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The Air Canada Early Status Recognition Thread
IMPORTANT: This first post is now out of date in its details and does not reflect the AC frequent flier "Altitude" rebranding. It remains roughly accurate in spirit, although now there are two new levels at 50k and 75k.
Early Status Recognition with Air Canada What is early status recognition? If you are not currently AC Elite and reach 35000 status miles (or 50 status segments) in a calendar year before October 15, you will get AC Elite status for the current benefit year (lasting up to the end of the next February). Of course, you will have also earned AC Elite status for the subsequent benefit year as well, just like anyone else who reaches the required threshold. If you are not currently AC Super Elite and reach 100000 status miles (or 95 status segments) in a calendar year before October 15, you will get AC Super Elite status for the current benefit year (lasting up to the end of the next February). Of course, you will have also earned AC Super Elite status for the subsequent benefit year as well, just like anyone else who reaches the required threshold. Early Status Recognition seems to begin with the start of the new benefit year, i.e. on March 1. So if you cross 35k/50 segments before March 1 you will not be recognized until March 1. (And you cross 100k/95 segments before March 1 you are flying far too much!) The published deadline is October 15. That means: the flight that takes you over a threshold needs to depart on or before October 15. There are anecdotal stories about the possibility of a later, internal, unpublished deadline that Aeroplan uses, but October 15 is the official date. Neither Air Canada nor Aeroplan is going to tell you in advance about a later unpublished deadline. We on Flyertalk cannot possibly know for sure one way or another. The only 100% guaranteed way to get early recognition is to meet the deadline. The choice to reroute a current booking for more miles, or even to book a true mileage run just to meet the deadline, is entirely up to you. Yes, you can go from nothing to Elite to Super Elite all in one year. The is no early recognition for Presitge. This information is sort of available at the Aeroplan website (at the bottom under YOUR ACCOUNT, click Top-Tier Benefits, select Learn more in the Privileges section, click on either Elite or Prestige, and click on the Early Recognition link at the bottom), but the details get a little lost in the marketing. In particular, you do not need to be Prestige to get early Elite recognition. When will my status be recognized? It will be recognized soon after your threshold miles post to your account. The Aeroplan website may recognize your new status before you receive any email or letter about it. Do I get to select a benefit package? Yes. If you qualify for Elite from no prior status, you should receive the 20k status miles threshold upgrade eCerts independently of the benefit package you select. Keep this in mind when you select which upgrade certificates you want in your package. Your selections will be applied immediately. So, if you were to qualify in October, you will receive eCerts that expire at the end of the next February. The good news is that in January you will get to choose your package all over again and you will get eCerts good for the whole year. Note that if you are already Prestige/Elite and chose to receive the 25%/50% miles bonus, and you move up to Elite/Super Elite during the year, you will not continue to receive the 25%/50% miles bonus for the rest of the year. If you choose the miles bonus for your new level you will receive that bonus instead. If you don't choose the miles bonus, you won't get any. If you were already Prestige or Elite and you chose bonus status miles, an odd thing happens if you cross the threshold to the next status level. The bonus status miles you chose (and which may have helped put you over top to reach the next level) are removed from your account. You maintain your new status if this miles debit brings you back under the threshold. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=607153 If you go from nothing to Basic to Elite to Super Elite in one year you will get to choose a package after making Elite, another after making Super Elite, and a new Super Elite package in the subsequent January. When will I get my (Super) Elite card and eCerts and what if I need status benefits before then? You will get the card in the mail in due course. It will take up to a few weeks. Simply do not count on being able to use eCerts until you actually have them in your account. By default the status you had when you booked a flight will be the status that appears on your boarding pass for that flight. So, your new status will appear on the boarding pass for all new bookings. You can get your updated status on boarding passes for flights booked before you had that status. You should call AC and get them to delete your AP number from your booking and then re-enter it, or you can do this online yourself. You can also print out emails and Aeroplan website pages indicating your new status. Together with your updated boarding pass you should be able to get elite benefits. It's possible that you will run into trouble with some agents, especially when trying to get Star Alliance Gold benefits with non-AC agents. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=563733 http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=563376 Early Status "Lite" In past experience if you cross the status mile threshold after the early recognition deadline, even for Prestige, you will not receive the full early status benefits (like card and eCerts), but you will be recognized with your new status on the Aeroplan website, on your boarding passes (see above), and in dealings with AP/AC on the phone and via the website. You might very well get into AC lounges with your boarding pass and a printout from the website, but not necessarily. And you are quite unlikely to get Star Alliance Gold benefits without your Elite card in hand. |
So I have two questions I'd like answered.
How are the thresholds calculated for someone going from no status to AC*E? Do you receive 2 SWU for getting to 45000 that year (as though you had been E all along), or do you start working towards the 2 SWU after 15000 new miles since becoming AC*E? Also, if one selects the bonus status miles, will they count for the current qualifying year or the next year? |
One thing that occurred to me when I was thinking about this last night is that early qualifiers have the ability to earn more certificates than someone who pre-qualified.
