Air Canada’s different fare options: how to choose?

To the point Are you hesitating when it comes to choosing between the different fares available? Here are the elements to consider, using Air Canada as a reference.

Selections of seats and checked baggage Travelling with children Taking advantage of your credit card Taking advantage of your Aeroplan status How do you identify the benefits you already have?

Aeroplan Points, Qualifying Miles, eUpgrades Aeroplan Points and Qualifying Miles Application of eUpgrades

Note: You can also use this guide to help make your choices with other airlines.

It is often said that on the same flight there is almost as much variety of prices paid as there are seats on the plane.

Indeed, the price of a place is influenced by several factors, among others:

• How long before the flight was the reservation made?
• Is it a one-way or a round-trip?
• Is this flight part of a larger journey or not?
• Is the ticket paid in cash or points?
• Who issued the ticket?

In addition, there is the fare that you must choose when you make your reservation, which can cost from one to five times more for the same seat, depending on the options.

In this guide, you will find the information you need to make the right decision for your situation.

The different parameters of fare options

Whether you use your Aeroplan points or pay with cash, you have several options. The options vary on several characteristics:

• Before the flight: for example, cancellation and modification policies
• During the flight: for example, checked baggage and seat selections .
• After the flight: for example, the number of Aeroplan points earned .

Cancellation and modification policies

For most travelers, this is the most important criterion.

Between an option that allows you to cancel or change your ticket without charge and one that does not allow any changes, there is a significant margin.

Depending on the fare class, changes or cancellations can be :

• free of charge,
• with costs,
• or simply not be possible.

Find out how much the fees cost

The calculation is quite complex, it will vary depending on the type of ticket, the destination (Canada, United States, International, sun destination), the carrier (Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge), the number of segments in the trip, the time before the flight, the mix of fare classes, etc.

• Option 1: Consult the price list

For award tickets, the information available on the Aeroplan website gives a good idea.

For cash tickets, information is available on the Air Canada website, however there are many options.

• Option 2: Make a simulation

The easiest way is to do a simulation on the Air Canada website.

To do this, simply select a fare.

Then go to the summary page and click on the fare option.

Consult the cancellation and modification policies.

Please note: if it is a round trip ticket and the fare class is not the same on the outbound and return trips, the least expensive fare class will apply.

How to make the right choice?

The first question to ask is obviously “Do we need this flexibility?”

Unforeseen events can occur and prevent us from traveling; we think of the death of a family member, an illness, a disaster.

Many of these conditions may already be covered by your group insurance or credit card.

Please note: credit card travel cancellation insurance is not insurance if you change your mind. The conditions are very strict and cover only unforeseen events.

The next question is about the risk premium. If there is a possibility that the trip may not go ahead or you are thinking of cancelling or changing the dates, how much are you willing to pay?

From this point on, you must calculate the additional premium you will have to pay to cover this risk.

Example of a Montreal-Paris round trip with an Aeroplan Award ticket:

This will give between different options :

Since according to our evaluation, 20,000 Aeroplan points are worth approximately $400, in this example we can ask ourselves the following question:

Am I paying 20,000 Aeroplan (± $400) to maybe save $100 in case of a change or $75 in case of a cancellation?

Example of a Montreal-Paris round trip in cash:

Obviously, the same issues will arise in the cash fare, especially since some fares offer no cancellation or change options.

So the price differences :

Selections of seats and checked baggage

The fees charged for checked luggage can quickly add to the cost of your trip.

For flights to Canada, the United States and the South, we are talking about an additional $30 per one-way trip to put a first bag in the hold.

For international flights, if the fare option selected does not include checked baggage, the cost is $70 one way ($140 round trip).

Travelling with children

For seat pre-selection, please note that if the reservation includes a child under the age of 14, Air Canada will automatically assign generic seats prior to check-in at no additional charge.

You may also bring one stroller per child in addition to your baggage allowance.