Air Canada Altitude 2016 program for 2017 status
Nov 23, 2015, 1:10 pm
#121
Join Date: May 2011
Location: LHR / BCN
Programs: AC*E, BA, KL
Posts: 38
My 1st impressions of these new changes is that they are far too complicated and discriminate against those Canadians not currently based in Canada. I've flown more this year than I have before and could have hit SE for the 1st time but chose not to because I went with convenience. Turns out that it's actually not that bad flying without status on other carriers, especially when you can buy add-ons. So I think next year will be my last as an AC Elite after a good 10 year spell. I just can't be doing with a program that's so complicated - I just want to fly and be rewarded for it.
Nov 23, 2015, 1:11 pm
#122
Join Date: Mar 2014
Programs: AC SE100k, Marriott Titanium, UA Silver
Posts: 2,648
This announcement makes AC officially the leader in the revenue-based status world.
1) $20K requirement for the top-tier is one of the most demanding amount (if not the most) among all the revenue based FFPs out there.
2) No exceptions for people living outside of Canada.
3) No exceptions for credit card holders who spend more than a certain amount.
4) Tango vs Flex differential still exists for AQM and eUpgrade eligibility.
5) Miles not given based on amount spent while making earning status revenue based. (basically not rewarding those who buy expensive tickets)
All I can say is...and I said this many times before...AC keeps finding new ways to surprise me every year.
1) $20K requirement for the top-tier is one of the most demanding amount (if not the most) among all the revenue based FFPs out there.
2) No exceptions for people living outside of Canada.
3) No exceptions for credit card holders who spend more than a certain amount.
4) Tango vs Flex differential still exists for AQM and eUpgrade eligibility.
5) Miles not given based on amount spent while making earning status revenue based. (basically not rewarding those who buy expensive tickets)
All I can say is...and I said this many times before...AC keeps finding new ways to surprise me every year.
Honestly, they need to spell out what the benefits are to us. If they offer a crap ton of upgrades and a lot more benefits, then I'd be happy to do $20k. But not for the benefits they offered us in 2015.
Nov 23, 2015, 1:12 pm
#123
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: sqrt(-united states of apologist)
Programs: *$ Green
Posts: 5,403
You start to wonder where the breaking point is as well. We get devals (YQ/Copay) and then some people get them back (SE), people are saying they wanna see the benefits for 2017, but what could they give back that had been taken away? They've essentially killed the eUPs, AP miles have been devalued, adding in this AQD, etc etc. So what true benefit could they give you?
Where's the line of the devaluations? I'm not saying it's the FF apocalypse. The airlines are trying to weed our lower spenders. Airlines came up with these programs to reward frequent FLYING because by default that meant you were spending lots of money. Then alliances cam in and threw a bit of a wrench into things, then people figured out mileage running, and took back from the airlines again, so now they're taking back from ALL of us rather than just some.
So while I know this is another topic, what does 2020 look like? I'm gonna open a new thread for that, but I'm curious to what you all think.
Where's the line of the devaluations? I'm not saying it's the FF apocalypse. The airlines are trying to weed our lower spenders. Airlines came up with these programs to reward frequent FLYING because by default that meant you were spending lots of money. Then alliances cam in and threw a bit of a wrench into things, then people figured out mileage running, and took back from the airlines again, so now they're taking back from ALL of us rather than just some.
So while I know this is another topic, what does 2020 look like? I'm gonna open a new thread for that, but I'm curious to what you all think.
I was arguing with another FTer about the value given back to FFs just in terms of points.
Say one flies 100K miles and is SE, that person gets 200K AE miles. With that(give or take a few scraps), they can "buy" a R/T in F class. What's the $ value on that? $10K?
So by spending $20K with AC, you a $10K value in return! 50% ROI! Seems to me that just that alone is worth accumulating points!
Nov 23, 2015, 1:14 pm
#124
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC 50K, Marriott Lifetime Platinum
Posts: 1,552
This announcement makes AC officially the leader in the revenue-based status world.
1) $20K requirement for the top-tier is one of the most demanding amount (if not the most) among all the revenue based FFPs out there.
2) No exceptions for people living outside of Canada.
3) No exceptions for credit card holders who spend more than a certain amount.
