24left

I compressed the horizontal display so it appears vertical (sometimes easier for those on mobile to view attachments).

I was using Chrome regular mode. As is often a suggestion on this forum, try incognito.

EdmFlyBoi

For item 2 - do you mean you want to use your Aeroplan miles for the flight? Aeroplan miles can only be used in the Aeroplan program unless you transfer them by some mechanism to another program. For rewards, flights on AC are now subject to dynamic pricing, while partner awards are set at fixed amounts. The surcharges vary by partner carrier - there is a thread on that as well if you search for it - haven't really been able to make sense of the surcharges since the program changed as there was supposed to be a fixed amount applied to a partner booking (which has really not been the case in my experience - likely due to taxes, etc). Maybe others can comment on this. In my experience ExpertFlyer is pretty helpful. The other option is to search the dates around when you want to go, and if you are flexible, pick the date where there is availability.

For item 3 - no you do not need to be a member in other programs to search for availability, as Aeroplan will show you what they have access to through the Aeroplan program. The caveat to that is that some programs (like KrisFlyer) don't allow access to certain rewards unless you are a KrisFlyer member (F and R class). Although one could theoretically be a member of a number of different programs, the inability to move point/miles around makes this somewhat impractical in reality. When you look on some of the travel blogs - OneMileAtATime for example - Aeroplan had pretty good redemption value compared to other programs, but this was prior to the dynamic pricing and what was in essence devaluation of the points.

I am sure others can expand on this.

Bravada04

Thanks for the response.
Item 2 - Yes, I do understand that Aeroplan Miles can only be used with this program. It just seems / or I assume though that Aeroplan can book and use my miles for any Star Alliance if their is availability. It just seems the Aeroplan site does not always show availability or options with the other carriers - OR is that a bad assumption. For example: If there is availability for me to fly United out of YWG through ORD or DEN it will definitely show up? or another example say on EVA etc., out of YVR. I thought if I looked at all options on the ITA Matrix on Star Alliance and just fed the Aeroplan agent my options they could just type it in and check for reward availability and book it? Also, what if I wanted to just pay for my flight to ORD and then book a return from Chicago on a Star Alliance - Can Aeroplan do that as there are more options and carriers? This is kind of what I was getting at so I have the opportunity to possibly choose a carrier without surcharges etc., if they don't seem to show up on the Aeroplan site.

Item 3 - Ok. I think that answers my question. I was not confident that Aeroplan pulls all Star Alliance carriers availability when I search on it. If in fact it does than I can be confident that Aeroplan is pulling all reward availability real time from that destination on all Star Alliance carriers.

Thanks again!

24left

@Bravada04
It's easier for me to answer some of your questions if I break them out individually from the paragraph.

When you ask "Can Aeroplan do that?", are you asking if the program can do it, if an agent can do it, and if you can do it?

Let's use the example of a routing to Japan, say NRT. You could start your search at your home airport. You may not find the routing options you want from YWG. You may have to choose different dates or you may have to make 2 stops. Or, the prices may be very high if you fly AC to ORD and then NH or UA from ORD to NRT.

I've always searched for routings with multiple starting points. If we use NRT as the example, I would look at Aeroplan options from YYZ. If I don't see anything that works since I will have to connect anyway, I search with the start in YVR, then LAX, SFO, ORD, IAD, JFK and so on. If I find a routing, I then look to see if there is a reasonable connection to get me there all on one ticket - even if a longer layover.

There have been a few trips, where I could not get the flight I wanted from YYZ to the starting point of my long-haul flight across the Pacific., so I've purchased the short hop or transcon ticket separately, sometimes for cash and sometimes with Aeroplan points.. Nothing is stopping you from doing that except in the event of IROPS, where you may encounter difficulties.

Another thing I'm trying to also establish here is are you willing to do the searches or are you mostly interested in Aeroplan or someone else doing the searches?

EdmFlyBoi

In general an agent cannot put together an itinerary that is not available on the website. As 24left pointed out, you can link segments together, if they are available, and then feed them to the agent (I have certainly done that as well). You can't simply pull them from ITA because if they are not available on the website, AC doesn't have access to them, and the agent can't manufacture the space. The space has to be available in AC's system. My experience has also been that not all separate segments can be linked together by an agent. There can be a limitation where the segments must be booked together - for the life of me I can't remember what this is called but I am sure someone else will know.

24left

Married segments?

canadiancow

Yes they can.

EdmFlyBoi

Yes that's it.

EdmFlyBoi

And how would they do that?

canadiancow

The same way they've always done it?

I don't understand your statement.

As long as you're not trying to do something ridiculous like YYZ-NRT-YVR, they can do it (barring usual restrictions on availability), and it's permitted.

EdmFlyBoi

His question was about the ability of an agent to book space that wasn't available on the system based on its availability on the ITA Matrix, not the AC/Aeroplan website. Happy to be corrected, but I have never been able to have an agent book space that Aeroplan/AC doesn't have access to, for example first on Singapore, even if it shows available elsewhere.

canadiancow

Ah, the question was "I thought if I looked at all options on the ITA Matrix on Star Alliance and just fed the Aeroplan agent my options they could just type it in and check for reward availability and book it?"

So I'm responding in the sense that the "check for reward availability" comes back positive.

If there's no availability, they definitely can't book it.

YOWgary

The new site appears to be considerably better than the old, but even now there are a few things the website won't see, that an agent can do.

For example, if I want to fly YVR-SYD-MEL, Jan 10, the website will show me YVR-SYD direct, and several options for SYD-MEL on the arrival day, but it won't show me any options for YVR-SYD-MEL, using connecting flights I know Aeroplan can see.

It'll also show me YVR-MEL-SYD, so I know it's not an issue of border restrictions involving connecting flights.

In this example (and barring the current question marks around Australia reopening) I should have no trouble calling an Aeroplan agent and getting them to book me YVR-SYD-(23-hour layover)-MEL on a single ticket.

If you want to get the Australia factor out of the equation, try the same date with HKG-YVR-YYC. It'll show you three out of the four legal options for YVR-YYC with a same-day connection at YVR, but if you want to stretch that Vancouver stop overnight, you'll need to call an agent.

...and then of course there's the whole concept of multi-day layovers, which the website currently can't handle, though it'll apparently add that function later in 2021. For now, you've got to do that with an agent as well.

Bravada04

Thanks 24left.
Sorry, I guess I didn't explain properly. Yes, I guess I meant both if I can do that and/or the agent if I called.

Thank you for the examples and completely understand my search options. As an example coming from YWG. I could easy first start my search from my home airport then if that doesn't work start it from YVR or YYZ etc., and get myself there if needed and so on.

Thanks very much.

Canadian Cow...Yes, that was my question. I know there are segments if I looked just on AC are not on there. I booked a Vietnam trip the same way.....went on the ITA matrix and found an itinerary I liked ( nowhere to be found on AC website ) with multiple carriers and fed them the itinerary with fare classes and worked like a charm.
I was assuming that Aeroplan agent could do the same - provide my itinerary that I might not be able to see and they would tell me right away if there is award space?

FlY2XS

Many thanks for the particulars, I will start harassing TD.