The first 2.5 weeks of May bring with the promise of some interesting travels – Toronto-Newark-Honolulu and back with United in Business for what must be one of the world’s longest domestic flights, and then an extra-long weekend vacation with my wife to Rome on Air Canada in Business.
But before that, there are some interesting flight experiences to be had this week too, as I’m heading to San Jose, California for an event – flying Toronto to San Francisco, both ways via Vancouver. Air Canada offers plenty of options from Toronto to SF direct, but in this case, I decided to go with the connections to maximize my chances for upgrades, and also to hedge me bets – even if I was unable to secure a J seat on Toronto - Vancouver or return, the flights I’m on (on the dreaded 777 HD outbound and the 787 inbound) feature Premium Economy seating, which is offered on domestic flights as Preferred Seating. So worst case scenario on the longer flights is Premium Economy seating (which is very similar to domestic Business on a narrowbody) and a buy-on-board meal.
And it means some new cabins to show off here on Flight Report. When the upgrade window opens, I’m waitlisted for YYZ-YVR, but YVR-SFO clears instantly, so we’ll get a look at Premium Rouge on the A319 for that flight. Seven days out, Expert Flyer is showing J9 on this flight to Vancouver, so I’m very optimistic about getting the upgrade.
As the 787 flight home to Toronto is already showing J0, I decided to skip the upgrade on the flight home – it’s not likely to come through, and by my calculations, I need to hold on to enough of Air Canada’s severely-devalued eUpgrade points to cover another trip to Asia I’m planning on taking later in the year.
Over the ensuing week, This 777 HD flight to YVR goes from J9 to J7, J5, and finally is showing J3 as check-in opens 24 hours out. I’m still relatively optimistic for the upgrade, but needless to say, not quite as positive as I was a week out.
As I’m starting out with a domestic flight, I show up with my boarding pass already on my iPhone at just over 75 minutes pre-flight. They start boarding the HD early – 8:05 boading time shown for this 9:00 departure, and with a full load in the back – the HD seats 100 extra passengers (!!!) compared to the “regular” AC 77W – and the related overhead storage limitations, they need every minute.
The security line for Nexus card holders is quick, and I’m at the gate a little before 8:00, as the gate agents are just settling in.
Just before boarding begins with Zone 1, my name is one of three called up to the podium. Bingo! The gate agent says she can’t close the upgrade list until 45 minutes pre-departure, but that the upgrade will come through for me, so she asks me not to board with Zone 1, explaining that “as soon as you board, you’re off the system.” I’m not sure if this is a new policy, or a decision the gate agent took for convenience, as I’ve previously boarded when it looked like an upgrade didn’t come through, and then been offered the upgrade while already on board, including one time where I was settling in to Y for Toronto-Vancouver-Sydney, when the agent came and politely asked if I’d like the upgrade.
Boarding begins right on schedule, and priority boarding, consisting of Zone 1 and 2, as well as young children, those who need help, and Zone 3 are all called before I’m called back to the podium to exchange seat 13A for 1G. But no worries. I make my way down the ramp and board at door 2L, the only door open at the moment. I turn left and cross over to the starboard aisle, settling into 1G as my fellow last-minute upgrade recipient moves into seat 1D.
The overhead luggage situation in Y on the HD is absolutely miserable, but even up in business, it’s tight, as these seats don’t allow any storage under the seat in front, and the middle-section overhead bins are fairly small. With some re-organization, I’m able to fit my backpack and rollaboard just above 2G, although when 2G is occupied, they’re not going to have a lot of space, unfortunately.
The HD is unique among AC’s widebodies in that it doesn’t feature a “pod” (herringbone or reverse herringbone) in J, but rather the same lay-flat seats used by Swiss, Austrian, and countless others. It’s a staggered 2-2-2, 1-2-1 configuration, with the sit-alone “throne seats” on the sides at rows 2, 4, and 6 the “primo” seats. Aside from those thrones, privacy is certainly lackluster compared to the pods, but it’s a comfortable enough seat. Like the 787, these seats are essentially air mattresses and can be inflated or deflated to the occupant’s preference. Like most staggered J seats (and some others) there’s a cubby into which one’s feet must go when laid flat. This has earned criticism as creating a coffin-like claustrophobic environment, but I’ve never had any problem with it. The foot wells on the non-throne seats are a little bit larger – that’s the tradeoff you get for all that privacy. I’m fortunate enough to get one of the paired seats with the storage shelf between me and the aisle – my seatmate has the one with just a simple armrest between him and the aisle.
