Question: Most Miles for Fewest Dollars to Maintain SE Status
Jul 17, 2019, 2:56 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: YYZ
Programs: Aeroplan Diamond/ Altitude SE100K/ SPG Platinum/ Marriott Platinum
Posts: 5
Most Miles for Fewest Dollars to Maintain SE Status
I am guessing this has been asked but looking though 25 pages of topics I couldn't find it. I have determined I am going to be about 10-12K miles short of SE this year. So I am wondering what routes typically have the best mile to dollar ratio? I figured if I could track the best routes I could grab one on a seat sale. I'm pretty flexible on when I can go between now and end of year. Any advice would be appreciated. This will be my 3rd year of SE but the first one I had to push to get.
On a separate note how do I tell what Altitude miles I will get for flying *A flights? I have a BNE-AKL-SYD flight later this year on Air NZ that is about 2800 miles without any bonuses. I haven't added that in yet as I wasn't sure what I would received for it.
On a separate note how do I tell what Altitude miles I will get for flying *A flights? I have a BNE-AKL-SYD flight later this year on Air NZ that is about 2800 miles without any bonuses. I haven't added that in yet as I wasn't sure what I would received for it.
Jul 17, 2019, 3:02 pm
#2
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: YVR - MILLS Waypoint (It's the third house on the left)
Programs: AC*SE100K, wood level status in various other programs
Posts: 6,232
So I am wondering what routes typically have the best mile to dollar ratio? I figured if I could track the best routes I could grab one on a seat sale. I'm pretty flexible on when I can go between now and end of year. Any advice would be appreciated.
UA/Star Alliance: 2019 Consolidated Mileage/Status/Challenge Runs help needed
Jul 17, 2019, 3:08 pm
#6
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: YOW
Programs: AC 75K
Posts: 583
On aeroplan.com you can check the mileage charts for various *A partners. It's all based on fare class.
Jul 17, 2019, 3:36 pm
#7
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2014
Programs: AC SE100K-1MM, NH, DL, AA, BA, Global Entry/Nexus, APEC..
Posts: 18,877
I am guessing this has been asked but looking though 25 pages of topics I couldn't find it. I have determined I am going to be about 10-12K miles short of SE this year. So I am wondering what routes typically have the best mile to dollar ratio? I figured if I could track the best routes I could grab one on a seat sale. I'm pretty flexible on when I can go between now and end of year. Any advice would be appreciated. This will be my 3rd year of SE but the first one I had to push to get.
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@dcmic
As you may know, towards the end of each year, there is a "frantic" rush for people to get missing AQM/AQD for whatever status level they want to achieve and so a few post the usual threads like "I'm short 10,000 AQM for SE" kind of thing.
Lots of others post examples of trips or routes.
It is really up to you to decide how much you want to spend to achieve the AQM and most of us have our own methods of looking for and calculating costs. We also all have different way of tracking our current AQM, AQD, total spend and so on.
A simple .xls will do the math for you if you are wiling to plug in the mileage values. Even if you only use numbers from routes you've already flown, or you pick routes and use the approximate numbers from Great Circle Mapper it's pretty easy to find value that meets your criteria.
Everyone has a different CPM threshold. If OPM pays for most of your trips and you are looking to spend your own money for the missing amount, then your budget/spend might be different.
Anyway, you might want to pick a few routes and see where they take you. As noted, TPE can be very efficient in PE, sometimes in J when the price is right. Same can be true of other Asian routes.
YYZ-YVR-TPE nets 20,070 AQM if in PE, 24,084 if in J
Also, we may all use different sources for fares.
I created a simple example of letting XL do some work for you while you can add the routes that might interest you.
If you don't want to do the exercise and just want someone to tell you which route gives you the best cost efficiency (CPM), well, you already have that answer.
Random route, random fare
Jul 17, 2019, 10:03 pm
#10
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: YLW
Programs: AC- SE100 1MM, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum, National Executive, Nexus/GE
Posts: 4,309
There are many options, just have to find the right flights and sale!
PY (125%) YYC-YEG-YVR-TPE-YVR-YEG-YYC Total Altitude Miles 16,758 Actual Cost of Flights $1,520.76 AC AQD $1,442.00 Actual Cost Per Mile $0.09 AC AQD Cost Per Mile $0.09
PY (125%) YYC-YVR-YYZ-DXB-YYZ-YVR-YYC Total Altitude Miles 23,474 Actual Cost of Flights $1,911.92 AC AQD $1,799.99 Actual Cost Per Mile $0.08 AC AQD Cost Per Mile $0.08
PY (125%) YYC-YEG-YVR-TPE-YVR-YEG-YYC Total Altitude Miles 16,758 Actual Cost of Flights $1,520.76 AC AQD $1,442.00 Actual Cost Per Mile $0.09 AC AQD Cost Per Mile $0.09
PY (125%) YYC-YVR-YYZ-DXB-YYZ-YVR-YYC Total Altitude Miles 23,474 Actual Cost of Flights $1,911.92 AC AQD $1,799.99 Actual Cost Per Mile $0.08 AC AQD Cost Per Mile $0.08
Jul 17, 2019, 11:58 pm
#11
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: YEG
Programs: AC SE 100K, Bonvoy Titanium, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Gold
Posts: 87
Take a look at some of the flight passes - depending on where you are based out of there might be some options. There is one North American one that I use occasionally that has an interesting routing from my home airport. Flight is usually a red-eye but gets me down to around $0.07/mile. Best of all I can defer flight until next year it looks like I’ll have enough in the current year (although already made SE for 2020 so not doing any of it this year).
Jul 18, 2019, 2:16 pm
#14
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, BA Gold, SQ Silver, Bonvoy Tit LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond
Posts: 44,331
