Same Day Changes & Standby

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Please read the wiki before asking a question, as most common questions are answered here


Table of Contents (note the links below only work on desktop if you have expanded the wiki as described above)

• What Are Same Day Change and Standby?
• Same Day Changes
  • Basics
  • Cost
  • Routing
  • SDC & eUpgrades
  • Bookings Involving Partners
• Standby
  • Basics
  • Priority
  • Cost
  • Routing
  • Bookings Involving Partners

What Are Same Day Change and Standby? Back to top

Q: What are Same Day Change and Standby?
A: Same Day Changes (often called “SDC”) and Standby (sometimes referred to as “SBY”) involve taking a different flight from the one you were originally booked on without re-booking your itinerary, with no fare difference, and without the change fees normally applicable to your fare (specific SDC/standby fees are charged, as detailed below)

• Same Day Change is where you immediately confirm a seat on a new flight or flights. As soon as you execute an SDC, your seat on your original flight is gone. You can change to either an earlier or later flight on the same day (see below for details)
• Standby is when you put yourself on a waitlist for an earlier flight. The standby list is processed after check-in for that flight closes. Until you clear standby on a new flight, you continue to hold a seat on your original flight

Q: So can I use SDC or standby to fly to a different destination? Or fly from a different origin?
A: No, this just allows you to change flights between the same origin and destination, with limited exceptions for co-terminals (e.g. YYZ/YTZ or LGA/JFK/EWR; see the applicable Routing section)

Q: Are all flights eligible for SDC and standby?
A: It depends on fare and market. Markets are defined immediately below. For additional information, see the applicable Eligibility & Cost section

Q: What are the “markets”?
A:

• Domestic (flights within Canada)
• Transborder (flights between Canada and the US)
• Sun (flights between Canada and everywhere else in North America)
• International (everything else)

Q: Does it matter how I booked my ticket?
A:

• It matters which airline sold your ticket (details in the applicable section)
• It doesn’t matter how you paid for your ticket (cash vs points vs flight pass credit), although it may impact the cost

Q: Can I do this myself, or do I need an agent at the airport?
A: In most cases, as long as you’re eligible, you should be able to request standby or SDC via the AC app or website, including paying any required fees. But often it won't work, for no particular reason. If you need an agent to do it, it has to be an AC agent at the airport (someone who has access to DCS, the airport system), not someone at a call centre. The only exception, for those eligible for access, is the Concierge call centre. That also refers to the Aeroplan call centre - Aeroplan cannot help you with SDC/standby, and any airport agent who tells you that you need to talk to Aeroplan is wrong, and you need to push back


Same Day Changes Back to top

Basics Back to top

Q: When can I make the change? Does it have to be on the day of my flight?
A: SDC should be available online when check-in opens for the flight you’re currently booked on (24 hours in advance of your first flight). You should be able to request an SDC up until check-in for your original flight closes

Q: What flights are available for me to change to?
A: You can change to any flight on the same operational (roughly 0500-0200) date (subject to available space, which is described below); that includes flights departing more than 24 hours from the one you’re currently booked on. You can’t SDC to a flight for which check-in has closed

Q: Can you give me some examples?
A: Sure. Click on the spoiler below to expand a few examples


Q: What space is needed on the flight I want to change to?
A: You need positive space in your cabin, and on the flight as a whole. Your fare class is irrelevant. If you are booked in Y, and the flight you want is full in Y but empty in J, you cannot change. If you're booked in J, and the flight you want is J5 but Y-10, you can't change. If you're booked in J, and the flight is J5 Y-4, you can change, even though Y is overbooked, because the flight is not

Q: How do I make this change?
A: SDC is available through the online check-in function on the AC app or website (as long as it’s working properly). You can request SDC before you start check-in or after you’ve completed it. You should be offered any available itineraries. If a flight isn’t showing up as an option, it’s probably due to lack of available space as described above, or in the case of connecting itineraries, it may not be a legal connection. An agent at the airport can also handle this; this includes Concierges (and, for SEs only, the central Concierge office)

Q: I’ve read through the FAQ and am curious about the technical details
A: See this excellent post by D582



Eligibility & Costs Back to top

Q: What do same day changes cost, and what’s eligible?
A: Both answers depend on the market and fare type:

• Basic: not eligible
• Standard
  • $150 domestic/transborder; or $100 for a few selected city pairs:
    • Flights between (a) Toronto (YYZ or YTZ) and (b)(i) Montreal or (ii) Ottawa
    • Flights between (a) Toronto Pearson (YYZ) and (b)(i) JFK or (ii) LGA or (iii) Newark airports
    • Flights between any of Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver
  • $50 Sun
  • $100 international
• Flex
  • $75 domestic/transborder
  • $50 Sun
  • $100 international
• Comfort: $0
• Latitude: $0
• Premium Economy Lowest
  • $75 for domestic/transborder
  • $100 international
  • ??? Sun (not listed)
• Premium Economy Flexible: $0
• Business Class Lowest:
  • $0 for domestic/transborder
    • Note: the app/website want to charge $100 on Aeroplan Business Lowest bookings. The AC website does not make any distinction for Aeroplan tickets, and the fare rules should say SDC is free. You may or may not be able to get an agent to waive the fee, but should be able to get a refund after the fact
  • Sun/international: a fee may apply, but is variable depending on route/fare
• Business Class Flexible: $0

