mtacchi

Just curious if anyone is making bookings (more than they had planned on) on other *A carriers, to ensure their balances don't go to waste. Not saying they will, simply interested in how many believe AC saying they will protect aeroplan and whose not so sure?

Marc

ps, Personaly, I have a very low balance in one account (recent award, pre bankruptcy) and a low balance in another that I owe to another FT'er, so not mine to spend. If I had a couple hundred thou in a account, I would be booking tickets to OZ on AirNZ, or some other carrier. My .02

Marc

ffs852

I am *trying* to clear out my miles (~125K) a NYC-HKG RT Biz Class trip, however due to SARS, this option is gone

Interestingly, almost all AC Exec-class reward seat inventories for NYC-HKG in April to June are gone. Aren't people not afraid to catch the disease?

Andrew Yiu

Massive capacity cut for Apr & May. Most days there are only 1 flight per day to HKG (instead of 2).

StuMcIlwain

I would very much like to clean out my account. But this has nothing to do with AC's current financial problems. I don't like having more than about 50K in my account because historically points have always been devalued with time.

I'm now about 0/14 for booking Aeroplan awards in the past 13 months.

BlondeBomber

There are so many risks in the world that I place this near the bottom-middle. If you get in your car and drive you probably have a greater chance of getting hit than catching this disease, certainly a greater risk than dying from it.

Take a few extra precautions and I think you will be fine.

BlondeBomber

I think it is a good idea to keep your balances below 300k. I worked very hard over the last 3 years to get my balance down to about 100k but it will likely be up around 300k by year end even with redemptions.

- redemptions since 1995:
YTD 305000
2002 643000
2001 449000
2000 590000
1999 357000
1998 175000
1997 555000
1996 375000
- even at that I had trouble getting my balance down to below 500,000

Seem to be keeping it at bay now. Tough as you want to requalify for SE (with paid fares of course) but also want to get those miles down with reward travel.

Tractor Boy

For non-SEs the issue is the ability to get your balance down, as Stu pointed out. I would love to lower my balance but am consistently unable to get seats. As instant KK doesn't provide front cabin access at AC (unlike competitors) it is also of limited value.

------------------
Saturday nights should be spent with family.

shuuy

Booked my summer job flight YYC-NYC-LAS on UA, (had many options, and wanted to avoid YYC) and then back home on HP June - August. No problems with capacity, although I would have preferred YYC-YUL-EWR (but the non-stop to Montreal was W0).

Got a good 4.6c / mile redemption rate for a Y ticket... (I think anyway, please don't burst my bubble )

Shareholder

Interesting article in the ROB today, writer determining if he should switch from AeroGold to another miles/points credit card. His conclusion, he has done well with Aeroplan -- how come he with no status can get awards for both he and his wife, and also for 2 kids, when he wants them with no complaint? -- and plans to stay.

Sure, there will be a capacity crunch as people stampede to use their miles in spite of any reassurances. [According to ROB story, Aeroplan is not included in the AC brankruptcy as it has separate status. This would mean it could well buy seats on any airline that agrees to sell them, if AC never emerges from protection, a very slim possibility.] And AC reduces flights and routes. Biggest issue will be phase out of J on more domestic and transborder routes.

Like BB, I have done redemptions each year and my balance is still up there, with no intention of winding the account down.

Others here have been spending down their accounts all last year in protest to the changes, so this should make little difference.

T3

I'm in the same position as Stu - I simply can't seem to get any flights to destinations and/or approximate dates that I would want. Recently I had to burn some Delta miles to fly transborder. AC couldn't give me flights within a week of my preferred departure/return. There's three of us in a family business and we're all in same predicament.

Tax Dude

I cashed in a bunch of miles last summer to take the family to Italy on LH in F. We've still got a ton and I'm thinking of doing something similar this year. I haven't checked availability yet. I'm not too worried about the miles becoming worthless, I just don't like seeing them sitting there. As StuM pointed out, they're not getting more valuable with time.

Yesterday however, I did use some of my Air Miles! I've had the card since 12/92 (!) and never claimed a reward. I couldn't get the exact return flight I wanted with AP next month so I finally used up a bunch of those points to book tickets for me and the kids to YUL. 2,400 miles (Hmmm, that would represent $48,000 spent at the LCBO?)

StuMcIlwain

It all depends when and where you want to travel, and how early you can book. I rarely know what I'm doing more than 2 months in advance (actually, 2 months is a huge lead time for me), and most of my leisure flights are domestic.

jral

This is why I have faith...Aeroplan is too valuable to several powerful companies like CIBC. Onex knows the value and that we're all suckers for loyalty programs!

100,000miler

Well, I am sitting here with a huge stash of AE miles, lets just say well over 1 million.

I was always saving these for my retirement days (but thanks to NT and other wise investments, I will not be doing that for sometime!) and with AC in bankruptcy I am now wondering what to do. This is the first time I have seriously considered burning up my miles.

However, I am also torn to trying to retain my SE status for another year, if there is one.

So give me your best advice. I need it.

tcook052

Has anyone used AP miles to go to S. Pacific? Am very interested in seeing PPT or RAR with AC/NZ but would guess the rewards seats hard to come by to either sunspot.

As for burning mine, I'll quote Kenny Rogers song and say you gotta know when to hold them, know when to fold them and ,for now, I'm holding mine.