Oct 3, 2021, 1:20 pm
Last edit by: Adam Smith
Moderator note: this thread is specifically about the US status match program. The AC forum has detailed threads on most aspects of the Aeroplan program, such as eUpgrades. If you have questions or comments about those benefits, please read and post in those threads. Posts in this thread that are off topic to the status match program will be deleted.
FAQ
Q: I've taken the flights I need to extend my status to end of 2022. Why does my status still show expiring in 2021?
A: Firstly, your status cannot possibly be updated before the flights have posted to your Aeroplan account. If all of the flights haven't posted yet, your status will not update.
As of December 8, even existing AC elites whose status was extended months ago still show December 2021 status expiry. There is no clear timeline for when status will be extended, other than that it should happen in December.
Q: Do I have to fly a round trip booking to qualify for the extension?
A: Although the T&C refer to a round trip, an FTer confirmed with StatusMatch that two one-ways would suffice.
Q: Do points bookings qualify?
A: No.
Q: Which Select Privileges should I choose?
A: See this thread.
Q: How do I use eUpgrades? / Can I upgrade this booking? / Anything else eUpgrade related
A: Air Canada eUpgrade program (October 2020 onwards)
FAQ
Q: I've taken the flights I need to extend my status to end of 2022. Why does my status still show expiring in 2021?
A: Firstly, your status cannot possibly be updated before the flights have posted to your Aeroplan account. If all of the flights haven't posted yet, your status will not update.
As of December 8, even existing AC elites whose status was extended months ago still show December 2021 status expiry. There is no clear timeline for when status will be extended, other than that it should happen in December.
Q: Do I have to fly a round trip booking to qualify for the extension?
A: Although the T&C refer to a round trip, an FTer confirmed with StatusMatch that two one-ways would suffice.
Q: Do points bookings qualify?
A: No.
Q: Which Select Privileges should I choose?
A: See this thread.
Q: How do I use eUpgrades? / Can I upgrade this booking? / Anything else eUpgrade related
A: Air Canada eUpgrade program (October 2020 onwards)
Canada to lure U.S. frequent flyers by matching travel perks on Air Canada
May 27, 2022, 3:35 pm
#556
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, BA Gold, SQ Silver, Bonvoy Tit LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond
Posts: 44,346
Have talked to a few people who did a status match today. Surprisingly, some people including myself did not get this e-mail.
Common factors for those who got this e-mail:
- repeated domestic travel, did not have flights touching the US with this FFP attached
- two separate people shared an address with another Aeroplan Elite Status holder who qualified in 2016 thru 2019
- submitted the status match form from Canadian IP addresses
- Canadian-issued co-branded credit cards. Some of them do have the Chase card as well, which I would perceive as sufficient KYC on Chase's end that they were US residents to begin with
I'm kind of annoyed I didn't get the e-mail because while I have my documents ready to prove, I don't want to lug them around for an upcoming hand baggage only sabbatical in case they ask for it later
Common factors for those who got this e-mail:
- repeated domestic travel, did not have flights touching the US with this FFP attached
- two separate people shared an address with another Aeroplan Elite Status holder who qualified in 2016 thru 2019
- submitted the status match form from Canadian IP addresses
- Canadian-issued co-branded credit cards. Some of them do have the Chase card as well, which I would perceive as sufficient KYC on Chase's end that they were US residents to begin with
I'm kind of annoyed I didn't get the e-mail because while I have my documents ready to prove, I don't want to lug them around for an upcoming hand baggage only sabbatical in case they ask for it later
- Passport photo page
- Both sides of green card
- Both sides of ON ID
- Both sides of CA ID
- All my vaccine stuff
- maybe some more I'm forgetting
But I don't think it would be too difficult to make a digital copy of these things if you don't want to carry them around.
May 27, 2022, 3:38 pm
#557
Join Date: May 2017
Location: YEG, SFO, VCA, JR JY-13
Programs: hahaha
Posts: 922
Yeah I really have no excuse, maybe the threat of Aeroplan "Elite Team" breathing down my neck is large enough fire to light under me...
