Aug 12, 2020, 12:02 am
Last edit by: Adam Smith
You must call in for stopovers, multi-city, or complicated routings, until the new booking system launches in 2021.
I hope others will significantly improve this wiki!
There are four zones: North America (inc Central), South America, Atlantic (including India and Western Russia), Pacific (inc Eastern Russia) and the chart is based which one you start from and which one you end up in, there's ten of these.
Cost is based on distance, which zone pair your flight is in, which class you are flying in.
Partner airlines (again) are a better deal because while Air Canada will calculate cost on a wide ranges but partner airlines are fixed to the bottom of the range.
YQ is eliminated. There's a 39 CAD fee for booking a ticket which contains a flight on a partner airline. Aside from this, there's no incentive any more to book a return flight it seems and every incentive not to.
Note: The partner booking fee is refundable, so it's basically a YQ, rather than a booking fee.
Most flights are devalued. However, the elimination of YQ sweetens this significantly. Within North America, a lot of flights became cheaper, YVR-HNL very significantly. YVR-TYO is much cheaper while YVR-AKL is a little cheaper.
A vastly more powerful booking system is promised for 2021.
There are a lot of new tricks to be learned. https://princeoftravel.com/blog/new-aeroplan-flight-rewards/ is a good start.
Information that is harder to find:
I hope others will significantly improve this wiki!
There are four zones: North America (inc Central), South America, Atlantic (including India and Western Russia), Pacific (inc Eastern Russia) and the chart is based which one you start from and which one you end up in, there's ten of these.
Cost is based on distance, which zone pair your flight is in, which class you are flying in.
Partner airlines (again) are a better deal because while Air Canada will calculate cost on a wide ranges but partner airlines are fixed to the bottom of the range.
YQ is eliminated. There's a 39 CAD fee for booking a ticket which contains a flight on a partner airline. Aside from this, there's no incentive any more to book a return flight it seems and every incentive not to.
Note: The partner booking fee is refundable, so it's basically a YQ, rather than a booking fee.
Most flights are devalued. However, the elimination of YQ sweetens this significantly. Within North America, a lot of flights became cheaper, YVR-HNL very significantly. YVR-TYO is much cheaper while YVR-AKL is a little cheaper.
A vastly more powerful booking system is promised for 2021.
There are a lot of new tricks to be learned. https://princeoftravel.com/blog/new-aeroplan-flight-rewards/ is a good start.
Information that is harder to find:
- SE IKK redemption from the old program can be changed ("within reason") without repricing. Dates, routings, no problem. Origin/destination should be fine. But nothing that would have required a repricing under the old program. This is from Mark Nasr in https://www.facebook.com/pointsmiles...44878252851420
- The "Activity" page only shows you the most recent ~48 transactions. See this post for information on how to get older data.
- A partial refund may not be possible (e.g. if you book RT and outbound flight is cancelled by you or AC, to delete the first flight segment, you have to cancel the entire ticket and rebook the inbound at a potentially higher fare. It seems supervisor can grant exceptions.)
2020 Air Canada Aeroplan Program
Nov 9, 2020, 9:25 pm
#826
Join Date: Feb 2020
Posts: 1,204
What happened to this marketing language that was earlier in the CIBC and TD about Visa Infinite Privilege cardholders being able to bring a guest to MLL for free ? It still says it here in this page but no longer in the benefits when you go the main credit card description on aircanada.com , TD or CIBC websites:
https://www.cibc.com/en/personal-ban...initeprivilege
The benefit is not mentioned in these two more recent links:
https://www.cibc.com/en/personal-ban...lege-card.html
https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/...html#privilege
https://www.cibc.com/en/personal-ban...initeprivilege
The benefit is not mentioned in these two more recent links:
https://www.cibc.com/en/personal-ban...lege-card.html
https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/...html#privilege
8 A primary cardholder and each authorized user with a CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card will each be able to offer 1 guest complimentary access to any Maple Leaf Lounge located in Canada and the United States, including International Maple Leaf Lounges in Canada and the United States when travelling on an international itinerary, (each, a “Guest Pass”) through November 7, 2021
Last edited by hoipolloi; Nov 9, 2020 at 10:03 pm
Nov 9, 2020, 9:28 pm
#827
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: SFO/YYZ
Programs: AC 25K, AS MVP Gold, BA Bronze, UA Silver, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,472
Partner pricing YVR-TYO should be 55K in J but lowest I am getting is 75K on the dates I tried (NH, UA and Combos of the 2) and the US connecting flights were all in Y. I did see 55K on AC some days but usually a lot more than that. I have 25K level with AC and the CIBC business CC - I see no discount. Looks like Aeroscam is just scamming more. Cannot book stopovers yet, or do we have to call in and pay additional fees until they fix this next year.
You mentioned "combos of the 2" and "US connecting flights". Are you sure you aren't exceeding the mileage because you're looking at connecting flights? YVR-TYO is 4700 miles. Anything but a very short connection will push you into the 5001+ 75k bracket.
