MKE-MR

Need some advice from Star flyers. I've been a UA 1K for a number of years, but my patterns have changed somewhat and I'm spending less and less time on UA metal. This year I was able to take full advantage of my SWUs but probably that won't happen next year--and I'm falling about 13K miles short of requalifying without an MR. Given where UA is going, I'm just not sure an MR makes much (any) sense and I'm considering going into burn mode with them.

Of course, I want to keep *G status regardless...I'm spoiled at this point. So it seems like BD or AC are the ways to go, both with considerable advantages. Has anybody contemplated this choice recently, and have any advice I might not have yet considered? I'm mainly a leisure flyer but will buy higher than lowest economy and even an occasional J/C if the price is right. I'm based in Asia so neither program has a feasible geographic advantage (slight edge to AC).

It seems like AC has a better burn rate but BD trumps it on the earn. AC might have an upgrade or two while those would be thrown away on BD. The miles + points awards, one-ways, etc on BD are wonderful...but that all might vanish if LH comes in to the picture as rumor has it might happen.

So I'm kind of torn and curious for advice. The comparison is Elite on AC (35K level) versus Gold on BD (16 + 38K level) and both of them are easily achievable before my status expires with UA in Feb/March...

DownUnderFlyer

It all depends on your travel patterns, the classes you fly and what you want to get out of a FFP. Earn/burn rate? Status? Liftetimes status?

Without knowing your details, I would normally go for BD for the more expensive fares you buy. Or LH M&M is a great program for people who fly Business or First and has a status valid for two years.

The other option is TK. They are new to *A but offer quite an easy way to Star Gold.

mpc1

On AC 35K will get you Elite (E), not Super Elite (SE). Both are *G and give you *A lounge access, business class checkin, etc. As someone who was SE for 7 years and last year dropped to E, I'll give you my 2 cents worth.

AC Elite is fairly easy to achieve with just 35K status miles in a calendar year, with instant recognition for early qualification, i.e. if you pass 35K before mid October, status kicks in for the remainder of the year and the following year. UGs are either quite good or lousy depending on your purchase habits. SWU upgrades are immediately confirmable anytime for Latitude (Full Fare Economy) based on upgrade space availability (I class). For lower fares, only the scarce SSWU will upgrade these fares. If you fly full fare economy on AC, then the SWU are quite good, if you never buy full fare economy, you'll rarely if ever upgrade.

Remember that Some Air Canada fares (Tango) do not earn status miles and some *A fares earn less than 100% miles.

Air Canada will not comp status, and while you're earning AC status you'll not be considered an elite flyer, so you'll not likely receive any preferential treatment, operational ugs, preferential meal selection, bonus miles, etc.

As a SE, the main advantages are no restrictions on reward availability on Air Canada flights for yourself, no restrictions on award tickets on Air Canada flights for unaccompanied family and friends in North America and no restrictions on economy award tickets on AC for unaccompanied family and friends overseas.

Another big advantage for SE is the concierge service at most AC airports especially during IRROPS

mpc1

mad_atta

WRT to earning rates, once you hit an elite level with AC you get 3 different choices of benefit packages (search the AC forum for more). One of those is 50% bonus mileage on AC flights plus 25% bonus on BD, LH, LX and NH. If you are going to fly on AC a fair bit then it makes a big difference to earn rates. If you hit Super Elite level the bonus rises to 100% on AC, not sure for the other airlines.

The other advantage Aeroplan has over UA is less restricted award availability, for *A airlines anyway, and less restrictive routing rules. This, to my mind, is a major advantage.

moocherx

I faced a similar decision, except that because my TG gold had a lot of life yet (another 2 yrs from this Nov), I decided to go with the most generous points earning FFP instead - which was BD (because I fly C where poss).

I redeemed a ticket with BD the other day, on LH metal from KWI to INN and it was such an easy process. I later had to cancel, and again - such an easy process. Miles returned, CC re-credited, all for the cost of a $50 fee. I also like the way on BD that you can book one way for just half the points, and if you don't quite have enough, you can add some cash to your points, at very reasonable (IMHO) rates.

