Air Canada Business with Velocity points

[JoshuaL1997]

Hello AFF experts,

I'm currently planning a trip to the US and Canada next year and hope to make use of a couple hundred thousand velocity points and fly lay flat across the pacific.

Hoping to start in Vancouver and end in SFO and happy to fly in and out of any Aus east coast airport, has anyone got a clue what the go is with booking J class Air Canada with Velocity points? I can't seem to ever find any availability on either the BNE to SYD route. I know with UA, seats usually only become available 4-5 weeks out but AC seems to only make economy seats available. I haven't seen any business seats in some months of checking, us AC just not giving velocity access?

Keen to hear if anyone has managed to get seats or if I should just focus on flying in and out of SFO instead.

Cheers

 

[Scr77]

Consider transferring to KrisFlyer and flying to Seattle. If you’re going to drive in in North America, it’s easier to collect and return car in USA. I used budget/avis and driving into Canada is allowed. But one way from Canada to USA is challenging.

 

[masco131]

I have also been following this and monitoring seats on seat.aero.

I think they just release a few seats. I have also checked their own program, aeroplan and it is similar situation.


I would say go with UA to SFO. You can get a cheap flight to YVR

 

[jgm]

For the past year or more, AC have only been releasing saver award seats for up to a month in advance. I use Aeroplan points to book partner awards around a year in advance with someone like TK or AI and keep checking in the last month or two before the flight for AC direct flights. Aeroplan makes it really easy to do the swap.

I've also found UA flights to Canada close in, but that may be getting more difficult with UA reducing flights to Australia.

 

[MELso]

As others have mentioned, AC J awards are scarce as hen's teeth.

UA OTOH have fairly good J availability to LAX and SFO out of SYD and MEL especially within 6 weeks of departure. I'd aim for those and then tack on a cash fare up to YVR (if you don't have status and are thus facing bag fees, UA is still willing to check bags through on separate tickets).

 

[BRIS_VA_HAWK]

Having just returned from a BNE-YVR and return trip, I can advise that my seats were available on 17/6 for 22/7 outbound & 31/7 return..so 6 weeks in advance. YMMV here, however there's regularly Y availability and hence you could always book THAT in and then wait for a J seat...

 

[JoshuaL1997]

Having just returned from a BNE-YVR and return trip, I can advise that my seats were available on 17/6 for 22/7 outbound & 31/7 return..so 6 weeks in advance. YMMV here, however there's regularly Y availability and hence you could always book THAT in and then wait for a J seat...

I see you have platinum status, is it a case of you may be given more inventory if you hold status?

J

 

[WilsonM]

Having just returned from a BNE-YVR and return trip, I can advise that my seats were available on 17/6 for 22/7 outbound & 31/7 return..so 6 weeks in advance. YMMV here, however there's regularly Y availability and hence you could always book THAT in and then wait for a J seat...

How an ExpertFlyer Alert Got Me Into Business Class - this is literally what happened here, maybe worth checking out @JoshuaL1997

I see you have platinum status, is it a case of you may be given more inventory if you hold status?

J

AFAIK, Velocity doesn't hold inventory for higher status on VA flights, nor it's partner airlines. What you see not logged in is what everyone sees.

 

[JoshuaL1997]

How an ExpertFlyer Alert Got Me Into Business Class - this is literally what happened here, maybe worth checking out @JoshuaL1997


AFAIK, Velocity doesn't hold inventory for higher status on VA flights, nor it's partner airlines. What you see not logged in is what everyone sees.

Hey Expertflyer sounds like a great tool except it doesnt support most star alliance members anymore since the story was written.

Good to know re status thank you.