I think you are on the right track about 1-card.. and that will be a card with AC status (E35K and higher)
and sorry about my mistake that
crimsona had corrected, TD Aeroplan VISA only give you Zone 2 when you are flight with an Aeroplan ticket.
Assuming everything is the same in the new year, maybe you can try to do a status challenge?
here is what my wife got in Summer this year:
Congratulations, you are now eligible to reach a higher Altitude status with an Altitude Challenge.
As of July 10th, 2015, if you earn 18,500 Altitude Qualifying Miles (AQM) or 18 Altitude Qualifying Segments (AQS) on flights operated by Air Canada, Air Canada Express or Air Canada rouge over the next 90 days, you’ll be eligible to enjoy Altitude Elite 50K status through February 28, 2017.
send them an email (
[email protected]) in Jan, and hopefully they will reply to you relatively soon. Once you get the email, book all non-direct flight in that 90 days so you can get 18 AQS. Then you will be E50K until Feb 2018.