Air Canada exemption

October 22, 2026 Team Contributor

People book Air Canada flights by phone for many reasons. This includes older travelers who are less comfortable with websites or new-age apps, people with complicated itineraries or special needs, and people booking Aeroplan reward flights. But the next time you book a flight with Canada’s largest airline, you will have to pay more.

Starting October 15, 2026, a non-refundable booking fee of CA$30 plus applicable taxes applies per passenger to new bookings made by phone with an Air Canada agent through the Contact Centre. So if you are new to this news, you might want to think about it.

It only applies to new bookings made by phone with an Air Canada agent, so it doesn’t affect trips you booked before that date.

The airline says it would bring them in line with other airlines like WestJet and others.

Who’s paying and what are the options

It applies per passenger on new reservations, including Aeroplan reward bookings, across Air Canada, Rouge and Express flights.
There’s no fee to book through the website or the Air Canada app.
No fee applies if you call because a delay, cancellation, or other disruption affected your existing booking.
The fee is non-refundable even if you cancel the booking.

If you’re wondering whether other Canadian airlines do the same, the answer is mixed. Porter Airlines and Air Transat do not charge a fee for booking a new flight by phone, while Air Canada’s new fee puts it alongside WestJet and Flair, both of which already charge similar fees.

Air Canada’s new fees may be driven by a need to nudge customers to change booking patterns and book flights via the app or website. This would also help the airline cut call centre costs. But it comes with a fair share of inconvenience for those for whom booking a flight by phone is the primary route or the only option.

Andrew D’Amours, co-founder of flight deal site Flytrippers, echoes a similar sentiment, saying the change could hit older Canadians hard who rely on phone bookings.

The fees will come across as unreasonable and unfair for many who rely on phone calls for booking flights. Also, consider families that book by phone and now have to pay per person. It will be seen as another addition to the long list of “unbundled” prices they have to pay at different touchpoints, from checked bags and pre-selected seats to priority boarding and onboard snacks.

Air Canada exemption

Air Canada’s policy says customers who require specialized care and support, including those with accessibility needs, will not be charged the contact-center booking fee.

If you have these needs, here’s a tip. When calling Air Canada, state clearly that you require specialized care or accessibility support. Also ask the agent to apply the accessibility exemption before payment. Keep the confirmation reference in case it gets added erroneously.

Need help? Contact a travel advisor near you.