Aeroplan Improves Website Functionality

Aeroplan Improves Website Functionality

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Air Canada’s Aeroplan program is quite useful for Star Alliance redemptions, given that it partners with American Express Membership Rewards.

Aeroplan-Membership-Rewards

Redemption rates on Star Alliance partners are reasonable, in particular for business class between the US and Europe (which costs 45,000 miles one-way). While Aeroplan imposes fuel surcharges for travel on some airlines, there are many on which they don’t.

However, Aeroplan’s website has always been one of the weak points of the program. The site is actually reasonably good for booking Star Alliance awards, though that’s where the positive aspects stop. Other aspects of the Aeroplan website have frustrated me:

  • There has been no way to select seats online, even for Air Canada segments (that always kind of blew my mind)
  • There has been no way to cancel/redeposit awards online (Aeroplan sometimes has long hold times)
  • There has been no way to view actual itineraries through Aeroplan’s website (you always had to go through Air Canada’s website to do so)

This may partly have to do with the fact that Aeroplan is a spun off loyalty program, and isn’t actually owned by Air Canada. So while you redeem your miles through Aeroplan, they’re actually booked on Air Canada “ticket stock.”

Fortunately Aeroplan’s website is changing for the better. Aeroplan has just rolled out some new online self-service options.

For example, you can now view Aeroplan award itineraries directly on Aeroplan’s website, rather than having to go to Air Canada’s website.

Aeroplan-2

Furthermore, it’s now possible to cancel and refund award bookings directly through Aeroplan’s website (keep in mind you must refund bookings at least 22 days before departure if you want your miles reinstated).

Aeroplan-1

And Aeroplan is also finally allowing seat assignments online for Air Canada flights, which is long overdue.

Aeroplan-3

These are some great changes which certainly make it much easier to book and manage an Aeroplan reservation directly through their website rather than having to call.

Bottom line

Kudos to Aeroplan for these website improvements. I’m a big fan of being able to manage reservations entirely online, rather than having to call. I’d say Aeroplan’s website is now among the better ones out there for managing award reservations online.

What do you make of the new Aeroplan website self-service options?

(Tip of the hat to Todd)

Conversations (12)
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  1. Brett Guest

    Love the blog, but am I missing something here? I've been an AP user for a few years now and two of your main gripes have been available for as long as I can remember. I never cancelled a reward before 2 weeks ago, but that cancel button was there. The details button has always been there as well to view your booking. Not sure what you're trying to view but it gives you the...

    Love the blog, but am I missing something here? I've been an AP user for a few years now and two of your main gripes have been available for as long as I can remember. I never cancelled a reward before 2 weeks ago, but that cancel button was there. The details button has always been there as well to view your booking. Not sure what you're trying to view but it gives you the general details, flight #, date/time, class of booking. The seat thing has always been a pain, but the rest of that stuff has been there for a while. After I cancelled the miles were almost instantly deposited, surprisingly or maybe not my fee got charged immediately but my refund took 3-4 days to post. All of that stuff was available under the "Your account -> Manage your rewards" space.

  2. rtms Guest

    I really wish Airmiles would up their own website and game. It is very tedious not to be able to book your flight or vacation and not see how many points you need for it. You have to spend an hour on the phone just to get any answers from them.

  3. Daniel Guest

    Hi Ben!
    quick question, i was booked on star alliance via aeroplan but somehow missed my flight out of london, it is possible to get a refund or rebooked on another date?
    thanks in advance

  4. john Guest

    I almost use them for partner bookings. Then I have to call for the partner booking reference number. Give me that!

  5. Dov Guest

    The option to view a booking online is there for awhile cancel or redeposit an Itinerary is already at least a year old

    only new thing that you mention is the Seat assignment capability

  6. Tom Guest

    Oops I actually meant "not" allowed instead of "now" allowed in my above post.

  7. Tom Guest

    The biggest problem with Aeroplan is its garbage online booking engine that virtually cannot/will not allow one to book a customized multi-segment trip.
    The booking engine says the requested multi-segment itinerary is invalid/now allowed when it actually is.
    So one needs to call in to build the desired trip, which ends up in a 30-dollar booking fee.
    Aeroplan never waives the booking fee even though it is 100% impossible to book the...

    The biggest problem with Aeroplan is its garbage online booking engine that virtually cannot/will not allow one to book a customized multi-segment trip.
    The booking engine says the requested multi-segment itinerary is invalid/now allowed when it actually is.
    So one needs to call in to build the desired trip, which ends up in a 30-dollar booking fee.
    Aeroplan never waives the booking fee even though it is 100% impossible to book the trip online due to the shitty booking engine.
    Aeroplan is just so so terrible.

  8. David W Community Ambassador

    I still have to call to make changes to an award flight within 21 days of departure, correct?

  9. chasgoose Gold

    Thank god. At the very least this might relieve some of the pressure on their phone center. I can't even tell you how many times I have called only to get a busy signal, not even a long hold time, just a straight up busy signal.

  10. Jim Guest

    You don't even mention they have a credit card.

  11. Jono Guest

    I hope those "person" icons for the occupied seats are not actually representative of the gender of the specific passengers.

Featured Comments Most helpful comments ( as chosen by the OMAAT community ).

The comments on this page have not been provided, reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any advertiser, and it is not an advertiser's responsibility to ensure posts and/or questions are answered.

Brett Guest

Love the blog, but am I missing something here? I've been an AP user for a few years now and two of your main gripes have been available for as long as I can remember. I never cancelled a reward before 2 weeks ago, but that cancel button was there. The details button has always been there as well to view your booking. Not sure what you're trying to view but it gives you the general details, flight #, date/time, class of booking. The seat thing has always been a pain, but the rest of that stuff has been there for a while. After I cancelled the miles were almost instantly deposited, surprisingly or maybe not my fee got charged immediately but my refund took 3-4 days to post. All of that stuff was available under the "Your account -> Manage your rewards" space.

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rtms Guest

I really wish Airmiles would up their own website and game. It is very tedious not to be able to book your flight or vacation and not see how many points you need for it. You have to spend an hour on the phone just to get any answers from them.

0
Daniel Guest

Hi Ben! quick question, i was booked on star alliance via aeroplan but somehow missed my flight out of london, it is possible to get a refund or rebooked on another date? thanks in advance

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