Originally Posted by
whimike
Rather then switching programs to one that is likely the same cost or more, look at ways to reduce the burden on flying out of YYJ. This is where it would make sense to start a BA Avios account to earn miles into. A YYJ-SEA award flight is just 4500 Avios each way, which translates to US$67.50 at the current value of 1.5 US cents per Avios.
Who is determining what "current value" is for Avios?
I'm pretty sure that is NOT what one would PAY for Avios if purchasing from BA (closer to 3 cents per Avios). Is this one of those "bloggers say" things?
Also, the OP is complaining that Alaska Saver award flights from YYJ are difficult to come by. Avios book AS flights out of that same Alaska Saver bucket. So how is having a different points currency that one cannot spend efficiently helping the problem? (Also, Avios usage on an AS flight requires a phone call, can't be done through the web. The last time I called BA as a BA Blue to deal with an award flight... seventy minute wait time on the phone to get to customer service. My experience is not atypical, apparently.
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I do agree that Avios's family account feature's pretty great and a good reason to put your kids in that program (since they might not fly as much as the adults, pooling miles makes for some extra efficiency), but hour+ wait times to book on BA, and forced overnights in SEA because of award availability could get old pretty fast...