Whether you're travelling to the U.S., within Canada or boarding an international Air Canada flight, here are 12 tips to keep in mind for a stress-free trip.
Check the luggage requirements
Before flying with Air Canada, you'll want to be aware of the airline's luggage requirements.
Air Canada's maximum luggage sizes may be smaller than that of other airlines, especially when it comes to their carry-on and personal item allowances, so the bag you use while travelling with other carriers may not fit the requirements.
Regardless of their destination, Air Canada travellers can bring with them a carry-on that can be no more than 55 centimetres in height, 23 centimetres in depth, and 40 centimetres in width.
Your personal item, which could be a purse or small bag for example, must be 43 centimetres in width, 16 centimetres in depth and 33 centimetres tall.
Air Canada notes that while no weight limit applies to carry-on baggage, your bag must be light enough that you can store it in the overhead bin unassisted.
For checked bags, you can use Air Canada's checked baggage calculator to determine the maximum weight and size allowed on your flight.
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Apply for an upgrade
Have you always wanted to fly business class with Air Canada?
You may not know that the airline offers a way for travellers to get a seat upgrade on their flight without having to pay full price.
Air Canada offers passengers on certain flights the chance to bid on a seat upgrade, meaning that you can choose what you want to pay to upgrade your seat to a higher cabin class.
With the AC Bid Upgrade, when you purchase a flight in Air Canada's economy or premium economy class, you can make an offer before your flight to be upgraded to a higher class.
At least 48 hours before the departure of your flight, you can go to Air Canada's bid upgrade page and enter your flight details (including your booking reference) to see if you're eligible for an upgrade.
Once you've determined this, you can place your offer by moving the slider to select how much you want to pay for the upgrade and enter your payment details.
You'll only be charged if your offer is accepted. If your offer has not yet been confirmed, you may cancel it up to 48 hours before your departure.
If you're an Aeroplan member, you can also use your points when making a bid.
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Collect Aeroplan points
If you fly with Air Canada (or want to) and aren't an Aeroplan member, it's worth signing up!
Air Canada's Aeroplan rewards program is free to sign up for, and you can earn Aeroplan points with every Air Canada flight booked on their website or app, on every fare class, including Basic.
You can also earn Aeroplan points through Uber Eats, at Starbucks and at several of the airline's travel partners.
Once you do rack up some points, you can easily redeem them for flights with Air Canada and its partner airlines, and can also use them to book hotels and vacation packages, to rent vehicles, and on activities and experiences.
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Know the difference between Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge
When booking an Air Canada flight, you may see a note that says the flight is operated by Air Canada Rouge. But what is Air Canada Rouge?
Rouge is Air Canada's low-cost carrier that serves a number of leisure routes. Air Canada Rouge flights are often integrated into Air Canada itineraries, meaning you may end up on a Rouge flight when booking through Air Canada's main site.
Unlike Air Canada, which has a number of Boeing and Airbus aircraft in its fleet, Air Canada Rouge only operates on Airbus aircraft.
As with other low-cost carriers, the low price of Air Canada Rouge comes with more densely packed seating and fewer onboard services, so keep this in mind when booking.
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Check in online
You can skip the lines at the airport and check-in for your Air Canada flight right from your phone or online.
You can check in for your flight as early as 24 hours before its departure, and print your boarding pass or have it sent to your mobile device.
To check-in for your flight, you'll need your booking reference, Aeroplan number, or ticket number, as well as the travel documents required for your destination.
During check-in, you can select your seat, indicate the number of bags you are checking in and pay any baggage fees, purchase a last-minute upgrade, and more.
When you get the airport, simply visit a check-in kiosk to print and attach your luggage tags, drop off your checked bags at the Air Canada baggage counter, and head to security.
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Track your bags
If you're worried about lost luggage, you can track your bags with Air Canada in real-time as it moves with you during your journey.
Any bags you check for your flight will automatically appear in the "Bag Tracking" section of the Air Canada app, though do note that the feature is only available on domestic and transborder flights at this time.
With the app, you'll be able to track the progress of your checked luggage at key points from check-in, through the airport handling processes, onto the aircraft and through connections and arrival.
