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Getting status miles when travel policy won't allow it!

Getting status miles when travel policy won't allow it!

Old Feb 11, 2005, 12:11 pm
  #1  
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Getting status miles when travel policy won't allow it!

Wow - my first post on FT!!! I've been a lurker for several months now and I have to thank the entire gang here for enlightening me on the goings on of a frequent traveller. I changed jobs recently and only geared up my travel in the fall of '04, enough to make Prestige (Lite - thus followed with interest the thread on this topic). The good thing is that most of my travel is short-haul and the new lower segment numbers will help me to make Elite this year.

My question is as follows: Most of my travel is from YYZ to YUL, YWG, YYC and LAX or SFO (with a once in a blue moon trip to LHR). However, the company I work for has a travel policy that says lowest fare rules (which, in Canada is Tango and its non-status miles. It's not so bad for the US as fun fares usually undercut Tango). Any secrets on getting around this to get status miles (without the obvious one which is to ignore the policy!)

Supplemental question - has anyone found a way to avoid the 50% restriction on Canada miles by routing a flight through a US city (eg ORD or DEN) to YYC/YVR? Is it possible given open skies restrictions? if so, how does one book it?

Thanks a lot and keep up the great work!!!! ^
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Old Feb 11, 2005, 12:25 pm
  #2  
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You should make a deal with your employer that you will pay the difference between TANGO and FUN fares, so you can earn status miles. And if you are willing. In many cases, this represents maybe $50 a trip. Though right now I am seeing many FUN fares on domestic routes that a even a few dollars less than TANGO fares.

Routing through the US will be much more expensive, since you'll have to fork out two sets of US fees since you cannot ticket this as a single itinerary on AC. Sometimes NW shows Canadian transcons by connecting through MSP between YYZ and YEG, YYC or YVR. However, while these did occasionally show up on booking engines like ITN, I am not sure one could actually book such trips.

Last edited by Shareholder; Feb 11, 2005 at 12:29 pm
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Old Feb 11, 2005, 1:02 pm
  #3  
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Shareholder - thanks ^

I guess the lesson here is to continue to surf for the best fares going!

Regards,
Mozzarella
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Old Feb 11, 2005, 1:33 pm
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Welcome to Ft Mozzarella

One of the things I've done in the past that helped was to book flights through UA/AC codeshares on UA ticket stock. I've not done it for domestic routes, but I've managed to fly YYZ - LAX on UA ticket stock for about $75 less than a Tango fare on AC. The bonus was the UA flights were all codeshares on AC metal, so not only did I get full Status miles, I also got to upgrade at the gate using SSWU's.

As an experiment download the UA schedule to get the codeshare flight numbers and see if a local TA can get you discount UA fares on those flights. If you get a competitive fare, you'll get full Q miles at a competitve price. The last time I did this was in late October of last year, so the window might have closed, but its worth looking.

DF
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Old Feb 11, 2005, 2:27 pm
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Thanks DF. I had read on another thread that there is a risk that if you fly on AC metal that certain UA fares would be treated as Tango fares with no status miles (since the flights get credited to AP with the original AC number and not the code share #). Have you come across that issue with your strategy?

Mozza
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Old Feb 11, 2005, 3:14 pm
  #6  
 
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Originally Posted by Mozzarella
the company I work for has a travel policy that says lowest fare rules (which, in Canada is Tango and its non-status miles. It's not so bad for the US as fun fares usually undercut Tango).
How much choice do you have on flight times. One way to avoid tango fares is to check online first for flights where tango is already sold out and request those specific flights...

Originally Posted by Mozzarella
Supplemental question - has anyone found a way to avoid the 50% restriction on Canada miles by routing a flight through a US city (eg ORD or DEN) to YYC/YVR? Is it possible given open skies restrictions? if so, how does one book it?
The airline cannot sell you a single ticket for such a routing, you can do it yourself by buying two tickets but then you have a lot of pain as a result, no protection for misconnects, huge pain with checked bags and potential hassles with customs. Not worth it.
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Old Feb 11, 2005, 3:18 pm
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Originally Posted by Mozzarella
Any secrets on getting around this to get status miles (without the obvious one which is to ignore the policy!)
As SH suggested, it's pretty easy to book the Tango fare online, and print off the receipt which you submit with your expenses. Then upfare to Fun and pay the difference out of your pocket. This will cost you $30 plus the fare difference up to the day of departure, or $150 day-of-travel at the airport. I did this recently for a yvr-yyz-yul trip, and the difference was about $140 which will get me a J seat (with sswu courtesy of another FT'er) and 125% status miles vs. 50% non-status. ^

Welcome to FT!
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Old Feb 11, 2005, 3:54 pm
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Originally Posted by Mozzarella
Thanks DF. I had read on another thread that there is a risk that if you fly on AC metal that certain UA fares would be treated as Tango fares with no status miles (since the flights get credited to AP with the original AC number and not the code share #). Have you come across that issue with your strategy?