It's a nice touch that on these widebody transcons, AC provides the full-size blanket and big fluffy pillow that is standard in international business class service.
The controls and accouterments for the seat are located in the console to my right – including power outlet, USB ports, headphone jack, and a reading light, while the armrest to my right has the touch controls for the seat as well as a small bin that’s home to the remote control for IFE. Putting the touch controls for the seat right where one’s arm naturally sits in the armrest was a really dumb design decision – one regularly shifts the seat or (more likely) turns on the back massage feature unintentionally.
As with any flat bed seat, legroom is not a problem. And the IFE, while smaller than the J screen on the 787s, is large enough. It’s on a newer system that AC’s now-older “project XM” screen, with a much more responsive and intuitive operating system, and seems to crash less frequently than the older seats. The screens are also available gate-to-gate, unlike the older “pods,” on which the screen must be swung back in and secure for takeoff and landing.
The tray table folds out of the seat-side console, and has to be locked into place and unfolded. It’s not my favourite table, as doesn’t fill the whole seat width, and when you’re not used to it, folding it to put it away seems to require an engineering degree and a background in origami. Another downside of the seat is that the way it reclines means that you – or at least I – have to sit pretty much completely upright if I want to use the tray table – you push forward and into the table as you recline.
I find the seat comfortable enough, and I prefer the window-side “throne” seats to the older pod window seats, just because of access to the windows. By all other measures, though, this is the worst of AC’s three mainline widebody business class seats. But AC fliers won’t have it to complain about for long – these seats are due to be hauled out of the HD and replaced with the same business class seats as the 787, beginning later this year. Non-HD 77Ls and 77Ws with the older pods will also get the new J seats in the same time frame.
I’ve heard it said before – and the flight attendant chatting up the couple in 1A and C repeats it here – that these five HD planes were originally slated for another airline, which then backed out at the last minute, and Boeing offered them to AC for a song, partially as compensation for the long delays in Boeing delivering 787s. AC now uses the primarily on routes where the airline feels in needs volume to be competitive – they can be found on YVR-HKG, YVR-LHR, and YYZ-CDG as well as doing runs like this between YYZ and YVR, just designed to keep the frames as busy as possible. Despite them pretty miserable in economy, they are frequently full – in fact, this 450-plus seater was showing just four Y seats for sale this morning, meaning it was likely oversold in the back.
But enough out the plane – let’s move onto the details of the flight itself. As boarding was nearly halfway done when I boarded, pre-departure drinks were already being distributed when I arrived, and a choice of orange juice and water was quickly offered. I went with the latter.
Menus were then handed out, containing absolutely no surprises – the standard AC breakfast offerings, although there is a third entree offering as this flight is classified a premium longhaul by AC.
Breakfast orders were taken on the ground, by status, and I opt for the pancakes, the “third option” that’s not available on all flights.
Boarding was done on time, and we pushed back shortly before scheduled departure. The new Air Canada safety video rolls, which seems to take pride in featuring stereotypically Canadian carry-aboard luggage – a two-pack of lobsters from Halifax goes under a seat, a big bag of Montreal bagels goes in the overhead, and somebody stows a stuffed moose. Unfortunately, hockey gear has to be checked, so it can’t be featured in the video.
We push back, and it’s a very short taxi. The massive GEs come to life, and we begin the powerful roll. Up here in the front row, it’s nice and quiet, even on takeoff run and climb. I hate non-window seats for the lack of opportunities to get pictures of the view outside the plane, but when you get the last-minute upgrade, you don’t exactly get first choice on seats.
The seatbelt signs are quickly off, and service begins as noise-cancelling earphones and hot towels are distributed. These noise-cancellers are miles better than the atrocious ones built into the older pods, but they have to be handed out after takeoff and collected well before landing.
I select American Sniper on the IFE, and grab my notebook to begin writing this report. I make sure to plug in, since there’s no such thing as a power outlet on the Rouge A319 I’ll be on in a little while.
As usual, breakfast service begins much more quickly than do other meal services, as there’s no pre-meal bar service. The tray of fruit and yogurt is offered, along with bread – either cinnamon or whole wheat – and drinks. I take an orange juice and a black coffee. The fruit plate doesn’t much appear to me, as a I’m not a big fan of citrus fruits so I’m left with a couple of little bits of kiwi and a tiny strawberry. But the cherry Greek yogurt is delicious.
