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Understanding Air Canada eUpgrades
Air Canada eUpgrades are a valuable benefit for Aeroplan Elite members, allowing them to upgrade their Economy or Premium Economy bookings to Business Class on flights operated by Air Canada. These credits can be used on flights paid with cash or Aeroplan points, making them an attractive perk for frequent travellers. Elite Status—achieved through traditional flying, Everyday Status Qualification (EDQ), or spending on premium Aeroplan credit cards—provides members access to eUpgrade credits, among other benefits. With EDQ, for example, earning 100,000 qualifying miles in a calendar year grants members Aeroplan 25K status, opening up the door to Elite perks even for those whose primary activity is credit card spending.
While Air Canada eUpgrades are undeniably valuable, converting them into actual upgrades is not as straightforward as it might seem. This is especially true for lower-tier Elite members, whose experience often includes frustration and unmet expectations. Let me share some insights and a recent experience that encapsulate the challenges and strategies of using eUpgrades effectively.
My Recent eUpgrade Experience
During a recent mileage run to maintain my Aeroplan 50K status for 2025, I booked a Comfort Economy fare from Ottawa (YOW) to Fort Lauderdale (FLL). With Comfort Economy fare, my goal was to increase my chances of an eUpgrade clearing, as the fare class plays a significant role in the upgrade process. Latitude fares, which generally have the highest success rate, were more expensive than booking in Business Class outright—a cost I wasn’t willing to incur.
Sample YOW-FLL one-way fares
Upgrade List on my flight
As expected, my eUpgrade request was waitlisted. On the day of the flight, with only one seat left in Business Class, my upgrade didn’t clear. It likely went to someone with a higher status, a more expensive fare class, or both. As I waited to board, I overheard a couple ahead of me lamenting the long upgrade waitlist and their lack of success. This sentiment resonated with my experience: in 2024 alone, I’d faced three instances where my eUpgrade didn’t clear despite booking Flex or Comfort fares. Each time, Latitude fares were at least 3x of Comfort fares and were only slightly cheaper than buying Business Class outright. It highlighted the growing gap between expectation and reality for lower-tier Elite members. I wondered if eUpgrade system was inadvertently creating a sub-group of resentful Elite members who have not been able to materialize a perk which they perceived as a defined benefit of the program.
Current Ecosystem: Market Demand and Expectations
The landscape for eUpgrades has changed dramatically since the COVID years. Back then, the difference in cost between Flex and Latitude fares was often minimal, making it feasible to book Latitude fares and secure immediate upgrades. However, in today’s high-demand travel environment, Latitude fares are often priced much closer to Business Class fares than to Economy Flex fares. In some cases, it is even higher than booking directly into a business class cabin, as shown above. This makes booking Latitude for the sole purpose of eUpgrade credits an unattractive proposition for many travellers.
This shift has created a tiered experience where the likelihood of eUpgrade success correlates strongly with fare class and Elite Status. Higher-tier members, such as those with 75K or 100K status, often book Flex or higher fares, giving them a better shot at upgrades. Conversely, lower-tier members, like those with 25K or 35K status, are more likely to find themselves on the losing end of the waitlist. As a result, the eUpgrade process can feel like a lottery—one that lower-tier members rarely win.
Understanding the dynamics of eUpgrade success is crucial for managing expectations. Here are some key takeaways from my experience;
- Recognize the Non-Guaranteed Nature of eUpgrades: While eUpgrade credits are a fantastic benefit, they do not guarantee an upgrade. Treat them as a bonus rather than an entitlement. When your upgrade clears, it’s a win. And when it doesn’t, remember that it’s a possibility, not a promise.
- Accept the High Demand: The increased competition for Business Class seats reflects the growing demand for premium travel. This reality means more travellers are vying for upgrades, often those with higher statuses or fare classes.
- Appreciate the Value of eUpgrades Beyond Execution: Even when upgrades don’t clear, eUpgrade credits represent a valuable option. Their existence enhances the overall travel experience, even if they don’t always deliver.
Air Canada eUpgrades – Maximizing Your Chances of Success
While no strategy guarantees an upgrade, there are steps you can take to improve your odds:
- Book Higher Fare Classes: Latitude fares offer the best chance of clearing eUpgrades, followed by Premium Economy. If your budget allows, consider these fare classes to increase your likelihood of success.
- Travel During Off-Peak Times: Avoid peak travel periods and popular routes with high Business Class demand. Off-peak flights are less competitive and offer better chances for upgrades.
