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
Jan 9, 2021, 9:58 am
#1201
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: YYZ
Programs: Aeroplan 50K/Star Alliance Gold, Accor Gold, base level Marriott/Hyatt/Hilton
Posts: 658
Has anyone booked points flights under the new program, then a) seen the points requirement decrease later on b) seen a mixed cabin open up to full business class?
I've booked several flights and have been keeping an eye on them for several weeks, but have not seen either of those changes. I'm just wondering whether it makes sense to continue tracking them from time to time.
I've booked several flights and have been keeping an eye on them for several weeks, but have not seen either of those changes. I'm just wondering whether it makes sense to continue tracking them from time to time.
Jan 9, 2021, 9:59 am
#1202
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: BC, Canada
Programs: Bonvoy Titanium Elite, VSE/MVC Chairman's Club
Posts: 547
I would keep rechecking -- I've rebooked some 3 or 4 times (exact same dates/flights), each time the points requirements dropping. I think I'm now at half of the original points on some of these flights. theses were all NA economy.
Jan 9, 2021, 4:19 pm
#1203
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 821
the new dynamic some of them don't make any sense.
yesterday YVR-TPA. round trip is 11.2k+16.8K, tax $122, if I book separate is 11.8K+30K, tax is $65+$31=$96 lower.........so I cancel my YVR-TPA 11.8K one way (booked 7 days ago) and book the round trip instead, but today the same TPA-YVR flight drop to 11.2K
, however the YVR-TPA one increase to 27.3K 
wondering Can I call AC to split my existing round trip PNR? and why there's tax difference?
Lessons learned, I should not cancel my YVR-TPA 11.8K one way! wait few more days
yesterday YVR-TPA. round trip is 11.2k+16.8K, tax $122, if I book separate is 11.8K+30K, tax is $65+$31=$96 lower.........so I cancel my YVR-TPA 11.8K one way (booked 7 days ago) and book the round trip instead, but today the same TPA-YVR flight drop to 11.2K
, however the YVR-TPA one increase to 27.3K wondering Can I call AC to split my existing round trip PNR? and why there's tax difference?
Lessons learned, I should not cancel my YVR-TPA 11.8K one way! wait few more days
Jan 9, 2021, 7:16 pm
#1204
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: 44,357
There are definitely different taxes for something like SFO-YYZ-SFO vs YYZ-SFO-YYZ even though you're basically doing the same flights, so that isn't surprising.
And with dynamic prices, they will definitely fluctuate.
And with dynamic prices, they will definitely fluctuate.
Jan 17, 2021, 4:00 pm
#1205
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: YYZ most of the time
Programs: AC SE100K MM, Princess Elite
Posts: 3,921
Reward availability timing under new program
I am still trying to come to grips with the new Aeroplan probram. Not flying much has left me not caring much to understand the ins and outs of it all.....
Onto the question....
Under the new program, does reward space open at the same time as revenue space? or at a different time?
Specifically I am looking for 2 seats to Australia around the end of January 2022 (under the premise that international travel to OZ will be available then).
Onto the question....
Under the new program, does reward space open at the same time as revenue space? or at a different time?
Specifically I am looking for 2 seats to Australia around the end of January 2022 (under the premise that international travel to OZ will be available then).
Jan 17, 2021, 4:45 pm
#1206
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: YQB
Programs: AC SE
Posts: 2,139
I am still trying to come to grips with the new Aeroplan probram. Not flying much has left me not caring much to understand the ins and outs of it all.....
Onto the question....
Under the new program, does reward space open at the same time as revenue space? or at a different time?
Specifically I am looking for 2 seats to Australia around the end of January 2022 (under the premise that international travel to OZ will be available then).
Onto the question....
Under the new program, does reward space open at the same time as revenue space? or at a different time?
Specifically I am looking for 2 seats to Australia around the end of January 2022 (under the premise that international travel to OZ will be available then).
Jan 17, 2021, 6:04 pm
#1207
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: 16,780
Jan 17, 2021, 6:52 pm
#1208
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: YOW
Programs: AC SE, FOTSG Platinum
Posts: 5,734
For flights on AC metal, generally, yes. Although there are some weird things going on with Australia at the moment. I think YOWgary has been looking at that.
The short answer is, they're open in relatively high fares for PE-flex and J-lowest, in both points and cash, but Y is not available in either. My general read on that is that they're not sure when they'll know if those flights will be permitted, so they're only selling fares they can either refund or reaccommodate on partner metal.
In any case - under the new Aeroplan program, theoretically miles space and points space on AC metal are now effectively the same thing, so they *should* both become available at the same time, barring something unusual like the example of Australia.
