eUpgrade

eUpgrades are Air Canada’s upgrade currency used to move from economy to business class. They’re earned through Aeroplan Program elite status or the Chase Aeroplan Credit Card.¹

How They Work

eUpgrades apply only to Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge, and Air Canada Express flights — not partner airlines.¹ You request an upgrade when booking or after, and it clears based on availability and your status tier.

The number of credits required depends on route distance and fare class booked:²

Route Type	Credits Needed	Approximate Value
Domestic short-haul (YYZ-YUL)	2-4	$30-75/credit
Domestic long-haul (YYZ-YVR)	4-6	$50-125/credit
Transatlantic (YYZ-LHR)	8-15	$100-270/credit
Transpacific (YYZ-NRT)	15-25	$120-240/credit

Source: Prince of Travel eUpgrade Value Analysis

Clearance Windows

Your elite status determines when your upgrade request can clear:³

Status	Standard/Flex Fare	Latitude/Premium Fare
Super Elite 100K	120 hours (5 days)	Instant confirmation
Elite 75K	96 hours (4 days)	120 hours
Elite 50K	72 hours (3 days)	96 hours
Elite 35K	48 hours (2 days)	72 hours
Elite 25K	96 hours (4 days)	96 hours

Higher status members clear first within each window, making peak travel upgrades unlikely for 25K status holders.

The Latitude Hack

The most efficient use of eUpgrades is booking Economy Latitude fares with points, then applying eUpgrades for instant confirmation to business class.⁴

Example (YYZ → London):⁴

• Business class direct booking: 214,000 points
• Economy Latitude + eUpgrades: 65,000 points + 10-15 credits
• Savings: 149,000 points (70%)

This works because Latitude fares get priority clearance and instant confirmation on many routes.

Earning eUpgrades

Source	Credits/Year
Aeroplan 25K status	20 credits (Core Benefit)5
Aeroplan 35K status	25 credits
Aeroplan 50K status	35 credits
Chase Aeroplan Card Select Benefit	+5 credits (optional choice)6

When eUpgrades Are Worth It

High value: Long-haul international where business class costs $3,000-8,000cash.Using10-15creditstoupgradea$1,500 Latitude fare delivers $100-270 per credit.

Low value: Short domestic flights where business class adds minimal comfort. Using 4-6 credits on a 1.5-hour flight wastes credits better saved for international routes.

Related Concepts

• Chase Aeroplan Credit Card — Primary way to earn 20+ credits/year
• Aeroplan Program — The loyalty program that issues eUpgrades
• Air Canada Business Class — What you’re upgrading to

References

Footnotes

1. Air Canada eUpgrade Terms — eUpgrades valid only on Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge, and Air Canada Express flights ↩ ↩²

2. Prince of Travel - Air Canada eUpgrades Guide — Credit requirements and value analysis by route type ↩

3. Upgraded Points - How to Upgrade on Air Canada — eUpgrade clearance windows by status tier ↩

4. Prince of Travel - Complete Guide to Air Canada Business Class — “booking an Economy (Latitude) fare and applying eUpgrades would bring the cost down to 65,000 Aeroplan points” vs 214,000 for direct business booking ↩ ↩²

5. Prince of Travel - Air Canada eUpgrades Guide — “Aeroplan 25K status currently comes with 20 eUpgrade credits as a Core Benefit” ↩

6. Chase Aeroplan Benefits — Select Benefits option includes 5 additional eUpgrade credits ↩