Sep 15, 21, 4:27 pm
Last edit by: canopus27
A STATUS PASS DOES NOT CONFER YOUR STATUS TO THE RECIPIENT!
SO FOR EXAMPLE IF YOU ARE SUPER ELITE, YOUR BENEFICIARY DOES NOT GET OR HAVE SUPER ELITE PRIVILEGES! THEY DO NOT GET ANY KIND OF STAR ALLIANCE GOLD PRIVILEGES!
SEE WIKI BELOW!
What is a status pass?
A status pass (sometimes abbreviated as "STPA") grants passengers many of the benefits of elite status (detailed below). One status pass is applied to a booking and extends benefits to all passengers (up to 9), on all flights, on that booking.
The benefits of the STPA don't exactly correspond to any elite tier.
The status pass must be applied before travel commences. It cannot be applied after any flights have been taken. It is unclear whether there is a deadline to apply the pass. A pass can be removed from a booking up to 6 hours before travel commences.
What does a status pass get you?
What DOESN'T a status pass get you?
How does a status pass get added to a reservation?
The pass must be applied by the person with elite status (E50K, E75K, Super Elite). It can be done through the AC app or via the AC website.
In order to apply the pass, you will need the PNR (booking reference) and last name of any of the passengers on the PNR.
How do I know if the Status Pass actually was added? How can the PAX show to Airport staff that they have one?
The person granting the pass should see the pass applied in their Benefits section under Status Pass. Look at sent passes.
COWTOOL PNR lookup will indicate "A status pass has been applied" for reservations where it has been successfully applied.
The PAX should have "STPA" on their boarding pass.
Are status passes different depending on the status of the person giving the pass?
No. All status passes are the same. Whether the pass was given by an 50K or a Super Elite is irrelevant.
The AC website says "travel must occur within the current benefit year". What does that mean?
The recipient's trip must start before the end of the benefit year, which is also the calendar year, i.e. the first flight must be taken on or before December 31.
However, if there are additional flights on the PNR in the following year, the status pass will also be valid for those flights (not explained on the AC site, but verified in practice by FTers for bookings straddling 2021 and 2022).
Do they work for award and cash bookings?
They can be applied to both
SO FOR EXAMPLE IF YOU ARE SUPER ELITE, YOUR BENEFICIARY DOES NOT GET OR HAVE SUPER ELITE PRIVILEGES! THEY DO NOT GET ANY KIND OF STAR ALLIANCE GOLD PRIVILEGES!
SEE WIKI BELOW!
What is a status pass?
A status pass (sometimes abbreviated as "STPA") grants passengers many of the benefits of elite status (detailed below). One status pass is applied to a booking and extends benefits to all passengers (up to 9), on all flights, on that booking.
The benefits of the STPA don't exactly correspond to any elite tier.
The status pass must be applied before travel commences. It cannot be applied after any flights have been taken. It is unclear whether there is a deadline to apply the pass. A pass can be removed from a booking up to 6 hours before travel commences.
What does a status pass get you?
- Priority check-in
- Free checked bags (3 per passenger), with priority baggage handling
- Priority security
- Access to Maple Leaf Lounges ("MLL"), including international lounges, prior to your departing flight
- Priority boarding (Zone 2)
- Priority standby
What DOESN'T a status pass get you?
- Access to non-MLL AC lounges (i.e. Cafe and Signature Suites)
- Access to lounges not operated by AC
- Free seat selection
- MLL guesting privileges
- E50K status (some of the status pass benefits are similar, but are certainly not comprehensively equivalent to E50K)
- *G status
How does a status pass get added to a reservation?
The pass must be applied by the person with elite status (E50K, E75K, Super Elite). It can be done through the AC app or via the AC website.
In order to apply the pass, you will need the PNR (booking reference) and last name of any of the passengers on the PNR.
How do I know if the Status Pass actually was added? How can the PAX show to Airport staff that they have one?
The person granting the pass should see the pass applied in their Benefits section under Status Pass. Look at sent passes.
COWTOOL PNR lookup will indicate "A status pass has been applied" for reservations where it has been successfully applied.
The PAX should have "STPA" on their boarding pass.
Are status passes different depending on the status of the person giving the pass?
No. All status passes are the same. Whether the pass was given by an 50K or a Super Elite is irrelevant.
The AC website says "travel must occur within the current benefit year". What does that mean?
The recipient's trip must start before the end of the benefit year, which is also the calendar year, i.e. the first flight must be taken on or before December 31.
However, if there are additional flights on the PNR in the following year, the status pass will also be valid for those flights (not explained on the AC site, but verified in practice by FTers for bookings straddling 2021 and 2022).
Do they work for award and cash bookings?
