Air Canada Bid Upgrades: How Do They Work?

We’ve extensively covered how to upgrade your class on Air Canada using eUpgrades—our preferred method for scoring a more comfortable flight. But eUpgrades aren’t the only path to the front of the cabin. Another option worth considering is bid upgrades. This approach can be a smart move for savvy travelers, offering the chance to score a premium seat at a discounted rate. After all, airlines prefer to earn some extra revenue rather than let these premium seats go empty.

While booking directly into business class with our Aeroplan points is always our ideal option, Air Canada also provides several upgrade opportunities, including the ability to bid using either cash or Aeroplan points. 

Here’s everything you need to know about Air Canada bid upgrades and the situations where using a bid upgrade could be beneficial.

What Are Air Canada Bid Upgrades and How Do They Work?

Air Canada’s bid upgrade program offers passengers an opportunity to enhance their travel experience by bidding for an upgrade to a higher cabin class, such as Premium Economy or Business Class. This program is available on select flights operated by Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge, and Air Canada Express.

The availability of the bid upgrade option is contingent upon several factors, primarily the existence of unsold seats in premium classes and the specific fare class of the passenger’s original economy class ticket, as not all economy class fares are eligible for a bid upgrade. Passengers whose flights are eligible for bid upgrade may receive an invitation via email, or may find the option available through the “My Bookings” section on the Air Canada website or app as their departure date approaches.

How It Works

After making a booking, you can access the bid upgrade page by going to the “My Bookings” section on the Aeroplan website and selecting the flight you want to upgrade. Alternatively, you can visit the bid upgrade landing page and find your flight by entering your booking reference and last name.

Based on your flight details, fare class, and overall availability, you might be offered an instant upgrade to a higher cabin class. These upgrades are typically priced at or near the standard cash fare for the premium cabin seat, so they don’t offer much in terms of discounts. However, they can be a convenient way to upgrade your seat without having to concern yourself with change fees.

Eligibility: Not all flights are eligible for bid upgrades. Economy (Basic) fares, group bookings (10 or more passengers), codeshare flights, and bookings that include a lap infant are not eligible.

Bidding Process: You can place an upgrade offer at any time up to 48 hours before your flight:

• Use your booking details to find the flight you want to upgrade to submit your bid.
  
• You can modify or cancel your offer any time before the bid is accepted.
  
• The amount you bid for the upgrade is in addition to the ticket price that has already been paid.
  
• Passengers with successful bids will be notified by email within 36 to 48 hours before departure.
  
• If accepted, your credit card will be charged the bid amount, and your upgraded seat will be reflected on your boarding pass.
  
• If your offer isn’t accepted, you won’t be charged, and you’ll keep your original seat.

The bidding process itself is straightforward. Eligible passengers are presented with a bidding range, displayed in dollars or Aeroplan points. Passengers can then submit their bid within this range, keeping in mind that higher bids have a greater likelihood of being accepted. Other factors that can influence the success of a bid include the bid amount relative to other submitted bids, and the number of available seats in the desired cabin.

Using an example Economy (Standard) itinerary of an Air Canada flight from Vancouver (YVR) to Toronto (YYZ), the upgrade bidding range for business class starts at $465 and goes up to $1,100.

The bidding range will vary depending on factors such as the original fare purchased and the route. Longer routes have a higher bidding range. Additionally, the price range for a bid upgrade varies based on the original fare you purchased. Typically, if you booked a higher fare class, your bidding range will be lower compared to booking a lower fare class.

Combining the maximum $1,100 bid with the $189 Economy (Standard) fare (note: the $163 fare listed below is Economy (Basic), which isn’t eligible for an upgrade bid) brings the total close to the cost of purchasing a business class ticket outright. However, if your bid is successful at the lower end of the allowable range, you could save as much as $600 compared to buying a business class ticket directly.

You can also use Aeroplan points to bid for an upgrade to a higher cabin class; however, I have yet to come across a situation where this option offers good value. The lowest bid available for an upgrade to business class on our example itinerary of Vancouver (YVR) to Toronto (YYZ) is 46,500 Aeroplan points. These points are required in addition to the $189 already spent on the Economy (Standard) fare. 

Since we’ve established that the minimum bid is $465, it suggests that Air Canada is valuing Aeroplan points at 1 cent per point for the purposes of bid upgrades. However, when redeeming Aeroplan points, we generally recommend aiming for a value of at least 2 cents per point.

This may go without saying, but to be clear: spending $189 plus 46,500 Aeroplan points for a business class flight from Vancouver to Toronto is a very poor use of your points. 

On the bid upgrade page, you’ll also see an “Offer Strength” meter that correlates to the amount you have selected as your bid. Since you’re competing with other passengers for what is likely a limited number of seats, this meter can give you a rough sense of how competitive your offer is. However, in practice, I recommend simply bidding an amount you’re comfortable with and not relying too much on this meter.

Before you go through the process of placing and finalizing your bid, there are few more important considerations to keep in mind:

• If your bid is accepted, the bid upgrade fee is non-refundable. Should you cancel your ticket, the upgrade fee will be forfeited regardless of the ticket’s cancellation policy.

• The fare conditions of your original ticket remain unchanged, including cancellation policies and rebooking fees.

• If you’re traveling on an itinerary that includes more than one segment, you must place a bid to upgrade each segment individually with a separate offer.

• The original booking class, not the upgraded one, determines the number of Aeroplan points earned. Furthermore, any amount paid for a bid upgrade with Air Canada does not qualify as an eligible expense toward elite status qualification.