The app can also advise travellers of delayed items, and makes it easy to file a delayed baggage report from your phone and arrange delivery, saving you the hassle of having to wait at the carousel or at a baggage assistance counter.
Another option for tracking your luggage is to use an Air Tag, which allows you to see where your luggage is at all times.
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Know the check-in and boarding deadlines
Air Canada has specific check-in and boarding deadlines that you'll want to familiarize yourself with to avoid the consequences of ending up late.
If you're travelling to the U.S. or internationally, note that the check-in and baggage drop-off closes 60 minutes before your flight (90 minutes prior if you're travelling from Toronto Pearson Airport), and 45 minutes before your flight if travelling within Canada.
Air Canada also says you should be at your departure gate ready to board no later than 30 minutes before your flight departs if travelling within Canada or to the U.S., or 45 minutes prior if travelling internationally.
Travellers should also note that Air Canada's boarding gate closes 15 minutes prior to departure, for all flights. According to the airline, arriving after this time will result in reassignment of reserved seats, cancellation of your reservations, or disqualification from denied boarding compensation.
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See what they're serving
Did you know you can find out what food will be served on your Air Canada flight?
Depending on where you're flying, Air Canada will have a menu of food that will be served during your flight.
For international trips in economy, travellers can expect an appetizer, main course, dessert, breakfast and beverages, with additional snacks served on certain trips.
To get an idea of what you'll be having, you can input your flight number or route and departure date into the Air Canada website and view the in-flight menu.
If you don't like what's on the menu, be sure to pack some extra snacks!
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Book a lounge
If you're travelling in certain Air Canada fare classes, you can enjoy a visit to their Maple Leaf Lounge before your flight.
The lounges, which are located in 17 airports across Canada, the United States and Europe, offer amenities like complimentary light snacks and beverages, high-speed Wi-Fi, showers where you can freshen up before your flight, and complimentary access to 7,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Those who qualify for lounge access include business and first-class ticket holders, customers travelling in Premium Rouge, and Aeroplan Super Elite, Aeroplan 75K and Aeroplan 50K Members.
Those travelling on a Premium Economy, Latitude, comfort, or Flex fare can also purchase Maple Leaf Lounge access, with prices starting at $49.
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Get a preferred seat
Did you know you can get up to 10 centimetres of more space on your next Air Canada flight?
Next time you fly, consider purchasing a "preferred" seat to get more legroom and a comfier trip.
According to Air Canada, with a preferred seat, you can get up to 4 inches (10 centimetres) more space between seats, more knee space than other seats, earlier access to overhead bin space and a quicker exit upon arrival.
According to SeatGuru, most Air Canada aircraft come with economy seat pitches of 30-32 inches, so the extra room could make all the difference in your flight.
Preferred seat prices range from $20 to $199 CAD/USD, and are marked in the seat map during seat selection. While the seats are subject to availability, they can be purchased on any of Air Canada's flights.
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Know what you can bring onboard
To avoid any issues at the airport, be sure to take note of what you can and can't bring with you in your luggage on your next Air Canada flight.
For example, liquids in your carry-on luggage must be in containers of 100 millilitres or less and must be placed in one clear, closed and re-sealable plastic bag no larger than 1 litre.
If you're keeping your liquids in your checked luggage however, just ensure that they don't exceed a total capacity of 2 litres per passenger.
Solid foods, like granola bars, fruit, bread, and meat can be taken with you on the plane, however, do note that Meals Ready to Eat, also known as ration packs, and self-heating meals or beverages are not accepted on Air Canada's aircraft, either in carry on or checked luggage.
More details about what you can and can't bring on board your Air Canada flight can be found on the airline's website, with a full list of allowed items (including where to pack them) available on the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority's website.
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Take note of travel updates
To prepare for your trip, Air Canada recommends keeping an eye on their travel updates for things like weather or security alerts that you should be aware of.
Travel updates including natural hazards, travel disruptions, changes to airline policies, entry requirements, menu changes and more can be found on the airline's Travel News and Updates page.
The airline says updates are also posted on its homepage.
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Happy travels!
Before you get going, check out our Responsible Travel Guide so you can be informed, be safe, be smart, and most of all, be respectful on your adventure.
