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
Dec 19, 2020, 2:52 pm
#1127
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: YVR
Programs: AC SE 2MM; UA MP Premier Silver; Marriott Bonvoy LT Titanium Elite; Radisson; Avis PC
Posts: 35,255
Just good to know for future.
Dec 19, 2020, 3:51 pm
#1128
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, BA Gold, SQ Silver, Bonvoy Tit LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond
Posts: 44,358
There's nothing I can see on the PNR or e-ticket that indicates the cost of each bound.
Dec 20, 2020, 11:01 am
#1129
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: southUSA
Posts: 398
Married Segment
Hello,
I am quite frustrated by the new aeroplan system. Many agents have quoted air Canada prices and variable model for a ticket solely operated by partners. After 6 or so tries I get an agent who can price out a "partner" award but could secure two seats in business on one sector due to a "married segment" logic. Stating that only 1 seat is available for business class DEL-AUH-ATH and 1 is available J DEL-AUH ---- Y AUH-ATH. Although I did see, and still see a J seat available for the AUH-ATH flight. Does anyone have info on how to get around this?
I am quite frustrated by the new aeroplan system. Many agents have quoted air Canada prices and variable model for a ticket solely operated by partners. After 6 or so tries I get an agent who can price out a "partner" award but could secure two seats in business on one sector due to a "married segment" logic. Stating that only 1 seat is available for business class DEL-AUH-ATH and 1 is available J DEL-AUH ---- Y AUH-ATH. Although I did see, and still see a J seat available for the AUH-ATH flight. Does anyone have info on how to get around this?
Dec 20, 2020, 11:53 am
#1130
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: YOW
Programs: AC SE, FOTSG Platinum
Posts: 5,734
For an all-partner-metal award, if there's still business award space visible on the leg you've currently got booked in Y, then any Aeroplan agent *should* be able to move you up no problem.
..."should".
Dec 21, 2020, 1:38 pm
#1131
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Vancouver, BC
Programs: Aeroplan 35K, Hertz Gold
Posts: 1,290
In case of involuntary reroute or schedule change on a dynamically priced reward ticket (therefore AC is the most significant carrier), it seems that AC will protect you only on AC metal for flights over the ocean.
This comment was included under fare endorsements:
This comment was included under fare endorsements:
INVOL REROUTE VLD AC TRANSATLANTIC ONLY CXLFEE/CHGFEE -BG AC
Dec 21, 2020, 4:03 pm
#1132
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: YOW
Programs: AC SE, FOTSG Platinum
Posts: 5,734
That is to say, if your Aeroplan award were booked SFO-TPE on UA metal, and that UA flight got cancelled, an AC agent *should* prioritize SFO-YVR-TPE instead of putting you on the SFO-TPE direct with BR.
Dec 21, 2020, 6:17 pm
#1133
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 821
wondering anyone knows Aeroplan release AC seats in how many days? 355? at what time?
Thanks!
Thanks!
Last edited by ecgz88; Dec 21, 2020 at 6:25 pm
Dec 21, 2020, 8:31 pm
#1135
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: 16,781
Dec 21, 2020, 8:31 pm
#1136
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
Dec 21, 2020, 9:09 pm
#1138
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
Dec 22, 2020, 1:46 am
#1139
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Vancouver, BC
Programs: Aeroplan 35K, Hertz Gold
Posts: 1,290
It's not that they'll protect you ONLY on AC metal for TPAC/TATL, but if AC metal is available, it's supposed to take priority.
That is to say, if your Aeroplan award were booked SFO-TPE on UA metal, and that UA flight got cancelled, an AC agent *should* prioritize SFO-YVR-TPE instead of putting you on the SFO-TPE direct with BR.
That is to say, if your Aeroplan award were booked SFO-TPE on UA metal, and that UA flight got cancelled, an AC agent *should* prioritize SFO-YVR-TPE instead of putting you on the SFO-TPE direct with BR.
In the case of a reward booked for SFO-TPE on UA metal, it's a partner only reward that is not dynamically priced. Space is available with X/I only. If UA were to be cancelled, Aeroplan should rebook to BR metal as it did before if there is still X/I space as applicable.
My point is if the reward booking is MSC on AC (which it would be as the transoceanic operator), the amount of points required for the booking may be lower than a partner MSC reward, and AC will not protect you on another carrier to cross the ocean.
On a random date:
SFO-(BR)-TPE = 50k in Y - BR is MSC
SFO-(AC)-YVR-(BR)-TPE = 50k as well in Y - BR is MSC
but...
SFO-(AC)-YVR-(AC)-TPE = 43k - AC is MSC
or
SFO-(AC)-YVR-(AC)-ICN-(TG)-TPE = 43k - AC is MSC
Dec 22, 2020, 1:49 am
#1140
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: 16,781
Is it really that they won't protect you on another carrier, or that they will prioritize AC metal? The tariff certainly has required them to protect on another carrier in the past.