4) Tango vs Flex differential still exists for AQM and eUpgrade eligibility.
5) Miles not given based on amount spent while making earning status revenue based. (basically not rewarding those who buy expensive tickets)
All I can say is...and I said this many times before...AC keeps finding new ways to surprise me every year.
1) $20K requirement for the top-tier is one of the most demanding amount (if not the most) among all the revenue based FFPs out there.
2) No exceptions for people living outside of Canada.
3) No exceptions for credit card holders who spend more than a certain amount.
4) Tango vs Flex differential still exists for AQM and eUpgrade eligibility.
5) Miles not given based on amount spent while making earning status revenue based. (basically not rewarding those who buy expensive tickets)
All I can say is...and I said this many times before...AC keeps finding new ways to surprise me every year.
Nov 23, 2015, 1:16 pm
#125
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2000
Posts: 12,069
I will buy the popcorn if you Know a good lawyer to help me figure out the legal stuff with these new offerings?
Nov 23, 2015, 1:17 pm
#126
Join Date: Sep 2013
Programs: AC SE100K, AA EXP, SPG Plt, HH Dmnd
Posts: 1,507
Wow. This really is the end!
I meet these requirements but honestly, this is the end of my relationship with AC. Not because it affects me substantially, but because of what they signal they think of their best customers.
I meet these requirements but honestly, this is the end of my relationship with AC. Not because it affects me substantially, but because of what they signal they think of their best customers.
Nov 23, 2015, 1:17 pm
#127
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: YVR
Programs: OZ Diamond, Jiffypark Manhattan Gold
Posts: 4,485
It's one thing to kill off the true bottom feeders though, it's another to kill off middle people. I suppose I artificially make SE on segments, but my spend with AC is pretty high, it's just not 20k high.
Nov 23, 2015, 1:19 pm
#130
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: YYC
Programs: AC SE
Posts: 2,343
Totally agree - while many FF may look at their total spend and say "yeah, I can spend $20k", many of the $ that a typical FF would spend on fees and partner flights aren't counted. Seems quite steep for them to start off at $20k for SE the first year of this; even $15K for SE would be a higher cpm than the other tiers.
Nov 23, 2015, 1:22 pm
#132
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: AC SE, SPG Lifetime Plat, ACMM
Posts: 3,535
This is called culling the ranks of SE's. In spite of ACs best efforts perhaps the number of S100Ks have not gone down too much and the cheapening of the product continues unabated. The 11,000 dollar extra spend from 75 to 100 is really quite steep. I suppose all ranks will have their benefits further enhanced and the new SE's will have great benefits to be revealed to them in Dec 2016. Just have faith and trust in AC and they will do the right thing by you. (Incidentally in 2020 you will need to spend 100,000 dollars to get SE status.)
I will have to see what happens to my RTW bookings which are 014 stock--they will have to break it down to the AC flights but how? SQ does do it for the PPS club qualification only
I will have to see what happens to my RTW bookings which are 014 stock--they will have to break it down to the AC flights but how? SQ does do it for the PPS club qualification only
Nov 23, 2015, 1:23 pm
#134
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: either in Salishaan, or at an isolated colliery in the Canadian northland
Programs: AC P75: previously, quintuple secret pterodactyl wings, every year
Posts: 203
Just received the e-mail, which included various typos and broken links....
Funny thing is that, even though I do plan to retire next month, and my travels thereafter shall be on floatplanes and ferries, I'd still requal as E100K for next year based upon this year's spend and segs. Heck, would even make SE150K on the strength of all-too-frequent multi-segment commuting on Dashes in and out of remote stations.
Maybe the goal of this exercise is to pare the SE ranks down to, I dunno, senators, MPs, and corporate litigators? Certainly not us hard-working colliers, not by half.
Funny thing is that, even though I do plan to retire next month, and my travels thereafter shall be on floatplanes and ferries, I'd still requal as E100K for next year based upon this year's spend and segs. Heck, would even make SE150K on the strength of all-too-frequent multi-segment commuting on Dashes in and out of remote stations.
Maybe the goal of this exercise is to pare the SE ranks down to, I dunno, senators, MPs, and corporate litigators? Certainly not us hard-working colliers, not by half.