• Upgrades depend on seat availability and the total number of bids received. Placing a bid does not guarantee an upgrade.

• When you place a bid, it applies to everyone in your travel group. For example, if you booked an itinerary for a family of six under a single booking reference, you must place a bid for all six seats and be prepared to pay for all if your bid is successful.

Maximizing Your Bid Upgrade Success

If you’ve ever redeemed miles for a high-value flight, you know it usually takes some research—finding the best route, airline, loyalty program, and sometimes even using an award search tool. The same mindset also applies when placing a bid for an upgrade on Air Canada. With a bit of preparation, you can give yourself an edge in securing that coveted seat up front.

In preparation for placing a bid, knowing how many seats are available in each premium cabin can help gauge how full the flight is. If the cabin is mostly empty, you may be more likely to win with a lower bid. On the other hand, if it’s nearly full, you’ll likely need to submit a much higher bid to be competitive.

One of our go-to resources is Seats.aero, which features a handy Fare Class Viewer tool. You can access it from the “Tools” drop-down menu at the top of the Seats.aero homepage.

Related: Seats.aero: A Simple & Effective Flight Award Search Tool

To use the Fare Class Viewer, just enter your origin, destination, travel date, and select Air Canada as the operating airline into the search box.

The search results will show all flights for the selected day, along with the number of available seats in each cabin class. Our focus is on the premium cabins, specifically tracking availability in Business Class (fare code J) and Premium Economy (fare code O).

The number next to each fare code indicates how many seats are still available. The highest number displayed is 9, so this does not exactly represent the number of seats left; it simply means there are at least 9 seats available.

Using this information, it stands to reason that if you see a 9 next to the premium cabin seat you’re targeting with a bid upgrade, you might be able to place a lower bid.

On the flipside, if you see a J2 on the flight you booked, it means there are only two unsold business class seats. If you are hoping for a bid upgrade to business class, you will likely need to place a very strong bid to have any chance of securing an upgrade.

This information is also highly time-sensitive; if your flight is still several months away, it won’t provide an accurate picture of how full the flight is likely to be. Instead, I recommend using this tool a few days prior to departure to get a more accurate reading of the number of premium cabin seats still available and adjusting your bid with that number in mind.

Also, take note of the aircraft type that is scheduled to operate the flight you’re considering for a bid upgrade, as the business class product on Air Canada’s fleet varies significantly between its narrowbody and widebody aircraft. Air Canada’s widebody aircraft, such as the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, feature the airline’s lie-flat Signature Class seats, whereas its narrowbody aircraft have recliner-style seats in the business class cabin. So, make sure to take the time to ensure you’ll be on the best aircraft to maximize the value of your bid upgrade.

Another good practice for bid upgrades is to bid slightly above the minimum amount. This helps filter out bids placed at the lowest possible level and, in theory, could improve your chances of having your bid accepted.

As mentioned earlier, when submitting a bid upgrade for a reservation with multiple passengers, you are required to place a bid for each traveler on the booking. Keep in mind that the more passengers included in the reservation, the lower the likelihood of a successful upgrade. This is because your bid can only be accepted if enough premium cabin seats are available for the entire group. Even if your bid is exceptionally strong, it won’t be successful unless there are enough seats to accommodate everyone in your party. I recommend limiting bookings to two people or fewer if you plan to place a bid for an upgrade, as this will give you the best chance of success.

Lastly, consider the route and day of travel. If you’re flying one of Air Canada’s busiest routes—like Vancouver (YVR) to Toronto (YYZ) or Vancouver (YVR) to Montreal (YUL)—on a Monday or Friday morning, you’ll likely be competing with many business travelers who tend to book last minute. In these cases, you’ll need to place a much higher bid to have a realistic chance of securing an upgrade.

Comparing Each Fare Class – When Are Bid Upgrades Worth It?

While bidding for an upgrade can be a great way to save money without paying the full business class fare, it’s important to understand how different fare classes affect the bidding range. This can help you identify the sweet spot for maximizing the value of your bid.

The table below compares upgrade bid prices to business class on a flight from Vancouver (YVR) to Toronto (YYZ).

Surprisingly, the upgrade bidding range is identical across all economy fare classes on this route. While I’m not sure if this applies to all Air Canada routes, it suggests there’s little benefit in booking anything other than Economy (Standard) when planning to bid for an upgrade.

On this particular route, Premium Economy offers the worst value—you’ll end up paying more overall, even with the minimum bid.

In every scenario, bidding at the top of the range isn’t worthwhile. If you’re willing to spend that much, you’re better off booking business class directly, it’s often a more cost-effective option.

If you’d like to view the bidding ranges for a specific flight, you can book it at a different fare to compare prices and see the available bidding options. Since Air Canada allows free cancellations within 24 hours of booking, you can cancel afterward at no cost.

Conclusion

Air Canada’s bid upgrades can be a bit of a gamble, but when successful, they can offer significant value, sometimes saving up to 50% on the cost of an upgraded seat. Since you’re only charged if your bid is accepted, there’s little downside to trying, especially if you’re open to paying a bit extra for a much more comfortable experience.

However, success isn’t guaranteed, and I wouldn’t pin all your hopes on securing an upgrade every time you place a bid. You are subject to factors beyond your control, such as the availability of upgradeable seats, competition from other bidders, and Air Canada elite members using eUpgrades. Depending on their status, some eUpgrades may clear before bid upgrades are even considered.

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