Aside from the int'l itinerary kludge you (re)discovered yourself for the 3rd party availability tools, AC.com itself will show you upgrade availability as described in the first post in this thread.

Start a booking for one or two people (or 7 or 9 if you like) and ask it to show upgradable fares only. The blue arrow indicates upgrade space for the number of tickets you are proposing to purchase.

Yipes, I totally forgot about the AC.com tool! I didn't think of using increasing number of passengers in the 'booking action' to figure out what the I-class value is for that flight... great idea!

Here's a question. I've sucessfully used my SSWUs this year (thanks to all the great advice here) I'm now plotting to use my SWUs. Since it'll be out of my own pocket I'm looking at a potential trip to HNL ex YVR or YYZ sometime.

However I run into the following issue. When I go on seatcounter and look up dates for I availability ex YVR. e.g. May 28th I see AC 47 with I7 showing.

However when I go to ac.com and try to display only fares eligible for upgrade and check the box and plug in 8100001 (seems to accept code as I see a green check with 2009 System-Wide Upgrade Certificate recognized) I always seem to get "The upgrade certificate entered is not valid for the itinerary you have selected. (68021 - 10650)"

If I pick other random cities, say YYZ or HKG ex. YVR on these dates I actually do get results and get the blue upward arrow for AC007 to HKG and a bunch to YYZ (all but AC026).

Any ideas what I'm doing wrong on ac.com and why I can't see the upgradeable fares for HNL?

It must be some random AC.com bug.

The third party tools are accurate. You can book the Latitude fare with confidence and upgrade it right after booking, either online (if it will let you) or over the phone.

This is a great FAQ.
It should be made a "sticky" so we don't have to search for it.

Commander Bob
Always looking for good advice.

You never have to search for it.

It is always linked in the Aeroplan Master FAQ thread sticky along with other threads of interest.

Thanks Zorn, much appreciated.

The "inside" word is that the courtesy/ops-up is being reintroduced with a reinvigorated process. It'll be rewarded by invitation only, so pay heed to what ACxxxxxxHI's advises. Based on ticket fare paid, AP/SA FQTV tier level and time of booking (?) and check-in (i.e. first-come/first-served).

There's no plan to mix/match cash/miles, especially with AP detached from AC. However, they plan to introduce "Electronic Upgrade Certs) with AC's new RESIV Polaris (delayed). No more losing them or probs with "marked used" when service is taken away (delays/cancellations). Also convenient will be ability to view online at aeroplan.com profile so one can match with valid fares and attach electronically once confirmed.

I was originally waitlisted on AC34 SYD-YYZ and had to change my return date. When I called AC to change the agent informed me my upgrade had cleared but I would need to be waitlisted on my new departure date. I=0, with J=9 and 17 J seats available on my new date (ac.com)

I read through this thread and didn't see anything about clearly waitlists before your departure date. Is this a common practice? I seem to recall UA and AA giving notifications of cleared waitlist - I don't think AC does.

Many thanks.

A confirmed upgrade or a position on a waitlist are flight-specific. Change your flight and it's just like having bought a new ticket on the new flight, as far as upgrades are concerned.

If you clear the waitlist before the departure date it will be reflected in the booking as it appears in Manage My Bookings on ac.com. You'll know you've cleared when "Waitlisted" changes to "Upgraded". (It might take a day or so to change from your economy booking class to I, but you are upgraded.)

AC does not specifically send a notification that you have cleared, on the grounds that normal people will check obsessively to see if they've cleared yet, and abnormal people who don't check all the time probably don't deserve the upgrade anyway.

Two upgrade questions from someone new to Aeroplan, and struggling to understand the intricacies. I'm a peasant level Aeroplan member at the moment (34,022 miles since joining in March) but about to be elite as soon as one last flight gets credited. My understanding is that I will get to select 2009 elite benefits, which can include a few SWU certificates.

I'm planning on using the SWUs that should be coming my way to upgrade on SYD-YVR vv in December/January (I'll happily buy a latitude fare if the upgrades will be confirmed ahead of time and not subject to availability at check in):

1- if there is 'I space' available when I book (according to seatcounter.com and the presence of little blue arrows on aircanada.com) and I request my upgrades straight away after booking my understanding is that they should be confirmed straight away. But does this mean that they are really confirmed (with a specific seat allocation) and I won't miss out on the day, or are they like QF international upgrades where you are put on a list and not actually finally put in business class until check in?

2- I understand that I actually need to have the upgrade certificates in my hot little hand at check in to use them. But can I request the upgrade online without actually having received them? I want to book as early as possible so as to get to choose dates with 'I space' available that suit me. Based on how long it took my original Aeroplan membership card to arrive, it'll likely take 8 or more weeks for my elite pack and certificates to make it to the antipodes - but can I make my booking and request the upgrades using the certificate type numbers available on flyertalk (e.g 8100001) before I actually get the certs, or is there a unique number specific to that individual certificate that I need to enter?

Thanks!

Anyone have more info on the following?
I am flying RT with a friend to Sao Paulo (GRU) June 12-15 using a Latitude Flight Pass. I would LOVE to be up front for the 10+ hour flight!

I don't recall there was a Latitude flight pass to GRU? Do you mean Latitude fare - if so, you'll need the appropiate upgrade certificates to upgrade the flight.

Firstly, welcome to FT!

Except in very unusual circumstances where you get bumped, these are confirmed seats, with a specific seat assigned.

[quote]
2- I understand that I actually need to have the upgrade certificates in my hot little hand at check in to use them. But can I request the upgrade online without actually having received them? I want to book as early as possible so as to get to choose dates with 'I space' available that suit me. Based on how long it took my original Aeroplan membership card to arrive, it'll likely take 8 or more weeks for my elite pack and certificates to make it to the antipodes - but can I make my booking and request the upgrades using the certificate type numbers available on flyertalk (e.g 8100001) before I actually get the certs, or is there a unique number specific to that individual certificate that I need to enter?[/quote[

This is correct. No need to wait for the certs, but you must have the right ones for the right fare class with you on the day of the flight, or you'll quickly find yourselves in seat 32B and 40B.

Simon

LMUPs now included.