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Air Canada is next out of the gate with news for their elite status members. We’ve heard from airlines like WestJet, United, Delta and more over the past few days and weeks and now here it is for all you Altitude members.
Here is what Air Canada is offering their Altitude members:
Automatic extension of 2020 Altitude Status:
All Altitude status for 2020 will automatically be extended through to the end of 2021. Should a member reach a higher status before the end of this year, they will enjoy it upon qualification, and maintain it through 2021 as well.
Share Altitude Status with a loved one
Since Altitude status is secure through 2021, if a member has already achieved status for next year, or does so by the end of 2020, they can gift it to a friend or family member.
Keep earning Altitude Status and Aeroplan Miles from home
While at home, a member can still earn Aeroplan Miles, progress towards Altitude status and make a difference with their miles. From now until April 30, for every five Aeroplan Miles a member donates to a charity engaged in fighting the COVID-19 crisis, they will receive one Altitude Qualifying Mile – up to a maximum of 25,000 AQM – all of which count towards 2021 status for the member, and a loved one.
Great news from the Air Canada team here for those who have status or will be able to still achieve it this year. The extensions are similar to United and Delta’s as you will now hold onto your status until the end of 2021 but I love that they added in the ability to gift that status to someone if you have or will meet 2021 status requirements this year. Finally the ability to earn ability to earn AQMs for donating Aeroplan miles is a neat way to make it easier to earn status for next year or perhaps bump you up to the next level. 25,000 AQM’s is the first step to getting Prestige 25K status as you’ll still need 3000 AQDs. Sure to get 25,000 AQMs you’ll need to donate 125,000 Aeroplan Miles – not an easy task for a lot of people but for those who have flown lots in the past and are sitting on hundreds of thousands if not millions of miles like many of the Super Elite 75K and 100Ks are, this just might be the ticket for you. Or maybe you are one of these people putting through $50,000 a month on your TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite card so donating 125K miles is not a big deal especially when you get elite status in return for yourself or as a gift to someone else.
Hopefully there will be even more coming from them in terms of criteria for earning status for 2021 seeing that flying is not happening for many right now. For example Delta is providing rollover MQM’s and United cut their requirements to achieve status in half. Air Canada already stated this a few weeks ago that they are looking at it:
“We’re watching the situation very closely and, as travel patterns unfold over the coming months, you can count on us to address this unusual situation. Rest assured that we’ll do right by you with policy changes and special offers for Altitude status qualification.”
Air Canada Altitude qualification requirements:
However this still eludes us and the question remains will Air Canada lower the requirements to earn Altitude status? At the very least it would be nice to see a reduction in AQD since you can donate miles to earn AQMs but ultimately a reduction in both would be the most ideal route for Air Canada to take,
Learn more about Air Canada’s announcement here
Image via Air Canada
