As Canada’s largest airline, Air Canada provides probably the most direct routes from its 4 foremost Canadian hubs to locations everywhere in the world.
On long-haul routes, in addition to on some home and transborder routes, Air Canada provides its Signature Class service. Signature Class differentiates itself from Air Canada’s different enterprise class merchandise by providing a lie-flat seat, premium meals and beverage choices, and a heightened expertise from check-in to arrival.
On this information, we’ll have a look at every part that Air Canada Signature Class has to supply, together with an outline of the expertise, routes, and a few ideas and tips for maximizing your expertise. After all, we’ll additionally do a deep dive in methods to e-book Air Canada Signature Class at a steep low cost, by leveraging Miles & Factors to your benefit.
The Air Canada Signature Class Expertise
Whereas Air Canada has supplied lie-flat seats on long-haul flights for fairly some time, it debuted Signature Class in 2018. The redesigned premium product provides a tailor-made end-to-end expertise, together with precedence companies at each step alongside the best way and an more and more distinctive floor expertise.
Signature Class has been additional refined since its debut, with the addition of Air Canada Signature Suite lounges and a floor switch service at particular airports. Many would argue that Air Canada Signature Class is the very best premium providing from a North American airline.
Let’s take a look at what you possibly can count on when flying Air Canada Signature Class.
Floor Expertise
The Air Canada Signature Class expertise begins as quickly as you arrive on the airport. In main hubs, akin to Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, and Calgary, eligible passengers get pleasure from an expedited check-in and safety expertise with separate precedence strains.
As soon as via safety, you’ll have entry to an Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge, the place you possibly can calm down, get pleasure from some meals, sip on a drink, or get some work carried out earlier than your flight. In some Maple Leaf Lounges, there are showers, so you possibly can clean up earlier than your flight.
For those who’re catching a home Signature Class flight in Toronto, you’ll want to try the Air Canada Café. This distinctive lounge idea provides barista-made espresso, contemporary pressed juices, and quite a few grab-and-go meals choices.
For those who booked Air Canada Signature Class on a paid fare, or when you booked on a Enterprise Class (Versatile) fare utilizing Aeroplan factors, you’ll additionally get pleasure from a heightened expertise on the Air Canada Signature Suite in Toronto or Vancouver.
These unique lounges, solely out there to passengers on worldwide departures, supply premium meals designed by chef David Hawksworth on an à la carte menu, in addition to upscale drinks, akin to Moët & Chandon Champagne.
Moreover, in Toronto and Vancouver, passengers connecting to a global flight on paid enterprise class fares or Enterprise Class (Versatile) Aeroplan tickets could also be eligible for a chauffeured floor switch in a Porsche. A member of Air Canada’s concierge workforce will greet you on the gate upon arrival, and escort you all the way down to your Porsche.
You’ll then be pushed throughout the tarmac to the worldwide departures terminal, the place you possibly can get pleasure from entry to the Signature Suite at your leisure.
Air Canada is the one North American airline to supply such a floor switch service. There’s no solution to organize for it upfront, although, so your greatest wager is to e-book an eligible fare and maintain your fingers crossed.
Seat
When it comes time to board your Signature Class flight, you’ll be amongst the primary to board the plane with Air Canada’s “zone”-based boarding system. Passengers in Signature Class are in Zone 1, which implies that they might board the plane both earlier than everybody else or at their leisure via a devoted lane.
Air Canada provides Signature Class on various kinds of plane, however the seat is basically the identical throughout all of them. Your spacious lie-flat pod awaits, and you may acquaint your self with the seat’s many options as you agree in earlier than the airplane takes off.
Utilizing the contact display screen, you possibly can modify the seat as you want. The seat may be manipulated into many alternative positions, which is made extra snug with the supplied pillow and bedding.
There may be ample cupboard space at your disposal, together with USB ports and energy retailers, so each you and your gadgets arrive absolutely charged.
When it comes occasions to relaxation, you’ll get pleasure from a completely reclined mattress. You possibly can you’ll want to have an excellent relaxation, and also you’ll get up refreshed and able to discover your vacation spot.
