Which FFP for me? Master Discussion

[jjpb3]

I enjoyed my self with Marco Polo a few years ago and my HKG mates seem to be treated pretty well - even using whY they get opups and other benefits. But hubbing through HKG all the time is too hard and too expensive for me.

In sniffing around I came across a program called AsiaMiles which has CX, BA (shudder), QF (double shudder), VN and a few others.

Any of the esteemed experts have any comments on AsiaMiles?

Asia Miles is the program for banking your redemption miles if you become an active Marco Polo Club member. In that way the two are very much linked. If you would end up regularly flying QF in Y, you should keep in mind that the discount applied for the less expensive booking classes make both status and redemption miles slower to accumulate.

[HUGE AL]

Asia Miles is the program for banking your redemption miles if you become an active Marco Polo Club member.

It can also be used as a strategy within the OW Alliance.

Because of their poor burn rate via CX, Asia Miles can be much more strategically utilized on AA (upgrading internationally without being dinged AA's "service charge") and BA (again, for upgrading).

[slacker]

Retrospective Milage Claims

Hi,

I am helping my parents who are currently not a member of any *A FFP to claim some miles taken on a few Air China flights in November 2009. They have a few *A flights this year, thus I feel they should join some *A FFP. Is it still possible to register them on any *A FFP and claim those retrospective miles?

If so, which FFP to register them on (for ease of claiming retrospective miles)? Some FFP require original boarding pass to claim the miles, preferable I would want to avoid those FFP.

Thanks

[Kiwi]

It depends on the program. Some (most?) allow retroactive credit for flights taken before joining for about a month, and some limit this to only flights on the home airline. CA flights in November may be tricky to get credited if they haven't yet joined a *A FFP.

As for BPs, in most cases you can fax or scan & email them rather than mailing them in for retroactive credit. If they do not have the BPs at all then very little chance of getting credit now.

[slacker]

As for BPs, in most cases you can fax or scan & email them rather than mailing them in for retroactive credit. If they do not have the BPs at all then very little chance of getting credit now.

Hi, thanks for your info. I've went to site for ANA, Asiana, KF and BMI, they require the original boarding pass to be mailed to them for processing. Maybe I'll just try CA first.

[Pinkfloyd]

Hi, thanks for your info. I've went to site for ANA, Asiana, KF and BMI, they require the original boarding pass to be mailed to them for processing. Maybe I'll just try CA first.

I have done many retroactive claims with KF and only mailed them a colour copy of my BPs... Never had a problem then (I was into collecting BPs for a while and decided to give up).

[slacker]

I have done many retroactive claims with KF and only mailed them a colour copy of my BPs... Never had a problem then (I was into collecting BPs for a while and decided to give up).

Haven't try KrisFlyer though.

I have tried CA Phoenix Miles, and they refused to credit miles for flights before joint date Still trying to look for other FFPs...

[ny911]

There's one more thing to keep in mind:

LH miles do not expire as long as you hold any status (HON, SEN or FTL). If you lose status you entire mileage balance is treated as if you earned it on the day you lost your status, and is given the full three year validity your miles would be subject to on a blue account. If you requalify for status at some point during this three year period, the miles go back to indefinite validity, and will be reset with an expiration date three years after the date you lose this new status.

I hope that made sense. I'll give you an example.

Say you earn 50K miles on a trip as a blue member in August 2007.

These miles are valid until 30 September 2010 (end of the quarter you earned them, plus three years).

In June 2010, you qualify for SEN. Your miles from 2007 are saved from expiry. Your status is valid until February 2013.

You don't manage to requalify SEN by 2013. LH bumps you down to FTL. That status is valid until February 2016.

You don't manage to requalify FTL by 2016. Your status disappears entirely. Your miles are now set with an expiration date of 31 March 2019 (end of the quarter plus three years).

If you requalify for FTL by March 2019, all miles are valid as long as your status is, plus another three years.

If you know how to play the game, it's incredibly difficult to let your LH miles expire.


Oh, and by the way - it's no longer just the German LH credit card that keeps your miles active indefinitely.

http://www.miles-and-more.com/online...st=96807496701

It's mostly other European countries though, Japan being the notable exception.

Hi all, I am new to LH M&M. Is the mileage expiry date on the personal homepage of each account? I am currently helping my dad to manage his account and want to know whether he lost any miles...

[zilchster]

Don't blast me for asking a silly question.

For e.g. if I fly a SQ flight, am I only allowed to park my miles to Krisflyer and say another *A frequent flyer programme at the same time or am I only allowed to credit to only FFP?

Thanks

[fone]

No, you can only credit miles to one account for each flight, unless you mean PPS value, then you can fly SQ, get PPS value while putting your miles elsewhere.

[Macarto]

Hi guys. As you can see i am new to the forum. I have taken a interest in joining the frequent flyers program but i see that all of the programs require an applicant to hold a credit card. I am only a student and can anyone advise me on the steps to take to take hold of this the benefits and advantages of the FFP.

[Pinkfloyd]

Hi guys. As you can see i am new to the forum. I have taken a interest in joining the frequent flyers program but i see that all of the programs require an applicant to hold a credit card. I am only a student and can anyone advise me on the steps to take to take hold of this the benefits and advantages of the FFP.

First of all, welcome to sqtalk Macarto!

Actually none (if not then most do not) require you to hold a credit card to join. Most FFPs are tied up with certain CC's enabling you to earn miles when you spend (as an additional way to earn miles).

Joining a FFP will greatly depend on where you are located, and which routes / airline you will mostly be flying. From there, you can then consider which FFP will be most beneficial to you, taking into consideration alliances (Star Alliance, One World, Skyteam, etc.), earning potential, etc.

[Macarto]

First of all, welcome to sqtalk Macarto!

Actually none (if not then most do not) require you to hold a credit card to join. Most FFPs are tied up with certain CC's enabling you to earn miles when you spend (as an additional way to earn miles).

Joining a FFP will greatly depend on where you are located, and which routes / airline you will mostly be flying. From there, you can then consider which FFP will be most beneficial to you, taking into consideration alliances (Star Alliance, One World, Skyteam, etc.), earning potential, etc.

Thank you Pinkfloyd for the clarification and the welcome.

If None or some require one to hold a credit card, what about krisflyer's program? Also what are the ideal steps to take when embarking on my first FPP program?

[sqdazz]

Thank you Pinkfloyd for the clarification and the welcome.

If None or some require one to hold a credit card, what about krisflyer's program? Also what are the ideal steps to take when embarking on my first FPP program?

Krisflyer do not require you to have a credit card. If you intend on trying to get status with Krisflyer, join up the day before you fly so you have the longest membership year possible in which to earn status miles.

[Macarto]

Krisflyer do not require you to have a credit card. If you intend on trying to get status with Krisflyer, join up the day before you fly so you have the longest membership year possible in which to earn status miles.

Thanks sqdazz. I visited Singapore airlines website and have read the details of the Krisflyer Program documented.

It seems to be that the basic membership would be the Krisflyer Elite Silver membership. However there seems to be a qualification period to reach that status which is 25000 miles. So when you say join up the day before i fly, would that put me in the qualification period?