Redemptions on Air Canada

[IrishPete]

I'm looking for a redemption on Air Canada, Vancouver to Sydney or Brisbane next week. There's no availability shown until well into February, and that's on United Airlines and not Air Canada

Am I wasting my time keeping checking, or do they sometimes release flights as the date gets closer? on Air Canada or United, or both?

 

[Phoenix-1]

I've been kind of keeping an eye on these. From what I've seen availability only pops up 4-6 weeks out. I can see J availability for YVR-SYD16/2, but that might be too far out for you.

 

[IrishPete]

I've been kind of keeping an eye on these. From what I've seen availability only pops up 4-6 weeks out. I can see J availability for YVR-SYD16/2, but that might be too far out for you.

I saw that too. Sadly, yes, far too far out. Incredible value though!

 

[levelnine]

That's the only flight with saver availability for the next month. Sometimes more is released, but it is currently peak season for inbound flights as people return to Australia in time for end of school holidays, so pickings will be slim.

QF has availability on 4 Feb if you have QF points.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Do you have a compelling reason to fly Air Canada specifically? Don't get me wrong, they offer a decent product, but it's not worth going out of the way for it like say Eva Air or Emirates First.

Business saver availability across the Pacific to Australia can be a bit challenging. Some times it can make sense to use the stopover feature on Air Canada's award search to book a stopover in a region in Asia with known good business saver availability like Seoul or Tokyo. This is precisely what I did flying from LA back to Sydney flying Asiana nonstop to Seoul taking a 3 day stopover then flying on with Asiana nonstop to Sydney. Obviously this won't work for everyone, but is something to consider, particularly if you want to visit a new country for just 5,000 more points.

-RooFlyer88

 

[IrishPete]

Do you have a compelling reason to fly Air Canada specifically? Don't get me wrong, they offer a decent product, but it's not worth going out of the way for it like say Eva Air or Emirates First.

Business saver availability across the Pacific to Australia can be a bit challenging. Some times it can make sense to use the stopover feature on Air Canada's award search to book a stopover in a region in Asia with known good business saver availability like Seoul or Tokyo. This is precisely what I did flying from LA back to Sydney flying Asiana nonstop to Seoul taking a 3 day stopover then flying on with Asiana nonstop to Sydney. Obviously this won't work for everyone, but is something to consider, particularly if you want to visit a new country for just 5,000 more points.

-RooFlyer88

direct flights and using or earning Velocity points.