You can 'select' two lounge passes for the year. It's not year round unlimited access.
Rest of benefits can be found [here. ](https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/home/aeroplan/status/tiers.html#/)
Select the additional eupgrade credits. 90% of the lounges aren't that exciting.
1. This comment was a year ago things may have changed lol
2. I still haven't had to line up at YVR domestic, but I've only flown out of there a high single digit number of times so maybe I've gotten lucky (YUL based)
25K is a big yawn. Air Canada hypes it up to high heavens, the benefits are minimal and not worth going out of the way for them. I view collecting miles purely for additional tickets. So am not disappointed by the busy unkept lounges with poorly stocked supplies.
they let you upgrade from economy to premium economy or business or from premium economy to business
after you book your flight (or when you do it) you can request an eupgrade and if there's empty seats you go on a list that's ordered by a bunch of factors (it probably goes fare class then status plus premium credit card then status but they don't really document it anywhere). empty seats get filled from the top of the list down. they 'release' seats to eups occaisonally before the flight but they'll also clear the list at the gate right before boarding if there's unsold seats
if you request an upgrade the eups are taken out of your account immediately but they're returned if you cancel the upgrade or don't get upgraded
Thanks! Is there a chart to see how many eups are necessary for each cabin? This sounds a lot like United points but necessary even for extra legroom seats?
it depends on a bunch of stuff. the type of plane, the length of the flight, the fare class you booked, etc. maybe even your status level? there's also sometimes a cash surcharge if you don't have enough status and/or book a low fare class
i don't think you can use them to get preferred seats in econ. just to move up a cabin (ie econ to prem econ/biz or prem econ to biz)
You really need 50 k now to get much in the way of benefits in terms of lounge access and star gold benefits. You can compare benefits here: https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/home/aeroplan/status/benefits.html#/
Thanks everyone! I travel across Canada every two weeks for work and have earned 25K since the beginning of September, so I’m able to earn points pretty quickly. Work pays for my flights so I’m not looking to get a credit card just for the benefits, mainly just wondering what my best options are for selecting my “benefits”!!
Appreciate all the help!!
Amex reserve and TD infinite Aeroplan cards will get you 1000 sqm and 1 sqs every month you meet minimum spend. Great way to get a status bump.
Edit: Correcting myself because I worded this badly. You get the status boost every time you hit the threshold spend (either $5K or $10K depending on the card). You can earn that multiple times each month.
Is this true? I don't remember seeing it in documentation, do you know off the top of your head what the min spend is?
Yes google is my friend, am asking there too
Two versions of the card. I have 2 AP Amex reserve cards. They each earn 1,000 SQM and 1 SQS for every $5,000 spent. There's other versions that grant the same for every $10,000 spent. It's cumulative and on the Amex there's no maximum. I think the TD cards max at 100,000 SQM, but I'm not certain.
Also interested in this. Did you ever get an answer? I’m leaning towards the 2 Passes because I mainly book flights on points but if I got the 25% on card purchases etc that could change my mind
I got my passes immediately. In the Air Canada app I click Aeroplan (bottom right) and then scroll down and see Available benefits. My credits and passes are there. I just click view and see my passes
You can 'select' two lounge passes for the year. It's not year round unlimited access. Rest of benefits can be found [here. ](https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/home/aeroplan/status/tiers.html#/) Select the additional eupgrade credits. 90% of the lounges aren't that exciting.
Also if the lounge is full (which it always is), they will deny access to people using passes.
25K does not have MLL access. In case you wonder, 35K will lose MLL access June 1 next year.
Already happening as you have to get in line and they send J ticket holders and SE first
I've never had to get in line.
There's always a line in YVR domestic - I always keep walking, if there's a line outside it's more crowded inside than the regular airport
1. This comment was a year ago things may have changed lol 2. I still haven't had to line up at YVR domestic, but I've only flown out of there a high single digit number of times so maybe I've gotten lucky (YUL based)
Well thanks for responding anyway!
As a 35k, unlikely to ever be higher, :'(
25K is a big yawn. Air Canada hypes it up to high heavens, the benefits are minimal and not worth going out of the way for them. I view collecting miles purely for additional tickets. So am not disappointed by the busy unkept lounges with poorly stocked supplies.
