Snow Goose

This year has been absolutely stellar for me as a predominantly NA SE100k. Great new top tier benefits like gifting 50k status and upgrading NA economy award flights, with virtually guranteed upgrade odds (I have missed one flight out of 60 so far this year). Add to that the unprecedented Earn Your Wings promo, and I am a happy camper .

Having said that, I can certainly appreciate that AC is no longer a viable option for many predominantly TPAC and to a lesser degree TATL frequent flyers. All of last year, YYZ-SYD was generally pricing in the $1800-$2300 range for T+ round trip. This year that is the Tango price, and Flex is now $3000 to $3500 return. I'd be switching to other carriers as well if this was my flying pattern, as Tango is completely off the table (I'd rather stay home).

SG

Jasper2009

Fully agree with you! Pretty happy as well with my upgrade success, SE benefits, the product and the current Earn Your Wings promo.

It´s the pricing that makes my cringe and consider other options.

A 20%-30% price premium for Flex fares? Yes, I probably wouldn´t mind paying that too much as it makes some economical sense. A 100% price premium to earn full miles and a chance of an upgrade? Very questionable.

$3k-$3.5k for a YYZ-SYD Flex fare is just crazy IMO. Now if upgrades were confirmable at time of booking (i.e. 3.5k for a confirmed upgrade at time of booking, but Flex fare rules/restrictions), that would be a whole different story.

supatight80

Perhaps the anxiety of the "possibility" of not being able to upgrade on TPAC/TATL Flex fares makes me cringe....

But what's the chances of a SE or to some degree E75K not being upgraded on a TPAC/TATL route? Except perhaps to a few routes like YYZ-SYD/HKG/TLV..

Since moving to AC from a different carrier a few years back, all my upgrade requests has been approved on TPAC/TATL flights...Personally I don't mind (yet) the prices of Flex fares on TPAC/TATL routes because the chances of being upgraded whether at T-7 or at the gate has been (and as other SE's have experienced as well) a success.

But as long as Flex fares are not almost has similar to J fares on different airlines and chances of being upgraded is at least 90%, then I'm still fine with it. Nothing beats a 2K coach ticket but sit on J pods IMHO.

yyj9

Missed a TATL (YVR-LHR) a couple of weeks ago, for the first time in 18 months. I was shocked , apparently 15 SEs were fighting for 6 seats. Doing the same again this week-end with even less J availability. Oh well, I survived, and the experience only increased my pleasure and appreciation for the e-up on the way home.

supatight80

To be shocked not being upgraded meant that travelling on TPAC/TATL Flex fares were almost a guarantee

Clipper801

Lately I have seen very good fare to Asia via Europe on some of the European airlines. I also like to see more Chinese airlines on TPAC. CX has increased its YYZ-HKG frequency from 7 to 10 weekly. Its PE is a good product at a reasonable price and AC has nothing to match.

I saw WS more liberally code sharing with some of the Asian airlines as feeder to YVR too, including JL, CZ and MU. I wonder how's WS PE initiative coming along?

Just need to shop around. Generally, one will find AC's fare for the premium cabin to be uncompetitive and most expensive. When AC raised the bar for *G to 50K and added a 75K tier, those flying 35K to 74.9K are now simply buying whoever offering the cheapest fare with a logical itinerary. There are very limited incentives "to stick to AC". Many of those are low volume Executive First flyers, probably doing TPAC twice a year.

ensco

If you are flying certain busy routes TATL out of YYZ (ie LHR or FRA) it is really 50/50 on getting eUpgrades.

It's less than 50/50 on 868 (the day flight to LHR) or 876 (the late night flight to FRA that connects to much of LH's Asia traffic), as there is so much natural J demand on those routes.

supremekai

yeah i am switching my yvr-pek trip to air china. $1200 and 100% altitude miles or united with a stopover in sfo

hydrogen

So really, you have three options to get AC status:

1) Fly 100K+ NA travel
2) Fly 6 TPAC RT in J
3) Jump ship to another *A carrier

Looks like they're trying to get rid of Elite Edward who flies 2-3 RT TPAC in Y.

Clipper801

But you are at the bottom of the pack below the A75K and SE.

A50K is useless.

I shall be more liberal to look at others including 1W and ST particularly if I primarily travel in J.

Including those flying 2~3 RT TPAC in J.

If I am not going get any meaningfull status with AC, e.g., the A35K at best, and I am flying J, why don't I just fly with the airline offerring the cheapest fare with a comparable itinerary, e.g., CX YYZ-HKG non-stop direct vs. AC YYZ-HKG non-stop direct?

canadiancow

If you're flying paid J, what does status actually offer you that you need?

Jasper2009

Among other benefits:

1) more miles = more redemptions (tpyically 100% miles bonus with NA airlines)
2) access to much better award availability ("IKK")
3) better service when things go wrong (Concierge team, SE line etc.)

Plumber

I know that for Z fares ex-YOW to Asia (NRT, ICN, TPE), AC continues to be among the lowest priced options. Headed to NRT now.

Am running at 100% upgrade success for the last 20 months or so for other flights.

Dorian

Bingo. I fly paid J and the three points above are important to me.

Clipper801

+1

and also when I fly Y on short segments, to play aerolotto amongst other things.