Meals & Drink
When flying in Air Canada Signature Class, you possibly can count on some scrumptious delicacies, together with choices designed by cooks David Hawksworth, Antonio Park, Jérôme Ferrer, and Vikram Vij. The choices change ceaselessly, however you possibly can count on a three-course meal with a number of choices.
For instance, foremost course choices for dinner service might embody lamb sirloin, hen breast, roasted salmon, or mushroom ravioli. There’ll all the time be a vegetarian choice in Signature Class, in addition to instructed wine pairings below every menu merchandise.
For those who’re flying Air Canada Signature Class through the morning, you possibly can count on to have the ever present parsley omelette as one in all your choices.
As per drink choices, Air Canada’s Sommelier, Véronique Rivest, has curated the wine choices on board your flight. You possibly can peruse the menu to pick out your most popular drink, which normally features a host of Canadian and worldwide wines.
Air Canada has partnered with Lavazza to supply freshly-brewed espressos and cappuccinos in Signature Class. There’s no higher solution to greet your jet-lagged day than waking as much as a heat, frothy beverage.
Air Canada Signature Class Plane Cabins
Air Canada provides Signature Class on 5 completely different plane: the Boeing 777-300ER, the Boeing 777-200LR, the Boeing Dreamliner 787-9, the Boeing Dreamliner 787-8, and the Airbus A330-300.
Boeing 777
The Signature Class cabin on the Boeing 777-300ER and one model of the Boeing 777-200LR contains a bigger cabin on the entrance of the plane, and a smaller cabin in between the entrance cabin and the premium financial system cabin. The 40 reverse herringbone seats are organized in a 1-2-1 configuration throughout 10 rows.
One other model of the Boeing 777-300ER contains a single Signature Class cabin, with 28 seats unfold out throughout seven rows.
You possibly can’t go unsuitable with any of the window seats, as you’ll get pleasure from each a view and direct aisle entry. Solo travellers are greatest served by any window seat, with the letters “A” or “Okay” after the row quantity.
Seats 1A and 1K have some further leg room within the footwell, which could be a good perk for long-haul flights.
Within the ahead cabin, Seats 7A and 7K afford you some further privateness, as there aren’t any passengers seated behind you. Within the rearward cabin, Seats 9A and 9K have a bulkhead in entrance of them, in addition to three home windows.
Passengers travelling in pairs can select to go together with center seats with the letters “D” or “G” after the row quantity. The divider in between the seats can’t be lowered, although, so some passengers favor sitting in entrance of one another at window seats as an alternative.
Seats 8D and 8G within the rearward cabin are a non-public selection, as there aren’t any window seats on both facet.
Whereas the Signature Class seats are largely the identical, the seats on the 777s afford you probably the most actual property by a slight margin.
Boeing Dreamliner 787-9
Of the 2 variations of the Dreamliner in Air Canada’s fleet, the 787-9 is the bigger of the 2. The Signature Class cabin options 30 seats in a 1-2-1 configuration unfold throughout eight rows.
Since there’s a single cabin, there aren’t too many variations between the seat choices. Keep away from Seats 5A and 5K, although, as they’re lacking home windows.
Once more, solo travellers are greatest suited to any window seat, marked with the letters “A” or “Okay” after the row quantity. Seats 8A and 8K have further privateness, as there aren’t any passengers seated behind you.
For passengers travelling in pairs, the divider within the center seats doesn’t transfer down. So, you possibly can both select inward-facing seats with the letters “D” or “G” subsequent to the row quantity, or sit in entrance of one another at a window seat.
Boeing Dreamliner 787-8
The smaller of the 2 Dreamliner variations, the 787-8 has a single cabin of 20 Signature Class seats unfold out over 5 rows in a 1-2-1 configuration.
Once more, a lot of the seats on this cabin are equal. The seats on the entrance of the cabin are closest the the galley, so you could expertise some noise air pollution throughout meal service.
For solo travellers, any window seat in Rows 1–4 is your best option. Seats 5A and 5K are lacking home windows, so though they’re tucked away behind the plane and supply extra privateness, you received’t have a view in any respect.
For {couples}, Seats 5D and 5G are probably the most personal, as there aren’t any seats behind them. Once more, although, the divider within the center doesn’t decrease, so you could need to sit in entrance of one another at a window seat as an alternative.