The entree follows shortly. Overall, I think I prefer the omelet to the pancakes, but the pancakes are still quite delicious. It’s the same chicken sausage as with the eggs, and the maple butter makes the pancakes quite tasty without being as overpoweringly sweet as traditional maple syrup. The fruit compote balances sweet and tart nicely, and makes it a pretty good breakfast.
After breakfast, another round of drinks are offered, and I go for another round of orange juice and black coffee.
Breakfast dishes are quickly cleared, and with this report just about caught up to real-time, I decide to relax for a bit, put the notebook away, get myself in a lounge position, and catch the end of the movie. By this time, we’re out over Saskatchewan. With the movie over, I put on a documentary and chill out for a while.
About 90 minutes out of Vancouver, warmed nuts and a drink are offered, and I order a Caesar, since it’s afternoon back home, or something like that. Almost immediately after, the snack basket makes the round, so I grab a bag of Miss Vickie’s and settle in for a bit. Water was offered a few times between breakfast and the cocktails, and my water glass is refilled regularly, though I can’t say it’s constantly topped up, mostly due to my penchant to suck back a lot of water.
Soon enough, the documentary is over, and it’s just about time to pack up. I put my laptop and backpack away, and settle in to watch the moving map for the short duration of the flight. We get the “over four hours” door location reminder – spoiler: they’re on the sides – and headsets and various unwanted items are collected.
We touch down at YVR on time just about to the minute, and it’s a quick taxi to our gate. As we’re offloading out of 2L, I’m among the last J passengers to leave, so I grab one last pic of my seat. “Get ‘em while you can,” says the service director. “They won’t be here long.”
He tells me that conversions to the new cabin interior have begun, with a couple of 777-200LRs and at least one 777-300ER currently “in Georgia” to have the work done. He also suggests the current 300 HDs and 300 non-HDs are going to have the same configuration after being refurbed – they all get Premium Economy seats, and the total seating goes down by about 50 from the current HD capacity, which in turn means it goes up by about 50 from the current non-HD fleet. Not what I’d heard before, but an interesting little bit of information nonetheless.
With that, I take leave of C-FIVX and leave her for her onbound trip to Hong Kong, and set out on the long journey to the U.S. gates at Vancouver, where the next trip report will pick up.
See more
Verdict
Air Canada
8.0/10
Cabin7.0
Cabin crew8.0
Entertainment/wifi9.0
Meal/catering8.0
Toronto - YYZ
7.8/10
Efficiency8.0
Access7.0
Services7.0
Cleanliness9.0
Vancouver - YVR
7.1/10
Efficiency7.0
Access7.0
Services6.5
Cleanliness8.0
Conclusion
Another fine YYZ-YVR experience in J, and perhaps one of my last flights on the staggered business product, if the service director is accurate. I won't miss it when it's replaced, but that's not because it's not a good product, it's just that the 787 product is so much better.
Airline breakfasts usually get a bum rap, but I find the breakfast consistently the most enjoyable meal on AC domestic/transborder J.
0 LIKESLIKE TO THANK THE AUTHORTHANKS ! FLIGHT-REPORT LIKED
Thank you for sharing this report and all the cool insights about Air Canada especially about how these planes were designed for another airline, I wonder which! I am sad that AC is not trying to stay competitive with their product, this is a decent J class config fir sure especially for a domestic run but that Y cabin at the back just screams claustrophobia...
The back on the 777 HD is unacceptable. It's just bad back there. Really really bad.
Hopefully the SD was accurate in saying that the new 777 configuration will cut about 50 seats from this monstrosity. I think we all know, and can begrudgingly accept, that the days of generous economy seating the like of the old-generation nine-across AC 777s is going the way of the Dodo, but whether it's for special markets that demand more density or not, the current 777HD is not acceptable by the standards of an airline that likes to call itself a four-star carrier.
As for to whom the 777HDs were originally supposed to go of, I also wonder. I've heard all kinds of speculation, mostly on FlyerTalk, but nothing with any consistency or enough truthiness to it to make me believe.
Thanks for another very enjoyable and informative Report! I'm learning so much about the National Airline of our Northern neighbors!
How do Elite upgrades work on AC. I knew that there weren't automatic space-available upgrades for top-tier like the US carriers have, but I wasn't aware of this eUpgrade system. Do you earn a fixed amount per year, or based on the miles you fly? Like lower AA tier Elites get 4 free 500-mile upgrade certificates (normally cost $30 each) for every 10K miles flown. And from what I gather your eUpgrades are good for both domestic and International (so like the SWUs AA top tier get)?
