Air Canada’s Different Fare Classes: How to Choose?

Parameters of Fare Class

Whether you use your Aeroplan points or pay in cash, there are several options available to you. These options will affect several characteristics:

• Before the flight: For example, cancellation and change policies, and same-day standby options.
• During the flight: Such as carry-on luggage, checked baggage, and seat selection.
• After the flight: For example, the number of Aeroplan points earned.

Cancellation and Change Policies

For most travellers, this is the most important criterion.

Between an option that allows cancelling or changing a ticket without fees and one that permits no changes, there is a significant margin.

Depending on the fare class, changes or cancellations can be:

• Free,
• With a fee,
• Or simply not possible.

Determine the Cost of Fees

Calculating fees is quite complex, as they vary based on the ticket type, destination (Canada, US, International, sunny destinations), carrier (Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge), number of segments in the journey, time before the flight, mix of fare classes, etc.

• Option 1: Check Price Charts

For award tickets, the available information on Aeroplan’s website gives a good idea.

For cash tickets, information is available on the Air Canada website, but there are many options.

• Option 2: Run a Simulation

The simplest method is to run a simulation on Air Canada’s website.

To do this, simply select a fare.

Then navigate to the summary page and click on « View Fare Rules. »

Review the cancellation and change policies, baggage allowances, and Aeroplan points accumulation rules.

Making the Right Choice

The first question to ask is, “Do we need this flexibility?”

Unforeseen events can prevent us from travelling, such as the death of a family member, illness or disaster.

Many of these conditions may already be covered by your group insurance or credit card.

The next question is about the risk premium. If there’s a chance the trip won’t happen or if you think you might cancel or change dates, how much are you willing to pay?

At this point, you need to calculate the additional premium you’ll have to pay to cover this risk.

Example of a round trip Montreal-Paris with an Aeroplan award ticket:

This will provide, among the different options:

Since, according to our valuation, 20,000 Aeroplan points have a value of around $400, in this example we can ask ourselves the following question:

Am I spending 20,000 Aeroplan (± $400) to potentially save $100 in case of a change or $75 in case of a cancellation?

Example of a round trip Montreal-Paris in cash:

Obviously, the same questions will arise with cash fares, especially since some fares offer no options for cancellation or modification.

So, the fare differences:

Seat Selections and Checked Baggage

Checked baggage fees can quickly increase the overall cost of your trip.

For flights to Canada, the United States, and the South, we’re talking about an additional $30 per one-way ticket for checking a first piece of luggage.

This rule also applies to basic economy class, which does not include carry-on baggage. You will need to check in your carry-on bag and pay the fee.

For international flights, if the fare option selected does not include checked baggage, please allow $70 one-way ($140 round-trip).

Travelling with Children

For seat pre-selection, please note that if the reservation includes a child under 14, Air Canada will automatically allocate generic seats before check-in at no extra charge.

You can also bring one stroller per child in addition to your baggage allowance.

All the details can be found on the Air Canada website.

Benefit from Your Credit Card

Some of these fees may be covered by your credit card

• Several Aeroplan-affiliated credit cards offer the first checked baggage for free.
• Many credit cards offer an annual credit that can be used to reimburse these fees.

Leveraging Aeroplan Status

Some Aeroplan status holders may also enjoy benefits such as seat selection or additional checked baggage allowance.

How to Identify the Benefits You Already Have?

On the Aeroplan website, you can find the benefits applicable to your profile in the « Benefits » section of your profile.

For example, if you have an eligible Aeroplan credit card linked to your account, the “First checked bag free” information will automatically be shown and taken into account when you make your reservation.

Aeroplan Points, Qualifying Miles, and eUpgrades

In general, these criteria only tip the scales for advanced users who already have Aeroplan status or want to keep it.

Aeroplan Points and Qualifying Miles

Depending on the fare option selected, you can earn more or fewer Aeroplan points or qualifying miles (SQM). These are crucial when it comes to obtaining or renewing your Elite status.

Another way to earn Elite 25k status is to accumulate 100,000 Eligible Aeroplan Points(SQS) in one year.

In this case, the number of Aeroplan points obtained during a trip helps to speed up the process of obtaining or maintaining status.

Application of eUpgrades

The choice of fare option is essential when you wish to apply eUpgrades to your booking.

Indeed, the ability to request an upgrade, the number of eUpgrade credits required, any additional charges, and the application period will vary depending on the fare class.

For instance, a Latitude Economy fare allows you to apply for an upgrade at the time of booking, whereas with a Standard Economy fare, the upgrade can only be applied a few days before the flight.

Bottom Line

We hope this brief guide will help you make informed decisions when choosing between the different fare classes available to you.