About eUpgrades background

Enjoy extra comfort with eUpgrades

Aeroplan Elite Status Members can earn eUpgrade credits and exchange them for upgrades to the Business or Premium Economy cabin on any flight operated by Air Canada, Air Canada Express, or Air Canada Rouge, including on flights paid with points. It’s our way of showing our appreciation for their loyalty by elevating their travel experience.

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Earn eUpgrade credits

Status members can earn eUpgrade credits in 3 different ways:

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Core Benefits

At the beginning of every new benefit year, as well as when qualifying for a higher status during early recognition, all status members receive 20 eUpgrade credits as part of their Core Benefits.

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Select Benefits

When qualifying for status and at the start of each benefit year, status members can choose additional eUpgrade credits, or to receive eUpgrade credits for eligible Flight Pass activities. If you’re a status member and haven’t done so already, choose your Select Benefits now.

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Threshold eUpgrades

Status members earn additional eUpgrade credits automatically for every eligible Status Qualifying Mile (SQM) or Status Qualifying Segment (SQS) threshold they cross during the calendar year.

Learn more

Use eUpgrade credits

As an Aeroplan Elite Status Member, it’s easy to request an upgrade, whether it’s for an entire one-way itinerary, or only certain flight segments.

1 Sign in to your eUpgrade account.
2 Retrieve your booking by entering your booking reference and last name.
3 Review the cabin options being offered, the number of credits required and the add-on fee, if applicable, and make your selection.
4 If an add-on fee is applicable, proceed with payment.
5 You’ll receive a confirmation that your request was received. Once your clearance window opens, your upgrade will be confirmed if space is available.
6 The required eUpgrade credits will automatically be removed from your account.

Upgrades can also be requested when you check in online, on your mobile device, at an airport kiosk, or with an airport agent at the check in counter or the departure gate on your day of travel. They can be requested at any time but will start to be confirmed at the clearance window below:

Checking availability pre-booking

To understand eUpgrade availability before booking a flight, the filtering function in our search functionality can be used.

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Applying this filter will update search results and highlight which flights have seats available for eUpgrades. Clicking on a specific flight will then provide further information based on the parameters entered, including the number of credits required, applicable add-on fees, and waitlist information per fare purchased.

eUpgrades clearance window

  Premium Economy (flexible)
Latitude
Premium Economy (lowest)
Comfort
Flex
Standard
Premium Economy (lowest)
Comfort
Flex
Standard
All flights North America and Sun destinations International
Anytime 14 days 7 days
12 days 6 days
10 days 5 days
8 days 4 days
4 days 3 days
7 days    

Should your request for an upgrade not clear, your eUpgrade credits will be returned to your eUpgrade account within 72 hours of the arrival of your last flight.

eUpgrades requirements

eUpgrade credits have an expiry date which varies based on when the credits were earned. eUpgrade credits earned between January 1 and June 30 will be valid until January 16 of the following year, while those earned between July 1 and December 31 will be valid until January 16 of the subsequent year.

eUpgrade credits must be valid on the date of the flight for which you wish to request an upgrade. The credits with the shortest validity period will always be used first.

The number of eUpgrade credits needed for an upgrade, along with any applicable add-ons, depends on:

View the details of the eUpgrade credit requirements and the applicable clearance window for requesting an upgrade.

If you notice any discrepancies with any of the transactions in your eUpgrade account, you can notify us by completing our online form.

Share your eUpgrades

Share the love! As an Aeroplan Elite Status Member, you can also use your eUpgrade credits to request an upgrade for your travel companions.

  • If your companion is travelling on the same reservation as you, you can request an upgrade in the same way as you normally would. Status members can request an upgrade for themselves and up to two companions in advance.
  • If your companion is travelling on the same flight but on a different reservation as you, the upgrade request must be completed with an Air Canada agent at the airport on the day of departure. Status members can request an upgrade for up to two companions on the same flight.

Exclusive benefit for Aeroplan Super Elite Members

Aeroplan Super Elite Members can also designate one eUpgrade nominee and request upgrades on their behalf, even when they are not travelling together. Here’s how it works:

Exclusive benefit for Aeroplan Super Elite Members
  • As a Super Elite member, you can designate one eUpgrade nominee per year
  • You can designate your nominee via your eUpgrade account by providing their name and Aeroplan number
  • The eUpgrade nominee submission period begins on January 17 of each benefit year, and your designated nominee will remain active until January 16 of the following year
  • Nominees can be deactivated and reactivated during the benefit year
  • eUpgrades for nominees can be requested via your eUpgrade account and are subject to the applicable clearance window
  • An Aeroplan Member, regardless of their Elite Status, can only be identified as an eUpgrade nominee by one Super Elite Member

Frequently asked questions


If you’re travelling on a codeshare flight (i.e., a flight marketed by another airline but operated by Air Canada), please see an Air Canada agent at check in at the airport on your day of travel to request an upgrade.


