jc94

P25k is Z3 as of this year I believe, not Z2. However what you describe indicates you benefited from an IT error of ACs rubbish system in your favour.

Or if you regained SE last month... well as soon as you got early E35 you’d be back on Z2 no?

alc

I was zone 2 on flights that I am in Y from March 1st, until I regain SE. The exception were all my YTZ-YUL-ORD flights where I purchased a J ticket with this Y segment and I got Z1 for that as well, even it was in Flex fare.

That is why I thought it was my Aeroplan VISA (I have both TD and CIBC) that was doing the trick.

I will edit my post above.

jc94

You said you regained SE last month, I assume you mean you got early qualification for SE back in October. If you were P25 in March, and made SE in October I assume you were flying on average 10k a month, so to have made E35k early qualification in March isn't too much of a stretch, or did you get SE via some other route?

alc

i didn't get E35K until 1st week of Oct. I was doing EYW. so I have P25K from March 1st until end of Sept. i didn't have much flying this year prior to the EYW trips, but I did have an oversea reward ticket in Y on AC Metal (both outbound and inbound) in there as a P25K that also got me Z2 as well.

rgk

I have to hand it to anyone who's getting SE status, like I said at the top of this thread, I am just on the verge of 35K status and I feel like I am flying all the time. Can't imagine how much time I'd be in the air to get over the 100 mark.

jc94

Ah ok, thanks! On the issue pass, AC IT at its finest I think but good for you. Plenty of cases where zones have been wrong on odd flights.

There are two ways to all statuses, the easy way is 3 RT trips from YYT to SYD or similar in J/F and then a quick hope for a few missing miles. The hard way is on the Y only planes and segment hopping.

eracerblue

There are very few that do SE by segments. A glance at the SE qualification thread shows people getting SE with less than 35 segments, which shows one of the ways the program is heavily skewed in favor of mileage over actual "frequent fliers". A guesstamit calculation showed nearly the same number of hours/days I spent going to/from airports (includes flight time) getting E50K, compared to what a mixed medium/long hauler would at 34 segments getting SE. And they actually get to use their eUps etc.

But I digress. From the sounds of it, all of your travel is YVR-YXS, in which case, you're in a similar boat to me: E75K would get me very little over E35K, which would get you very little over a properly selected (and economical) credit card card. Even SE only basically adds Concierge + IKK (ease to use points at low point cost). E35K over E25K... $300 buys a lot of drinks and way better food than domestic MLL's.

IF you actually have a number of TCON or any longer hauls, then it could well be worth it. As mentioned above, just try paying the change fee for a funny routing on one of your remaining trips.

Bohemian1

When I saw that I was going to be a lowly P25K going into 2017, I sat down and thought about both travel patterns and what was important to me. Most of my travel is transborder and using e-ups can be challenging at lower status. For me, getting on early so I can get some overhead space and having to ability to chill in the lounge between flights were my top priorities.

So, I got a Visa Infinite Privilege card which gives me Zone 2 and managed to convert some Aeropesos into a MLL card that also gets me into S* lounges. Next year will be different because I'm back to E50K and will be travelling transoceanic more often.

But figure out what is important to you and go from there.

RangerNS

What now?


Personally, I can't imagine getting it with miles.

yosemite1

if you fly AC domestic often 35k is probably worth it for check in / boarding etc

jc94

25k gets priority checkin

SilverBane

To me it would be worth it as most flights out of PG are either DH3 or Q400. Getting on first, especially on the q400, is worth it IMO if I am travelling 15 round trips a year.

eracerblue

I take it they haven't reintroduced SkyCheck valet up there for Q400's?

Worry of carry on space on a crowded flight is about the only thing that motivates me to board early. Otherwise boarding last is my privilege.

eracerblue

Dear god. When I said "very few", I was actually thinking of you. Shudder, I had no idea!

You're averaging around a dozen AQS/mo?! I have done that for a month or two, and wouldn't wish that on anyone ongoing, especially in Y. What's your lifetime AQS?

Pretty sure that if you double down and hit both AQM and AQM for SE the CEO himself will become your own personal concierge!

You should be fast tracked to 2MM at once!

RangerNS

4+ segments a week, and I'm on the road "all" the time. No work for me in Canada this year, so everything is a connection through YYZ or YUL. I did have 6 weeks in NJ, so direct to EWR was possible, in theory, but via YUL was preferable for reasons not only because YHZ has no TB MLL.

I'm now in year 3 of this job, so lifetime isn't great. 236 segments on AC revenue. Maybe 2 dozen more on rewards, booked by corporate, or when even I couldn't justify (or was literally impossible) to spend OPM on AC.

I've got two more trips planned. DC and NJ. DC is booked, routed through YYZ both ways. Mahwah via Toronto might just get me to 100k the "easy way".

As for a personal concierge, I'd be happy with the occasional free up to a bigger seat and a couple of doubles on the way home from Toronto when it is otherwise only crickets enjoying the sanctity that is the e190 J.