eUpgrade Policy

Itineraries & eUpgrade pricing

eUpgrade credit and add-on requirements are calculated based on the requested upgrade cabin (Business Class, Premium Economy or Premium Rouge) for one-way travel from origin to destination on a single reservation, including connections. If only certain segments clear for an eUpgrade, the calculation of eUpgrade credits and add-on fees will be based on the origin and destination of the upgraded segment(s).

If the next available connection is beyond the timeframe, the eUpgrade request will be considered two separate journeys.

• Within North America: a connection is to 10 hours.
• For Sun/International: a connection is up to 24 hours.

Separate eUpgrade requests are necessary for itineraries booked on different reservations, and requirements will be calculated separately.

eUpgrade credit deposit

eUpgrade credits will be awarded within 72 hours of completing an eligible activity, such as choosing Select Benefits or crossing an eUpgrade threshold.

eUpgrade credit deduction & refunds

eUpgrade credits will be deducted at the time of upgrade request; those with the earliest expiry date will always be used first. To ensure a positive and consistent experience, please ensure eUpgrades are requested ahead of time whenever possible. All eUpgrade requests made within 36 hours of flight departure will be waitlisted and processed at the departure gate on day of travel.

If the traveller is not upgraded, the credits will be returned to the member's account. For itineraries with connections where only certain flights received confirmed upgrades, members may be entitled to a refund. In those cases, a portion of the credits related to the non-upgraded segments will be returned to the member's account. eUpgrade credits and add-on fees will be calculated based on the origin and destination of the upgraded segment(s).

Please note that there is a minimum processing delay of four days. If a discrepancy occurs within a member's eUpgrade account, they should allow at least 96 hours following their flight departure time before contacting Air Canada. We are unable to process adjustments requested within this timeframe. If, after 96 hours, the credits have not been returned to the member's account, they may contact Air Canada Reservations for assistance, or fill out our online form to report an eUpgrade discrepancy.

eUpgrade add-on collection

If an eUpgrade add-on applies for an itinerary, the member will be asked to provide credit card information to pay for it. The credit card must remain valid until the departure of the upgraded flight.

eUpgrade add-ons are non-refundable and include all applicable taxes. A foreign merchant transaction fee may be charged by the credit card issuing bank at time of billing. Note that the credit card will only be charged if the traveller is upgraded, and a receipt will be issued by email. Failure to pay the add-on fee will result in suspension of the eUpgrade account used to make the request. The account will be reactivated once the add-on fee has been collected.

Travel on three-cabin aircraft

When requesting an eUpgrade, members will always be awarded the best available seat.

For instance, if you request an upgrade to Business Class but no seats are available in that cabin at flight departure, you will be assigned a seat in Premium Economy (if one is available) and the eUpgrade credits required and add-on fee (if applicable) will be adjusted automatically.

If you do not wish to accept the change in cabin, you may, once the flight has closed, ask to be downgraded to your original cabin, and we will be happy to assign a seat to you in that cabin if one is available.

We cannot guarantee that you will be reassigned the seat you had previously selected or were assigned.

Meal service

For airport standby eUpgrade requests, we can't guarantee the meal service of the higher cabin, but always do our best to make this happen. If you pre-ordered a special meal, it may be provided on board upon request.

Fare rules for confirmed eUpgrades

Although travellers will be seated in a higher cabin when their eUpgrade is confirmed, their reservation will remain subject to the fare rules and restrictions of the booking class and fare option they originally purchased. These rules include, but are not limited to, accumulation of Aeroplan points or Status Qualifying Credit, change and cancellation fees, and baggage allowance.

eUpgrade cancellation

Cancelling an upgrade in advance

You can cancel a waitlisted eUpgrade request any time before the flight closes by going to your eUpgrade account, or with the assistance of an Air Canada representative.

To cancel a confirmed eUpgrade, you'll need to contact us directly. If you choose to cancel your upgrade and your originally purchased Economy or Premium Economy booking class is no longer available, you may need to pay an applicable fare difference. If you're travelling on a Latitude Flight Pass, you can cancel your confirmed eUpgrade subject to the terms and conditions of your Flight Pass.

Cancelling an upgrade after the airport standby list has been processed

Once the flight has closed and your eUpgrade has cleared to a higher cabin, you can ask to be downgraded to your original cabin, and we will be happy to assign a seat to you in that cabin if one is available.

