Not in my experience. First come, first served.

Cost me a VDB once.

I concierge was present, and I did bring up "priority for Super Elites".

Is it safe to assume that VDB offers will always come with a hotel if overnight and away from home? I got that same email posted earlier the other day and didn’t bite as it was not clear — not worth losing half the voucher in hotel costs.

For VDB, I would not make that assumption unless you negotiate it at the gate.

In my experience it's always been offered. I did a YWG-YVR once, they rebooked me YWG-YYZ-SFO with an overnight, and proactively offered a hotel (I wasn't sure my dad's schedule yet, so I said I'd deal with it YYZ if I needed it).

But since you don't actually get anything until you're at the gate, it seems fine. But I also think you could just approach the gate early and tell them "I'm game if you cover my hotel".

So I got another VDB offer by email in advance of my flight tomorrow:

Hello BILL, If your travel plans are flexible and you're willing to volunteer to take a later flight, we're offering you an Air Canada Electronic Travel Voucher* worth CA$800 per passenger.
Here's how it works:

1. Select a back-up itinerary at the link below
2. Head to the airport for your original flight
3. If we need volunteers to change flights, you'll receive your new itinerary and your Air Canada Electronic Travel Voucher at your original flight's gate
4. If your flight doesn't change, you'll board your original flight and travel as planned

So first of all, I'm checking a bag and how is that going to work out if I end up being the chosen one at the gate, sounds like a gong show for both me and AC if they have to pull the bag.

Second, when I check EF the load looks like: J5 C5 D5 Z1 P1 R3 Y4 B4 M4 U3 H2 Q1 V1 so I don't understand how this would have even been triggered as the flight does not appear to be oversold.

Anyone have any idea how or why this happens? It's the second time now in a couple of months I've received one of these and found it to be totally useless to me and unlikely that the $800 was going to happen anyways.

Odd one….
 

Got an incoming call from AC Res today. I’m booked in paid J YVR to YEG tomorrow. It looks like they had a plane swap and a 12J 320 became 8J. Agent offered me an $800 voucher to change from my flight to another in J. I picked the flight 1:15 earlier 👍💰Pretty sweet deal. I am confirmed on the earlier flight and the voucher is being emailed. Will update with nature of voucher once it arrives….Update: took a few days for the E-coupon to arrive. This seems to work like a gift card but has a one year expiry.

This existed since Q3 2025, I signed up but was not called at the gate. Looks like AC is prostively doing this when flight load is very high. Its Y4 now but they might need to get some pilots on the flight?

Usual YEG getting the 8J 320s/321s, can’t escape them these days no matter where you’re flying in from.

+ It seems like you’ve been “rouged”! (kinda) The 18:00 flight is a rouge one, on the 7M8

I am ok with being „rouged” to the 737 in either class (in Y as long as I have a preferred seat)….at least on these short hops. If in J I am not a fan of the CRJ experience 👎

Fair! Well, good luck!