Nov 9, 2020, 9:40 pm
#828
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: YOW
Programs: AC SE, FOTSG Platinum
Posts: 5,733
Below is what I'm seeing in J one-way on AC metal from YYZ with SE status (I've a premium infinite privilege CC but not sure how much discount if any has been applied):
HND 62,500 + $55
HKG 69,000 + $55
ICN 62,300 + $55
PVG 67,400 +$55
PEK 66,400 +$55
DEL 65,500 + $55
BOM 64,500 + $55
DXB 62,300 +$56
DOH 63,900 +$57
LHR 43,500 + $55
ZRH 54,200 +$55
FRA 46,900 +$55
MUC 52,900 +$55
AMS 44,300 +$55
CDG 43,400 +$55
VIE 51,400 +$55
CPH 44,800 +$55
GRU 48,200 +$55
SCL 48,800 +$55
EZE 48,200 +$55
HND 62,500 + $55
HKG 69,000 + $55
ICN 62,300 + $55
PVG 67,400 +$55
PEK 66,400 +$55
DEL 65,500 + $55
BOM 64,500 + $55
DXB 62,300 +$56
DOH 63,900 +$57
LHR 43,500 + $55
ZRH 54,200 +$55
FRA 46,900 +$55
MUC 52,900 +$55
AMS 44,300 +$55
CDG 43,400 +$55
VIE 51,400 +$55
CPH 44,800 +$55
GRU 48,200 +$55
SCL 48,800 +$55
EZE 48,200 +$55
Nov 9, 2020, 9:46 pm
#829
Join Date: Mar 2020
Programs: AC 75k
Posts: 704
What happened to this marketing language that was earlier in the CIBC and TD about Visa Infinite Privilege cardholders being able to bring a guest to MLL for free ? It still says it here in this page but no longer in the benefits when you go the main credit card description on aircanada.com , TD or CIBC websites:
https://www.cibc.com/en/personal-ban...initeprivilege
The benefit is not mentionned in these two links:
https://www.cibc.com/en/personal-ban...lege-card.html
https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/...html#privilege
https://www.cibc.com/en/personal-ban...initeprivilege
The benefit is not mentionned in these two links:
https://www.cibc.com/en/personal-ban...lege-card.html
https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/...html#privilege
Nov 9, 2020, 10:09 pm
#830
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,946
5/25 HND 62,500 + $55
5/25 HKG 69,000 + $55
5/20 ICN 62,300 + $55
4/14 PVG 67,400 +$55
4/14 PEK 66,400 +$55
3/17 DEL 63,200+ $55 (found lower than previous)
3/17 BOM 64,400 + $55 (found lower than previous)
3/18 DXB 62,300 +$56
3/18 DOH 63,900 +$57
3/18 LHR 43,500 + $55
4/21 ZRH 54,200 +$55
4/21 FRA 46,900 +$55
4/21 MUC 52,900 +$55
4/08 AMS 44,300 +$55
4/08 CDG 43,400 +$55
4/26 VIE 51,200 +$55 (found lower than previous)
5/12 CPH 44,800 +$55
5/12 GRU 48,200 +$55
3/18 SCL 48,800 +$55
3/18 EZE 48,200 +$55
Nov 9, 2020, 10:22 pm
#831
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: YOW
Programs: AC SE, FOTSG Platinum
Posts: 5,733
Now that I've been able to gather data from everyone except a SEMM with a Platinum Card, I can say with fair confidence that Preferred Pricing is a joke. Simply not a meaningful benefit of Elite status in any shape or form.
Test subjects run the full range of status levels, from "none" to "lots", and include:
- Mileageking, Super Elite with premium card
- Adam Smith, Legendary Super Elite with non premium card
- Myself, 75K with non premium card
- Jugaadkabaap, 35K with premium card
- Mrs. YOWgary, a 35K with no Aeroplan credit card
- My dad, who has no status and a non-premium-credit-card, and effectively speaking does not travel
- My mom, who has no status, no card, and travels with my dad.
We ran a variety of sample trips, domestic, transborder and international, on a mixture of dates, and for anything except the ridiculous 500,000-point outliers, variance between each "tier" was consistent across the board, regardless of variable pricing.
- If you have no status, and no card, you get no discount.
- If you have 25K / 35K status, or no status and an entry-level card, you pay about 10-12% fewer points than if you have neither.
- If you have 50K / 75K / 100K status, or 35K and a premium credit card, you get a further 500-point discount per award. That's it.
- If you have 100K and a premium credit card, sometimes you get 300-400 points off the 50K-100K tier, other times you get no additional discount.
For example, YYZ-LHR direct on AC:
- FOTSG pays 28,600 Y / 40,800 PE / 50,200 J
- 25K / 35K pays 26,200 Y / 37,000 PE / 44,000 J
- 50K - 100K pays 25,700 Y / 36,500 PE / 43,500 J
- 100K premium pays 25,700 Y / 36,500 PE / 43,500 J
YUL-YVR direct on AC, June 2021:
- FOTSG pays 17,700 / 27,100 / 32,300
- 25K/35K pays 14,400 / 20,100 / 25,100
- 50K-100K pays 13,900 / 19,600 / 24,600
I don't know if they plan to adjust this going forward, but in its current state it's effectively meaningless, when Super Elite leaves you 2-3% better off than a FOTSG with a first-year-free TD card.
