Old Apr 2, 2017, 9:28 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
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

Print Wikipost

Air Canada Bid Upgrade Program

Old Jun 5, 2018, 6:51 pm
  #601  
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: YVR/YEG/YYZ depending on day
Programs: E35K, FPC Platinum
Posts: 392
Could someone look into fare buckets on AC4 Jun28.
Currently in PY on this cabin, bid upgrades start at 780 and 1200pp for a "pretty good" bid.
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Old Jun 5, 2018, 7:09 pm
  #602  
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Originally Posted by YVRYEGYVR
Could someone look into fare buckets on AC4 Jun28.......
There is a thread for that too

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/air-...equest-11.html
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Old Jun 5, 2018, 7:42 pm
  #603  
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: YYZ
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Posts: 5,612
Originally Posted by MasterGeek
How old were the two kids ? The Plusgrade rep wasn't specific about the age of kids that triggered the exclusion. I see Air Canada has 3 age groups for kids: Infants, 2-11, and 12-15

The rep mentioned the reason for the exclusion is that AC and its premium clients don't want crying kids in business class.
Just to reply.. both in the middle group; 2-11.
The rep is clearly making that up As per everyone else. But maybe its infants, despite the bassinet etc..
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Old Jun 6, 2018, 11:17 am
  #604  
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I don't understand this bidding process. Case in point today I was asked to consult and thus that organization paid for my comfort fare on Rouge, which is new to me. I ended up paying up to Premium Rouge today out of my own pocket. The cost to do this was around the same as the minimum bid (around $400) each way. With the latter though, I don't get 150% AQM/AP miles. So maybe my flight was a one off as I usually book in business class for personal travel and don't usually fly on someone else's dime but this whole process has left me wondering what the point of the bidding process is given the lack of a price differential as per my scenario above.

Last edited by longtimeflyin; Jun 6, 2018 at 11:36 am
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Old Jun 6, 2018, 11:25 am
  #605  
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
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Originally Posted by longtimeflyin
I don't understand this bidding process. Case in point today I was asked to consult and thus that organization paid for my comfort fare on Rouge, which is new to me. I ended up paying up to Premium Rouge today out of my own pocket. The cost to do this was around the same as the minimum bid (around $400) each way. With the latter though, I don't get 150% AQM/AP miles. So maybe my flight was a one off as I usually book in business class for personal travel and don't usually fly on someone else's dime but this whole process is and has left me wondering what the point of the bidding process is given the lack of a price differential as per my scenario above.
Also wondering exactly this right now.

AC4 28-Jun: Showing 10 free seats in J as per AC agent, but R1. I'm in PY. Cost to upgrade directly is 1100. Ebid upgrade starts at 800 with 1100 still being considered "pretty low", only above 1200 is considered modest, and it goes all the way to 2000$ being strong.

I think a better way of showing the price options would be to to max it out at the fixed price for an immediate paid upgrade at that moment, with the scroll bar only going below that. As you recheck, your bid may drop relative to the increasing price for a paid upgrade. It would make decision making easier. Currently placed the lowest bid possible for ebid.
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Old Jun 6, 2018, 12:26 pm
  #606  
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: YYZ
Programs: FOTSG Tangerine Ex E35k (AC)
Posts: 5,612
Originally Posted by longtimeflyin
I don't understand this bidding process. Case in point today I was asked to consult and thus that organization paid for my comfort fare on Rouge, which is new to me. I ended up paying up to Premium Rouge today out of my own pocket. The cost to do this was around the same as the minimum bid (around $400) each way. With the latter though, I don't get 150% AQM/AP miles. So maybe my flight was a one off as I usually book in business class for personal travel and don't usually fly on someone else's dime but this whole process has left me wondering what the point of the bidding process is given the lack of a price differential as per my scenario above.
You're assuming the $400 minimum bid would also have been approved I think it really varies based on route, and likely also loads. I've seen minimum bids of $800 for TATL routes from PY where the cost differential is well above that.
I don't know if minimum bids increase as the flight becomes closer and therefore more full.

I think many people also don't know you can upfare as not all airlines allow it. And there's at least one thread here where call center agents tried to charge a change fee for upfaring.

And of course, it could just be that ACs bidding system can't handle any of the above and is just hard-coded values by distance
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Old Jun 11, 2018, 1:06 pm
  #607  
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: YQG
Programs: TK M&S Elite, Delta PM, *G, Skyteam ElitePlus, Nexus,
Posts: 40
Early bid upgrade confirmed from Economy Tango to Business on AC15 YYZ-HKG for $1,270

Last edited by jinxer226; Jun 11, 2018 at 10:35 pm Reason: Better explanation
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Old Jun 11, 2018, 1:24 pm
  #608  
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Originally Posted by jinxer226
Early bid upgrade confirmed from standard to business on AC15 for $1,270
For a 15 hour flight that is a steal. What fare class did you pay for originally?
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Old Jun 11, 2018, 5:01 pm
  #609  
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It's seems like the bidding is more $X to buy an upgrade, but you can bid it up if its in their favor.
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Old Jun 11, 2018, 6:52 pm
  #610  
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: YQG
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Originally Posted by longtimeflyin
For a 15 hour flight that is a steal. What fare class did you pay for originally?
I originally purchased for K class! Is it still a steal?
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Old Jun 11, 2018, 6:53 pm
  #611  
 
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Originally Posted by ou81two
It's seems like the bidding is more $X to buy an upgrade, but you can bid it up if its in their favor.
Based on the LMU database I noticed that LMU for AC15 usually go for $1,298
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Old Jun 11, 2018, 7:10 pm
  #612  
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Originally Posted by jinxer226
I originally purchased for K class! Is it still a steal?
If only classes were as easy as they were a few years ago.

I don't know (to answer your question). What fare name was it?
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Old Jun 11, 2018, 7:14 pm
  #613  
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
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Originally Posted by longtimeflyin
If only classes were as easy as they were a few years ago.

I don't know (to answer your question). What fare name was it?
I booked in late March so it was Economy Tango!
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Old Jun 11, 2018, 7:19 pm
  #614  
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Originally Posted by jinxer226
I booked in late March so it was Economy Tango!
Great deal then. Congratulations!
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Old Jun 12, 2018, 4:11 pm
  #615  
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: YVR
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Any recent experience bidding on YYZ-CPH?

Thanks.
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