AC is now offering Executive Class versions of their standard North American and Rapidair/Commuter passes. Pricing for the long range products (e.g. Eastern, Cross-Canada, North American) is quite high, averaging more than twice the price of the latitude version of the same pass. The most expensive (i.e. North America) executive pass is $15k for 10 credits, which works out to $1500 per OW credit
. That pricing certainly makes the identical Amex Aeroplan Platinum pass product (at $900 per OW) seem like a bargain.
Pricing for the Commuter and Rapidair options are more closely aligned with the Latitude option, as you would expect given the flight dynamics. The unlimited 3 and 6 month versions of the executive pass come with instant SE status
as well as 20,000 status miles per month. For anyone who needs to commute between YYZ/YUL/YOW or YYC/YUL/YVR a couple of times per week, that option could be really attractive.
For example, purchasing the 6 month Executive version of the Western Commuter Pass ($3,390+ GST per month) could net:
* unlimited Executive Class travel between YYC, YVR, YEG and YYJ
* instant SE Status, including status miles and/or upgrade certs assuming you do not already have SE status
* 120,000 status miles (20,000 miles per month of pass ownership)
* additional status miles or SSWU depending on SE package choices (e.g. up to another 2,500 per month if you choose to credit status miles from flight pass activity or 2 additional SSWU per month if you choose to receive upgrade certs.
* promotional sign-up bonuses? Not sure if these apply to the unlimited version of the pass.
Total price over six months: $21k. Extending pass ownership to a full year and choosing mileage as the SE pass benefit would net a whopping 270,000 status miles independant of any other flight activity
Anyone care to guess how much longer the Latitude pass 24 hr complimentary upgrade benefit will persist now that a line of Executive pass product has been released?
SG