In some cases, an eUpgrade add-on may apply. An eUpgrade add-on is a supplementary payment in cash, which may be required depending on the fare paid. Add-on rates apply per direction and per upgraded passenger and include all applicable taxes.

Should an eUpgrade add-on apply, we’ll ask you to provide your credit card details for payment when you request your upgrade.

Only credit cards are accepted as a form of payment.

We’ll ask for your credit card details regardless of whether the upgrade clears in advance or on the day of departure at the airport. Rest assured, though, that your credit card will only be charged if the upgrade is successful once the flight departs. You will then receive a receipt by email indicating the eUpgrade add-on payment status.


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.


In cases where you are entitled to a refund, such as when your upgrade doesn’t clear, your eUpgrade credits will be returned to your eUpgrade account within 96 hours of the arrival of your last flight. If, after 96 hours, the credits have not been returned to your account, you can report an eUpgrade discrepancy via our online form.


It takes approximately 48 hours for credits to be deposited once an eligible activity* has been completed.

Following an eligible Flight Pass activity, it may take up to three weeks for eUpgrade credits to be deposited into your account.

* Eligible activities include achieving a higher status, completing benefit selection, or meeting a Threshold level.


There’s a specific allotment of upgradable space available per flight. Once space is gone, all requests will remain waitlisted. Any requests not confirmed in advance will be transferred to the airport standby list for assessment at time of departure.


The expiry date of your eUpgrade credits varies based on when you earned them. eUpgrade credits earned between January 1 and June 30 will be valid until January 16 of the following year, while those earned between July 1 and December 31 will be valid until January 16 of the subsequent year. When requesting an upgrade, the credits with the shortest validity period will always be used first.


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 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.


If you are all booked on the same itinerary:

You can request an upgrade for yourself and up to two of your travel companions in advance. If you’re travelling with more than two companions, the additional travellers will need to be moved to a separate reservation. We can help with this – please call us.

If you are on separate itineraries:

You can request an upgrade for up to two companions by speaking with an Air Canada agent at the airport on the day of departure.


You most certainly can use your remaining eUpgrade credits for yourself on flights booked in a Latitude or Premium Economy (flexible) fare.


Please call us to request an upgrade from our individual accounts. The clearance window will be based on whomever holds the highest Aeroplan Elite status.

If you choose to request your eUpgrade via through your account, credits will be deducted from the account of whoever is signed in. The clearance window will be based on the status of the sponsoring member.


If you don't like the seat you were assigned as part of your upgrade, 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. Unfortunately, we can't guarantee that you will receive the exact same seat you originally had, as it may have been reassigned to another passenger.


If you and your travel companion(s) are waitlisted for an upgrade, you may not all be cleared when the flight closes. It’s possible that only some of the members of your party are upgraded when the standby and upgrade lists are processed by the system.

If you want to avoid being split from your travel companion(s), please speak to an airport agent before the standby and upgrade lists get processed* to remove your waitlisted eUpgrade request.

Once the standby and upgrade lists are processed, the upgraded passengers are split onto their own reservation separate from the rest of the party. It also may not be possible to provide you with the same seat that was originally selected or assigned.

* At least 90 minutes before the scheduled flight departure.


If you board your flight prior to the standby list being processed, your name will be removed from the list and your upgrade request forfeited.


When booking your itinerary through our website you have the option of applying an eUpgrade filter. Once applied, this filter will show you the eUpgrade credit and add-on requirement, as well as the upgrade availability, for each fare on any given flight.

You must use the booking flow that matches your itinerary. If you are querying the availability of an eUpgrade for a revenue booking, then the revenue booking flow should be used. Should you be curious about a redemption booking then the redemption booking flow should be used. Using the incorrect booking flow will cause inaccurate information to be displayed.


Yes. If confirmed, Bid Upgrade is non-refundable and the eUpgrade request needs to be cancelled prior to your flight. This can be completed through your eUpgrade account online, by contacting Air Canada Reservations, or with an agent at the airport.