Originally Posted by
MKE-MR
Need some advice from Star flyers. I've been a UA 1K for a number of years, but my patterns have changed somewhat and I'm spending less and less time on UA metal. This year I was able to take full advantage of my SWUs but probably that won't happen next year--and I'm falling about 13K miles short of requalifying without an MR. Given where UA is going, I'm just not sure an MR makes much (any) sense and I'm considering going into burn mode with them.
Of course, I want to keep *G status regardless...I'm spoiled at this point. So it seems like BD or AC are the ways to go, both with considerable advantages. Has anybody contemplated this choice recently, and have any advice I might not have yet considered? I'm mainly a leisure flyer but will buy higher than lowest economy and even an occasional J/C if the price is right. I'm based in Asia so neither program has a feasible geographic advantage (slight edge to AC).
It seems like AC has a better burn rate but BD trumps it on the earn. AC might have an upgrade or two while those would be thrown away on BD. The miles + points awards, one-ways, etc on BD are wonderful...but that all might vanish if LH comes in to the picture as rumor has it might happen.
So I'm kind of torn and curious for advice. The comparison is Super Elite on AC (35K level) versus Gold on BD (16 + 38K level) and both of them are easily achievable before my status expires with UA in Feb/March...
On AC 35K will get you Elite (E), not Super Elite (SE). Both are *G and give you *A lounge access, business class checkin, etc. As someone who was SE for 7 years and last year dropped to E, I'll give you my 2 cents worth.
AC Elite is fairly easy to achieve with just 35K status miles in a calendar year, with instant recognition for early qualification, i.e. if you pass 35K before mid October, status kicks in for the remainder of the year and the following year. UGs are either quite good or lousy depending on your purchase habits. SWU upgrades are immediately confirmable anytime for Latitude (Full Fare Economy) based on upgrade space availability (I class). For lower fares, only the scarce SSWU will upgrade these fares. If you fly full fare economy on AC, then the SWU are quite good, if you never buy full fare economy, you'll rarely if ever upgrade.
Remember that Some Air Canada fares (Tango) do not earn status miles and some *A fares earn less than 100% miles.
Air Canada will not comp status, and while you're earning AC status you'll not be considered an elite flyer, so you'll not likely receive any preferential treatment, operational ugs, preferential meal selection, bonus miles, etc.
As a SE, the main advantages are no restrictions on reward availability on Air Canada flights for yourself, no restrictions on award tickets on Air Canada flights for unaccompanied family and friends in North America and no restrictions on economy award tickets on AC for unaccompanied family and friends overseas.
Another big advantage for SE is the concierge service at most AC airports especially during IRROPS
mpc1