Adam Smith

Since people keep posting about this in various threads, I guess it's time to create a new thread.

But since nothing has been announced yet, presumably not much will change for 2024. (This post to be updated once something is announced)

Although if people would like to speculate otherwise, this would be the place to do it.

Update: there are no major changes for 2024. A few minor tweaks were announced in October 2023, some of which were effective immediately.

canadiancow

I speculate that nothing will change.

Adam Smith

I speculate that you're correct. At least materially. It would be unusual to announce any meaningful changes this late in the year.

canadiancow

Yeah, I should add a "materially" clause to my statement.

They've already turned bundle 2 into core benefits and changed the lower requalification select benefit.

Now that I think about it, I disagree with the premise of this thread. The announcement has already been made. There are changes. And we know what they are.

TheCanuckian

That's my understanding. It would be odd if they made these announcements and then made a second batch that changed the game a lot. Maybe one or two more subtle "enhancements" that weren't worth including in the original announcement. (Sooner or later they're probably going to raise the SQD amounts for the different tiers—or at least for SuperElite. But perhaps not quite yet. But I guess that might be for a different thread.)

IluvSQ

I still want to know why I cannot get lounge passes for use in early Jan.

zorn

I am guessing they will not be announcing a solution to the problem of "I want to book in December some flights in March in Latitude and upgrade them now but I cannot because the credits that I I now have and that I will not use (but 50 of which will be rolled over) expire too soon and the annual dump of eupgrade credits into my account doesn't happen until January".

lcohen999

AC has landed on what they want from their Elite programs. Everyone seems happy, they have people spending money on flights to hit 25/35k. Overall as an SE I am happy.

Rollover is nice

Everything is expected. Would I like SS access on a non J ticket...sure...but thats just because it would be nice to have.

I appreciate the stability

Stranger

Perhaps a bit too nice?

Still, that involves credit cards, so not so easy to change, not just a case of AC changing unilaterally.

InTheAirGuy

It's not what they might add/take away with the benefits.

It's that the benefits are increasingly useless, as documented throughout many threads here:

- huge degradation in value/responsiveness of the Concierge program
- Concierge line that simply doesn't answer
- ongoing reduction in upgrade availability due to R manipulation, lower capacity, and full flights
- overcrowded lounges,, often to the extent that SE can't even get in
- massively broken phone trees
- assigning obviously knowledge-marginal staff who cannot deal with even simple requests

10 years ago, SE meant that you could instantly reach someone who could solve your problem in minutes. Today, it's highly unlikely that this will happen.

So we can speculate all we want in 2024, but the simple fact of the matter is that many of the so-called benefits are seriously broken, and there is no action to fix them or executive involvement by anyone at AC to address them. All we get is a hot air torch of pathetic excuses.

taupo

Never mind the 2024 bennies, how about qualification levels for 2025 that need to be earned in 2024?

acysb87

You are spot on in your observations ITAG

warrens

Feels to me like a lot of the benefits offered by Aeroplan Elite Status get held back in their effectiveness by the airports.

• Zone 1 boarding is a travesty at some gates. Not enough space...
• Priority Security doesn't actually skip the entire line. You still end up stuck behind people who brought 3 layers of jackets, 6 aerosol cans, 9 iDevices that don't power up, 14-hole Doc Martens, and a big Texas belt buckle...
• Lounge access is meaningless at some times because of long lines -- not enough physical space available for appropriately-sized lounges...
• Priority Baggage is meaningless because it's not consistently enforced by the airport baggage systems.

songsc

AC (and most airlines/hotel chains) never promised to offer much tangible benefits to begin with. E-up credits are not guaranteed upgrades. AP miles are not "free" flights on the exact route/date you want, lounge access is about having eligibility, not guaranteed entry. There is no SLA for the wait time of call centre, concierge, checkin line, etc. All these downgrades, or dilutions, are foreseeable back when AC and travel related loyalty programs extended status and selling status in one way or another.

It's really hard to argue AC breached any T&C here, just like it's hard to argue with hotels regarding room upgrade "based on availability".

Bohemian1

Sure, but the point warrens made is still valid - the actual delivery and quality of the advertised "benefits" has gone down, versus what many of us have experienced in the past.

What that looks like in 2024 is anyone's guess. I agree that some changes have already been communicated, but I hope that we see at least some improvement in actually receiving on the ground what was excitedly marketed to us.