Question: Altitude 25K vs 35K
Nov 29, 2017, 9:07 am
#46
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: YYZ
Programs: FOTSG Tangerine Ex E35k (AC)
Posts: 5,612
Extra benefits are checked baggage, priority security and boarding, lounge access, and 10 e-ups.
If she’s flying for work, her work should pay for the baggage. Also, if she’s flying for work (during office hours), ability to use e-ups will be low. If she has Nexus, then priority security is taken care of.
That leaves boarding and lounge.
Boarding really only matters if a carry-on is in play. If she’s traveling for work, at 34,000 AQM / $10k AQD, she’s probably on Flex or higher and a second bag at P25K can be checked. Traveling at those levels likely means there’s no need to minimize baggage carousel waiting time (whether it’s one or two bags).
Lounge access, with the discount, is about $300. So, this should be the determining factor. If she can get 1000 AQM for $300 — not likely to find a round trip YYCYVR for that — she’s on par with buying lounge access, but gets all of those other things included (like priority security of she doesn’t have Nexus or an extra free bag on a Tango fare for a personal trip)
Might be worth it to her...especially if she’s a person who’s tickled with priority boarding or doesn’t already have a Nexus card (or travels a lot on miles!)
If she’s flying for work, her work should pay for the baggage. Also, if she’s flying for work (during office hours), ability to use e-ups will be low. If she has Nexus, then priority security is taken care of.
That leaves boarding and lounge.
Boarding really only matters if a carry-on is in play. If she’s traveling for work, at 34,000 AQM / $10k AQD, she’s probably on Flex or higher and a second bag at P25K can be checked. Traveling at those levels likely means there’s no need to minimize baggage carousel waiting time (whether it’s one or two bags).
Lounge access, with the discount, is about $300. So, this should be the determining factor. If she can get 1000 AQM for $300 — not likely to find a round trip YYCYVR for that — she’s on par with buying lounge access, but gets all of those other things included (like priority security of she doesn’t have Nexus or an extra free bag on a Tango fare for a personal trip)
Might be worth it to her...especially if she’s a person who’s tickled with priority boarding or doesn’t already have a Nexus card (or travels a lot on miles!)
Nov 29, 2017, 12:52 pm
#47
Join Date: Apr 2013
Programs: Yes, I belong.
Posts: 361
Correct. Although my mention of waiting at the luggage carousel wasn’t in reference to priority baggage, just that it sounds like the flyer could check what would normally be a carry on and not be significantly impacted. If the flyer is flying 10 round trips per year, only with a carry on, with a 15 minute wait on each end, thats 10 trips x 2 directions x 0.25 hours per direction = 5 hours waiting at the carousel in lieu of the benefit of priority boarding (which is to find bin space). If the flyer is already checking one piece on each flight, then checking a second (the carry on) would add 0 hours more at the carousel.
Nov 29, 2017, 4:48 pm
#48
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: 44,331
I've probably checked multiple bags under 5 times in my life as SE, and I can explicitly recall two where bag 1 came out first, and bag 2 came out last.
For me, checking a second bag has, on average, added 20 minutes at the carousel per instance
Dec 12, 2017, 1:17 pm
#50
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2017
Programs: Aeroplan
Posts: 8
Well, here's what my situation looks like now. I have hit my 35 segments for the year, but am short on AQD. I actually thought I was closer on the AQD. Even with 3 segments left to count towards the AQD, it won't bring me to $4000.
I'll have the 25K status, but looks like I will miss out on 35K... unless anyone knows of a rabbit I can pull out of my hat
I'll have the 25K status, but looks like I will miss out on 35K... unless anyone knows of a rabbit I can pull out of my hat
Dec 12, 2017, 1:57 pm
#51
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: YVR - MILLS Waypoint (It's the third house on the left)
Programs: AC*SE100K, wood level status in various other programs
Posts: 6,232
Dec 12, 2017, 2:41 pm
#53
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: YVR
Programs: AC SE 2MM; UA MP Premier Silver; Marriott Bonvoy LT Titanium Elite; Radisson; Avis PC
Posts: 35,255
Dec 12, 2017, 11:36 pm
#55
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 336