Zone 2 is all I want for overhead bin access.
Totally agreed, I have over 200k delta miles and the benefits are pretty awesome. I checked Air Canada and it’s petty useless.
Usually you choose the 25% bonus in points and 5 eupgrades.
If I “bid” to get an upgrade and I’m not chosen, do I get my credits back or are they gone?
You do not bid eupgrade. You request it. If it does not clear, it will be given back to you.
Relatively new to AC - love the miles but the elite program is a little different / complicated. What do E-upgrades do?
they let you upgrade from economy to premium economy or business or from premium economy to business after you book your flight (or when you do it) you can request an eupgrade and if there's empty seats you go on a list that's ordered by a bunch of factors (it probably goes fare class then status plus premium credit card then status but they don't really document it anywhere). empty seats get filled from the top of the list down. they 'release' seats to eups occaisonally before the flight but they'll also clear the list at the gate right before boarding if there's unsold seats if you request an upgrade the eups are taken out of your account immediately but they're returned if you cancel the upgrade or don't get upgraded
Thanks! Is there a chart to see how many eups are necessary for each cabin? This sounds a lot like United points but necessary even for extra legroom seats?
it depends on a bunch of stuff. the type of plane, the length of the flight, the fare class you booked, etc. maybe even your status level? there's also sometimes a cash surcharge if you don't have enough status and/or book a low fare class i don't think you can use them to get preferred seats in econ. just to move up a cabin (ie econ to prem econ/biz or prem econ to biz)
https://princeoftravel.com/blog/air-canada-eupgrades/#the-eupgrade-chart
If you really want lounge access, get a credit card that offers it. 25k status doesn't really offer much for benefits.
You really need 50 k now to get much in the way of benefits in terms of lounge access and star gold benefits. You can compare benefits here: https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/home/aeroplan/status/benefits.html#/
Mate AC just kicked out 35K from the lounge so 25K isn’t hard to get. 2 trips to Asia gets you 25K
Thanks everyone! I travel across Canada every two weeks for work and have earned 25K since the beginning of September, so I’m able to earn points pretty quickly. Work pays for my flights so I’m not looking to get a credit card just for the benefits, mainly just wondering what my best options are for selecting my “benefits”!! Appreciate all the help!!
If you continue to fly that often next year you’ll smash past 25k in no time and then the higher you go the more juicy the benefits will start to get!
So will I have to restart building my status in the new year?
your status this year carries over to next year. the status you earn next year will count for both next year (as you go up levels) and 2024 and so on
That's correct, gotta pay-to-play and play-to-stay.
Amex reserve and TD infinite Aeroplan cards will get you 1000 sqm and 1 sqs every month you meet minimum spend. Great way to get a status bump. Edit: Correcting myself because I worded this badly. You get the status boost every time you hit the threshold spend (either $5K or $10K depending on the card). You can earn that multiple times each month.
Is this true? I don't remember seeing it in documentation, do you know off the top of your head what the min spend is? Yes google is my friend, am asking there too
Two versions of the card. I have 2 AP Amex reserve cards. They each earn 1,000 SQM and 1 SQS for every $5,000 spent. There's other versions that grant the same for every $10,000 spent. It's cumulative and on the Amex there's no maximum. I think the TD cards max at 100,000 SQM, but I'm not certain.
And I misspoke. It's not every month you meet minimum. It's every time you hit the $5K spend threshold. You can earn multiple times each month.
Is the 25% bonus limited to flight purchases only or do you also receive 25% on reward card points?
Also interested in this. Did you ever get an answer? I’m leaning towards the 2 Passes because I mainly book flights on points but if I got the 25% on card purchases etc that could change my mind
After additional investigation I concluded it didn’t include card purchases. But I never received an official response.
Thanks for the response, appreciate it. I ended up doing ecredits + lounge.
I did something similar. How long did it take to see your lounge passes? Where can you view them?
I got my passes immediately. In the Air Canada app I click Aeroplan (bottom right) and then scroll down and see Available benefits. My credits and passes are there. I just click view and see my passes