pkeung is right on!

Creative routes are often available on the AC website. Here's a sample:

YYZ-IAH-YYZ
March 30-31

You can take the direct flights for $219 each way and 2560 status miles and 2 segments round trip. Or you can fly YYZ-YYC-IAH-YYC-YYZ for $219 each way and earn 6832 status miles and 4 segments!

When I go to YVR, I usually fly YYZ-YYC-YEG-YVR. 3 segments instead of 1.

LAS is another great destination for creative routes from YYZ. You can often route through YVR, LAX, SFO or DEN for the same price as the direct flight. Depending on schedules, you can even book YYZ-YVR-LAX-LAS using the multicity tool (YYZ-YVR and YVR-LAS and route through LAX). Just be prepared to spend more time on planes and MLLs!

Last year, AC had YVR-DFW for $79 each way that could be routed through YYZ. That was a lot of miles.

The trick is to never take the direct route, if you can find a more convoluted way to get there, at the same price of course. :)

I made Elite this past year (instant recog in March) after 2 trips YYZ-EZE and one MR to EZE. All this was personal Spend - Just over $2,000 because of AC Specials. Then I had some Business flights to Halifax and Sask. Then a Fall Vacation to Eurpoe put me over 45K - and I got 2 more System Wide Upgrades... Going to Europe I was able to upgrade myself and fellow traveller as well.

I travelled up front for all my summer trips - because of the Certificate special.
Not sure about this year. I might have to make a MR in the late Fall!!!

^ Abso-tively posi-lutely! For no extra fare, instead of going FAR-ORD/DEN-DFW last month, I went FAR-ORD-IAH-DFW, and not only did I get a few more miles easily (plus Elite 150% bonus now in effect on CO and UA) I got free booze in the PC in IAH--and this without flying AC metal at all! :cool:

I am probably the odd one out, my personal flights are 85% and 15% business and try to add personal to the business flights as much as possible. I never fly direct where for the same money I can stop or do fly overs if I can gain extra miles so never YXE-YYZ it's YXE-YYC/YEG-YYZ and the same when going to YVR. I did this last fall to YHZ and the ticket agent had to use two baggage tags for my bag but the connections are 500 AP each for YYZ-YOW-YUL! I usually use UA for europe or US weekend trips as its cheaper and again why fly YVR -LAX when you can go YVR-DEN-LAX!!! Once I get Elite then I change for direct flights and relax for the rest of the year as I will never hit SE without a on the road career or as a lottery winner.

When I fly my family is on TANGO fares and I fly TANGO + and we all enjoy the benefits of my AP*E so I stay with AC and Star Alliance. Not standing in the check in line in HNL four weeks ago for two hours makes having status worth it. So I scrap and crawl my way up the ladder. :cool:

WOW! I have been lucky(?) and not had to do a MR yet. I've just always been looking for really good prices on vacations (going to CAI and ATH end of this month, then MEX in May, both out of SEA which was 1/2 price of YVR), but if ever something like that came up I would find a reason to vacation in DFW!

Vacation? Oh, you actually *leave* airports? That's an idea, I suppose... :)

Just because I am flying to CAI and ATH doesn't mean I need to leave the airport, there are many *A options in that region that could have me flying non stop for days and days! Besides, I'm sure CAI has nice pictures of the pyramids, and ATH of the Acropolis.

As long as I land and clear customs it means I've visited that city, right?

I earned Elite status this year mostly on my own dime for the very first time (was never even Prestige before)... I wouldn't have reached it unless I found FT back in October or so... I wasted so many "opportunities" by flying Westjet instead of AC from YYZ-YEG, where my family is... and I pulled 6 of those trips last year! Only one was AC!!!

Business:
TUL-ORD-YYZ = 1000 miles

Personal:
BKK-NRT-LAX-YYZ = 10,490 miles
YYZ-SFO-SYD-LAX-YYZ = 19,343 miles
YYZ-YEG-YYZ = 3,340

I think I'm missing a flight somewhere in there... but aeroplan.com doesn't want to show me the flights before Feb. 26th, 2009 for some reason

I suppose nobody ever checks in their luggage right? Given these convaluted routes taken, wouldn't you be betting that the carrier would lose your luggage?

I just checked and domestic flights seem best to do this. I also checked out YVR to HKG, but they only had "creative routes" that would route to NRT and its only available on latitude which is even more expensive than restricted J-class.

If I had to do a convoluted MR with multiple stops, I would check an empty bag. If they lost it, I would claim my insurance for a new outfit!^

Correction:
If I had to do a convoluted MR with multiple stops, I would check an almost empty bag with one change of clothes. If the bag didn't make any connection, I would claim my baggage delay insurance for a new outfit!^

Reason for correction: I have not phrased it nor thought it out properly so got flamed for advocating fraud.

wow, I only made prestige this year and it felt like i lived on airplanes. That being said I am taking my very first international trip for work this year and was wondering if anyone could give me insight on how many points i may get for it

YHZ-YUL-LHR-DOH-YOW-YHZ= ????

http://www.webflyer.com/travel/mileage_calculator/

Just over 14k.

There is a word that describes that sort of behaviour - fraud.

Agreed. Even to joke about it is pretty lame, this fraudulent behaviour just increases the costs for all of us.

Oh, that's not what I meant or intended to say. I shouldn't have used the word lost, I meant delayed or failed to make the connection. I was thinking of the delayed baggage insurance. You could still argue that the new outfit that I could buy might not be out of necessity but if the airlines delayed my bag, I would be entitled to some compensation.