Mozza
Yeah that's a real problem because there is no direct mapping between UA fare codes and AC fare codes. I do know that a W fare on UA = a Q fare on AC so an SSWU will work. As for the other fares in the airline alphabet soup you're best to ask directly about the Q miles eligibility from AP. Most TA's and even many AC counter people wouldn't have a clue about Q miles unless they are like the experts on FT and actually fly.

DF
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Old Feb 11, 2005, 7:20 pm
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Agreed. I flew UA SEA - YYZ on an AC plane and got Tango miles, which I think is wrong.

I Talk to your travel person, ask them to get you a fun fare, and pay them the difference in fares.
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Old Feb 11, 2005, 7:22 pm
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Depending on your job situation (which might not be all that secure if you just started in a new job or position) I'd be inclined to talk to your employer directly about the benefits that both the passenger and the employer might enjoy if you had status.

First off, you'd most likely be a much happier are much more productive employee. Secondly, with lounge access and perhaps the occaisional upgrade, you might directly be more productive. If you get Elite status and one day have to utilize the increase baggage allowance (4 pieces in Canada) you might save a bundle of money. You'll certainly be spending less time in line waiting to check-in, and maybe also to collect your bags. And the first time your first on the list to get on a plane out of YYT in the middle of a snowstorm, instead of waiting 4 days, a years worth of Tango to Fun fare upgrades will have paid for themselves.

It may not work, but it's probably worth a try.
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Old Feb 11, 2005, 7:33 pm
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In terms of transborder flights, if you do not want to worry about tango fares, with non-status half-miles earned, take either fun fares on AC (often cheaper than tango fares!), or go on a UA or US ticket, on their planes.

In terms of domestic flights, I agree with the above pieces of advice. I suspect what you are asking is how to get the cheapest fare, with the maximum number of status miles, without paying a penny out of pocket. As mentioned above, look on the ac.com site, and pick the flights that have sold out tango fares. If you are booked a flight with tango fares available, then you will have to pay the difference between tango and fun fares. However, fun fares domestically will only get you half status miles. In terms of overseas flights, they still earn full status miles - sometimes a web fare that you can find from your own research might beat the cheapest fare your travel agent might get you - maybe with the savings to the company, that amount can be covered by the company in upgrading from the domestic tango to domestic fun fares.

In terms of overseas flights, if your company allows business class travel, but it must be discounted business class, do not fly AC - you will only get 1 status mile per mile flown. With the other Star Alliance carriers, you will get 1.25 status mile per mile flown. To go to LHR, if you do not mind a detour, and if the fare is not different from that offered by AC on the direct route to LHR, then take LH or OS via their hubs, or if BMI offers the service in summer, take the YYZ to Manchester route, and then on to LHR.

If you are not uneasy about going via USA to LHR, and if you must go in economy/coach - fares via USA on UA or US may be cheaper than on direct AC flights to LHR - and you would get full status miles.

To maximize the domestic miles that you earn, you need to buy the more expensive freedom or latitude fares, or upgrade from these or the cheaper fun fares. You can not upgrade from tango fares.
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Old Feb 11, 2005, 8:19 pm
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Originally Posted by Doc Fraud
I do know that a W fare on UA = a Q fare on AC so an SSWU will work.DF
But is this always the case? I was under the impression that this varied depending on the city pair in question.

Simon
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Old Feb 11, 2005, 9:44 pm
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When does your employer ask you to go on the trip? If your like me my employer asks me the day before and I just take whatever is left regardless if it is a Tango fare or Executive First. Also my flights usually originate in an airport with only 2 major airlines serving it and all my flights are transcon so it doesn't really affect me. I would say if they're giving you last minute calls to work you should usually avoid Tango fares all together.

PS: Welcome to Flyertalk.
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Old Feb 11, 2005, 10:49 pm
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One other suggestion.

If you can reasonably claim a legitimate need for a more flexible ticket (because for example your work could run extra time) then you should be able to ask the travel agent for a changeable ticket, that precludes Tango since Tango tickets are not changeable...
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Old Feb 12, 2005, 6:55 am
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Originally Posted by Bytepusher
One other suggestion.

If you can reasonably claim a legitimate need for a more flexible ticket (because for example your work could run extra time) then you should be able to ask the travel agent for a changeable ticket, that precludes Tango since Tango tickets are not changeable...
Actually Tango fares are changeable for a fee. The problem is that once the fees are paid you are likely better off to buy the next higher fare anyway. A real stingy CFO with nothing better to do might ask you to give them odds on how often you'll change so he can compute a risk model

Don't laugh its done!!

DF
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