I wonder if the J availability went from J9 to J3 in one week because a few seats at a time were being released from upgrade inventory and some upgrades were clearing. I've seen that happen before; not sure what the upgrade priority order is on AC within the same Elite status--by time of upgrade request, Fareclass?
This has earned criticism as creating a coffin-like claustrophobic environment, but I’ve never had any problem with it. - DL has these same seats in J and I've never had any problem with it either. The people I know who have complained about it are all over 6' so I imagine that it's more constricting if you are tall.
folding it to put it away seems to require an engineering degree and a background in origami - Sooo true, you have to get it just right to put it away easily. It's a big pain. DL has different tray tables on the same seat. The crazy origami type on the 764, and a much simpler version on the 763. On the 763, you lift the top of the center console and the trab table just comes out.
But AC fliers won’t have it to complain about for long – these seats are due to be hauled out of the HD and replaced with the same business class seats as the 787, - Wow, those seats are brand new and they're already replacing them? That's nice. The Cirrus seats are definitely much better.
It's nice to see a breakfast served with multiple courses. I suppose that's because it's a premium transcon. I wonder if the comments from the crew about the 777-300 refits are true. Galley gossip can be unreliable at times, but it often has an element of truth. Will be interesting to see how it works out. It would make sense to add more density to the regular 77Ws as this is just the way all airlines are going. ANd having this subfleet of HD 77Ws limits AC's flexibility I'm sure.
Thanks again for this great report! Looking forward to seeing the Rouge A319 product...although I can't imagine Euro-biz will feel as nice as this flight!
Wow, that is a very complicated system...especially considering it's not a very generous system for upgrades. Thanks so much for taking the time to explain how it works in such detail. I had time to drink 2 dirty martinis in the time i read it :-P Needless to say, I won't be switching to Aeroplan anytime soon :-)
We know that the refurbs are true... or at least that the whole 777 fleet will get the 787-style J cabin and PE before the end of 2016. AC has confirmed that. What we don't know for sure is what Y is going to look like on these planes, although we may find out soon enough.
You ask about Air Canada upgrade policies. My answer: How long do you have? Like many things at AC, they seem to be designed to be as Byzantine and non-transparent as possible. Grab a beverage, and here we go...
AC uses an eUpgrade system. You can choose a certain number of points with your Elite package each year, topping out at 70 points if a Super Elite chooses both available eUpgrade bundles. You also earn them as you fly -- an SE will earn 10 credits at 60k, and 80k, and 20 credits at 100k and each 40k thereafter.
eUpgrades may be used on select fares, only Flex (the higher-price discount economy fares that earn 100%) and Latitude (full fare Y), as well as Premium Economy Lowest and Premium Economy Flexible fares. If you are flying on a Tango (AC's lowest-price economy fares) the only way you'll ever get an upgrade on AC is by way of opup. Points expire at the end of the benefit year (March 1 of the previous year) unless earned through flying after November 1 of the benefit year, in which case they live through the next benefit year as well.
eUpgrades apply to domestic, transborder, and international flights, and the number of points required are based on the distance traveled and the fare paid. For Elites other than 100K, a co-pay applies for international flighs -- $500 each way for TATL, and $750 each way for TPAC.
For this benefit year, AC effectively kicked its frequent fliers in the groin whilst simultaneously punching them in the nose, reducing the number of eUpgrade points that frequent fliers get during the year through their flying, while at the same time significantly increasing the number of eUpgrade points required for a given flight. A standard North American transcon in Flex, for example, went from 10 points to 15 points.
So in other words, if I made SE last year (70 credits) and have requalified for this year (10+10+20=40 credits), I have 110 eUpgrade credits, enough to upgrade two return TPAC flights (26 credits each way), and sit in the back for every other flight over the course of the year. Or I can get seven one-way upgrades between Toronto and the West Coast of North America, and nothing else.
eUpgrades may be requested at time of booking on a Latitutde or Premium Economy Flexible fare, or at seven days for Super Elites or five or three day marks for other Elites. They are subject to the availability of P/Z space for international or domestic/transborder upgrades from Latitude of Premium Economy Flexible, or R space from lesser fares.
The official priority list for upgrades, published on FT after much cajoling from the community, is Status, then Fare, then time of request. Those not cleared at T-24 are moved to the at-the-gate waitlist, at which time, the upgrade priority is Status, then Fare, then time of check-in. There are usually (at least) a handful of seats held back for gate upgrades, as AC sells last minute upgrades to anyone who'll pay, although thus far, hasn't caught on to the sell 'em cheap because it's better than giving 'em away trend. Yet.
