Frustrations and Tips in Dealing with Aeroplan
Oct 10, 2006, 11:49 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: In Exile
Programs: QFF WP :-0, AC, FlyBuys, Porter's Liquor Store, Mother's Helper
Posts: 2,496
Frustrations and Tips in Dealing with Aeroplan
Frustrations and Tips in Dealing with Aeroplan
Months ago, we booked two award seats from YWG to SYD for February 2007. Since then a wedding in Sydney and a conference in Vancouver have landed in our laps – both of which happened outside of our original dates. Thus began the long search to find new seats and flights to fit it all together in one trip.
Now flying to SYD from YWG is not easy – even if you wanted to fork out the cash. We were flexible though and understood we would probably need to do a milk run. We both know enough about Aeroplan to know that simply searching YWG/SYD and switching dates to find availability is not enough and the website does not always cough up availability. We are also both very frustrated with the calendar! Why can’t they fix it to mirror AC’s calendar so that you don’t have to keep moving the mouse.
So anyway, here are some tips I thought I would share.
On an award flight that requires you to connect don’t take the website availability as being accurate. You need to check each sector individually which will often show availability all along the way. I know it sounds tedious but it does work. You do need lots of scrap paper, numerous tabs open in your browser and coffee.
Another thing with Aeroplan is that it will often try to shunt you through YYZ then onto SFO or LAX from there. That’s another 3-hours of flying (in the wrong direction) added to an already long trip.
So here is how it has worked out.
We leave YWG for YYC. That’s a short hop and plenty of open seats but not if you just search YWG to SYD.
Next we fly to SFO. Again, there is no inventory unless you check this separate to any other leg. Another hint is to also have the AC/Star Alliance schedules available. Checking on the day through Aweroplan may give you nothing but changing the times to say 1400, when you know there is a flight leaving will give you availability.
Now we are in SFO and we know there is a choice of UA, NZ or UA/AC (via HNL) for our outward date but nothing for our return. That flight will have to be via LAX. Checking SFO/SYD however may not give you any availability so again, you have to do it the long way and check sectors i.e via AKL or HNL.
Now we are in LAX and we check for flights to YVR and it gives you better availability if you put in times that you know have a flight leaving – so don’t leave the time window open as a catch-all. It may not catch anything.
From YVR back home to YWG was relatively easy.
Of course, none of this can be booked via the website, it would cost you millions in points and all be on separate itineraries. You need to phone Aeroplan and tell them what flights you want to book onto. Don’t be put off by their initial response. Normally they will do a simple search but save them the trouble and tell them you have already researched it and give them the flights and dates one step at a time.
Easy way to kill 4-hours * 2-people.
Months ago, we booked two award seats from YWG to SYD for February 2007. Since then a wedding in Sydney and a conference in Vancouver have landed in our laps – both of which happened outside of our original dates. Thus began the long search to find new seats and flights to fit it all together in one trip.
Now flying to SYD from YWG is not easy – even if you wanted to fork out the cash. We were flexible though and understood we would probably need to do a milk run. We both know enough about Aeroplan to know that simply searching YWG/SYD and switching dates to find availability is not enough and the website does not always cough up availability. We are also both very frustrated with the calendar! Why can’t they fix it to mirror AC’s calendar so that you don’t have to keep moving the mouse.
So anyway, here are some tips I thought I would share.
On an award flight that requires you to connect don’t take the website availability as being accurate. You need to check each sector individually which will often show availability all along the way. I know it sounds tedious but it does work. You do need lots of scrap paper, numerous tabs open in your browser and coffee.
Another thing with Aeroplan is that it will often try to shunt you through YYZ then onto SFO or LAX from there. That’s another 3-hours of flying (in the wrong direction) added to an already long trip.
So here is how it has worked out.
We leave YWG for YYC. That’s a short hop and plenty of open seats but not if you just search YWG to SYD.
Next we fly to SFO. Again, there is no inventory unless you check this separate to any other leg. Another hint is to also have the AC/Star Alliance schedules available. Checking on the day through Aweroplan may give you nothing but changing the times to say 1400, when you know there is a flight leaving will give you availability.
Now we are in SFO and we know there is a choice of UA, NZ or UA/AC (via HNL) for our outward date but nothing for our return. That flight will have to be via LAX. Checking SFO/SYD however may not give you any availability so again, you have to do it the long way and check sectors i.e via AKL or HNL.
Now we are in LAX and we check for flights to YVR and it gives you better availability if you put in times that you know have a flight leaving – so don’t leave the time window open as a catch-all. It may not catch anything.
From YVR back home to YWG was relatively easy.
Of course, none of this can be booked via the website, it would cost you millions in points and all be on separate itineraries. You need to phone Aeroplan and tell them what flights you want to book onto. Don’t be put off by their initial response. Normally they will do a simple search but save them the trouble and tell them you have already researched it and give them the flights and dates one step at a time.
Easy way to kill 4-hours * 2-people.