Time to get an SF Public Library card to use their scanners, maybe I can submit a picture of that, too!
Time to get an SF Public Library card to use their scanners, maybe I can submit a picture of that, too!
May 27, 2022, 3:45 pm
#558
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: 16,775
May 27, 2022, 3:49 pm
#559
Join Date: Dec 2012
Programs: AY Plat, AA ExP, NH Gold, AMEX PLAT
Posts: 312
Typical AP AC move - the rules were you fly a return and get status for a year. This midway reneg is tacky on AP AC but what did you expect?
May 27, 2022, 3:59 pm
#560
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: 16,775
Typical AP AC move - the rules were you fly a return and get status for a year. This midway reneg is tacky on AP AC but what did you expect?
Those people committed fraud, plain and simple, and if AC is finally trying to weed them out, I have no sympathy for them.
May 27, 2022, 4:15 pm
#561
Join Date: Dec 2012
Programs: AY Plat, AA ExP, NH Gold, AMEX PLAT
Posts: 312
I did a match with my AA EP and my address went from Asia to Canada for mailing reasons as I was moving around for work. So status was real but I find this AC AP of having to prove myself again very annoying as it does feel like a reneg. Don't accept in the first place if you don't keep your word for a year status - this is typical of AC/AP which I find tacky. I will submit my electric bill but still disagree midway to do send proof once again.
May 27, 2022, 4:19 pm
#562
Join Date: Mar 2021
Posts: 764
I don't know what criteria they're using to evaluate whether or not people are US residents and trigger this review; @asovse1 has speculated on that above. It's certainly possible to be a legitimate US resident and have a Canadian AC co-branded credit card; we have a bunch of them on this board. If any of those people are being caught up in this review, I'm sure it's a mildly annoying inconvenience.
No, the rules were you had to be a US resident and have status with a US airline to be eligible. A number of people posted in this thread about not even faking a US address on their Aeroplan profile and being approved. Others entered fake US addresses. Some faked US airline status. Some submitted fake US airline status and weren't US residents (whether they used a fake address or not).
Those people committed fraud, plain and simple, and if AC is finally trying to weed them out, I have no sympathy for them.
No, the rules were you had to be a US resident and have status with a US airline to be eligible. A number of people posted in this thread about not even faking a US address on their Aeroplan profile and being approved. Others entered fake US addresses. Some faked US airline status. Some submitted fake US airline status and weren't US residents (whether they used a fake address or not).
Those people committed fraud, plain and simple, and if AC is finally trying to weed them out, I have no sympathy for them.
But when it seems that you would have been approved, residing in Mickey Mouse's house at Disney world, AC is to blame as well. At least for waisting the legit people's time, half way through the complimentary year.
They should have weed the majority of them out, before issuing them with any kind of elite status.
May 27, 2022, 4:26 pm
#563
Join Date: May 2017
Location: YEG, SFO, VCA, JR JY-13
Programs: hahaha
Posts: 922
Alright, I'm definitely overthinking this one but it's a half-serious/half-joke post so I won't edit my post above speculating what factors might have triggered the review...but my nerdy passion for this issue doesn't want it left unsaid
It's also not really a knock on the "Elite Team" for not covering this scenario in their sweep because it sounds pretty niche
But two of the four people I've talked to who received the e-mail exclusively use their physical Elite status card and have not remembered a reason for when they'd used the one in app
- They needed to be physically present at their US (home!!) address to pick up this card, and if they forwarded it, USPS only does so domestically
- The physical card includes the BIN number and last digit checksum that the scanner accepts and records, the Aztec code in the app, or your boarding pass barcode doesn't and includes more strings of information. Surely AC can distinguish the two when invoiced by Star Alliance partners for lounge access...
