Sean Peever

I'm strongly considering (95% there) getting a couple Latitude Flight Passes for next year. The ability to book into Y last minute (1 hr before flight), the ability to cancel without a fee and ability to comp up to available J basically sells it for me.

Questions:

1) Do the routing rules change often? or are they fairly static? If they change do they honour the rules from when you bought it or are you stuck with the new routes?

2) I assume that if cities change they do honour what you originally bought? But again would like this confirmed.

3) Do people bother using eups early and then switching it at T-48? or do most just wait until T-48 for the comp up because 99% of the time Domestic J isn't full at T-48?

Thanks to those who have experience on this .

rehoult

1) Routing rules are quite static, no different from revenue tickets. It is unusual for them to change. However, if they do change, you are generally subject to the new ones.

2) Generally you'd benefit from cities added to a pass type and lose access to those removed. However, it's unusual for a city to be removed from a pass unless it's no longer served by AC, and in that case you're stuck anyways. Realistically, major changes are unlikely. They aren't randomly going to remove FRA from the Europe passes, or YUL from the East-West Connector. If something's added or removed it's probably due a change in service.

3) I always upgrade and change at T-48, but I generally travel routes where it's very possible J might be gone by T-48.

Sean Peever

Awesome! Thanks for the quick and meaningful feedback! The big reason I was asking #1 is because on a number of NA FP's I saw routings that are not for sale which I found interesting, and would be beneficial to my travel patterns / times / etc.

I know it's always "subject to change" but knowing they don't change often is important to me.

canadiancow

I always eUp when I book (if I'm outside the 48 hour window) and switch later. That lets me reserve the seat I want before the eUpgraders can take it

SFO-YTZ used to be available. It isn't anymore. I haven't needed to fly downtown since they removed it, so I haven't tried to get them to honour what I paid for, but my guess is they'd say "tough".

I really like the Y FP, and I'll probably buy another, although I'm still considering if the J world pass is worth it.

kerfluffer

J flight pass is worth it for Asia. Latitude is worth it for Europe. For North America I book Flex.

canadiancow

I have missed a stupid number of upgrades as S100K on M fares in North America (not many people ahead of me on those upgrade lists). The NA Latitude FP is effectively guaranteed J, and a lot more flexible than a Flex FP.

superangrypenguin

And a lot more expensive...I swear on bad days in my marriage, I think about how much more fun it would be to get a divorce and just enjoy my passion - flying. I'm recently married and no kids - $2/month for a year in spousal payments. Done. LOL Your lifestyle always comes top of mind during fights I'm jealous.

Tax Dude

There's no free upgrade with the Lat Europe Pass, so with the increase in eUp credits required that pass is less "worth it" for non-SEs.
I've had about a dozen Latitude passes of various types and found them very convenient. For the NA ones I generally book in advance and then use eUp credits. On occasion I'll switch at T-48, but usually I can't be bothered. That may change this year!

canadiancow

In IRROPS, the benefit of being in J instead of R is astronomical.

Every airport agent sees you in J and will put you on any flight. With R, a lot of them will only move you onto another flight in Y and put you on the waitlist.

kerfluffer

It's only eUps for upgrade to J with a Europe latitude pass. No fee, for any Aeroplan class. The only change is number of eUps.

Tax Dude

I agree with you, but it's probably more important for the routes you fly. It's never been an issue for me. I've been using the Lat passes mostly for Europe and YYT. Europe doesn't have the complimentary upgrade feature, and in any IRROPS situation from YYT (there have been more than a few) I've always ended up with a J seat.

canadiancow

OP was talking about FPs with the complimentary upgrade feature, so I thought that's all we were talking about

maradori

I feel your pain. I've got quite a few upgrades this year (almost burned through all my e-ups domestically) but still missed out on quite a few upgrades. Then again I'm on G fares so ...

:-: :-: :-: $2/mon :-: :-: :-: seems hella cheap. Do the divorce! @:-) @:-) @:-)

yyznomad

I'll weigh in although everyone seems to have covered it... figured since I have been using these Lat FPs ad nauseum I'll give it a go:

1. No, not really. No different than AC changing routes often in general which does not happen much over time.

2. I have never experienced this "bait and switch" yet. If anything, I buy a pass, and they soon after add a new route to it instead, which is great.

3. Where the comp ug is available on said FP, yes, I grab the R space based on P space and then at T-48 I cancel, rebook, and then do the comp ug to J. AFAIK, there is no longer a way to do a change to J when R unless you call in, which I hate doing.

Sean Peever

I very much appreciate you jumping in here yyznomad! I was even thinking of PM'ing you! I appreciate everyone's feedback and I love getting different points of view! But I also knew you are a huge buyer of these!