Airbus A330-300
Air Canada operates two variations of the Airbus A330-300.
One is an antiquated enterprise class cabin, which ought to be prevented, because the seats aren’t as much as the fashionable Signature Class customary.
There aren’t many of those left within the airline’s fleet, and when you see a 1-1-1 configuration, you’ll realize it’s the previous model and never the brand new one.
The fashionable Airbus A330-300 Signature Class cabin is basically the identical because the Boeing cabins. There are 32 Signature Class seats unfold out throughout eight rows in a 1-2-1 configuration.
For those who select to sit down in Row 8, you’ll be afforded with probably the most quantity of privateness; nonetheless, since there aren’t any home windows at these seats, you received’t have the ability to get pleasure from a view.
In any other case, solo travellers are greatest suited to any window seat, denoted by the letters “A” or “Okay”, in Rows 1–7.
For anybody travelling in a pair, the dividers between center seats “D” and “G” truly work on this plane. So, when you’d wish to converse together with your seat mate, you’ll have the ability to slide open the divider and make a toast to your Signature Class expertise.
Air Canada Signature Class Routes
Air Canada provides Signature Class on choose home and transborder flights, in addition to on most long-haul worldwide routes. As with every airline, the plane working a selected route are topic to alter at any time.
For home journey in Canada, Signature Class is constantly out there on some flights between Air Canada’s 4 foremost hubs: Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, and Montreal.
Observe that you simply’ll additionally have the ability to fly in a lie-flat seat on some positioning flights between Toronto and Montreal. At occasions, there are additionally flights between Ottawa and Vancouver with Signature Class.
For transborder flights, Signature Class is on the market on choose routes between main American and Canadian hubs. There are some further seasonal routes the place Signature Class is obtainable, akin to to Hawaii from Vancouver or Calgary.
So long as you’re not flying with Air Canada Rouge, the overwhelming majority of long-haul worldwide flights will function Signature Class. The airline serves a bunch of locations throughout Europe, North Africa, the Center East, Asia, South America, and the South Pacific.
For shorter haul worldwide flights, akin to to Solar locations within the Caribbean, you possibly can look forward to finding Signature Class throughout peak journey durations. All through the remainder of the yr, when demand is far decrease, you could discover narrowbody plane as an alternative of a widebody plane with Signature Class.
It’s very straightforward to inform in case your plane provides Signature Class. On the search outcomes, when you see three cabins (financial system, premium financial system, and enterprise class) for an Air Canada flight within the search outcomes, it’ll have Signature Class.
Moreover, below the “Enterprise Class” column, it’s clearly said that your flight has lie-flat seats.
For those who see simply two lessons (financial system and enterprise class), you received’t get pleasure from Signature Class on that exact flight.
Moreover, when you placed on the “Plane sort” toggle on the search outcomes, search for 77W, 77L, 789, 788, or 333. These are all of the vast physique plane that function Signature Class.
Learn how to Redeem Factors for Air Canada Signature Class
Air Canada’s in-house loyalty program, Aeroplan, is by and much the very best platform for reserving Air Canada Signature Class with factors.
In concept, it is best to have the ability to e-book Air Canada flights with different Star Alliance loyalty packages. The truth, although, is that Air Canada releases little or no award seats to the opposite packages.
So, when you technically can e-book Air Canada flights with packages akin to Singapore Airways KrisFlyer or Turkish Airways Miles & Smiles, you’ll have a really troublesome time discovering award house for the flight you need.
Air Canada provides Signature Class on flights inside North America and to the three different zones on the Aeroplan chart: Atlantic zone (protecting Europe, Africa, the Center East, Central Asia, and the Indian Subcontinent), Pacific zone (protecting most of Asia and the South Pacific), and South America.
For instance, for choose Signature Class flights inside North America, you could confer with the Inside North America chart for pricing.
Inside every distance band, you possibly can see that the variety of factors required for a flight in enterprise class (or Signature Class) varies, relying on dynamic pricing.
