Why go for SE...just make E...and dump elsewhere
 

Now I have really looked at the plans, SE is not really much better than E..

Sure some of the certs have more value but why do an extra 65K, when you could get a fast track in another program....

I think the jury is still out in my house....

I really think they have to spice up the SE program or their are going to A LOT of EX-SE's, now with UA 1K or LH SEN and AC E. At very least ALL the earned upgrades after hitting E should be "Specials". or offer "any fare" upgrades, space available on day of travel. Otherwise there is nothing to hold you for the last 65K.

Good points.

It occurs to me that for less effort than AC SE you can probably get AC E and LH top-tier, which allows upgrades on both LH and UA.

So for the little bit you give up on AC, you pick up quite a lot on LH. For two years.

Now that I think about it, I think you could probably get AC E, LH top-tier and oneworld Sapphire for less effort than AC SE.

Unless I see a future option 4 (or 5,6...) for SE, I will most certainly cap out at E in 2004. My usual travel patterns will put me at that level by March at which point I will attempt to achieve status at either LH or UA.

Another option will be using up the 1.5 million AP miles in the bank after E status and flying gratus (that would be AP's version of gratus) for the rest of the year. No blackouts are the only significant remaining perk for SE and with the rumblings we hear it appears that is also going to change.

I wonder how AC would respond if J class was full of SE flyers (future E's) on award tickets for a significant portion of the year.

I'm looking at this as well. This year was my first when I hit the SE threshold, and I should top out around 125K.

Needless to say, I'm pleased I didn't do that MR LAX-HNL-LAX someone had suggested as a cheap way to do YYZ-LAX and get extran points back when I didn't think I'd make it. And I'm glad I cashed in points to go to VIE rather than paying to try to make SE. Obviously this would have been a waste because I made it under the original threshold, but even moreso if I had done it to get to 100K and then they lowered them. bah.

For those of us who fly predominantly transborder, has anyone else considered/decided on best option? One thing I'm not clear on with UA is if they will bump you up right away if you hit one of their elite levels during the year, or if it is for the next year only.

I'm someone who sometimes gets the cheap fares, but more often than not ends up on Y/M type levels due to last minute changes. On UA, this provides an automatic bump to F if there is space and you are an elite. On AC, it seems I would still be able to use more certificates than most.

So I'm fence-sitting right now. Would be interested in hearing from other transborder types as to where they are at. One obvious reason to at least keep AC Elite is the RCC access that the UA guys don't get.

Simon

My strategy would be to get Elite on AC (for other reasons) and then go for oneworld status on AA. Do a challenge so you get there quickly (some kind of elite status), then use it to comp you to UA. Try the two and see which you prefer (unless you already know) then make your decision for 2005 as to which to stick to.

For personal reasons, I don't fly AA nor US.

So that really leaves me with UA or go towards the DL/CO/NW cabal if I want to park miles elsewhere. I'd rather stick with *A if possible.

UA won't comp you though so that's why I was thinking AA and the challenge route then getting into UA through the backdoor.

Totally in agreement that the SE benefits are minimal, in fact a reduction. Of the 3 packages I would take the 8 SWUs, and could not care about the other benefits (MLL passes, oh how very generous!).

The only real benefit for SEs is a lower requalification threshold! The disadvantage for SEs is less certs!

Agree, there are options and AA wants us! OneWorld is just about as good as *A which is poor at SE recognition on other carriers. LH is about the only one that shows the occasional u/g out of courtesy!

I've thought about this over the past few days and I agree with the sentiment that the incremental value of SE over E is just not there anymore. Given that you need to fly nearly 3 times more miles to get SE its hard to see the rationale for this. It's actually quite disappointing and you have to think that AC just does not value our significant custom and loyalty. I will now concentrate on looking for other options for the coming year.

I've been SE ever since CP was folded into AC (was platinum before that). In the past I have refrained from dumping on AC. The SE program has worked quite well for me. I've been happy with the KK for SE, I've been prepared to pay for H on medium to long haul flights to be eligible for upgrades. I've also been able to get upgrades most of the time (partly by carefully monitoring C availability and choosing appropriate flights). I would have been quite happy to keep the same program as 2003, now I have to reassess things.

I should add that I am pleased for E members who feel they have a significant improvement in their program (though I agree with KH it may be more apparent than real). However, the very limited difference between the E and SE programs just doesn't adequately recognise the extra 65+ miles required for this status.

Quote by 100,000 miler:
The only real benefit for SEs is a lower requalification threshold!

That's not a benefit for next year;the lower Q miles needed is for the period ending Dec.31 this year for status in 2004.

Well I am still waiting advice from this forum but I have faxed my statements to UA to see if i can get a challange for 1K. I will get E with AC but not much sense going to SE. Also I might just get E and use up my AC points/AA points.
I know nothing about the LH program but since I already fly UA 60K I cant see its much good to me.
Anyhow waiting to here from FT what my options are. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

LH earns 200% Q miles in business and 300% in First. Can I upgrade to C from H (or L) on AC and collect M&M miles with the bonus? That might be an easy way to Senator. Would only take about 4 trips in C from Europe assuming 13K per trip. LHR-YVR-SYD return would get you half way.

While I'm not an SE, in my mind the unlimited instant KK is one HUGE benefit particularly given AC's lousy reward seat availability, that makes SE way superior to E. When you lose SE you will be faced with:
- 200% instant KK, not 100%
- blackouts when even 200% seats aren't available
- a limit of 2 front cabin reward seats on most flights
- elite instant KK that can't access the front cabin

I know RD has talked about improving seat availability but I'm sure it isn't going to be anything close to what you SEs currently get.

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Aeroplan: "worst in class" for reward seat availability

[This message has been edited by Tractor Boy (edited Dec 14, 2003).]

As I've been saying ad nauseum for the past three years, introduce a Lifetime Elite Award for a million Q-miles and, bingo, there will be a lot more SE's coming on-line, not so much because SE is a whole lot better than E, but because flyers will be on a ride towards the big million which would give them lounge access and priority boarding till they meet their maker.

What's that cost AC? Nothing.


[This message has been edited by Cam (edited Dec 14, 2003).]