Romantic Getaway Flight Pass
Feb 2, 2024, 10:45 am
#76
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC SE 100K MM; Marriott Lifetime Titanium, Avis Presidents Club
Posts: 1,082
I agree that this is not a universally good deal - as with any FP, the value depends on one's travel patterns. But this FP is valid for all of North America, so it's good for e.g. YYZ-OGG or YVR-SJO during peak season - even advance basic fares can be a lot more than the per-credit cost of this FP in those cases. As you say, even domestically this could be a good deal for those who book at short notice or need flexibility.
Upside, lots of flexibility for last minute bookings, changes, route options, overall avg cost/segment. Downside, booked into Flex M so e-Ups were tricky on the well traveled trans-con trunk routes, especially YYZ/YVR + YEG/YYZ as I was booking mostly WB's or routes that oversell all the time and had to compete with everyone in PY being ahead of me, even as a SEMM I didn't clear as many as I would have hoped.
Will likely do it again this year, but with better advance planning to take full advantage of the breadth of destinations that would generally cost a lot more if booked without the FP.
Feb 2, 2024, 10:54 am
#77
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: 44,353
Downside, booked into Flex M so e-Ups were tricky on the well traveled trans-con trunk routes, especially YYZ/YVR + YEG/YYZ as I was booking mostly WB's or routes that oversell all the time and had to compete with everyone in PY being ahead of me, even as a SEMM I didn't clear as many as I would have hoped.
The J pass is more than I can just buy J or "basically guaranteed J" for.
The Flex M pass is... Flex M.
If there were a reasonably priced Latitude pass I'd seriously consider buying it.
Feb 2, 2024, 12:40 pm
#78
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: YYJ
Programs: AC SE*MM, Bonvoy LT Plat, HH Gold, National EE, Sixt Plat, Hz 5*
Posts: 2,440
Ya I have a couple of promotional Flex M passes I bought last year, and for upcoming travel I was able to just book PY for less, but had to go ex YVR instead of YYJ. I do think these flight passes are much more valuable to people that don't originate or terminate in YVR/YYC/YYZ/YUL, adding that extra YVR-YYJ hop can sometimes double the price of a regular ticket, but it's free on the FP.
Feb 4, 2024, 2:04 am
#80
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: YXY
Posts: 3,506
Also, the price per credit has increased by $154 or 19% (to Europe).
Last edited by sokolov; Feb 4, 2024 at 6:22 pm
Feb 11, 2024, 7:20 am
#81
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: YHZ
Programs: AC SE100K, AC 1MM, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold,Hertz something or other, Sandals Sapphire, etc
Posts: 1,163
North American Flex UFP. Pretty sure the fee applied from 2015 (when I bought my first one) to at least 2018....
Totally agree re: travel patterns. I bought a 3 mos NA UFP in the fall to hit my SQD for SE and worked hard to maximize the value, which resulted in a far lower per segment cost vs. buying all the tickets individually. Admittedly I did more flying than I would have organically to maximize my utility vs. $$ spent, and with better planning/flexibility I could have done even better on a cost/segment vs. single cash bookings.
Upside, lots of flexibility for last minute bookings, changes, route options, overall avg cost/segment. Downside, booked into Flex M so e-Ups were tricky on the well traveled trans-con trunk routes, especially YYZ/YVR + YEG/YYZ as I was booking mostly WB's or routes that oversell all the time and had to compete with everyone in PY being ahead of me, even as a SEMM I didn't clear as many as I would have hoped.
Will likely do it again this year, but with better advance planning to take full advantage of the breadth of destinations that would generally cost a lot more if booked without the FP.
Upside, lots of flexibility for last minute bookings, changes, route options, overall avg cost/segment. Downside, booked into Flex M so e-Ups were tricky on the well traveled trans-con trunk routes, especially YYZ/YVR + YEG/YYZ as I was booking mostly WB's or routes that oversell all the time and had to compete with everyone in PY being ahead of me, even as a SEMM I didn't clear as many as I would have hoped.
Will likely do it again this year, but with better advance planning to take full advantage of the breadth of destinations that would generally cost a lot more if booked without the FP.
Last edited by Adam Smith; Feb 11, 2024 at 1:19 pm Reason: Merge consecutive posts by same user
Feb 11, 2024, 9:00 am
#82
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC SE 100K MM; Marriott Lifetime Titanium, Avis Presidents Club
Posts: 1,082
Feb 11, 2024, 9:20 am
#83
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: YHZ
Programs: AC SE100K, AC 1MM, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold,Hertz something or other, Sandals Sapphire, etc
Posts: 1,163
But that's a function of any Flex fare on equipment with PY cabin. When it does clear its still less eup credits.
Not so much a downside of UFP as downside of Flex fare class. You could always buy a J UFP!
Not so much a downside of UFP as downside of Flex fare class. You could always buy a J UFP!
Feb 11, 2024, 1:00 pm
#84
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC SE 100K MM; Marriott Lifetime Titanium, Avis Presidents Club
Posts: 1,082
That's a fair point...I didn't think as a SE/MM that I would rank so low in the Aero-lotto...lesson learned...if I did it again I would be more careful about booking flights that had positive "R" space at T-14d and then try to SDC through the Concierge to the flight I actually want to be on...another YMMV experience I know.