Originally Posted by
kalderlake
So in terms of milestones, what we're doing this year in qualifying is, rather than earning benefits, earning the opportunity to buy those benefits next year?
Ie. as a 25k, rather than start with 20 eups I start with 5, and have to purchase more by spending money, in whatever form, next year.
Originally Posted by
flyingcrooked
This is a very insightful remark.
To put it another way. It's not that there are changes to Aeroplan status starting Jan 1, 2026. They are instead introducing changes retroactive to Jan 1 2025. (We thought we were earning benefits to be used in 2026, but we weren't. Or more precisely they have changed the benefits we thought we were earning for the last 7 months and that they told us we were earning.)
The other difference with staggered milestones, compared to the current benefits, is that it requires a lot more planning and forethought to get use out of them. Currently I can wait until December to pick my select benefits. I can wait and see if I really need those eUps right now, or if I can wait until later in the year so their expiry is extended. I can also choose the 5000 SQM bonus even if I know I'll requalify, because it will rollover anyway with my premium card, so it's insurance for next year.
Now, with milestones, I have to be constantly predicting all these things. Maybe I don't think I'll need those extra eups at the 70K milestone, but oops, I do now, and I've missed out. Or maybe I choose the 2500 SQC bonus each time cause I'm worried I won't requalify. If I screw up and miss out on hitting my desired tier, AC will claw back 90% of those SQCs and only give me 10% next year. So I've lost the currency, and I've missed out because I could have picked eUps or priority rewards or whatever else. It's more ruthless now.