Test subjects run the full range of status levels, from "none" to "lots", and include:
- Mileageking, Super Elite with premium card
- Adam Smith, Legendary Super Elite with non premium card
- Myself, 75K with non premium card
- Jugaadkabaap, 35K with premium card
- Mrs. YOWgary, a 35K with no Aeroplan credit card
- My dad, who has no status and a non-premium-credit-card, and effectively speaking does not travel
- My mom, who has no status, no card, and travels with my dad.
We ran a variety of sample trips, domestic, transborder and international, on a mixture of dates, and for anything except the ridiculous 500,000-point outliers, variance between each "tier" was consistent across the board, regardless of variable pricing.
- If you have no status, and no card, you get no discount.
- If you have 25K / 35K status, or no status and an entry-level card, you pay about 10-12% fewer points than if you have neither.
- If you have 50K / 75K / 100K status, or 35K and a premium credit card, you get a further 500-point discount per award. That's it.
- If you have 100K and a premium credit card, sometimes you get 300-400 points off the 50K-100K tier, other times you get no additional discount.
For example, YYZ-LHR direct on AC:
- FOTSG pays 28,600 Y / 40,800 PE / 50,200 J
- 25K / 35K pays 26,200 Y / 37,000 PE / 44,000 J
- 50K - 100K pays 25,700 Y / 36,500 PE / 43,500 J
- 100K premium pays 25,700 Y / 36,500 PE / 43,500 J
YUL-YVR direct on AC, June 2021:
- FOTSG pays 17,700 / 27,100 / 32,300
- 25K/35K pays 14,400 / 20,100 / 25,100
- 50K-100K pays 13,900 / 19,600 / 24,600
I don't know if they plan to adjust this going forward, but in its current state it's effectively meaningless, when Super Elite leaves you 2-3% better off than a FOTSG with a first-year-free TD card.
Last edited by YOWgary; Nov 9, 2020 at 10:46 pm
Nov 9, 2020, 10:25 pm
#832
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,946
Now that I've been able to gather data from everyone except a SEMM with a Platinum Card, I can say with fair confidence that Preferred Pricing is a joke. Simply not a meaningful benefit of Elite status in any shape or form.
I haven't had the chance to test these out on a SE with a premium credit card, so if that's you please PM me and I'll add it, but I'm not expecting to see a big difference.
I haven't had the chance to test these out on a SE with a premium credit card, so if that's you please PM me and I'll add it, but I'm not expecting to see a big difference.
Nov 9, 2020, 10:37 pm
#833
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: YSC (and all its regularly scheduled flights)
Posts: 2,521
What are the chances that these are errors similar to people missing SQD or (in my case) missing MM miles? Will these all be fixed next week?
What other enhancements might there be? For example, it seems like Zone 2 might now be... almost everyone. As a 50k that used to be nice, but it seems that even mid-level cards get there now. What about upgrades? How limited are they likely to be?
Dr. PITUK
Nov 9, 2020, 10:50 pm
#834
Moderator, Air Canada; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: YYC
Programs: AC SE MM, FB Plat, WS Plat, BA Silver, DL GM, Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, Accor Silver
Posts: 16,778
Nov 9, 2020, 10:57 pm
#835
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: YOW
Programs: AC SE, FOTSG Platinum
Posts: 5,733
Nov 9, 2020, 10:58 pm
#836
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: YSC (and all its regularly scheduled flights)
Posts: 2,521
Dr. PITUK
Nov 9, 2020, 11:09 pm
#837
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: YSC (and all its regularly scheduled flights)
Posts: 2,521
This year's status is not all that matters.
Dr. PITUK.
Nov 9, 2020, 11:32 pm
#838
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: PNW
Programs: AS 100K
Posts: 1,552
oops, I paid 57.5k to fly the route above on Turkish last year. Flying the same route with the same carrier is 85k according to the AC app. 57.5k to 85k is a deval imo. LAX-IST-West Europe jumps to 100k! I'm sharing TK results since pre-pandemic they were pretty good with releasing space compared to UA, AC, and other star partners.
Nov 9, 2020, 11:37 pm
#839
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,946
Not that it matters now but when I click on earnings summary for 2019, SQD earned shows $18.5K.
Nov 10, 2020, 12:34 am
#840
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: YVR
Programs: AC SE100K, Bonvoy Platinum Elite, IHG Gold, Hertz 5*
Posts: 2,132
I'm a habitual whiner and generally terrible at the types of games that need to be played to maximize the effect of these kinds of programs, but still...
So far I hate this.
"Oh, you're SE? Yeah, that's pretty well useless for redemptions."
So far I hate this.
"Oh, you're SE? Yeah, that's pretty well useless for redemptions."