Oct 10, 2006, 12:20 pm
#2
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Toronto
Programs: AC SE, SPG Platinum
Posts: 141
Originally Posted by GoldFlyer
...So anyway, here are some tips I thought I would share...
Oct 10, 2006, 2:41 pm
#3
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: YUL, BKK, VLC
Programs: Aeroplan E75
Posts: 616
Ana Shows More Award Flights
Originally Posted by GoldFlyer
Frustrations and Tips in Dealing with Aeroplan
Months ago, we booked two award seats from YWG to SYD for February 2007. Since then a wedding in Sydney and a conference in Vancouver have landed in our laps – both of which happened outside of our original dates. Thus began the long search to find new seats and flights to fit it all together in one trip.
Now flying to SYD from YWG is not easy – even if you wanted to fork out the cash. We were flexible though and understood we would probably need to do a milk run. We both know enough about Aeroplan to know that simply searching YWG/SYD and switching dates to find availability is not enough and the website does not always cough up availability. We are also both very frustrated with the calendar! Why can’t they fix it to mirror AC’s calendar so that you don’t have to keep moving the mouse.
So anyway, here are some tips I thought I would share.
On an award flight that requires you to connect don’t take the website availability as being accurate. You need to check each sector individually which will often show availability all along the way. I know it sounds tedious but it does work. You do need lots of scrap paper, numerous tabs open in your browser and coffee.
Another thing with Aeroplan is that it will often try to shunt you through YYZ then onto SFO or LAX from there. That’s another 3-hours of flying (in the wrong direction) added to an already long trip.
So here is how it has worked out.
We leave YWG for YYC. That’s a short hop and plenty of open seats but not if you just search YWG to SYD.
Next we fly to SFO. Again, there is no inventory unless you check this separate to any other leg. Another hint is to also have the AC/Star Alliance schedules available. Checking on the day through Aweroplan may give you nothing but changing the times to say 1400, when you know there is a flight leaving will give you availability.
Now we are in SFO and we know there is a choice of UA, NZ or UA/AC (via HNL) for our outward date but nothing for our return. That flight will have to be via LAX. Checking SFO/SYD however may not give you any availability so again, you have to do it the long way and check sectors i.e via AKL or HNL.
Now we are in LAX and we check for flights to YVR and it gives you better availability if you put in times that you know have a flight leaving – so don’t leave the time window open as a catch-all. It may not catch anything.
From YVR back home to YWG was relatively easy.
Of course, none of this can be booked via the website, it would cost you millions in points and all be on separate itineraries. You need to phone Aeroplan and tell them what flights you want to book onto. Don’t be put off by their initial response. Normally they will do a simple search but save them the trouble and tell them you have already researched it and give them the flights and dates one step at a time.
Easy way to kill 4-hours * 2-people.
Months ago, we booked two award seats from YWG to SYD for February 2007. Since then a wedding in Sydney and a conference in Vancouver have landed in our laps – both of which happened outside of our original dates. Thus began the long search to find new seats and flights to fit it all together in one trip.
Now flying to SYD from YWG is not easy – even if you wanted to fork out the cash. We were flexible though and understood we would probably need to do a milk run. We both know enough about Aeroplan to know that simply searching YWG/SYD and switching dates to find availability is not enough and the website does not always cough up availability. We are also both very frustrated with the calendar! Why can’t they fix it to mirror AC’s calendar so that you don’t have to keep moving the mouse.
So anyway, here are some tips I thought I would share.
On an award flight that requires you to connect don’t take the website availability as being accurate. You need to check each sector individually which will often show availability all along the way. I know it sounds tedious but it does work. You do need lots of scrap paper, numerous tabs open in your browser and coffee.
Another thing with Aeroplan is that it will often try to shunt you through YYZ then onto SFO or LAX from there. That’s another 3-hours of flying (in the wrong direction) added to an already long trip.
So here is how it has worked out.
We leave YWG for YYC. That’s a short hop and plenty of open seats but not if you just search YWG to SYD.
Next we fly to SFO. Again, there is no inventory unless you check this separate to any other leg. Another hint is to also have the AC/Star Alliance schedules available. Checking on the day through Aweroplan may give you nothing but changing the times to say 1400, when you know there is a flight leaving will give you availability.
Now we are in SFO and we know there is a choice of UA, NZ or UA/AC (via HNL) for our outward date but nothing for our return. That flight will have to be via LAX. Checking SFO/SYD however may not give you any availability so again, you have to do it the long way and check sectors i.e via AKL or HNL.
Now we are in LAX and we check for flights to YVR and it gives you better availability if you put in times that you know have a flight leaving – so don’t leave the time window open as a catch-all. It may not catch anything.
From YVR back home to YWG was relatively easy.
Of course, none of this can be booked via the website, it would cost you millions in points and all be on separate itineraries. You need to phone Aeroplan and tell them what flights you want to book onto. Don’t be put off by their initial response. Normally they will do a simple search but save them the trouble and tell them you have already researched it and give them the flights and dates one step at a time.
Easy way to kill 4-hours * 2-people.