Air Canada offers a chauffeur service on a “surprise and delight” basis to passengers travelling on an eligible itinerary from select Canadian airports.
If you’re lucky enough to be chosen, you’ll enjoy a ground transfer in a Porsche, which will take you from a connecting domestic flight directly to the Air Canada Signature Suite in the international departures terminal at Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) or Vancouver International Airport (YVR).
What Is Air Canada’s Chauffeur Service?
Air Canada’s chauffeur service is one aspect of its overall Signature Service experience.
As a reminder, Signature Service is Air Canada’s end-to-end premium travel experience, which is available on select itineraries in North America and to international destinations.
The Signature Service experience encompasses priority airport services, access to the Air Canada Concierge service in Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver, entry to the Air Canada Signature Suite or Maple Leaf Lounge, and flying in the airline’s Signature Class cabin, which features lie-flat seats.
The Air Canada Signature Service experience might also include a chauffeured ground transfer in a Porsche for passengers connecting from a domestic flight to an international flight at Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) and Vancouver International Airport (YVR).
Air Canada’s revamped chauffeur service, which was re-launched in 2022, includes an exclusive partnership with Porsche, which provides a fleet of all-electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles, including the Cayenne, Panamera, and Taycan.
Air Canada is currently the only North American airline to offer chauffeur services to eligible business class passengers. While other airlines also have a similar service, it’s usually reserved for top-tier invitation-only clients only, and not the travelling public.
What Does the Air Canada Chauffeur Service Offer?
Air Canada’s chauffeur service offers a ground transfer for eligible passengers connecting from a domestic flight to an international flight in Air Canada Signature Class.
To kick things off, a member of the Air Canada Concierge team meets you at the arrival gate from your connecting domestic flight, and whisks you down to the tarmac.
There, a driver will be waiting for you in one of three Porsche models, and you’ll be driven over to the international departures terminal. Instead of weaving through crowds and navigating your way through the airport, you’ll enjoy closeup views of planes instead.
Upon arrival at the international departures terminal, you’ll be escorted directly to the Air Canada Signature Suite, where you can relax, dine, and sip on fine Champagne prior to your international flight.
Currently, the chauffeur service is only provided for transfers between airport terminals at Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) and Vancouver International Airport (YVR).
In the future, if Air Canada opens new Signature Suites at other airports, such as Montreal, the chauffeur service will likely become available there, too.
Who’s Eligible for the Air Canada Chauffeur Service
To be eligible for the Air Canada chauffeur service, you’ll also need to be eligible to access the Air Canada Signature Suite. However, the chauffeur service is only available to passengers connecting from a domestic flight to an international flight.
This means that if you’re originating in Toronto or Vancouver, you won’t be eligible for the chauffeur service, since you’re not connecting from another Canadian city.
As a reminder, eligibility for the Signature Suite is limited to those flying on international business class (Signature Class) flights in eligible booking classes.
For revenue flights, this means that you must have a Business Class fare coded as “J”, “C”, “D”, “Z”, or “P,” and your final destination must be in Asia, Australia, Europe, New Zealand, or South America.
Passengers can also access the Signature Suite, and be eligible for the chauffeur service, on a select subset of Aeroplan redemptions.
Only passengers booked on an eligible Air Canada flight to Asia, Australia, Europe, New Zealand, or South America on a Business Class (Flexible) fare will be eligible to access the Signature Suite.
If you’re booked on a Business Class (Flexible) redemption with a partner airline, you won’t be eligible for the chauffeur service, and you won’t have access to the Signature Suite.
It’s worth noting that Business Class (Flexible) fares cost more in points than Business Class (Lowest) fares.
However, while Business Class (Flexible) fares cost more, you could also end up with an enhanced experience. This experience would include access to the Signature Suite, and potentially a chauffeured ground transfer in a Porsche before a long-haul international flight.
Even if you’re booked on an eligible fare, there are no published criteria for getting selected to enjoy the chauffeur service. Rather, anyone who’s eligible to access the Signature Suite will simply be chosen for the chauffeur service on a “surprise and delight” basis.
This means there’s no guarantee of getting selected for the chauffeur service; however, having a higher Aeroplan Elite Status, and especially Super Elite status, might certainly help.
While Air Canada also offers Signature Class on select routes within North America, passengers will neither be eligible for chauffeur service nor Signature Suite access. This is because the Signature Suites are located in the international terminals, and you won’t be able to access the exclusive lounge on domestic or transborder flights.
Furthermore, tickets upgraded to business class via eUpgrades, bid upgrades, Star Alliance Upgrade Awards, or by any other method, aren’t eligible.
Conclusion
Air Canada offers a chauffeur service on a “surprise and delight” basis to select eligible passengers connecting from a domestic flight to an international business class flight at select airports.
If you’re selected to enjoy the ground transfer, you’ll enjoy being escorted down to the tarmac, driven to the international departures area in a Porsche, and dropped off directly at the Air Canada Signature Suite.
To be eligible for the service, you must also be eligible to access the Signature Suite at Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) and Vancouver International Airport (YVR).
Even with an eligible fare, there’s no guarantee that you’ll receive the chauffeur service; however, if you’re selected, you’ll likely be delightfully surprised by the experience.
