As Clipper noted, concierge only on international business class tickets and not available on domestic (and maybe domestic legs of international ticket--not sure how that works?)

Priority telephone number could also be helpful in some situations.

Meal priority is less than SE.

Priority rewards is a key benefit with Aeroplan but most other benefits are covered.

Priority phone number :p

What about luggage? Is it still 3x70 for J?

I'm not saying there are a lot of perks of being SE if you always fly paid J, but there are definitely some.

The all-mighty super elite tag :)

If I'm paying 500%+ of Flex fare with my J fare but only getting 150% of the miles - that doesn't seem reasonable. There should be a parallel qualification option based on spend IMO.

In terms of the benefits that are missed by those that buy J fares but don't make SE - IMO by far the biggest is the ability to actually use AE miles. Even in its watered down state IKK is a HUGE benefit. Even more important than the meal priority, being shunned by concierges etc.

As the Bens noted there are some E50s/E75s etc that spend far more than SEs - and yet we get virtually nothing from AC whatsoever.

This isn't quite correct. Revenue-based mileage will be applicable to all UA-operated flights no matter who tickets it, with the small exception of bulk/tour tickets that earn mileage, which will be a percentage based on the fare class (as low as 50% for the lower fare classes). Ticketing UA flights on AC and crediting to MP will make no difference to the mileage earned. However, for non UA-ticketed non UA-operated flights accruing to MP, they will continue to be distance-based, assuming its in a class eligible for mileage accrual in the first place.

It's not hard for UA to track spending when they are operating the flights - revenue is still broken down by segment, and this kind of calculation is already being done by UA. It calculates this for PQD for US-residents today, who are accruing to MP on UA-operated flights ticketed by other carriers.

Correct - spending without flying will not get you status. You need to hit one of the mileage or segment goals and the spend requirement (unless you have a UA credit card and hit the $25,000 spend waiver, which applies to all levels except 1K).

Ah, I had misread their statement. It has to be non-UA metal AND non-UA ticket to get it based on distance.

Well that changes my beliefs :)

So really, flying J/F on 016 ticket stock, non-UA operated equals win?

So what? The more you (spend advocates) say it, the more times I remind you that there are non-status and FF below 50K who spend more than everybody else. The simple question you have refused to answer is why with all your spend you can't follow the rules and attain SE. Currently,there are two pathways to status - miles and segments. Why you don't use them baffles me. Maybe you want to purchase with money what others achieve by sitting extra multiple hours on the plane and/or passing through countless airports and security barriers annually.There is no Airline (to my knowledge) that gives status exclusively on spend.

In addition to the Benns admitting that some non-SEs spend more than SE, they noted that pricing (flex), restrictions on miles accumulation, etc appear to be working similarly to spend. Next time, quote their full post not just a convenient fraction.

You get the hard/soft product, that's it. SE's and E's (perhaps) outspend what you do annually and so get the "privileges" that are associated with that. You get the same ways/avenues to get status.

Want to get status another way? Become a VIP with AC ;)

Shhh, don't share the details, or else everyone will want to be VIP :p

Isn't SQ PPS purely spend based?

No.
Having UA address not in the USA, flying UA only on the 4 required sectors that are higher fare and flying el cheapo on partners that give 100% mileage=win

I know many SEs who do not use the tag. They don't consider it such a big deal!

Or those who have 5 of them for multiple years as a sort of pride of accomplishment. Not judging, just saying :)

And flights exclusively in Suites, First and Business.