alc

Deleted, the suggested flights are in "Basic Economy" and hence not toward Altitude Status.

yosemite1

tbh that doesn't sound bad at all.

F 1

I agree, I looked into YYJ and while it's a faster segment, it makes the MR more expensive.

alc

Sorry for the UA Basic Economy earlier today, here is one from AC:

YVR-YLW-YYC-YVR for $183 on Dec 9th in Tango

https://www.google.ca/flights/#searc...YVR0AC231;a=AC

Hope this help.

---- added ----

Not sure if this is a pricing error, as it show the return flight is free!!!

F 1

Good one! There a variation of that for $10 more, my layover in YLW is only 35 mins instead of 5 hours. Do I dare? Is that even allowed?

alc

Last time I flew into YLW was for work like 10 years ago, so, will let others comment about the immediately turn around, but I can't see why you tell the staff that you are going back on the same plane, hence, want to stay Air Side. Done that (as suggested by other FTers here) during my recent EYW trips. I had walk into via the boarding gates, all the PAX and the GA will give you that look

But, made be you could spent a few hours at YLW, find something interesting so the trip will not be just for the 3 AQS? See what can you do for that $10 that you are going to play Air Canada for the immediate turn around? (I think I know the answer to this :P). But seriously, no need to answer my questions, I am just throwing ideas and questions for you to ask yourself.

Good Luck and hope you do find a route and dates that work for you to get your AQS as low cost (cheap) as possible

painintheuk

YYJ always makes it more expensive it seems! I need a few miles and it is only a few bucks extra to fly YYJ-YVR-SFO return than YYJ-YVR return. And that's for crappy, useless status!

Dr. PITUK

gregster

I will be 625 miles short of 75K this year, so I'm looking for cheap options out of YYZ, and ideally without flying far in excess of that amount. Seems going to the US on a same day turn would be smarter, given 50% miles on Tango fares. The best I've found is ~$320 RT to BNA, but I wouldn't mind finding something cheaper if that's even feasible - looking for any suggestions.

Unfortunately it's now close to the holidays so I'm running out of days with cheaper fares.

Adam Smith

Have you checked UA? If you don't need AQD, that's often a cheap option. Although $325 seems pretty cheap already. With such a smal amount of miles needed, you're not going to get great economies of scale.

RangerNS

50K->75K grants a bunch of useless things and 25% more miles. ~20k if you travel 74k again next year. $320 seems almost positive money in that case, depending on how long one and how effectively one hangs out at a lounge.

Maybe the train one way to YOW or YUL?

canopus27

AC flies direct to Memphis, and it looks like you can get there & back for $277 return
https://www.google.ca/flights/#searc...IANCE;s=0;mc=m

gregster

MEM is a great suggestion since it seems the fare buckets I was viewing for BNA are no longer available. To me it's worth the small run for the extra eups/eup priority, and less so the extra miles and very minimal additional perks.

canopus27

Departing on the 12th (the random date I picked) now looks like it's sold out in the $277 bucket ... but that price is still available for other dates to MEM; the google flights link I sent shows a price under each date, in the date picker. FYI, you can also use the embedded map to view a wide area (aka, "the US"), and it will show prices on that (that's how I found the MEM deal).

gregster

I took a closer look at my 2017 figures now that AQD has caught up, and it seems I’ll end the year only $1500 away from the SE $20k AQD level. With that being said 24k AQM would still be a substantial amount of flying. Given the time left in the year I may just settle with 75k, but I am curious if that is a feasible mileage run (6.25cpm)? I would imagine at certain times of year those fare prices would come up, but options are probably limited with only two weeks to go.

I’d be happy to spend $1500, but I’m finding the cost would be closer to $3k (12.5cpm). Either via a J return to HKG for 3.2, or YYZ-TPE w/connections mostly in AC PY for $1700 (assuming the segment on KE won't post AQM/AQD), which would net me ~18k AQM. Then another P fare on UA to make up the additional 6k AQM, at $1k.

alc

Here are my comments for you to consider:

- depending how much you fly next year and assuming you will select the bonus miles in Bundle 1, you will get 25% more miles next year. Hence you can factor in this extra miles in your cpm consideration

- if you are planning to redeem Int'l AP ticket as an E75K and willing to pay the high YQ to fly on AC metal, then you will save YQ for being a SE100K. So, also factor this in your cpm

Good Luck. Let us know what you end up decided.