They can be applied to both
Status Passes - what are they and how to use them?
Dec 15, 21, 2:48 pm
#226
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 522
Originally Posted by asovse1
I was hesitant to say something similar about a STPA passenger who recently flew, but at OLCI you can definitely increment the counter to three bags and it still shows $0.00 at a subtotal, if my peeking-over-the-shoulder OLCI memory serves me right. One thing I don't know is how can you tell, at this point, that it's 32 kg and not 23 kg?
Dec 15, 21, 3:00 pm
#227
Moderator: Le Club Accorhotels, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2009
Location: FRA / YEG
Programs: AC Super Elite, Radisson Platinum, Accor Platinum
Posts: 11,873
Originally Posted by Adam Smith
@zrh2yvr, the question has been asked multiple times in this thread, and never answered, but does the STPA definitely convey the 32 kg baggage allowance? The AC elite benefits page just says 3 complimentary checked bags. I'm not sure whether you're making an assumption there or whether you've investigated it.
If you, or anyone else, has gotten the answer from AC, perhaps you could post the answer and update the wiki. And if there's a link to some page on the AC website that has the answer, it would be useful for the community to have that too.
If you, or anyone else, has gotten the answer from AC, perhaps you could post the answer and update the wiki. And if there's a link to some page on the AC website that has the answer, it would be useful for the community to have that too.
25K members get 2x23kg, and 35K members and above get 3x32kg.
Dec 15, 21, 3:46 pm
#228
Moderator, Air Canada; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: YYC
Programs: AC SE MM, DL PM, WS Silver, BA Bronze, Marriott Titanium, Hilton/Radisson Gold, Accor Silver
Posts: 15,124
Originally Posted by zappy312
I'm digging back in my memory, but I recall OLCI not charging overweight bag fees when I selected 3x32kg bags on an AP Standard booking for FOTSG family members.
Originally Posted by Jasper2009
I agree that we haven't seen any official information afaik, but wouldn't 3x23kg be a little illogical given that that that allowance doesn't correspond to any elite tier?
So, would it be illogical to have a baggage allowance that's in between two tiers? Not necessarily. If AC had billed STPA as being equivalent to having a certain status while flying on the PNR, absolutely. But the STPA is sui generis.
Last edited by Adam Smith; Dec 15, 21 at 4:10 pm Reason: Corrected typo
Dec 20, 21, 10:25 pm
#229
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: YYC
Programs: BAEC, AP, et al
Posts: 34
I am planning a 12 segment, Canada-Europe-Mid East- SE Asia - Pacific and similar return route for Oct next year, as much as possible in Biz class. Would status passes gain me any additional benefit? From what I read on AP, other than possibly a bigger baggage allowance (which I likely won't need), I don't see any other gain (unless, do biz class tickets get you lounge access where there are no Maple Leaf lounges? I'm likely to be in ZRH, IST, AUH, BKK or SIN, NAN, PER and perhaps TPE and/or HND. Will I get *A lounge accesses?). I'm only 1 person travelling. Thanks.
Last edited by Adam Smith; Dec 20, 21 at 10:43 pm Reason: Edit to reflect thread move
Dec 20, 21, 10:47 pm
#230
Moderator, Air Canada; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: YYC
Programs: AC SE MM, DL PM, WS Silver, BA Bronze, Marriott Titanium, Hilton/Radisson Gold, Accor Silver
Posts: 15,124
Originally Posted by rugrgrli
Would status passes gain me any additional benefit?
Status passes add essentially no benefit if you're flying in J, priority standby being the only thing that could possibly apply.
Dec 22, 21, 7:20 am
#232
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: YVR
Programs: AC SE 2MM; UA MP Premier Silver; Marriott Bonvoy LT Titanium Elite; Radisson
Posts: 34,883
Originally Posted by Stranger
I gave one to my daughter and family. When getting to the lounge at YYZ they were told that they needed lounge passes.
However they did let them in after all.
Another case of I work at the airport?
However they did let them in after all.
Another case of I work at the airport?
If the STPA is applied correctly, then all the requisite info is on the BP, and the STPA person just needs to scan their BP when entering... no requirement for small talk with the MLL agent...
Dec 22, 21, 8:44 am
#233
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, UA Gold, Bonvoy Tit LT Sil, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond, Accor Silver
Posts: 41,492
Yeah I'm also confused. My dad scanned his BP and was welcomed in. At no point did any agent look at anything.
Dec 22, 21, 8:52 am
#234
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: YYC
Posts: 23,012
Originally Posted by canadiancow
Yeah I'm also confused. My dad scanned his BP and was welcomed in. At no point did any agent look at anything.
But they did have the lounge sign on the boarding passes. One would think the lounge attendant would have scanned the BP? But I'll ask. Anyway, they were let in. But they made it sound like it was a favor or an exception.
