Air Canada's new Embarq program gives small-business travelers 50% more Aeroplan points

Air Canada wants more of Canada's small companies to book their work trips directly with it. On October 8 the airline launched Air Canada Embarq, a free, self-serve travel program for small and medium-sized businesses and non-profits registered in Canada.

The headline perk for the person in the seat is simple. Air Canada says eligible travelers earn 50% more Aeroplan points on eligible business trips they fly. That is the regular base points for the fare, plus a bonus worth half of that again. Air Canada says conditions apply, and the release does not list them.

How Embarq works

Embarq sits under the Air Canada for Business banner. A company signs up once. After that, staff book on aircanada.com as they normally would, signed in to their own Aeroplan account. The one extra step is to choose "Business travel" when booking. Air Canada says that tags the trip to the company and makes sure the bonus and other benefits apply.

On the company side, Embarq is a portal. Air Canada says it brings booking records, tracking and reporting into one place, so a manager can see what the team is spending on flights. A travel arranger, such as an office manager, can also book trips on behalf of other employees.

There are two things Air Canada stresses most:

• No cost to join. Enrollment is free.
• No minimum spend. A company does not have to promise a set amount of travel to qualify.

The airline also says members get "cost savings" and a dedicated Air Canada for Business support team. The release does not say how large the savings are or how they are applied, so treat that as a promise to check once you enroll.

Air Canada built the platform with ZS, a consulting and tech firm, and Traverse, a product powered by ARC, the company that settles airline tickets sold by US travel agencies.

Who it is for

Big firms have long had negotiated deals with airlines, often through a travel agency or a managed travel program. Air Canada frames Embarq as a way to hand some of those tools to smaller outfits that never had the volume to ask for them.

"Canadian entrepreneurs and growing businesses need simple, flexible tools," said Alexandre Lefèvre, Air Canada's vice president of network planning and global sales.

The target, per the release, is registered Canadian businesses and non-profits of different sizes. A two-person consultancy that flies to Calgary a few times a year looks like the kind of customer Air Canada has in mind. So does a charity whose staff travel to conferences.

What it means for your Aeroplan account

For the employee, the main gain is the points. Because trips are booked under each traveler's own Aeroplan number, the points land in that person's account, not the company's. Air Canada also notes that business trips still count toward its status programs, which reward time spent in the air.

That matters for lounge access. The launch release mentions no lounge passes, upgrades or priority boarding for Embarq members. The way into an Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge is unchanged:

• Status. Aeroplan members with 50K status or higher, the Star Alliance Gold level, can use Maple Leaf Lounges and Star Alliance lounges when flying Air Canada or a Star Alliance partner on eligible routes.
• Credit cards. The American Express Aeroplan Reserve Card and the Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege cards from TD and CIBC open the lounges on days you fly Air Canada.
• Premium cabins. Signature Class tickets on international flights generally include lounge access.

So a frequent business flyer at a small firm could reach status a little faster through work trips, since the status programs still count those flights. The 50% bonus points do not, on their own, buy a lounge visit.

Where to wait at Air Canada's hubs

Most Embarq trips will start at one of Air Canada's three hubs. Each has strong lounges for those who qualify:

• Toronto Pearson (YYZ): The Maple Leaf Lounge (Domestic) in Terminal 1 has four showers and a full bar. The International lounge is the pick for longer trips.
• Montreal-Trudeau (YUL): The Domestic lounge serves flights within Canada, with separate Transborder and International lounges.
• Vancouver (YVR): The Domestic lounge is closed until 2028. The Transborder and International lounges remain for flights to the US and overseas.

How to sign up

Air Canada says businesses can learn more and enroll for free at aircanada.com/embarq. Before you do, read the fine print on which fares and flights count as "eligible" for the bonus. The launch release does not spell that out. It also does not say whether trips on Air Canada's partner airlines qualify.