I was going to start putting points back into ROP in November, to re-quality 2010-2012 but to be honest, with BD earn rates TG can keep their 1 free upgrade.

You raised a valid point about LH though. It all seems up in the air, but worst case is that you'll know in advance of any M&M takeover of DC and can choose to burn the points earlier on. But in terms of status, again - worst case - you'll be transferred to SEN at least for the remaining life of your DC gold.

izzik

I would go with AC. Redemption is modern and painless with Aeroplan compared to Diamond Club.

milehighclubnz

BD hands down - fast earning on paid business and first classes, and GREAT for burning - it's the ONLY Star program that allows one-way redemption for exactly 1/2 of the miles required for roundtrip. Plus they have Cash and Miles, also unique in the Star universe.

Diamond Club is getting VERY generous, thanks to bmi's possible acquisition by Lufthansa. Go to BD thread for more details. I can't find another program gives you 2500 miles for answering 6-question surveys done in a munite!

MKE-MR

Just an update in case anybody cares (recognising that each and every person will have a different set of circumstances).

I've all but decided to stretch for 1K one more year with UA--mainly because that exempts me from change fees on award tickets. I will then BURN UA throughout next year (it will be a good year for burning as I have a patchwork RTW in C for 2 sketched out--but I anticipate lots of changes to those awards to get the right availability) and meanwhile begin switching my credit for revenue flights to BD for the reasons mentioned above. That should keep me happy (and fee-free!) in 2009 and have me qualified for *G in BD by Feb 2010 when I'll need it.

Thanks all for your suggestions. The one-way and cash + miles are really what swing me to BD over AC.

alanw

Those are two great benefits of BD, and the reason I use the program despite them not even flying to my home city. The other reason is the little-talked-about double award miles credit once you've met your level threshold for the year. As you do a lot of premium travel, this could be very important to you.

It means 625% earning on F fares once you've hit your 37K, 425% on J fares.

milesaddict

Hi,

Don't be too happy about being gold on BD, it is a fantastic FFP and it suits me so well, however BD is on the edge to be sold to LH, so BD FFP will vanish and you will be transferred to M&M...

not longer good for me cause I won't reach 100K.

moocherx

I think then it's time to changed to TK Miles and Smiles or the AC program which I've only read about on here. And enjoy the 2 years SEN status on transfer from BD Gold (if that's the way they decide to go)

mobilebucky

How about getting Elite *G from TK? Only 40,000 Miles and valid for 2 years. Retain status only require 25,000 miles in the first year or 37,500 in 2 year. They will also let you buy 10,000 EQM for 240 Eur. Not sure how easy or difficult to redeem the miles but seems pretty good to score 2 yr RCC club membership.

alanw

TK does have an attractive program as far as *G qualification is concerned, but the rest of it leaves me cold. I think maybe I've become very spoiled by BD.

Michael

I just posted a similar thread on the TG forum, and now have seen this. I won't cross-post, but will link here: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=836858

Like moocherx, I'm also considering leaving TG ROP -- but I don't fly paid C/F, so the bonuses for that are irrelevant for me. And I presume that AC SWUs are useless when not flying AC metal.

I'm intrigued by BD and TK, and will check those out. Though again, if BD disappears, when will that be? A matter of months?

- Michael

hclee01

I am thinking of leaving ROP and go for gold with TK since the level of miles needed to attain gold status is low and attractive as it is valid for 2 years.

Assuming that I attain the gold status on Jan 2009, the gold status will be valid till Jan 2011. If I clock in 25,000 status miles from Feb 2009 to Jan 2010, the gold status will further be extended to Jan 2013? Is my understanding correct?

If so, that is to say I just need to click in another 25,000 status miles from Feb 2011 to Jan 2012 to get further extension of gold status till Jan 2015?

If my above understanding is correct, then it seems that TK is an attractive program to achieve *G status.