Sep 15, 2021, 4:27 pm
Last edit by: Bohemian1
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.
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 prove 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.
My status pass expires December 31 2023. What does that mean?
The status pass must be applied before the expiry date. The actual travel can take place any time in the future.
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.
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) and Cafés, prior to your departing flight
- Priority boarding (Zone 2)
- Priority standby
- Unpublished benefit: the STPA seems to confer eUp priority similar to 50K status
- More details in the FAQ here
What DOESN'T a status pass get you?
- Access to 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 prove 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.
My status pass expires December 31 2023. What does that mean?
The status pass must be applied before the expiry date. The actual travel can take place any time in the future.
Do they work for award and cash bookings?
They can be applied to both.
Status Passes - what are they and how to use them?
Aug 31, 2021, 1:00 pm
#91
Join Date: Jan 2001
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Aug 31, 2021, 1:51 pm
#92
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Sep 1, 2021, 2:57 am
#93
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Sep 2, 2021, 12:22 pm
#94
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I know it has been discussed above that a status pass has to be applied before the outbound of a round trip booking, but what's the deadline to add it before travel commences?
Obviously there's a point some time after the flight closes where the benefits are no longer useful, but does it need to be applied before check-in opens or anything like that?
Obviously there's a point some time after the flight closes where the benefits are no longer useful, but does it need to be applied before check-in opens or anything like that?
Sep 2, 2021, 1:07 pm
#95
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I know it has been discussed above that a status pass has to be applied before the outbound of a round trip booking, but what's the deadline to add it before travel commences?
Obviously there's a point some time after the flight closes where the benefits are no longer useful, but does it need to be applied before check-in opens or anything like that?
Obviously there's a point some time after the flight closes where the benefits are no longer useful, but does it need to be applied before check-in opens or anything like that?
Sep 2, 2021, 11:09 pm
#96
Join Date: May 2020
Location: YYZ
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Posts: 878
I can confirm this. My STPA recipient was successfully able to access the DOM MLL on arrival (after coaching her through nonetheless!)
Sep 8, 2021, 6:52 am
#97
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 609
Just had family finish their travels using the status pass. Baggage worked perfectly, added it at OLCI and it worked smoothly at the airport. Priority check-in worked fine and priority security gate at YYZ opened without a hitch. Boarding passes printed with Zone 2 boarding.
Only issue was lounge access. The boarding pass showed the lounge symbol but upon scanning the BP at YYZ, the system rejected entry. The lounge dragon did stuff on their computer to make it work, but they did ask my family about how they're getting access to the lounge (status pass). Didn't try for inbound access, but seems like that'll work too.
Only issue was lounge access. The boarding pass showed the lounge symbol but upon scanning the BP at YYZ, the system rejected entry. The lounge dragon did stuff on their computer to make it work, but they did ask my family about how they're getting access to the lounge (status pass). Didn't try for inbound access, but seems like that'll work too.
Sep 11, 2021, 1:34 pm
#98
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Toronto, ON, CANADA
Programs: AC SE100K, Marriott Bonvoy LTE
Posts: 1,881
Friends traveling on a status pass internationally - no issues at priority check-in in YOW, boarding passes printed with zone 2 and lounge access in YYZ. No-go for international MLL upon scanning BP with lounge invitation written on it. Was asking them what their status is and how they got the lounge access. Lounge agent eventually let them in…let’s see what happens on their return.
Sep 12, 2021, 2:42 pm
#100
Join Date: Aug 2014
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Edit: It IS pretty odd that an SE would only get 2 status passes, same as a 50K, but a 75K would get 3 of them.
Sep 13, 2021, 5:47 am
#101
Join Date: Dec 2002
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Sep 15, 2021, 1:16 pm
#102
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Sep 15, 2021, 1:53 pm
#103
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Sep 15, 2021, 4:38 pm
#104
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I've made a wiki and created a FAQ to hopefully make it easier to find the key information on STPAs.
