't equal the available fare buckets. I don't have a paid EF subscription so I'm not sure of the available fare classes.
This flight is on Good Friday so seemingly not a high demand time. I was thinking of a low-ish bid around $200 USD per person. The slider starts at $195 USD If I don't get the bid, I would probably buy preferred seats since the rouge A319 has pretty awful pitch otherwise. If I pay for seats first in Y and then win a bid I assume they don't refund my fees for the Y seats?
Seat map shows 7/12 J seats occupied with the usual caveat that the seat map doesn't equal the available fare buckets. I don't have a paid EF subscription so I'm not sure of the available fare classes.
This flight is on Good Friday so seemingly not a high demand time. I was thinking of a low-ish bid around $200 USD per person. The slider starts at $195 USD If I don't get the bid, I would probably buy preferred seats since the rouge A319 has pretty awful pitch otherwise. If I pay for seats first in Y and then win a bid I assume they don't refund my fees for the Y seats?
Dec 14, 2022, 2:26 pm
#1437
Join Date: May 2022
Location: YVR
Programs: AC SE100K, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 272
Dec 19, 2022, 1:21 pm
#1439
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Toronto, ON
Programs: AC 75K
Posts: 6,363
Dec 19, 2022, 1:32 pm
#1440
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: TPA
Programs: oneworld Rusty Iron; Starwood Aluminum
Posts: 217
You can check eligibility for yourself with your booking reference: https://upgrade.plusgrade.com/offer/AirCanada?lang=en
[FWIW- the itinerary appears bookable on AC
Last edited by elsenor; Dec 19, 2022 at 1:40 pm Reason: no more error