Consider: Start with Zero Earn Elite (get Elite package) Earn SE (get SE package) vs. Get SE package Perhaps a threshold bonus at 135,000 should be the equivalent # of certs to what one might get with earning Elite... |
Originally Posted by zorn
If you are not currently AC Super Elite and reach 100000 status miles in a calendar year before the end of October, you will get AC Elite status good until the end of February two calender years after.
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Originally Posted by zorn
So I have two questions I'd like answered.
How are the thresholds calculated for someone going from no status to AC*E? Do you receive 2 SWU for getting to 45000 that year (as though you had been E all along), or do you start working towards the 2 SWU after 15000 new miles since becoming AC*E? Also, if one selects the bonus status miles, will they count for the current qualifying year or the next year? If you select bonus status miles, it counts for the current benefit year. |
Originally Posted by Andrew Yiu
If you get Elite, you will start earning certs when you reach the next threshold (45K). There is only one set of counters - 15K, 30K, 45K and so on.
If you select bonus status miles, it counts for the current benefit year. |
A month past the threshold - where are the certs?
How long should it take to get the 15k / 30k etc. SWU certs? I passed the last threshold a month ago.... :confused:
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Originally Posted by okazon69
How long should it take to get the 15k / 30k etc. SWU certs? I passed the last threshold a month ago.... :confused:
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Originally Posted by zorn
There seems to be a number of people interested in how early status recognition with AC works. I'll be one of them this year.
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Great Thread ^ I remember how many questions I had about instant recognition when I started my new job. Four years ago. Thankfully I found this site shortly thereafter and all questions were answered as well as a lot of insight into the FF game.
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Originally Posted by stinger
Great Thread ^ I remember how many questions I had about instant recognition when I started my new job. Four years ago. Thankfully I found this site shortly thereafter and all questions were answered as well as a lot of insight into the FF game.
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Bump.
Seems like it is high season for early status recognition. |
Wow I planned things well this year... I will have 35,065 AP miles ^
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Originally Posted by zorn
If you are not currently AC Elite and reach 35000 status miles in a calendar year before the end of October, you will get AC Elite status good until the end of February two calender years after.
ml |
The cut off date was around mid-November for previous yearh however, for this year it is Oct 31st.
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Thanks Zorn for bringing back this thread - very infomrative and helpful - Mark
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Originally Posted by zorn
When will I get my (Super) Elite card and certificates and what if I need status benefits before then? You will get them in the mail. Until then you can get your updated status on boarding passes (which by default will reflect your status at time of booking). You should call AC, get them to delete your AP number from your booking and then re-enter it, for the boarding pass to show your new status. |
AC wont really give you anything for *G. You can use the lounge for *gold
AC does not have any good seats to prebook. So it really wont make much difference. |
So, does this all mean those that are E or SE, could drop out for a year, revert to Prestige or less, then regain E or SE by travelling alot in one year which would give them benefits for 2 years?
Sounds like a good way to take a sabbatical to me although at the cost of no upgrades for one year. What guarantees exist that the early qualification program will even be around after this year? None, of course. The programs all change each year as we know. Finally I can only assume that people who earn status by this early qualification means they will get E or SE kits each year and not simply a nice card. |
For this SE, I'm starting an American Platinum Challenge, effective today.
All I need to do is cross 10,000 miles in the next three months -- which will likely happen in the next *two weeks* -- and at least I'll have another option, albeit not with too much value -- when stranded in O'Hare or DFW or other places, and at least have a human being to call as opposed to a robotic anti-human droid customer service loop. Call it hedging. I understand that the new AA status will kick in immediately at 10K, and that I should see a kit within a few weeks after that, and that my status will be good till Feb 08. |
Originally Posted by InTheAirGuy
For this SE, I'm starting an American Platinum Challenge, effective today.
All I need to do is cross 10,000 miles in the next three months -- which will likely happen in the next *two weeks* -- and at least I'll have another option, albeit not with too much value -- when stranded in O'Hare or DFW or other places, and at least have a human being to call as opposed to a robotic anti-human droid customer service loop. Call it hedging. I understand that the new AA status will kick in immediately at 10K, and that I should see a kit within a few weeks after that, and that my status will be good till Feb 08. |
Good thread.
Very helpful for those approaching a new status level. I'm guessing that those of us that have Elite, and have passed the 35k threshold already should not expect any contact about next year? I've been getting the UG certs on schedule but nothing noted about the E threshold. My chances of getting more than 50k this year are slim-to-none so SE is not in my future. Just seemed to remember something being said at 35k last year. Commander Bob Suddenly Infrequent Flyer. |
Originally Posted by JoshKleiman
I just got my E package the other day. It took approximately 2 weeks to receive the Elite card in the mail.