If AC didn't have to worry about all of its high-revenue business pax running to UA or other American carriers, I think it's safe to say they'd kill any kind of formal free upgrade program in a heartbeat. They made it very clear last year on FlyerTalk that they feel that giving away the product cheapens the value of their business class cabin. As it is, with every devaluation, it seems more are drawn to American carriers (mostly UA since as it's still Star Alliance, you can do a soft landing into status by using your AC-derived benefits until UA ones kick in).
It all depends what you value in an FF program, and whose metal you're going to be flying the most. Every year, I go through the exercise of debating where to credit. And every year, UA comes up short. This year was the closest it's been in my estimation, but the combination of UA gutting redeemable mileage earning on lower-cost flights, and AC throwing Elites a bone among the bad news and eliminating fuel surcharges (for all elites on domestic/transborder, and for 100Ks on international as well) put AC so far ahead in terms of redeemable earning and ability to burn, that the lure way more upgrades on flights within North America was beaten out.
Hey have you tried for upgrade on this flight before you leave Vancouver?
I have AC103, on Oct.7th, 2017, from Toronto to Vancouver, on B777-300ER. It shows the plane still have plenty of business seats, i heard about AC BID SYSTEM, and minimum for bidding is 500CAD...
Others say is a LOT CHEAPER, if you do it at the counter when check in.....
Hey have you tried for upgrade on this flight before you leave Vancouver?
I have AC103, on Oct.7th, 2017, from Toronto to Vancouver, on B777-300ER. It shows the plane still have plenty of business seats, i heard about AC BID SYSTEM, and minimum for bidding is 500CAD...
Others say is a LOT CHEAPER, if you do it at the counter when check in.....
In reference to upgrade, i DO HAVE AIR CHINA GOLD STATUS, which is a star alliance gold member
Flight-Report is a free website hosting more than 500 000 pictures and 17 000 reviews, without ads, this website can't exist. We understand that ads can be annoying, this is why we only display a maximum of 2 non-invasive ads per page.
To continue using Flight-Report, we invite you to add Flight-Report to your blocker's "white list".
#20 out of 94 Airlines A minimum of 10 flight-reports within the past two years is required to appear in the rankings.
379 reviews
10 Comments
I am sad that AC is not trying to stay competitive with their product, this is a decent J class config fir sure especially for a domestic run but that Y cabin at the back just screams claustrophobia...
Hopefully the SD was accurate in saying that the new 777 configuration will cut about 50 seats from this monstrosity. I think we all know, and can begrudgingly accept, that the days of generous economy seating the like of the old-generation nine-across AC 777s is going the way of the Dodo, but whether it's for special markets that demand more density or not, the current 777HD is not acceptable by the standards of an airline that likes to call itself a four-star carrier.
As for to whom the 777HDs were originally supposed to go of, I also wonder. I've heard all kinds of speculation, mostly on FlyerTalk, but nothing with any consistency or enough truthiness to it to make me believe.
Will that be the same for 77L frames?
My guess -- and it is just that, a guess -- is that it will be 10 across, but a bit better pitch than the HD. I hope I'm wrong.
How do Elite upgrades work on AC. I knew that there weren't automatic space-available upgrades for top-tier like the US carriers have, but I wasn't aware of this eUpgrade system. Do you earn a fixed amount per year, or based on the miles you fly? Like lower AA tier Elites get 4 free 500-mile upgrade certificates (normally cost $30 each) for every 10K miles flown. And from what I gather your eUpgrades are good for both domestic and International (so like the SWUs AA top tier get)?
I wonder if the J availability went from J9 to J3 in one week because a few seats at a time were being released from upgrade inventory and some upgrades were clearing. I've seen that happen before; not sure what the upgrade priority order is on AC within the same Elite status--by time of upgrade request, Fareclass?
This has earned criticism as creating a coffin-like claustrophobic environment, but I’ve never had any problem with it.
- DL has these same seats in J and I've never had any problem with it either. The people I know who have complained about it are all over 6' so I imagine that it's more constricting if you are tall.
folding it to put it away seems to require an engineering degree and a background in origami
- Sooo true, you have to get it just right to put it away easily. It's a big pain. DL has different tray tables on the same seat. The crazy origami type on the 764, and a much simpler version on the 763. On the 763, you lift the top of the center console and the trab table just comes out.
But AC fliers won’t have it to complain about for long – these seats are due to be hauled out of the HD and replaced with the same business class seats as the 787,
- Wow, those seats are brand new and they're already replacing them? That's nice. The Cirrus seats are definitely much better.