We cannot guarantee that you will be reassigned the seat you had previously selected or were assigned.

Codeshare flights

For travel on codeshare flights operated by Air Canada, eUpgrades may be requested on the day of departure prior to checking in for the flight. Please speak to an airport representative at the check-in counter to process these requests.

For travel on codeshare flights operated by partner airlines, eUpgrades are not available.

Irregular operations

In the event of irregular operations, Air Canada will always try to rebook travellers on the best available flight. While we will always attempt to maintain the status of their eUpgrade on their new journey, this may not always be possible. In the event an eUpgrade is lost, members will be able to re-request an eUpgrade via aircanada.com, through Air Canada Reservations or with an Air Canada agent at the airport.

Please note: Maintaining the status of the eUpgrade pertains to the cabin only, and does not guarantee that the same type of seat will be provided.

When complimentary upgrades are given at time of departure due to irregular operations, customers with a previously requested eUpgrade will not be eligible for a credit refund.

Members who end up travelling a longer distance involuntarily will not be charged more than the number of eUpgrade credits or the add-on amount initially charged for the upgrade.

Special services

Travel with a support person

Upgrade requests are not eligible for travellers who are not self-reliant and are severely physically disabled (paraplegic or quadriplegic) so as to require a support person.

Extra seat for comfort

eUpgrade requests are not eligible for travellers who require extra seating.

Infants

Child-restraint devices are not permitted in Air Canada Signature Class.

Pets in cabin

eUpgrade requests for travellers with a pet are only available for the Business cabin. Pets are not permitted in Premium Economy Class because of cabin configuration.

Medipak

Travellers with respiratory conditions who require a Medipak must be seated in the last row of the Business Class cabin. If such seating is not available, please see an Air Canada airport agent upon check-in.

Allergies

It may not always be possible to accommodate travellers with severe allergies in the Business Class or Premium Economy cabins. For example, eUpgrade may be refused if:

• A traveller is severely allergic to cats and there is already a passenger seated in Business Class or Premium Economy who is travelling with a cat as part of their carry-on baggage, or
• A traveller is travelling with a cat as part of their carry-on baggage and there is already a passenger seated in Business Class or Premium Economy who is severely allergic to cats.

Other upgrade options

It's not possible to use eUpgrade credits with the purchase of a Bid Upgrade or Last Minute Upgrade. Only one type of upgrade can be processed for each individual flight segment.

eUpgrade fraud

eUpgrade credits are not redeemable for cash or other consideration and may not be bartered or sold; further, confirmed upgrades will be declared void if sold, bartered or transferred. Air Canada reserves the right to terminate the Aeroplan Elite Status benefits of those who sell or barter their eUpgrade credits, or who repeatedly fail to pay eUpgrade add-ons. eUpgrade credits are non-transferrable, and are the property of Air Canada.

Other

Air Canada reserves the right to, without notice, (a) modify the terms and conditions related to eUpgrade credit usage and eUpgrade add-ons, (b) add, modify, or delete eligible booking classes, (c) cancel any eUpgrade request made in violation of the terms and conditions listed here, and (d) change eUpgrade priority rules. Upgrades are never guaranteed, subject to space availability for the number of upgrades permitted per flight, and subject to operational considerations which are at Air Canada’s sole discretion. In the event of changes to the number of eUpgrade credits and/or the amount of the eUpgrade add-on required for an upgrade, Air Canada will endeavor not to penalize members who have previously requested an eUpgrade, subject to certain system limitations.

An eUpgrade can be requested at any time but clearance will begin at the pre-determined clearance window. Any requests not confirmed in advance will be transferred to the airport standby list for assessment at time of departure. Note: For those members who have requested an eUpgrade on a through flight (a flight with a technical stop), waitlisted requests on the airport standby list will only be accommodated should there be seat availability on the entire journey. Partial upgrades on flights operating with the same flight number are not permitted.

A list setting forth the priority of eUpgrade requests on the airport standby list may be included in the Flight Status Section of the Air Canada App. A traveller’s airport standby upgrade request will be displayed on the priority list using the first three letters of their family name and the initial letter of the first name. Should the traveller board the aircraft prior to the flight closing for check in, their name will be removed from the standby list and their upgrade request forfeited.