Dec 22, 21, 9:23 am
#235
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, UA Gold, Bonvoy Tit LT Sil, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond, Accor Silver
Posts: 41,492
Originally Posted by Stranger
They showed a printout of the status pass confirmation.
But they did have the lounge sign on the boarding passes. One would think the lounge attendant would have scanned the BP? But I'll ask. Anyway, they were let in. But they made it sound like it was a favor or an exception.
But they did have the lounge sign on the boarding passes. One would think the lounge attendant would have scanned the BP? But I'll ask. Anyway, they were let in. But they made it sound like it was a favor or an exception.
If you start the conversation with "here's a printout", you're now in the 0.1% of people who are not just scanning their BP. And I bet 99% of the people who initially don't scan their BP do not, in fact, have access.
Agents shouldn't have to know what a status pass is, because everything should just work. And aside from a few instances when they were first being used, they do seem to just work.
Dec 29, 21, 6:12 am
#236
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: YYZ
Programs: Flying Blue Silver, National Executive, NEXUS
Posts: 19
Just wanted to post my experience using a status pass today (thanks to @24left for gifting me it).
My friends and I flew on an Economy Basic fare from YYZ-CDG. We checked in online and were allowed to select 3x32kg each at no cost, when our fare had 0 checked bags included. When we arrived at the airport, we checked in at aisle 1 (there was no gatekeeper for entrance), and the agent happily checked us in. Our bags were tagged with priority tags and sent on their way and were one of the first ones out when we got to Paris.
At security, our boarding passes gained us entrance to the priority security queue without any fuss at the D gates. Since we were in the domestic area, I wanted to try and see if we could enter the Air Canada Cafe. Our boarding passes scanned and let us in (and we picked up some Greenhouse Juice before they closed). We then headed to the International MLL Lounge, and the agents had to scan us in manually which they did without any fuss. Boarding opened, and we boarded with Zone 2.
Overall, a very smooth experience and it seems like they have everything ironed out (at least at YYZ).
My friends and I flew on an Economy Basic fare from YYZ-CDG. We checked in online and were allowed to select 3x32kg each at no cost, when our fare had 0 checked bags included. When we arrived at the airport, we checked in at aisle 1 (there was no gatekeeper for entrance), and the agent happily checked us in. Our bags were tagged with priority tags and sent on their way and were one of the first ones out when we got to Paris.
At security, our boarding passes gained us entrance to the priority security queue without any fuss at the D gates. Since we were in the domestic area, I wanted to try and see if we could enter the Air Canada Cafe. Our boarding passes scanned and let us in (and we picked up some Greenhouse Juice before they closed). We then headed to the International MLL Lounge, and the agents had to scan us in manually which they did without any fuss. Boarding opened, and we boarded with Zone 2.
Overall, a very smooth experience and it seems like they have everything ironed out (at least at YYZ).
Dec 30, 21, 11:11 am
#237
Join Date: Sep 2018
Programs: Aeroplan
Posts: 40
Hello! I have one status pass left that I'd like to gift to a friend who is flying with her husband on NY Day. The pass indicates "Share by Dec 31st". If we add the pass today for Saturday's flight, will it be effective? Thanks!
Dec 30, 21, 11:43 am
#238
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Toronto, ON
Programs: AC 75K
Posts: 6,095
Originally Posted by 5Miles
Hello! I have one status pass left that I'd like to gift to a friend who is flying with her husband on NY Day. The pass indicates "Share by Dec 31st". If we add the pass today for Saturday's flight, will it be effective? Thanks!
Dec 30, 21, 8:38 pm
#239
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: YSC (and all its regularly scheduled flights)
Posts: 2,378
I just tried to apply a pass for someone travelling tomorrow. I got the message "Your recipient has already taken off! Please apply your Status Pass to a trip that has not yet started." He cancelled check in and I still got the same message. Any idea how to get around this?
Edit: He was on a return leg tomorrow. Looks like a status pass can't just be for part of a trip, but has to be for the entire trip.
Edit: He was on a return leg tomorrow. Looks like a status pass can't just be for part of a trip, but has to be for the entire trip.
Last edited by painintheuk; Dec 30, 21 at 9:46 pm Reason: New information
Dec 30, 21, 10:36 pm
#240
Join Date: Jul 2021
Location: YYJ
Programs: AC SE100K MM; Bonvoy Tit; Accor Dia
Posts: 83
Originally Posted by 5Miles
Hello! I have one status pass left that I'd like to gift to a friend who is flying with her husband on NY Day. The pass indicates "Share by Dec 31st". If we add the pass today for Saturday's flight, will it be effective? Thanks!
