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Upcoming Aeroplan Improvements (October 2023 announcement)

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Upcoming Aeroplan Improvements (October 2023 announcement)

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Old Oct 27, 2023, 8:26 am
  #1  
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Upcoming Aeroplan Improvements (October 2023 announcement)

E-mail from Mark Nasr, and on the Aeroplan news page.

Included:
  • More generous seating benefits (previously announced)
  • Air Canada Café complimentary guest access (editorial comment: the lack of crowding and screaming children was making the Café experience inconsistent with MLLs)
    • Spouse + up to 5 dependent children now allowed
  • Flight pass bonus SQM/eUps changing as of January 1, 2024
    • Now automatic to receive both eUps and SQM as opposed to a selection
    • Different benefits at different statuses
  • Simplified Lower Requalification Select Benefit
    • Straight up 5K SQM / 5 SQS deposited in your account
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Old Oct 27, 2023, 8:31 am
  #2  
 
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All Aeroplan Elite members will get more from Flight Pass activities next year. Instead of choosing between bonus eUpgrade credits and bonus SQM as part of your Select Benefits, you’ll now get both! The bonuses related to Flight Passes will be included in your Core Benefits and credited every time you complete an eligible Flight Pass activity, based on the Status you hold at that time:
  • Aeroplan 25K: 4 eUpgrade credits and 750 SQM
  • Aeroplan 35K: 6 eUpgrade credits and 1,000 SQM
  • Aeroplan 50K: 8 eUpgrade credits and 1,250 SQM
  • Aeroplan 75K: 10 eUpgrade credits and 1,500 SQM
  • Aeroplan Super Elite: 12 eUpgrade credits and 2,500 SQM
Looks like a very positive change for Unlimited Flight Pass buyers in particular.

Last edited by warrens; Oct 27, 2023 at 8:38 am
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Old Oct 27, 2023, 9:26 am
  #3  
 
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Cafe will no longer be an oasis of calm. It's already much busier, but this opens the door to families with small kids. (Not that they're all chaotic, but there is definitely a subset of unruly ones that parents let run loose.)
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Old Oct 27, 2023, 9:29 am
  #4  
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I think the FP benefit change is "strictly better", but I have absolutely zero use for more eUps.

Originally Posted by vancouver25k
Cafe will no longer be an oasis of calm. It's already much busier, but this opens the door to families with small kids. (Not that they're all chaotic, but there is definitely a subset of unruly ones that parents let run loose.)
It's closer to MLL policy now, which will be necessary for when they shut down YVR dom for renovations.
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Old Oct 27, 2023, 9:33 am
  #5  
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Originally Posted by canadiancow
It's closer to MLL policy now, which will be necessary for when they shut down YVR dom for renovations.
They could have come up with a temporary policy just for YVR - or just called the YVR Café an MLL until the Dom renovations were done - without affecting YYZ though.
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Old Oct 27, 2023, 9:33 am
  #6  
 
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Originally Posted by vancouver25k
Cafe will no longer be an oasis of calm. It's already much busier, but this opens the door to families with small kids. (Not that they're all chaotic, but there is definitely a subset of unruly ones that parents let run loose.)
Nailed it.

I'm okay with the rest of the stuff, but change in Café entry is a major negative. Especially for those early morning flights, it's nice to go there and have a coffee in fairly chill environment. As Adam editorialized, it will soon descend into an MLL-like experience.

Does this mean another separate SE queue? Or is the other shoe yet to drop - higher $$$-based 2024 requalification requirements for E50K and above?
RatherBeInYOW and YOWgary like this.

Last edited by Bohemian1; Oct 27, 2023 at 9:47 am
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Old Oct 27, 2023, 9:39 am
  #7  
 
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As an SE married to an SE with no kids, I'm only seeing negative. Crowded cafes and more competition for priority seating.
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Old Oct 27, 2023, 9:41 am
  #8  
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Originally Posted by Bohemian1
Or is the other shoe yet to drop - higher $$$-based 2024 requalification requirements for E50K and above?
That would not be overly surprising, would it? Has stayed the same for a long time, and in the meantime, there has been significant inflation and an increase in fares. I do find myself spending more than the minimum 20 k for SE these days, while in the past I had to make sure I would get there. Surely many long time SEs experience something similar?

I would guess it will all depend upon whether they are currently satisfied with numbers in each FF category.
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Old Oct 27, 2023, 9:45 am
  #9  
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
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Originally Posted by yyzgigi
As an SE married to an SE with no kids, I'm only seeing negative. Crowded cafes and more competition for priority seating.
I have 4 kids and we travel with them a decent amount.

As an SE I see this as a massive negative. On the 50% of my trips that I am travelling solo, I find the Cafe to be such an oasis of calm. To be honest, I take my brood to the MLL and was able to care way less because I knew anyone solo who wanted to aovid that crowd could just go downstairs.
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Old Oct 27, 2023, 10:13 am
  #10  
 
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Originally Posted by canadiancow
It's closer to MLL policy now, which will be necessary for when they shut down YVR dom for renovations.
I was just hoping for arrivals access so I could get a good coffee after a redeye. More guests doesn't help at all.
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Old Oct 27, 2023, 10:28 am
  #11  
 
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Originally Posted by canadiancow
I think the FP benefit change is "strictly better", but I have absolutely zero use for more eUps.
And I am desperate for more. Company only covers PY to Europe. Used all of mine and some from my brother.
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Old Oct 27, 2023, 11:02 am
  #12  
 
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Originally Posted by yyzgigi
As an SE married to an SE with no kids, I'm only seeing negative. Crowded cafes and more competition for priority seating.
As an SE with a spouse and (sometimes screaming) child, I'm not a fan of this change. If I need to go somewhere with my family, I'll go to the MLL. The Café was somewhere that was more civilized where I could work or just enjoy a coffee.

I'm not sure what motivated this change. Even if they close an MLL for renovations, the Café will be over capacity so restricting to 1 guest during that time would make sense. Potentially to give Elites a chance to bring their families to YTZ Café, which doesn't have an MLL? Not sure if the policy applies there as it's co-branded.
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Old Oct 27, 2023, 11:44 am
  #13  
 
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Originally Posted by yyzgigi
and more competition for priority seating.
You think so? I always assumed most FP buyers already chose the eUpgrade Select Benefit, and the people who chose SQM are folks who already have more eUpgrades than they know what to do with.
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Old Oct 27, 2023, 11:51 am
  #14  
 
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Originally Posted by warrens
You think so? I always assumed most FP buyers already chose the eUpgrade Select Benefit, and the people who chose SQM are folks who already have more eUpgrades than they know what to do with.
I think the text you quoted is about Preferred seats open to lower level elite during check in.
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Old Oct 27, 2023, 11:57 am
  #15  
 
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Originally Posted by JacFlyer
I think the text you quoted is about Preferred seats open to lower level elite during check in.
I don't think this will affect competition for those seats. Currently if a flight is full, AC is "giving away" those seats for free to those on Basic and standard fares who didn't pay for a seat selection. Now at least elites can take those seats.
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