Jan 18, 2021, 5:49 am
#1209
Join Date: Mar 2016
Programs: AC SE
Posts: 1,506
The short answer is, they're open in relatively high fares for PE-flex and J-lowest, in both points and cash, but Y is not available in either. My general read on that is that they're not sure when they'll know if those flights will be permitted, so they're only selling fares they can either refund or reaccommodate on partner metal.
BTW, I got lucky one day and found a pair of seats from YYZ to SYD in J all the way for 47,100 points (using a priority reward). I haven't seen them that low before or since.
Jan 18, 2021, 8:29 am
#1210
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: YOW
Programs: AC SE, FOTSG Platinum
Posts: 5,734
Have you noticed the same thing with NZ flights? They seem to be working a little better in my experience, but with less likelihood they'll actually happen.
BTW, I got lucky one day and found a pair of seats from YYZ to SYD in J all the way for 47,100 points (using a priority reward). I haven't seen them that low before or since.
BTW, I got lucky one day and found a pair of seats from YYZ to SYD in J all the way for 47,100 points (using a priority reward). I haven't seen them that low before or since.
I don't know what factors have led AC to treat New Zealand and Australia differently in this regard, but clearly they've gone out of their way to do so.
On a barely-related note, Air New Zealand shows daily YVR-AKL resuming July 1, which seems improbable.
Jan 18, 2021, 8:48 am
#1211
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: YYC
Programs: AC*SE, SPG Plat, National Exec Elite
Posts: 570
Curious to know how others are managing future award bookings with Covid uncertainty? I'm hoping to visit family in the EU this summer but is difficult to know when travel will be feasible. At the same time I know that the point cost on AC is going to increase and reward availability on partners is going to reduce as my travel dates get closer. Right now I'm booked in July but am debating booking "backup" tickets in August and September so that I can lock-in pricing/availability and then will simply cancel the flights I don't end up taking but wanted to get thoughts on if there is a better way to manage this?
Jan 18, 2021, 9:17 am
#1212
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: 44,357
Curious to know how others are managing future award bookings with Covid uncertainty? I'm hoping to visit family in the EU this summer but is difficult to know when travel will be feasible. At the same time I know that the point cost on AC is going to increase and reward availability on partners is going to reduce as my travel dates get closer. Right now I'm booked in July but am debating booking "backup" tickets in August and September so that I can lock-in pricing/availability and then will simply cancel the flights I don't end up taking but wanted to get thoughts on if there is a better way to manage this?
I have a bunch of bookings throughout 2021, almost every month. I cancel or move them as it becomes certain that they will be impossible to fly.
Jan 18, 2021, 4:51 pm
#1213
Join Date: Jul 2016
Programs: Aeroplan Elite 35K
Posts: 104
Curious to know how others are managing future award bookings with Covid uncertainty? I'm hoping to visit family in the EU this summer but is difficult to know when travel will be feasible. At the same time I know that the point cost on AC is going to increase and reward availability on partners is going to reduce as my travel dates get closer. Right now I'm booked in July but am debating booking "backup" tickets in August and September so that I can lock-in pricing/availability and then will simply cancel the flights I don't end up taking but wanted to get thoughts on if there is a better way to manage this?
So I am booking trips back to back in the next few months to come, I know I will be able to make it one day for one of the trips I booked, unless there is some one going to tell me there is going to be a Covid forever, never stop viruses.
Last edited by Adam Smith; Jun 23, 2021 at 12:17 am Reason: Resize excessively large image
Jan 19, 2021, 1:44 pm
#1214
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 106
My dad has an Aeroplan account for his business that has a significant amount of miles on it and offered to let me use some points for flights. Is there any way I can take advantage of the status benefits? (He has the automatic 25K status for earning 100k points per year.)
He hates flying and only uses the points for other redemptions so I was wondering if I could just change the name on the profile to my name to use for flight bookings so I can use the status?
He hates flying and only uses the points for other redemptions so I was wondering if I could just change the name on the profile to my name to use for flight bookings so I can use the status?
Jan 19, 2021, 3:18 pm
#1215
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: YYZ
Programs: Aeroplan 50K/Star Alliance Gold, Accor Gold, base level Marriott/Hyatt/Hilton
Posts: 658
My dad has an Aeroplan account for his business that has a significant amount of miles on it and offered to let me use some points for flights. Is there any way I can take advantage of the status benefits? (He has the automatic 25K status for earning 100k points per year.)
He hates flying and only uses the points for other redemptions so I was wondering if I could just change the name on the profile to my name to use for flight bookings so I can use the status?
He hates flying and only uses the points for other redemptions so I was wondering if I could just change the name on the profile to my name to use for flight bookings so I can use the status?