Some fare rules also waive SDC fees. There are a lot of international Premium Economy Lowest fares that explicitly state SDC is free

Q: Do I have to pay the fee for each segment I change?
A: No, you pay the fee each time you make a change. You could change all 3 flights on a 2-stop itinerary and pay the fee only once. However, if you make a change, then later decide you’d like to change flights again, you would have to pay another fee, regardless of how many segments you’ve changed each time



Routing Back to top

Q: What am I allowed to change?
A: You may change the routing, but not the number of connections

Q: Can you give me some examples?
A: Sure. Click on the spoiler below to expand a few examples


Q: The agent I'm dealing with says I can’t change connecting points
A: Tell them to look at "the ACpedia page for Same-Day Change, under the header of FLAT Same Day Change Fee for Multiple Segments". The policy very explicitly states that you must have same day of departure, same origin, and same final destination

Q: I booked a flight from YYZ to EWR but I want to go to LGA instead, can I do that?
A: Yes, you can change between co-terminals at your destination

Q: What if I booked a flight EWR to YYZ, can I leave from LGA instead?
A: No, you can’t change co-terminals at your origin

Q: Can I SDC after I’ve already taken one or more flights, e.g. if I’m flying FCO-YYZ-YYC, can I SDC the YYZ-YYC flight after arriving at YYZ?
A: Yes, you should be able to do it yourself online, or an agent can do it


SDC & eUpgrades Back to top

Q: I have a confirmed eUpgrade on my original flight. Can I SDC straight in to J on the new flight?
A: No, you need space in Y to SDC into. When you SDC, you will be back in Y

Q: Will my eUp request carry over to the new flight?
A: No, once you SDC, you will need to request the eUp again. You should be able to do this online, or an agent can do it

Bookings Involving Partners Back to top

Q: I booked my flight through United, can I do SDC?
A No, it must be ticketed by Air Canada, meaning the ticket number must start with 014

Q: I booked YYZ-FRA-LHR, with one segment on another airline. Can I change it to YYZ-YUL-LHR?
A: No you may only change segments operated by AC



Standby Back to top

Basics Back to top

Q: What flights are eligible for standby?
A: Essentially, Comfort, Latitude, PY Flexible, and Business Flexible always get free standby. Basic is never eligible. Standard, Flex, PY Lowest and Business Lowest are only eligible on certain routes or markets. See the Eligibility & Costs section below

Q: When can I make the change? Does it have to be on the day of my flight?
A: You should be able to request standby online when check-in opens for the flight you’re currently booked on (24 hours in advance of your first flight). But the standby list is only processed a short time before the flight

Q: So when does the standby list get processed?
A: The standby list is generally run 5 minutes after check-in closes (i.e. 40 minutes for domestic flights or 55 minutes for international flights)

Q: If I don’t get a seat at T-40/T-55, does that mean I’m out of luck?
A: No. If there are people who don’t show up for the flight (e.g. misconnections), they will clear more people off the standby list (the plane usually shouldn’t leave with empty seats if there are still people on standby)

Q: I don’t like the idea of waiting that late. Can I get confirmed earlier than that?
A: That’s what SDC is for. On rare occasions, AC may clear people off the standby list earlier than the times above, but you’re usually not going to get confirmed until after check-in has closed

Q: There’s more than one earlier flight that would work for me. Can I standby for multiple flights?
A: You can only SBY for one flight at a time, but if you fail to clear on that one, you can request it on a subsequent flight

Q: Do I keep my seat on my original flight?
A: As soon as you clear standby for a new flight, you lose the space on your original flight. If you don’t clear standby, your original booking remains intact

Q: What if I clear standby but don’t board the earlier flight?
A: You need to see an agent to try to get re-booked on another flight. You’ve in a difficult position because you’ve given up your original seat then no-showed the new one, so you have no confirmed space on any flight

Q: Can I cancel a standby request?
A: As long as it hasn’t cleared. Once it clears, as noted above, you’ve lost your original flight, and you’ll need an agent to re-book you on something else. Note that once check-in closes, you will likely need an agent to remove you from the list

Q: I’m booked in a higher cabin than economy (whether originally ticketed or on some kind of upgrade). Can I standby only for a flight in my original cabin?
A: Nope. If you have a ticket for a higher cabin, you’ll be on standby for space in that cabin and anything lower. That means if your original flight is in J, you could end up in PY or Y

Q: Would I get any compensation for the downgrade?
A: No, because you chose to take an earlier flight