For instance, a flight from Toronto to Calgary, which measures round 1,675 miles, ought to value anyplace between 25,000 and 60,000 factors in enterprise class. Certainly, we are able to discover house on the decrease finish of that spectrum:
However, we are able to additionally discover pricing at or above the highest finish of the dynamic spectrum for a similar flight on a special day:
The identical is true of long-haul Signature Class flights.
For instance, one in all Aeroplan’s greatest candy spots is flying between Vancouver and Tokyo for less than 55,000 Aeroplan factors in Air Canada Signature Class. Whereas it’s potential to search out award house at that value (which might truly be cheaper than reserving in financial system):
The identical flight on a special day prices practically 4 occasions as a lot:
Remember to turn out to be acquainted with the Aeroplan Flight Reward Chart to know if the worth you see for an Air Canada Signature Class flight is an efficient deal or not. If it’s on the increased finish of the dynamic spectrum, look to companion airways for reserving enterprise class at a decrease, fastened value.
For some individuals, the comfort of a direct flight outweighs the financial savings that may be discovered with companion airways. Even when a Signature Class flight prices extra, some passengers will finally worth comfort over value.
Fortunately, Aeroplan factors are very straightforward to return by. There are numerous Aeroplan co-branded bank cards, with which you’ll be able to earn factors via welcome bonuses and in your each day spending.
These embody 11 co-branded bank cards in Canada, in addition to the Chase Aeroplan Card in the USA.
| Credit score Card | Greatest Provide | Worth | |
|---|---|---|---|
115,000 Aeroplan factors $599 annual charge |
115,000 Aeroplan factors | $1,942 |
Apply Now |
105,000 Aeroplan factors $599 annual charge |
105,000 Aeroplan factors | $1,921 |
Apply Now |
115,000 Aeroplan factors $599 annual charge |
115,000 Aeroplan factors | $1,921 |
Apply Now |
75,000 Aeroplan factors $120 annual charge |
75,000 Aeroplan factors | $1,476 |
Apply Now |
30,000 Aeroplan factors + Buddy Move First Yr Free |
30,000 Aeroplan factors + Buddy Move | $1,323 |
Apply Now |
20,000 Aeroplan factors + Buddy Move First Yr Free |
20,000 Aeroplan factors + Buddy Move | $1,071 |
Apply Now |
As much as 60,000 Aeroplan factors First Yr Free |
As much as 60,000 Aeroplan factors | $735 |
Apply Now |
As much as 50,000 Aeroplan factors First Yr Free |
As much as 50,000 Aeroplan factors | $662 |
Apply Now |
20,000 Aeroplan factors First Yr Free |
20,000 Aeroplan factors | $441 |
Apply Now |
As much as 75,000 Aeroplan factors $599 annual charge |
As much as 75,000 Aeroplan factors | $425 |
Apply Now |
10,000 Aeroplan factors $0 annual charge |
10,000 Aeroplan factors | $210 |
Apply Now |
Aeroplan can also be a switch companion of American Specific Membership Rewards. You possibly can immediately switch Membership Rewards factors to Aeroplan at a 1:1 ratio.
American Specific Membership Rewards Credit score Playing cards
| Credit score Card | Greatest Provide | Worth | |
|---|---|---|---|
120,000 MR factors $499 annual charge |
120,000 MR factors | $2,416 |
Apply Now |
115,000 MR factors $699 annual charge |
115,000 MR factors | $2,119 |
Apply Now |
75,000 MR factors $199 annual charge |
75,000 MR factors | $1,561 |
Apply Now |
75,000 MR factors $250 annual charge |
75,000 MR factors | $1,522 |
Apply Now |
As much as 77,000 MR factors $99 annual charge |
As much as 77,000 MR factors | $1,419 |
Apply Now |
30,000 MR factors $156 annual charge |
30,000 MR factors | $636 |
Apply Now |
Aeroplan has additionally created partnerships with many shops and companies, akin to Starbucks, Uber, and the LCBO. While you current your Aeroplan card, you possibly can earn further factors on high of what you’d earn together with your bank card.
The Aeroplan eStore is a purchasing portal the place you possibly can earn further factors only for signing in via the portal earlier than you store on-line.
Aeroplan ceaselessly has gross sales, in which you’ll be able to purchase Aeroplan factors at a reduction or with a bonus, as in comparison with the common value.
