Ace Combat 8 How to Redeem Ace Pass
If your Ace Combat 8 Deluxe Edition says it includes a Premium ACE Pass Plus voucher but you can't find anywhere to use it, don't look in the normal campaign menus or your platform's store. The voucher is claimed from inside Ace Combat Online after you've finished its initial setup.
How to Redeem the Ace Pass Voucher in Ace Combat 8
Enter Ace Combat Online and complete the initial setup until you can access the full Online Menu. From there, open Info, select Special Gifts, and claim your Premium ACE Pass Plus voucher.
Ace Pass Redemption Path
1. Launch Ace Combat 8
2. Enter Ace Combat Online
3. Complete the initial online setup
4. Open the Online Menu
5. Select Info
6. Open Special Gifts
7. Claim the Premium ACE Pass Plus voucher
On PS5, the Online Menu can be opened with Triangle once you've reached the point where the full menu is available. The button prompt can differ on Xbox and PC, so follow the corresponding Online Menu prompt rather than looking specifically for Triangle.
I would go straight through the Ace Combat Online setup before trying to troubleshoot your edition or reinstall anything. The redemption option simply isn't sitting somewhere obvious on the main Ace Combat 8 menus.
The Ace Pass Voucher Is Under Info > Special Gifts
The important menu is Special Gifts. It's nested inside the Info section of Ace Combat Online rather than being presented as a separate Ace Pass redemption screen.
This is also why it's easy to miss if you rushed through the first online prompts. You can already own the voucher through your edition of the game without the Premium Ace Pass appearing active until you go into Ace Combat Online and claim the gift.
If you skipped the setup explanations and now have no idea where the reward went, return to Ace Combat Online, open the Online Menu, then check Info > Special Gifts.
What Does the Premium ACE Pass Plus Voucher Unlock?
Redeeming the Premium ACE Pass Plus voucher unlocks the Premium reward track for the current Ace Pass season and immediately gives you 30 Premium ACE Pass levels.
Premium ACE Pass Plus Voucher
• Unlocks the current season's Premium Ace Pass track
• Immediately unlocks 30 Premium Ace Pass levels
• Used within Ace Combat Online
• Separate from normal Campaign progression
The Ace Pass itself is tied to Ace Combat Online. Online has its own progression and save data separate from Campaign Mode, and playing online missions increases your rank within the current Ace Pass season.
There is also a normal Ace Pass track, while players with Premium access can earn the additional Premium rewards alongside it.
Does Ace Combat 8 Deluxe Edition Include the Premium Ace Pass?
Yes. The Deluxe Edition includes a Premium ACE Pass Plus voucher rather than simply making the Premium track appear active from the moment you launch the game.
The Joker Flight Pack and Premium Joker Flight Pack also include the same type of voucher.
That distinction is important if you own Deluxe and see the Premium track asking for access. Before buying anything else, check your Special Gifts first. Your edition may already include the voucher you need.
What to Do if Your Ace Pass Voucher Isn't Showing
First, make sure you've actually entered Ace Combat Online and completed enough of its setup to reach the normal Online Menu. The Special Gifts menu isn't something you claim from the campaign hangar.
Then check Info > Special Gifts manually even if you don't remember seeing a redemption prompt.
If you purchased an edition that includes Premium ACE Pass Plus and the voucher still isn't available there, verify that the correct edition or associated content is installed on the same platform account you're using to play.
I would not purchase the Premium Pass separately until you've checked Special Gifts. The Deluxe Edition and both Joker Flight packages explicitly include a Premium ACE Pass Plus voucher, so buying access again without checking the included voucher risks paying for something your edition already provides.
The Ace Pass Is Part of Ace Combat Online, Not the Campaign
One final distinction explains a lot of the odd menu placement: Ace Pass progression belongs to Ace Combat Online.
Campaign Mode and Ace Combat Online have separate progression systems. The Ace Pass records your online progression, with additional seasonal rewards becoming available as you increase your rank through online play.
If you're mainly working through the campaign instead, my Ace Combat 8 tips and tricks guide covers aircraft spending, squadron orders, upgrades, carrier missions, and other things worth knowing early.
For aircraft specifically, the Ace Combat 8 best planes guide breaks down the strongest choices for campaign, air-to-air combat, ground attack, carrier missions, support, and the endgame.