Q: This sounds kind of different from how I remember it
A: AC switched to a new reservation system in late 2019, which brought numerous changes. Most were negative – previously you could standby only for the cabin you were booked in, and you didn’t lose your seat on your original flight unless and until you boarded the new flight – but some were positive, e.g. online self-service options

Q: Overall, this sounds kind of crappy. Why would I want to do it?
A: If getting to your next airport early is important, and especially if you’re already booked in Y, SBY can be worthwhile. If you’re confirmed in a higher cabin, there’s a considerable chance of being downgraded, so it may be less appealing

Q: How do I request standby?
A: Standby is available through the online check-in function on the AC app or website (as long as it’s working properly). You can only request SBY after you’ve checked in. An agent at the airport can also handle this; this includes Concierges (and, for SEs only, the central Concierge office)


Priority Back to top

Q: What is the priority for standby?
A: As follows (this is very similar to the priority for eUpgrades):

1. Cabin: Based on your ticketed cabin (i.e. upgrades don’t count)
   • Note: Paid J will rank ahead of any eUp requests in the J cabin (subject to space available on the flight – if the flight is full overall but oversold in Y/PY, your standby can’t clear, so eUps will clear even though your standby doesn’t). If you have a confirmed upgrade to J, you’ll be on standby for J, but with lower priority than everyone who’s already confirmed on the flight. The same principle should apply to PY
   • For seats in Y, J and PY will rank ahead of those ticketed in Y
2. Status: VIP > SE 2MM+ with credit card > SE 2MM+ > SE MM with credit card > SE MM > SE with credit card > SE > 75K 2MM+ with credit card, etc. If two passengers are on the PNR, the priority might be based on the highest status, per this post
3. "Fare": Brand comes first (PF > PL; LT > CO > FL > ST), so a low Comfort fare is higher priority than Flex M. Within a brand, fare class matters. If you bought your ticket through another airline, and you don't have a brand, they infer a brand based on the fare class.
   Fare class hierarchy:
   • PY fares: O > E > A > N
   • Y fares: Y > B > M > U > H > Q > V > W > S > T > L > K > G
4. Check-in time: As indicated by your sequence number

Eligibility & Costs Back to top

Q: What’s eligible for standby, and how much does it cost?
A: Eligibility depends on market and route; when eligible, standby is always free

• Basic: not eligible
• Standard & Flex
  • Domestic/transborder, only eligible for:
    • Flights between (a) Toronto (YYZ or YTZ) and (b)(i) Montreal or (ii) Ottawa
    • Flights between (a) Toronto Pearson (YYZ) and (b)(i) JFK or (ii) LGA or (iii) Newark airports
    • Flights between any of Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver
  • Sun & International: not eligible
• Comfort: always eligible
• Latitude: always eligible
• Premium Economy Lowest
  • Domestic/transborder, only eligible for:
    • Flights between (a) Toronto (YYZ or YTZ) and (b)(i) Montreal or (ii) Ottawa
    • Flights between (a) Toronto Pearson (YYZ) and (b)(i) JFK or (ii) LGA or (iii) Newark airports
    • Flights between any of Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver
  • Sun: eligible
  • International: not eligible
• Premium Economy Flexible: always eligible
• Business Class Lowest
  • Domestic/transborder, only eligible for:
    • Flights between (a) Toronto (YYZ or YTZ) and (b)(i) Montreal or (ii) Ottawa
    • Flights between (a) Toronto Pearson (YYZ) and (b)(i) JFK or (ii) LGA or (iii) Newark airports
    • Flights between any of Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver
  • Sun & International: eligible
• Business Class Flexible: always eligible

Routing Back to top

Q: I booked a connecting itinerary. Can I standby for a non-stop flight?
A: No, you can only standby for an earlier flight on the same route

Q: What if I want to standby from a non-stop to a connecting itinerary?
A: No, same as above

Q: If I’m flying YYC-YYZ-YDF, can I standby for both an earlier YYC-YYZ and an earlier YYZ-YDF?
A: Yes, but you can only request SBY for your next segment at any one time – you can only request for the YYZ-YDF leg once you’ve flown the YYC-YYZ leg

Q: I booked a flight from YYZ to EWR but I want to go to LGA instead, can I do that?
A: Yes, you can change between co-terminals at your destination

Q: What if I booked a flight EWR to YYZ, can I leave from LGA instead?
A: No, you can’t change co-terminals at your origin


Bookings Involving Partners Back to top

Q: I booked my flight through United, can I do SBY?
A: Not through self-serve tools. It must be ticketed by Air Canada, meaning the ticket number must start with 014. There is a chance an agent can make this happen

Q: I booked YYZ-ORD, operated by United, can I stand by for an Air Canada flight?
A: No, you can only stand by from segments operated by AC

Q: I booked YYZ-ORD, operated by Air Canada, can I stand by for a United flight?
A: No you can only stand by to segments operated by AC

Q: What if the flight is a codeshare, does that change either of the previous two answers?
A: No, codeshares are irrelevant