Air Canada Altitude 2016 program for 2017 status
Nov 27, 2015, 8:38 am
#751
Moderator, Air Canada; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: YYC
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But based on the comments around here, I think a 20 cpm threshold for the other tiers would have pissed off a lot of people.
And how do you deal with IRROPs etc?
True, but AC doesn't, so a YQ waiver remains very valuable for those who get it.
Nov 27, 2015, 8:49 am
#752
Join Date: May 2013
Location: YYT/YYC/TPE
Programs: AC SE, UA, National Exec Elite, Nexus, GE
Posts: 1,810
As long as the *A partner flight has a codeshare with AC, you can always book the itinerary with the actual *A flight number. For example, YYT-YUL-ZRH-LHR-YYT January 12 departure and January 18 return V booking class can be booked as either AC8637-AC6820-AC6829-AC823 or AC8637-LX87-LX316-AC823. I would book the latter, and in most cases the price would be the same (in this particular example the price is higher by $23 CAD due to LX YR). AC reservations will ticket the itinerary either way. IRROPS is a non-issue as this is still one PNR.
Nov 27, 2015, 8:52 am
#753
Moderator, Air Canada; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: YYC
Programs: AC SE MM, FB Plat, WS Plat, BA Silver, DL GM, Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, Accor Silver
Posts: 16,767
As long as the *A partner flight has a codeshare with AC, you can always book the itinerary with the actual *A flight number. For example, YYT-YUL-ZRH-LHR-YYT January 12 departure and January 18 return V booking class can be booked as either AC8637-AC6820-AC6829-AC823 or AC8637-LX87-LX316-AC823. I would book the latter, and in most cases the price would be the same (in this particular example the price is higher by $23 CAD due to LX YR). AC reservations will ticket the itinerary either way. IRROPS is a non-issue as this is still one PNR.
Nov 27, 2015, 8:56 am
#754
Join Date: May 2013
Location: YYT/YYC/TPE
Programs: AC SE, UA, National Exec Elite, Nexus, GE
Posts: 1,810
For economy class tickets, generally no. For premium economy, codeshares may be more expensive; and for discounted business class, definitely a nightmare!
Nov 27, 2015, 9:03 am
#755
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Canada
Programs: Virtuoso TA, Four Seasons Pref Partner, Rosewood Elite TA, Ritz Carlton STARS TA
Posts: 4,737
All AC codes shares (and heck all *A) can get goofy. I've been doing UA fares YUL-LGA for less than the AC fare for a while now. AC doesn't seem to care.
Nov 27, 2015, 9:15 am
#756
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC SE MM; SPG Plat
Posts: 424
Nov 27, 2015, 9:31 am
#757
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Canada
Programs: AC SE 2MM, HH Dd, SPG; IC Pl/A; AA; DL
Posts: 14,321
Since the following post may be too long for many people, I will summarise a lot of my comments here:[LIST][*]$20K is not outrageous for SE status.[*]AC will likely botch the implementation of the IT on AQD.[*]Hopefully AC will come to its senses and loosen the requirement as far as *A partners go, because this will be a big stumbling block for a lot of us.[*]Some people (including many on FT) think they are good customers for AC because they fly a lot on AC/*A and rack up a lot of AQM/AQS, but they're not as good customers as they think. Get over it.
The party has been over for some time but for those partygoer hangers-on still waking up with a hangover, the party is OFFICIALLY over.
I took full advantage of all the opportunities since 1998 as SE. I have been gradually switching over for the last couple of years to a more efficient mode of thinking (sometimes more costly, sometimes not) to get the benefits that I want from which ever carrier I fly. Doesn't mean there still aren't ways to derive the "best value" out of Altitude and I continue to explore those options--after all it is MY money and I have found some great deals on AC with flight passes that have saved me a bundle while keeping status.
Nov 27, 2015, 9:45 am
#758
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, BA Gold, SQ Silver, Bonvoy Tit LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond
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Clearly, the LX marketed flight makes them significantly less money than booking it as an AC codeshare.
Nov 27, 2015, 10:22 am
#759
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2011
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Nov 27, 2015, 11:21 am
#760
Moderator, Air Canada; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: YYC
Programs: AC SE MM, FB Plat, WS Plat, BA Silver, DL GM, Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, Accor Silver
Posts: 16,767
It's a benefit of status. If you will fly mostly with AC and/or accumulate lots of Aeroplan miles because that's what works for your flying/spending patterns, you're better to have status and get the YQ waiver than not.
Nov 27, 2015, 11:44 am
#762
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, BA Gold, SQ Silver, Bonvoy Tit LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond
Posts: 44,324
I had the opportunity to access a UA GS account to see if she could get me some flights that I couldn't through Aeroplan.
Her availability on UA, even in Y, was lackluster (at the saver levels). An AC SE has access to way more in both Y and J than a UA GS (I assume 1K is even less) on UA metal.
So sure, they avoid the LH YQ. But I know I can get a flight anywhere any time on AC metal in Y.
If you earn 200k miles per year, and want to fly LH F as your one big trip, then yes, UA is better. But if you can't plan your trips 355 days in advance, and just want to be able to book a last minute SFO-YYZ in J, AC is better.
Nov 27, 2015, 2:47 pm
#763
Join Date: May 2013
Location: YYT/YYC/TPE
Programs: AC SE, UA, National Exec Elite, Nexus, GE
Posts: 1,810
While I don't dispute the profit distribution of the codeshares booking, I generally ensure all of my TATL segments are on AC metal because I can use eUp. The problem I have is that AC doesn't fly to ARN/OSL/TXL/DUS, so I am forced to use SK or LH. It's not the customer's fault that AC doesn't fly to all destinations. If I ticket on a 014 stock, I don't think I need to be punished for their own lack of destinations. That's why alliances were established.
Nov 27, 2015, 3:01 pm
#764
Join Date: May 2005
Location: YOW
Programs: AC-SE100K MM, BA-S HH-D, MB-G LT Sil, IHG-Plt, Nexus, Global Entry
Posts: 3,803
That's the reason I don't book codeshares, even if they earn me AQD next year. There are just so many disadvantages with codeshares that make them unattractive: no online check-in, no seat selection, no upgrades.
My flying pattern next year, even without booking codeshares, will clear $20K AQD no problems, so I will not put myself in a disadvantaged position.
My flying pattern next year, even without booking codeshares, will clear $20K AQD no problems, so I will not put myself in a disadvantaged position.
--
13F
Nov 27, 2015, 3:25 pm
#765
Join Date: May 2006
Location: MYF/CMA/SAN/YYZ/YKF
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This will certainly advantage US-based Altitude members, as the non-SE rates are cheap in USD. The $20k for SE is ~ $14k USD at current rates, which is steeper than UA, but by $2k. That 014 requirement sucks, however.