41st General Convention – Important Information

The 41st General Convention will take place from August 17 to August 21, 2026.

Official Travel Days:

• Arrival: August 16, 2026
• Departure: August 22, 2026

*Please note: You will ONLY receive wage reimbursement and expense allowances for the official conference dates. 

Important Documents

• 41st General Convention Itinerary
  • VIEW HERE
• July 11th – General Convention Meeting Handout
  • VIEW HERE
• Delegate Travel & Packing Checklist
  • VIEW HERE

The general dress code for the Convention will be business casual for most daytime sessions and activities.

Members are also encouraged to bring semi-formal attire for evening functions, including receptions and scheduled Convention events.

Local 488 will be providing two Convention shirts for delegates. Delegates are asked to wear them on the following dates:

• Blue UA Local 488 shirt: Monday, August 17, for our delegation photos.
• Grey UA Local 488 shirt: Wednesday, August 19, for Canada Night.

Important:
Inappropriate or obscene clothing worn by delegates or guests during Convention-related functions will not be tolerated. Individuals may be asked to leave and return in appropriate attire.

• If you are covered under the Local 488 Health & Welfare Plan and your benefits are active, you may have travel coverage through the Manulife Group Travel Insurance plan administered by EPI.
  • For more information, visit: https://epibenefitplans.com/health-and-welfare/
  • Claims contact number (USA & Canada): 1-833-685-2790

Members are responsible for booking their own airfare to and from Convention.

Please ensure all travel arrangements fall within the official travel dates of August 16 to August 22, 2026.

• Book your airfare at the coach level only
• This means selecting the economy fare class
• Do not book fares above coach/economy
• Booking a higher fare may result in reduced or no reimbursement

If you choose to drive, take the train, or use another form of transportation instead of flying, reimbursement will be limited to the average cost of a round-trip airfare ticket from Edmonton to San Diego. Additional expenses for alternative travel will not be reimbursed by the Local.

Official Convention Hotel

The designated hotel for Local 488 delegates attending the 41st General Convention is:

Manchester Grand Hyatt
San Diego, California

Hotel Block & Compensation Eligibility

• Delegates must stay within the official UA hotel group block to receive the full expense allowance from the Convention Expense Committee. Booking accommodations outside of the designated hotel block may result in reduced or no compensation from the UA.

Hotel Dates & Extended Stays

• Hotel reservations are confirmed beginning Sunday, August 16, 2026.
• Delegates may request early arrival or extended stays beyond the approved delegation travel dates; however, availability is not guaranteed and remains subject to hotel inventory. To request an extended stay, please indicate your requested dates in the requests/comments section of the reservation.
• Any nights booked outside of the official hotel block dates (August 16 to 22, 2026) may be charged at the hotel’s regular rate.
• Additional room inventory for family and friends is expected to become available in early July.

Room Occupancy & Guest Information

Hotel rooms may accommodate up to four guests, including the delegate.

• First and second guests: No additional charge
• Third and fourth guests: Additional $25.00 USD per person, per night
• Children stay free

When registering guests with the hotel, the reservation system will request a UA Card Number. Delegates may use their own UA Card Number when registering guests staying in their room.

Reservation Policies

Delegates are responsible for booking and verifying their own accommodations.

Please ensure:

• Your reservation information is entered correctly
• The name on your reservation matches your government-issued identification
• You retain a copy of your hotel confirmation email for your records

Please review the hotel’s deposit and cancellation policy carefully at the time of booking, as the hotel may place a pre-authorization or deposit charge on the credit card used to guarantee the reservation.

Local 488 is not responsible for:

• Reservations not completed prior to the cutoff date
• Errors made during the reservation process

Questions & Support

Due to the expected high volume of inquiries, delegates are asked not to contact the Local office directly regarding Convention accommodations.

All accommodation-related questions or concerns should be directed to:

general.convention@local488.ca

NOTE: UA INTERNATIONAL (HEAD OFFICE) will be handling reimbursement for the 41st General Convention. Expenses have been pre-determined based on the average costs to travel to, and stay at convention from each Local’s region.

Expense allowances will be determined by the UA delegation on the first day of Convention.

The constitutional minimum expense allowance is $150 USD per day. While the final amount cannot be confirmed in advance, current market conditions will be taken into consideration when establishing the final rate.

All expense allowances are established in USD and will be converted accordingly for Canadian members.

As outlined in the UA Constitution, delegates are also eligible for compensation relating to travel, lost wages, and daily expenses incurred during Convention.

A lump sum payment will be deposited into the account for which you previously provided EFT information near the end of July. This payment will serve as a partial reimbursement for Convention-related expenses, including wages and other expense allowances. The remaining balance will be deposited on the final day of Convention or shortly thereafter.

Additional information regarding compensation and expenses will be communicated once further details become available.

Delegates are permitted to bring up to a MAXIMUM of two (2) guests (children included) to the convention.

Members must advise the Local in advance of any guests they intend to bring so that proper registration can be completed.

Important:

• All guests must be registered in advance
• Guests will have access to designated areas only
• Guests are not permitted on the convention floor unless authorized
• Guests will not be reimbursed for any flight expenses
• Guests are not entitled to expense allowances or wage compensation

Members who require accessibility accommodations, or who are travelling with a guest who requires accommodations, are asked to contact the Local in advance.

For accessibility requests or general convention inquiries, please contact:

general.convention@local488.ca