I'm currently forecasting ending the year at 75 AQS and would like to be SE next year as the recent changes make the lower status levels less desirable. I'm contemplating a few segment runs over the next few months to make sure I get my status. I'm looking for a little bit of help as I'm trying to kill numerous birds with one stone...

My immediate goal is to get 20 more segments. I'm contemplating doing a few segment runs to ensure I get there. To simply get status any *A segment runs will do (advice is appreciated) but I'm also trying to see if I can fly AC metal and combine with the "THE MORE YOU FLY, THE MORE YOU EARN" promo and the "EARN YOUR WINGS" promo to earn a bunch of bonus miles.

I've got a few days off that I need to use by the end of the year (that I can't bank into next year), so don't mind taking a few days off work if need be.

The cheapest all-AC routing I've found so far works out to $50/segment (this is for several small segment runs over a few weekends). Unfortunately these book into Tango, but since these are all AC Express flights I don't care about Flex too much as I won't be able to upgrade. 20 segments @ 125 miles is only 2500 AQM plus 2500 miles for SE bonus. 20 take-offs and landings will give me 200x2x20=8000 race wings. Each of the 20 segments has one end in a pit-stop so that gives me an extra 300x20=6000 race wings. 14000 race wings should give me 7000 bonus miles plus an extra 5000 miles for crossing 10k race wings for a total of 12000 EYW miles. If I get all 20 segments on AC metal before November 30 I'll get a bonus 15k miles as I've already booked/flown 5 segments since September 9. This option will give me 20 AQS + 2500 AQM + 29500 miles for approximately $1k.

I also happen to be at 58k status miles. Assuming I can also make the SR into a MR, if I could get a routing that would get AQM for $.05, only $1100 I could earn 22000 AQM. If history repeats, eUpgrade credits earned in November will be good through February 2015 (I realize this is a gamble). It would be great if I could earn an additional 24 eUpgrades for next year. Also, excluding pit stop and badge bonuses, such a find would give me 22k AQM + 22k SE bonus miles plus a minimum of 4k EYW miles (8k race wings for 20 segments) and 15k miles for the segment bonus for a total of 63k miles.

So, here is the summary of my challenge. I'd like to find routings that would:

• Provide me with at least 20 AQS and 22k AQM - AC metal preferred, travel does not need to be domestic but to get segments I think sticking within NA would be best.
• Flex fares preferred (in order to upgrade where possible)
• Maximize the number of race wings for EYW.
• I'd like to have a price point of less than the $50/segment I've already found, but would be willing to spend more if it would get me the 22k AQM.
• Based out of YEG, but the first SR destination could position me for the next part of the SR.

I'm curious to know if anyone has come up with any routings of their own that maximize AQM as well as AQS and the bonus mile offers that I could take advantage of.

Calling canadiancow........

I've never done a segment run!

YEG USER, a basic routing I had looked at for Earn Your Wings can be found at http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/21551090-post107.html

It was trying to optimize for the contest, not for AQM or AQS, so I'm not sure it will work for you, but you can take a look at the routings I was using to see if you can come up with anything that works for you.

I bet you can get 5 segments for YEG-YYT, so if you did two round trips of that, you could probably get your 20 segments, and some extra badges in the contest.

If you're looking for segments, I recommend one of my most recent routings. For less than $500 roundtrip I went: YYC-YEG-YVR-YYZ-YOW-YUL-LGA. That would get you 14 AQS. And maybe you can add in YQR and/or YWG, but YQR usually makes things a lot more expensive.

The best thing about this routing is that LGA will make the entire trip Flex, so you get 100% status miles, and if you have credits you can upgrade this entire monstrosity for only 10 credits.