Air Canada Aeroplan Adds Bamboo Airways As Airline Partner

Air Canada’s Aeroplan loyalty scheme has always been one with an emphasis on adding an array of airline partners. As well as the program’s popular award chart, lack of fuel surcharges and ability to add stopovers, Aeroplan’s growing list of airline partners makes the program a favourite among award travellers, especially in the United States.

Aeroplan is partnered with more airlines than any other frequent flyer program. The group isn’t shy of adding small and unknown carriers to its roster, with the likes of Air Serbia, Azul, Vistara, Air Mauritius, Gulf Air, Oman Air, Aeromar, and SunExpress added in the past few years.

Bamboo Airways is Aeroplan’s newest airline partner and is also the group’s first companion carrier based in Vietnam. The loyalty program partnership between Air Canada and Bamboo Airways will allow Aeroplan members to earn and redeem points for travel on the Vietnamese airline. Let’s see how the new agreement irons out…

Who is Bamboo Airways?

Bamboo Airways is a relatively new Vietnamese airline, officially operating its first commercial flight on January 16th 2019. The airline operates a hybrid model, blending the best low-cost carrier features with that of full-service airlines. This means

Bamboo Airways’ offering is similar to that of a full-service airline while keeping prices reasonable.
Bamboo is growing at a fast pace, with around 30 aircraft including factory-fresh Airbus A320neos and Boeing 787-9s. The airline boasts a respectable route map within Asia, plus a handful of long-haul flights, including to Melbourne and Sydney from both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh.

Bamboo Airways Flights To Australia

Bamboo Airways currently operates flights to both Melbourne and Sydney using its Boeing 787-9 aircraft. The schedule runs as follows;

• Hanoi to Melbourne: QH82 5:00pm to 6:30am+1 (MON)
• Melbourne to Hanoi: QH83 9:10am to 2:55pm (TUE)
• Ho Chi Minh to Melbourne: QH88 6:05pm to 6:30am+1 (WED/SAT)
• Melbourne to Ho Chi Minh: QH89 9:10am to 1:40pm (THU/SUN)
• Ho Chi Minh to Sydney: QH86 7:35pm to 7:55am+1 (TUE/FRI)
• Sydney to Ho Chi Minh: QH87 10:40am to 3:25pm (WED/SAT)

Bamboo Airways have configured their 787’s with a total of 294 seats;

• Business: 26 seats in a 1-2-1 reverse herringbone layout
• Premium Economy: 21 seats in a 2-3-2 configuration
• Economy: 247 seats in a 3-3-3 configuration

Redeeming Aeroplan Points For Bamboo Airways Flights

As part of Air Canada’s partnership with Bamboo Airways, it’s possible for Aeroplan members to use their points on all Bamboo Airways flights. Before you jump to making a booking, note the following:

• Bamboo Airways awards follow Aeroplan’s standard partner award pricing chart
• Aeroplan members can book Bamboo Airways flights on the Air Canada website or over the phone
• Bamboo Airways flight redemptions can be combined with flights operated by Air Canada and other international airline partners
• There are no carrier-imposed surcharges for Bamboo Airways redemptions via Aeroplan
• The standard 39 CAD partner booking fee applies to all bookings

As above, the amount of Aeroplan Points required for a flight with Bamboo Airways will be determined by Aeroplan’s standard partner award pricing chart. Let’s take a look at the award charts that apply to the routes Bamboo Airways services.

First up, for Bamboo Airways within Asia, we can apply the Aeroplan award chart within the Pacific region;

For Bamboo Airways flights between Asia and Europe, we can apply the Aeroplan award chart between the Pacific and Atlantic regions;

Finally, for Bamboo Airways flights between Asia to Europe, and then onwards to the United States, we can apply the Aeroplan award chart between the Pacific and Americas regions;

Earning Aeroplan Points With Bamboo Airways

Of course, you can now earn Air Canada Aeroplan points for travel with Bamboo Airways. While flights with the Vietnamese partner will not towards elite status qualification, Aeroplan members will earn points based on a percentage of the distance flown.

Here are the rates at which Aeroplan members will earn points for flights with Bamboo Airways;