filthycasual

I'm currently at 67,731 AQM, and with a trip to Calgary in Economy G next week, I will be just over 7100. Was wondering if in your opinion a $1000 flight to YVR for the remaining 4000 AQM would be worthwhile to get back to E75K, instead of down to E50K.

I don't use flight passes at all, so the benefits are the additional eUpgrades, and 75% bonus Aeroplan miles.

This was the first year I made AQD for SE, but fell short on the miles.

gabdusch

If it were me I'd do a 29,000 mile MR to SE, with the kind of AQD you have.

jc94

What are you flying patterns to make use of the additional eUps. Does your partner or other want E35k gifted?

I would look at cost to do a 29k run. I suspect it’s prohibitive unless you are wanting to use lots of J IKK and avoid copay on AP rewards and TATL/TPAC upgrades next year.

RangerNS

The question, as always, is will it be worth while for you.

If you organically travel about the same next year (71k), then the bonus miles is 17750, and +15 eUp credits. That will get a single economy short-haul ticket, and depending on which fare bucket and how far you normally fly, maybe 3 or 4 RT upgrades (but probably only 2). Combined, that doesn't look like $1000 worth of value to me. Maybe $500 (there isn't any place short-haul away from YHZ that I would care to visit, so personally I value that at $0)

However, it's holiday season, so maybe dropping into family or fiends $1000 away is worth $500 to you. IDK you. You do you.

jc94

Awesome typo

+1 depends on OPs flying patterns.

filthycasual

Thanks for the responses. I've been consistently at E75K for the past 3 years, flights spread evenly between North America and Hawaii, this is the first year that Euro travel on Premium Economy or Business has increased my AQD accordingly. Potentially next year I will have more European, Africa, and Middle East travel.

My wife doesn't normally travel with me, so I have always chosen the eUpgrade points and the Altitude bonus. She does go back to Asia once a year, so it's nice to collect all the extra miles and get a free ticket yearly.

A 29K run seems way too cost prohibitive, basically have to fly around the world during the holiday season.

And yes, there are definitely fiends I would rather visit than family in some cases.

Plumber

So would I...

Given that you will hit the AQD with enxt weeks flight, you dont need to stick to AC---maybe you can find some decent UA fares in P in the next couple of weeks that could garner you 150% of miles..

Symmetre

I've always felt the only levels worth stretching for are 50k and 100k, since the incremental benefits of 35k and 75k don't seem worth the effort. Given your spend, it's worth trying to find a cheapy RTW or TPAC (not necessarily on AC metal) to get to SE - or close enough you can buy up cheaply. If you're doing more TATL travel next year, that could be worthwhile.

IluvSQ

A run to 75 K is not worthwhile. ( as a 75 K who will drop to MM 50 K next year).
But SE is, and maybe something like the below would do it reasonably:

UA: EWR-SIN $409 RT (22233mi, 1.8cpm)

( You have the AQD's, but would have to check the UA fare class mapping to AE)

jc94

Remember buy ups are not guaranteed. Last year they started offering for up to E50k only, then a few people (here so clearly a subset) were offered out to SE. There is no guarantee AC will offer any let alone to everyone with x requirements.

filthycasual

I played around with a few options, even counting the threshold 1500 AQM gift, but just couldn't make it work. Would have been nice to visit family in TPE for a few days, but even on business class the miles don.t add up.

Looks like I'll be 50K next year, try again for SE in 2019.

jc94

Based on what I’m seeing you may get a $1k buy up offer I’d rather fly somewhere for a weekend for $1k myself. If I were to do it at all.

Jumper Jack

If you have someone to gift a E35K status with?