As a final resort, you may as well high up your Aeroplan account by transferring factors from Marriott Bonvoy. 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy factors will end in 25,000 Aeroplan factors.
Air Canada Signature Class Award Availability
When utilizing Aeroplan, you could have entry to any unsold seat with Air Canada. So long as somebody pays money for the seat, you possibly can pay for it with Aeroplan factors.
When you technically have entry to any unsold Signature Class seat with Air Canada, you’re additionally on the mercy of dynamic pricing. Typically talking, when you discover a seat on the decrease finish of the dynamic spectrum, it’s an excellent deal, and when you discover a seat on the increased finish of the dynamic spectrum, it’s not such an amazing deal.
Air Canada doesn’t launch many award seats to different loyalty packages. For those who occur to have factors with one other Star Alliance loyalty program and may discover Air Canada Signature Class house, it may very well be a superb deal, and it is best to e-book it straight away.
Suggestions & Methods for Air Canada Signature Class
Whereas reserving Air Canada Signature Class on the decrease finish of the dynamic spectrum could be a bit cumbersome, it’s not unattainable. Fortunately, there are just a few concerns that you could take to assist stretch your factors even additional.
Ebook Early
Typically talking, you can provide your self the very best possibilities of scoring a Signature Class flight on the decrease finish of the dynamic spectrum by reserving far upfront. Air Canada releases award seats to Aeroplan 360 days upfront.
If you’ll be able to plan that far forward, you’ll very doubtless have the ability to discover an award seat with Air Canada Signature Class at a beautiful fee.
Because of the nature of dynamic pricing, the worth might fluctuate over the course of yr. Certainly, we’ve seen the price of a flight differ from each day, and even from hour to hour.
For those who can’t discover a flight value that’s palatable, you’ll want to monitor the pricing, as it might drop to a extra affordable stage.
Most popular Pricing
In case you have Aeroplan Elite Standing or a co-branded bank card, you possibly can profit from most popular pricing on Air Canada flights. What this implies is that somebody who neither has standing nor an Aeroplan bank card pays extra for a similar flight.
For instance, somebody with out standing or a bank card might pay 82,600 Aeroplan factors for a Signature Class flight from Toronto to Vancouver…
…whereas somebody with Aeroplan Elite Standing and a co-branded bank card pays 64,900 Aeroplan factors for a similar flight.
Saving virtually 20,000 Aeroplan factors for a similar flight isn’t insignificant, even when the pricing for the flight to start with isn’t nice. So, when you’re the kind of traveller who completely has to e-book a selected flight on a selected day, having Aeroplan Elite Standing and/or a co-branded bank card can typically end in financial savings.
eUpgrades and the “Latitude Perspective”
In case you have earned Aeroplan Elite Standing, arguably the easiest way to e-book Air Canada Signature Class is by leveraging your eUpgrades. With eUpgrades, you possibly can e-book a flight in financial system after which improve to Signature Class both immediately or by way of a waitlist.
This specific strategy may be a superb solution to bypass the nasty results of dynamic pricing. For instance, suppose that you simply’d wish to fly from Toronto to London in Air Canada Signature Class, and also you’d wish to e-book with factors.
Reserving in Signature Class to start with would value you 214,000 Aeroplan factors.
Nonetheless, reserving an Financial system (Latitude) fare and making use of eUpgrades would carry the fee all the way down to 65,000 Aeroplan factors for a similar flight.
Correctly making use of the “Latitude Perspective” requires a good bit of background studying, so confer with our many guides on eUpgrades when you’d wish to find out about this additional.
Conclusion
Air Canada Signature Class is the airline’s premium providing. You possibly can count on an elevated expertise from check-in to arrival, full with precedence companies, curated foods and drinks choices, a snug lie-flat seat.
What’s even higher is that you could e-book Air Canada Signature Class with factors. This contains unlocking probably the most premium floor companies, akin to entry to the Air Canada Signature Suite and a Porsche floor switch.
With a devoted Miles & Factors technique, you’ll quickly end up on a direct flight with Air Canada to one in all its many locations in a really snug style. Because the airline absolutely restores its pre-pandemic service, we are able to solely count on the Signature Class providing to enhance.