Vader |
Originally Posted by Vader
Anyone else with similar stories? I should cross the Elite threshold on the 18/19th of October and was hoping to get the SSWU's to use on a flight that I am taking November 5... Any chance that I will get my package in time if I choose my package right away?
Vader |
is this why I've gone from zero to 2p, valid to Feb 2008?
(I flew 26k miles between May and Aug this year) |
Originally Posted by Sludge82
is this why I've gone from zero to 2p, valid to Feb 2008?
(I flew 26k miles between May and Aug this year) You should see the United Airlines thread for information on how status with UA works. |
If one is already a SE or E, and one qualifies for the same status for the following year by the end of April, will one get another SE or E package, respectively. If so, would one get extra certs that one may not otherwise get, through this early re-qualification?
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Originally Posted by FlyerGoldII
If one is already a SE or E, and one qualifies for the same status for the following year by the end of April, will one get another SE or E package, respectively. If so, would one get extra certs that one may not otherwise get, through this early re-qualification?
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Originally Posted by zorn
No, the information in this thread reflects Air Canada's policies and practices only. (Hence the use of 'AC' throughout.)
You should see the United Airlines thread for information on how status with UA works. oops, sorry, my bad :o not sure how I managed to get lost and end up on an air canada thread tho! |
Originally Posted by Vader
Anyone else with similar stories? I should cross the Elite threshold on the 18/19th of October and was hoping to get the SSWU's to use on a flight that I am taking November 5... Any chance that I will get my package in time if I choose my package right away?
Vader Good luck!!!! |
are you supposed to get a card or luggage tags with your SE package? Mine arrived with a folder of certificates and a confirmation of my package selection but no cards.
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Originally Posted by Fermat
are you supposed to get a card or luggage tags with your SE package? Mine arrived with a folder of certificates and a confirmation of my package selection but no cards.
Congrats on reaching SE. |
Deleted
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Just curious, I made elite before the Oct 31 cut-off... and I selected the 50% bonus as one of my benefits. I took a flight on Nov 5 that the miles posted for, but I don't see any bonus? When I was flying on my Citypass (RIP) and got my upgrades, the COS bonus always posted right with the flight miles??
Anyone? Vader |
Originally Posted by Vader
Just curious, I made elite before the Oct 31 cut-off... and I selected the 50% bonus as one of my benefits. I took a flight on Nov 5 that the miles posted for, but I don't see any bonus? When I was flying on my Citypass (RIP) and got my upgrades, the COS bonus always posted right with the flight miles??
Anyone? Vader |
Thanks GT, I will check on Monday next week...
Vader |
Bump.
Also, first post updated to remind new Elites that you will receive 20k threshold certs independently of any package you receive. This information might be helpful for making you optimal package selection. For example: Suppose you crossed 35k in October sometime. You have between 2.5k and 5k of travel planned in December, and a few overseas trips in Jan/Feb, say. In this case you might be better off choosing the 2.5k status miles instead of the 2 SSWU or 4 SWU. Why? Because you will be getting 4 SWU anyway that expire end of next February. You can use those certs for the upcoming trips, and with the 2.5k status miles and the 2.5k-5k of travel in December you stand an excellent chance of getting the 40k threshold SWU good until Feb two years hence. Of course if you have a trip planned before February on a cheaper longhaul or overseas ticket for which you really want to use some SSWUs, by all means select those for your package.[/QUOTE] |
Originally Posted by zorn
Bump.
First post updated in light of the recent recognition of early Elite status for those who crossed 35k at the very end of October. Also, first post updated to remind new Elites that you will receive 15k and 30k threshold certs independently of any package you receive. This information might be helpful for making you optimal package selection. For example: Suppose you crossed 35k in October sometime. You only have 5k to 10k of travel planned in December, and a few overseas trips in Jan/Feb, say. In this case you might be better off choosing the 5k status miles instead of the 2 SSWU or 4 SWU. Why? Because you will be getting 4 SWU anyway that expire end of next February. You can use those certs for the upcoming trips, and with the 5k status miles and the 5k-10k of travel in December you stand an excellent chance of getting the 45k threshold SWU good until Feb two years hence. Of course if you have a trip planned before February on a cheaper longhaul or overseas ticket for which you really want to use some SSWUs, by all means select those for your package. SG |
Originally Posted by Snow Goose
Not quite accurate, since Elites do not receive a SSWU at 45k in 2006. This benefit was stripped out of the benefit package this year and caused quite an uproar on this board at the time.
SG |
Originally Posted by Vader
Anyone else with similar stories? I should cross the Elite threshold on the 18/19th of October and was hoping to get the SSWU's to use on a flight that I am taking November 5... Any chance that I will get my package in time if I choose my package right away?
Selected my package options October 21.... My account said that the package was mailed to me on October 30.... I received my package on November 21!! Seemes overly long for the mail, but what are you going to do.... |
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