Air Canada and Emirates Partnership now Live
Back in July, Emirates and Air Canada announced a new partnership. At the time, it didn’t seem like big news, but now that all of the details have finally been released (and are now live), the news is fantastic.
Simply put, I never thought I’d see a partnership between Air Canada and Emirates. Emirates is in a league of its own. Now that they’ve partnered with Aeroplan, it creates a massive opportunity for Canadians to experience one of the best airlines in the world.
Air Canada and Emirates codeshare agreement
The biggest news of this new partnership is the codeshare agreement. Right now, the airlines have partnered on 35 specific routes. 11 more are expected, but there’s a delay due to regulatory approval.
For those unfamiliar with codeshares, it allows passengers to book flights with one carrier under another. So, in this case, if you’re flying Air Canada, you could also book under an Emirates flight. This gives you a seamless connection since you would be issued a single ticket, and your bags would be automatically transferred through to your final destination.
As of now, the current flights that are part of this agreement include:
- Emirates – Colombo, Dhaka, Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Bangkok, Hanoi, Phuket, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Jeddah, Muscat, Addis Ababa, and Dar Es Salaam
- Air Canada – Calgary, Edmonton, Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, and Vancouver
Obviously, 35 destinations don’t cover the entire route of both airlines, but it’s nice to see that a codeshare agreement is in place. This is likely great news for people flying in from Dubai on Emirates as they can now use Air Canada to reach their final destination. For reference, WestJet was serving most Emirates passengers within Canada.
Reciprocal earning
As part of this agreement, Aeroplan members can now earn Aeroplan points on Emirates flights. On the flip side, Emirates Skywards members can now earn Skywards Miles on Air Canada flights.
Aeroplan members booking on Emirates would input their Aeroplan number when making their reservations. You would then earn the following Aeroplan points depending on the class of service:
- First Flex – 150%
- Business Flex & Saver – 125%
- Business Special – 110%
- Premium Economy – 110%
- Economy Flex + – 100%
- Economy Flex – 50%
- Economy saver – 15%
When booking with Air Canada, and you quote your Emirates Skywards membership number, you can earn Skywards Miles at the following rates:
- Economy Class – up to 1 Skywards Mile per mile flown
- Economy Premium Class – 1.1 Skywards Miles per mile flown
- Business Class – up to 1.5 Skywards Miles per mile flown
Redeeming Aeroplan points on Emirates flights
Without a doubt, the most exciting part of this announcement is that you can now redeem your Aeroplan points on Emirates flights. This includes their business class seats, which I personally experienced on a recent trip from Toronto to Dubai.
Business and economy seats on Emirates can already be booked with your Aeroplan points. First Class flights should be available in early 2023.
The number of Aeroplan points required for a redemption on Emirates will depend on the distance flown and seat class.
| Distance (miles) | Economy Class | Business Class | First Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 2,000 | 15,000 – 30,000 | 30,000 – 77,500 | 65,000 – 175,000 |
| 2,001 – 5,000 | 21,000 – 65,000 | 45,000 – 140,000 | 110,000 – 325,000 |
| 5,001 – 9,000 | 40,000 – 85,000 | 85,000 – 185,000 | 225,000 – 475,000 |
| 9,001 – 12,000 | 60,000 – 110,000 | 120,000 – 225,000 | 300,000 – 600,000 |
| 12,001+ | 85,000 – 150,000 | 180,000 – 300,000 | 400,000 – 750,000 |
The $39 partner booking fee does apply, but there are no additional surcharges.
Final thoughts
Codesharing and redemptions between the two airlines are now live, so travellers now have more options when flying through Toronto and Dubai. This is a unique opportunity, and it should excite both Aeroplan and Emirates Skywards members.
