Originally Posted by
a4racer
I'm sitting at 23 segments for 08, around 22K Q-miles. I only want to get Prestige for 2009, and am thinking of a quick YXU-YYZ-YXU jaunt to pick up those last two status segments.
My requirements are that I have to leave and return on any weekday between, say 7:00 am and 5:00 pm, and I'd like to spend as little as possible--so far, $400 with taxes in is the best I've been able to figure--any suggestions?
If you were willing to drive to DTW and back you could do DTW-ORD-DTW for $153.84 just about any weekday in December on UA.
Depart 8:30am from DTW. Return to DTW at 1:19pm. You'd have to leave earlier than 7:00am, but it's easier to explain to perplexed spouses that you have to get up really early to take a flight to nowhere than it is to explain you will get home really late. "Hussies" tend to operate in the evenings, after all.
The biggest question is: why do you want to do this?
The only good reason would be for the possible SWU and NAU. If you are in the position to spend $ for U fares to be able to confirm upgrades at booking, then a MR is not a bad idea.
All other P benefits (and more) can be purchased for about the same amount of money as a MR, and with much less effort.