- Leverage Your Elite Status: If you’re close to reaching a higher tier, consider taking additional flights or engaging in strategic spending to achieve that status. Higher-tier members are prioritized for upgrades.
- Plan for Alternatives: If an upgrade is critical to your travel experience, consider booking directly into Business Class rather than relying on eUpgrades. In a world of sky-high demand and dynamic award pricing, you are better off spending more points to lock in the desired service than to play eUpgrade roulette.
Despite the recent positive changes to eUpgrade credits, they require a realistic understanding of their limitations. As travellers, managing our expectations and adapting to the evolving travel ecosystem is essential. By approaching eUpgrades with a flexible mindset and a strategic plan, we can make the most of this benefit without falling into the trap of disappointment. For perspective, 2024 will be the third year in a row where I will forgo 100+ unused eUpgrade credits from my account, and I am not fussed by it. Ultimately, the best way to ensure a Business Class experience is to book it outright, but for those who enjoy the thrill of the upgrade game, remember: patience and perspective are your greatest allies.
10 comments
As SE I need to book into PE often to be reasonably confident of trans-pacific and transatlantic. Ten days ago did not clear a lhr-yyz even though I was first on waitlist because of last minute buys into J.
Problem is when people expect e-ups are Guaranteed upgrades. THEY ARE NOT. You can also get downgraded from an e-up if the plane change from wide to narrow body.
As an Super Elite, my upgrade clears 95% of the time on business routes, and 100% on trans-pacific route.
I find the program works much better than the old paper certificates (circa 2010). The only downfall is the nominee slots has been reduced from 4 to 1.
I am so disappointed with the e-upgrade program. I am 50k and have 40 e-upgrades and my husband who is 25k has19. We flew YYZ-SYD with a mandatory stopover in YVR. Because the flight is considered one flight we were not permitted to use our e-upgrades from YVR- SYD, even though there were available seats in both Premium Economy and Business Class. We were willing to pay in cash and use our e-upgrades to be able to fly from YVR-SYD in either of the two upgraded cabins. We were denied based on “operational” difficulties and flew for over 16 hours in economy because they were not allowed to upgrade us from YVR-SYD, as we started our flight in YYZ. So technically we were penalized because we started in YYZ and not YVR. If a client requested an upgrade from YVR-SYD and started their fight in SYD, they would get priority ove us even though we paid a higher fare and travelled a longer distance. We were told the same in SYD where it showed we were #2 and #3 on the premium Economy waiting-list with seats available at departure, However, because there were no seats from YVR-YYZ we were denied an upgrade for the SYD-YVR portion. We had indicate we would go back to economy on the YVR-YYZ leg and even though there seats were available, again were denied the privilige to use our e-upgrades. I now have 40 remaining and cannot make use of them or carry them over to past Jan 10, 2025. And this was despite the fact we paid for Flex tickets with the hope to be upgraded. I completely understand when Superelites come and have higher priority but to be denied when seats were available and we were willing to pay cash and e-upgrades was clearly unfair practice.
The program does not make sense when travelling on a direct flight with a mandatory stopever Not happy at all
These « direct » 1-stop flights are such a nuisance and I wish AC would do away with them entirely. But FYI for your next trip, this is why common wisdom is to always book the YYZ-YVR as a separate flight number. Same price and you would have received the upgrade.
I didn’t know there was such a thing as direct, 1-stop flights. Perhaps a silly question, but how do we identify this?
I just flew this route this week. It is a cash route for AC so the R class is very tight. When I checked in there were 12 seats available in signature class!!!! When seats were released for the gate all of a sudden there was only one upgrade seat available! Why? Well the bidding for upgraded seats is revenue for AC! I was able to secure the only upgraded seat BUT, I am super elite AND I purposely booked PE Standard (I used points) to give myself the best chance. Long haul Signature Class is really only available for the Million milers or people paying for Standard PE. It took me three trans Pacific flights to figure this out!!!
I feel your pain! YYZ to EZE is also considered as one flight, even though everyone disembarks in Sao Paulo and re-onboard 2 hours later, there is nothing can be done if one segment can’t be upgraded, very annoying indeed
Great write-up, my own experience, prime time flights between YYZ-YVR, even super elite booked in PY is hard to get upgraded to J. However, from YYZ & YVR to euro and Asia, even 50K constantly get upgraded to J.
What an unusual, reality-based post, so unlike the rah rah rah positivity of most other travel websites…