- no data points on the use of the card's mag strip but i assume that's just a way for retail partners like Home Hardware to invoice Aeroplan anyway
It's also not really a knock on the "Elite Team" for not covering this scenario in their sweep because it sounds pretty niche
But two of the four people I've talked to who received the e-mail exclusively use their physical Elite status card and have not remembered a reason for when they'd used the one in app
- They needed to be physically present at their US (home!!) address to pick up this card, and if they forwarded it, USPS only does so domestically
- The physical card includes the BIN number and last digit checksum that the scanner accepts and records, the Aztec code in the app, or your boarding pass barcode doesn't and includes more strings of information. Surely AC can distinguish the two when invoiced by Star Alliance partners for lounge access...
- no data points on the use of the card's mag strip but i assume that's just a way for retail partners like Home Hardware to invoice Aeroplan anyway
May 27, 2022, 4:40 pm
#564
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, BA Gold, SQ Silver, Bonvoy Tit LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond
Posts: 44,346
Alright, I'm definitely overthinking this one but it's a half-serious/half-joke post so I won't edit my post above speculating what factors might have triggered the review...but my nerdy passion for this issue doesn't want it left unsaid
It's also not really a knock on the "Elite Team" for not covering this scenario in their sweep because it sounds pretty niche
But two of the four people I've talked to who received the e-mail exclusively use their physical Elite status card and have not remembered a reason for when they'd used the one in app
- They needed to be physically present at their US (home!!) address to pick up this card, and if they forwarded it, USPS only does so domestically
- The physical card includes the BIN number and last digit checksum that the scanner accepts and records, the Aztec code in the app, or your boarding pass barcode doesn't and includes more strings of information. Surely AC can distinguish the two when invoiced by Star Alliance partners for lounge access...
- no data points on the use of the card's mag strip but i assume that's just a way for retail partners like Home Hardware to invoice Aeroplan anyway
It's also not really a knock on the "Elite Team" for not covering this scenario in their sweep because it sounds pretty niche
But two of the four people I've talked to who received the e-mail exclusively use their physical Elite status card and have not remembered a reason for when they'd used the one in app
- They needed to be physically present at their US (home!!) address to pick up this card, and if they forwarded it, USPS only does so domestically
- The physical card includes the BIN number and last digit checksum that the scanner accepts and records, the Aztec code in the app, or your boarding pass barcode doesn't and includes more strings of information. Surely AC can distinguish the two when invoiced by Star Alliance partners for lounge access...
- no data points on the use of the card's mag strip but i assume that's just a way for retail partners like Home Hardware to invoice Aeroplan anyway
May 27, 2022, 4:41 pm
#565
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 1,190
I have no skin in this, but channelling the nerdiness...
They could have someone at the US address put the card in another envelope with appropriate postage and never be present at the US location.
They could have someone at the US address put the card in another envelope with appropriate postage and never be present at the US location.
May 27, 2022, 4:50 pm
#567
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: 16,775
I did a match with my AA EP and my address went from Asia to Canada for mailing reasons as I was moving around for work. So status was real but I find this AC AP of having to prove myself again very annoying as it does feel like a reneg. Don't accept in the first place if you don't keep your word for a year status - this is typical of AC/AP which I find tacky. I will submit my electric bill but still disagree midway to do send proof once again.
May 27, 2022, 5:35 pm
#568
Join Date: Dec 2012
Programs: AY Plat, AA ExP, NH Gold, AMEX PLAT
Posts: 312
When you submit your AA EP status that was the requirement - I will send my electric bill but this is clearly bait and switch. You promise a timeframe and gave it so stick to your word but then again this is AC
May 27, 2022, 5:56 pm
#569
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: 16,775
No, the requirement was that you be a US resident. They did not ask for verification of that at the time of the status match, but that doesn't change the requirement.
May 27, 2022, 8:11 pm
#570
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: District of Columbia
Programs: AA ExecPl, AT Gold, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Diamond, Hilton Diamond, National
Posts: 2,440
If you're legitimately a recipient of the offer, you'll send the information and be fine.
If you're not, you got a half a year of free scammed status.