shore9

Thinking about it, if you do a bit of international travel, 3 times a year, you should easily qualify for elite status. For example YVR - LHR is about 4000 miles, if you are travelling in J that will be 12,000 miles after the return trip and the 50% bonus. If you do this trip 3 times a year that's 36,000 miles and your qualified. What I don't get is why do you need 60 one-way segments to qualify for elite status or 35,000 miles, 60 one way segments is insane, for someone doing that they should be givin SE

cattle

Hate to break it to you but you only get 50% bonus for J domestically, not internationally.

Also, many many people fly 60 segments in one year. Yes it is quite something but the insane ones to me are the people who make SE on 150 segments

I want to say that anyone who reaches 18k for Prestige is still flying a lot. Yes some do it with one trip overseas but most domestic fliers spend considerable time away from home to reach that level. Sometimes those who fly 35k+ per year forget (not suggesting anyone here though) that 18k is also a lot compared with the regular vacation travelers. Some of us just happen to fly too much

Hope I didn't dash your hopes of reaching Elite on 3 trips

fromYYZ_flyer

All this talk about 60 segments is making me relize I will not reach Elite in my lifetime of YYZ-YUL flights! . I guess I am destined for a lowly Prestige!

Tractor Boy

I agree - particularly for domestic travellers. And yet Aeroplan won't let these frequent customers book a reward flight when they want one - something the US airlines offer to even basic members.

Aeroplan: Worst in class for reward seat availability.

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Saturday nights should be spent with family.

liveinahotel

I'm sure that this has been beaten to death on the board, but as I'm relatively new to posting, I've haven't seen it.

To me, calling Aeroplan a "Frequent Flyer" program is a bit of a misnomer. A few years ago, I had no status, but started working in New York and was flying back and forth pretty much every 2 weeks. I ended up having 58 segements, and about 30,000 miles, plus countless hours in LGA or EWR with the inevitable delays, and no lounge access, or priority AC reservation numbers to try and make alternative arrangements due to constant weather related cancellations. Revenue to AC about $15,000. Not huge, but nothing to sneeze at. Looking back, I should have tried to make two more segments, but as it was, I got to 58 on Dec. 30. End result...Prestige.

Contrast this with a friend of mine who made 2 trips to Japan, 1 trip to Vancouver, and 1 trip to EWR during the year. Total of 8 segments and just over 35,000 miles. Total revenue to AC, about $5,000. End result...Elite.

I know, I know, too bad so sad for me. I'm not looking for sympathy, but to me, this doesn't really make sense. Given that I'm now flying exclusively internationally, I don't seem to have any problems with the system...

sydneyracquelle

I know some people who make elite for $3,000-$4,000 of revenue for cheap transborder "L" class, seat-sale, fares, or very cheap trips to Asia/Europe on deep-discounted tickets, however, that is the incentive in the current system.

airbus320

I think that the days of obtaining status only based on status miles are dwindling. AC seems to be slowly tweaking the fare structure and the mileage obtained. For competitive reasons, AC can't completly shut down mileage accumulation on low priced tickets especially on routes with competitors, but I believe they are working hard at implmenting a new accumulation structure. It probably will end up being a combination of revenue and miles; or two separate streams one based on revenue and the other based on miles flown and fare.

Tax Dude

Well, this year you could do it easily for about $1,800-$1,900 by doing a SIN (21K) and a HKG (16K) run. It really seems out of whack when compared to someone flying YYZ-YUL or YYC-YVR every week. As cattle mentioned, 18K of domestic flying is a huge amount especially when much of that will be 50% or even 0% status miles.

I expect some real changes next year. I don't know what's coming, but I don't think I'll like it!

YOWkid

Shamelessly, I'm one of the ones that made Elite spending less than 3000CAD (these transatlantic trips home may explain why I'm now poor). However, it does definitely makes student travel a lot more interesting when one is able to crack open a textbook over wine and cheese or a good beer!

LondonElite

Just to throw a little fuel on the flames, consider how much time is spent on this website trying to crack mileage runs to get maximum status for minimum spend. Then check how many threads grumble at how unfair the FF programmes are.

My point is that most people recognise that coming up with a perfectly fair programme is almost impossible. If airlines make it revenue dependent a whole bunch of us scream that loyalty should count too. Make it mileage flown dependent and people who do weekly hops between close city pairs scream that they are unfairly disadvantaged.

AC's programme is not perfect, but neither is anyone else's. I know there are people here who shoot Aeroplan down all the time and tell us that airline XX has THE best frequent flyer programme, but you can aloways poke holes in any one of then, it just depends what you want out of it and what your travel patterns are.

shuuy

I think that AC needs to remember that its part of the *A, and while it might make a change to its program, it might drive flyers elsewhere... (Yes, LE, you're right -no one program is perfect and meets both the needs of the pax and the company perfectly and equally).

So in my situation, if I won't make status on 3x YYC-LHR cheapie flights, then could I do it on 3x UA YYC-DEN-LHR (where I'll be getting E+ seating as well)?

I guess the question is how much is the inconvenience and the difference (~C$200) worth to me for the points?

O

acysb87

So what do you call a guy who does a 100 segments a year?,and is still only a Stupid Elite.

Prestige

Just a suggestion:
Keep the current Q miles at 18k, 35k and 100k (international flyers will still make status)
Reduce Q segments to 20, 40 and 110 (domestic travelers will have chance at status)

Remember a few years back (for 2000 qualification) Canadian Plus offered Club, Gold, and Executive Platinum for 15, 45 and 120 Q segments respectively.


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Prestige

[This message has been edited by Prestige (edited 10-15-2003).]

LondonElite

AC has one of the easiest *A programmes in which to earn *G (BD and UA sort of come close). 35,000 miles (internationally) is really not a lot. I know people moan about having to fly 70,000 domestically, but combine it with a bit of international and you are around 50,000, which is on par with most of the rest of *A. LH requires 100,000 miles (150,000 if you live in Germany or Austria) to hit SEN on Y fares. (Once you make it, of course, subsequent years are easier because of the bonuses) That's a lot of flying in Y.

nomad1

I am one of the "insane". Will fly segment 180 today since Jan 1. And that is Aeroplan segments. Does not include 5 reward segments or 10 AA segments.

Average ticket price is $800 return trip.

So my (actually my clients) spend is >$65,000