Air Canada was the last Canadian airline to offer a free carry-on with all their fares – but no more. Starting on January 3, Basic Fares for travel within North America and sun destinations will no longer include a carry-on – just a personal item.
Here's what to know and how to beat airline baggage fees (hello credit cards!).
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Air Canada Basic Fare updates
In hindsight, it was only a matter of time before this happened. Once WestJet introduced their UltraBasic fare, Air Canada was the last holdout. Porter has always had this with their lowest fare and Flair always charges for carry-ons.
So here's what's changing with Air Canada's basic fare:
- The standard free carry-on is gone; you’ll only be permitted a personal item that fits under the seat in front of you
- If you show up at the gate with a bag classified as a carry-on, you'll face a $65 fee
- If you want to change the seat assigned to you at check-in, you’ll need to pay a fee (which will vary depending on the seat you select)
Aeroplan status members, Star Alliance Gold Members, and Aeroplan Premium credit cardholders (i.e., the cards with $599 annual fees) will still get one free carry-on – on top of their other benefits.
Credit cards that offer free checked bags
With the right credit card, you won’t have to pay for carry-on or checked bags.
As mentioned above, if you hold an Aeroplan premium credit card, you’ll continue to get a free carry-on no matter your fare class + one free checked bag for the cardholder and 8 others travelling on the same reservation. These cards all have an annual fee of $599.
The core Aeroplan cards won’t get you a free carry-on but you’ll still enjoy the free checked bag on all Air Canada flights for the cardholder and 8 others travelling on that reservation. These annual fees range from $120 to $139.
If you prefer to travel with WestJet, the WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard offers free checked bags on WestJet flights.
Finally, there's the National Bank World Elite Mastercard. It's not tied to any airline but you can use the annual $150 travel credit for baggage fees, among other things.
Your thoughts on Air Canada's changes
At the end of the day, more fees are coming to air travel.
Are you feeling frustrated by today's news? Feel free to vent in the comments section below.
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