Air Canada has announced that, effective December 10, it will remove its AC code from a set of United Airlines–operated flights between Canada and the United States. This change affects several key transborder routes and most notably impacts flights serving major United hubs including Chicago (ORD), Houston (IAH) and Newark (EWR).
Passengers whose itineraries currently show an Air Canada code for any of the impacted services will be re-accommodated onto the same physical flight but under the United Airlines operating flight number. The affected routes include:
- YUL/YYZ–EWR (Montréal/Toronto to Newark)
- YYC/YYZ–IAH (Calgary/Toronto to Houston)
- YUL/YYZ–ORD (Montréal/Toronto to Chicago)
- YVR–SFO (Vancouver to San Francisco)
- YVR–LAX (Vancouver to Los Angeles)
To minimize disruption and preserve customer entitlements, Air Canada has provided specific rebooking and ticketing guidance for agents handling affected reservations:
- Customers originally booked on AC‑coded flights should be rebooked onto the corresponding UA operating flight number while retaining the original ticketed booking class whenever possible.
- If the original booking class is not available on the UA flight, agents should select the lowest available booking class within the same cabin or compartment to maintain fare integrity and cabin assignment.
- When reissuing tickets, agents must follow the prescribed ticketing procedures and include the endorsement text exactly as required: REISSUE DUE SKCH.
These steps ensure that passengers maintain their fare conditions, loyalty accrual where applicable, and access to the same onboard service and seat as originally planned. Because the change is a commercial code adjustment rather than an equipment or schedule change, the physical flights and their times remain operated by United Airlines; only the marketing code under which the seats were originally sold will be switched to UA operating flight numbers.
Travel agents and airline staff should review passenger notifications and update reservation records promptly to avoid confusion at check‑in or during gate processing. Where reissuance is required, confirm that e‑tickets are updated and that any related ancillary services, transfer connections and special service requests remain intact. If upgrades, standby lists, or partner benefits are associated with the original AC booking, verify how those entitlements are preserved under the UA operating flight and advise customers accordingly.
Air Canada notes that additional details and procedural instructions for agents are posted under the Agent Reference tab on the Air Canada agent website. Agents should consult that resource for the most current operational guidance, including any ticketing overrides, fare construction notes, or interline handling instructions specific to these rebookings.
This update is part of routine commercial realignments between carriers and may affect bookings made well in advance of travel. Passengers impacted by the change who have questions or who require assistance with connections, seat assignments or reissue fees should contact their travel agent or Air Canada customer service for individualized support.