Obviously, just using such an award to get to YVR, YYZ or YYC from these cities is not worth it, given the current L-fares AC has introduced to compete with WestJet. Or even across to the east into Regina or Saskatoon. I used this fare on my trip in mid-December, booking an open jaw V-fare to YEG, returning from YVR. Drove down to Calgary with a business colleague for meetings, then used the L to get to Vancouver.

My point is that from Alberta, one can get into the north -- which is very, very expensive -- onto Vancouver Island -- which is also much more expensive than just YVR -- and down to SEA or PDX to enjoy the US Northwest. This represents a helluva bargain for 12K, even for 15K. And you can do a stop-over, meaning the trip can be extended to two destinations, one for business, one for personal purposes.

A real benefit of awards is often the ability to tack on a second destination. It is only if I don't have the time that I won't consider doing this. When living in Edmonton, and if I had to use an award ticket for business back in central Canada [Toronto, Ottawa or Montreal], I would almost always extend the trip into the Atlantic provinces for a couple of days in St. John's, Halifax or Charlottetown, or across the border into NYC, Boston or DC.

I also recall one of the best award values is using the off-season Hospitality Class ones to either Europe or Sao Paulo/Buenos Aires from western Canada. This gives a Toronto or Montreal stopover [depending upon allowable routings] plus the onward international trip, all for just 40K. Interestingly, given that the off-seasons on these -- and Caribbean -- routes are often different from the ones for [discounted award] NAmerican travel, this can be a way of using a discounted domestic award "out of season", and getting a free international vacation tacked on for the same cost as a short haul award: 25K+15K. Certainly a worthwhile benefit of elite status, since all three tiers have access to the off season discounts.

Hmmm, just raised a question in my mind: If one is and Elite requesting an award from paid inventory during the sale period on a given route, is the doubling based on the sale or regular "price" of the award?

So I did the same thing if I had to get into Vancouver: fly over to visit friends on the Island, or hop down to SEA or PDX. [SFO used to be included in the short-haul, and was always a great add-on for the weekend.

As for "misusing" points for business and depriving AC of revenue, according to "Revenue Canada", I must use miles earned on business for business, or they become a taxable benefit. So for business purposes, these short hauls are a perfect solution to this balancing act of business/personal miles accumulation and business/personal miles redemption.

AC must recognize that many of us do use our miles to offset potentially expensive short notice business trips. Why else would they be providing the "any seat" access to awards for SEs? We accumulate our miles primarily on business trips, and often need the flexibility to claim awards when we need them. [I suppose they might consider that we lead such busy lives, the access is also required for that very short notice personal getaway.]

I often think we take for granted many of the lesser perks that go with elite status, that most other travellers must get along without:

• access to phone agents
• priority check-in
• priority waitlists/standbys
• any seat access [paid or award for SEs, at a higher "price" for Es]
• priority security at many airports
• STARGold for equivilent treatment on partner carriers

For the road warrior, these benefits are critical to a low stress travel experience, and at times can be worth more than another free trip or an upgrade. [I did say "at times" ]

[This message has been edited by Shareholder (edited 02-10-2002).]