It's nice to see a breakfast served with multiple courses. I suppose that's because it's a premium transcon. I wonder if the comments from the crew about the 777-300 refits are true. Galley gossip can be unreliable at times, but it often has an element of truth. Will be interesting to see how it works out. It would make sense to add more density to the regular 77Ws as this is just the way all airlines are going. ANd having this subfleet of HD 77Ws limits AC's flexibility I'm sure.
Thanks again for this great report! Looking forward to seeing the Rouge A319 product...although I can't imagine Euro-biz will feel as nice as this flight!
Needless to say, I won't be switching to Aeroplan anytime soon :-)
You ask about Air Canada upgrade policies. My answer: How long do you have? Like many things at AC, they seem to be designed to be as Byzantine and non-transparent as possible. Grab a beverage, and here we go...
AC uses an eUpgrade system. You can choose a certain number of points with your Elite package each year, topping out at 70 points if a Super Elite chooses both available eUpgrade bundles. You also earn them as you fly -- an SE will earn 10 credits at 60k, and 80k, and 20 credits at 100k and each 40k thereafter.
eUpgrades may be used on select fares, only Flex (the higher-price discount economy fares that earn 100%) and Latitude (full fare Y), as well as Premium Economy Lowest and Premium Economy Flexible fares. If you are flying on a Tango (AC's lowest-price economy fares) the only way you'll ever get an upgrade on AC is by way of opup. Points expire at the end of the benefit year (March 1 of the previous year) unless earned through flying after November 1 of the benefit year, in which case they live through the next benefit year as well.
eUpgrades apply to domestic, transborder, and international flights, and the number of points required are based on the distance traveled and the fare paid. For Elites other than 100K, a co-pay applies for international flighs -- $500 each way for TATL, and $750 each way for TPAC.
For this benefit year, AC effectively kicked its frequent fliers in the groin whilst simultaneously punching them in the nose, reducing the number of eUpgrade points that frequent fliers get during the year through their flying, while at the same time significantly increasing the number of eUpgrade points required for a given flight. A standard North American transcon in Flex, for example, went from 10 points to 15 points.
So in other words, if I made SE last year (70 credits) and have requalified for this year (10+10+20=40 credits), I have 110 eUpgrade credits, enough to upgrade two return TPAC flights (26 credits each way), and sit in the back for every other flight over the course of the year. Or I can get seven one-way upgrades between Toronto and the West Coast of North America, and nothing else.
eUpgrades may be requested at time of booking on a Latitutde or Premium Economy Flexible fare, or at seven days for Super Elites or five or three day marks for other Elites. They are subject to the availability of P/Z space for international or domestic/transborder upgrades from Latitude of Premium Economy Flexible, or R space from lesser fares.
The official priority list for upgrades, published on FT after much cajoling from the community, is Status, then Fare, then time of request. Those not cleared at T-24 are moved to the at-the-gate waitlist, at which time, the upgrade priority is Status, then Fare, then time of check-in. There are usually (at least) a handful of seats held back for gate upgrades, as AC sells last minute upgrades to anyone who'll pay, although thus far, hasn't caught on to the sell 'em cheap because it's better than giving 'em away trend. Yet.
I think that's about it...
It all depends what you value in an FF program, and whose metal you're going to be flying the most. Every year, I go through the exercise of debating where to credit. And every year, UA comes up short. This year was the closest it's been in my estimation, but the combination of UA gutting redeemable mileage earning on lower-cost flights, and AC throwing Elites a bone among the bad news and eliminating fuel surcharges (for all elites on domestic/transborder, and for 100Ks on international as well) put AC so far ahead in terms of redeemable earning and ability to burn, that the lure way more upgrades on flights within North America was beaten out.
I have AC103, on Oct.7th, 2017, from Toronto to Vancouver, on B777-300ER.
It shows the plane still have plenty of business seats, i heard about AC BID SYSTEM, and minimum for bidding is 500CAD...
Others say is a LOT CHEAPER, if you do it at the counter when check in.....
Please give me some ideas
I have AC103, on Oct.7th, 2017, from Toronto to Vancouver, on B777-300ER.
It shows the plane still have plenty of business seats, i heard about AC BID SYSTEM, and minimum for bidding is 500CAD...
Others say is a LOT CHEAPER, if you do it at the counter when check in.....
In reference to upgrade, i DO HAVE AIR CHINA GOLD STATUS, which is a star alliance gold member
Please give me some ideas
Login to post a comment.