Cheapest way to A3G from Austria
Mar 16, 2014, 11:52 am
#2
Join Date: Jan 2014
Programs: A3*G
Posts: 40
Grüß Gott!
A little research on this forum will reveal that nobody is interested in doing your homework for you. In other words, file through some of the older posts, study the A3 "earn miles" table, and decide which part of the world you may want to visit during your "mileage run"...
A little research on this forum will reveal that nobody is interested in doing your homework for you. In other words, file through some of the older posts, study the A3 "earn miles" table, and decide which part of the world you may want to visit during your "mileage run"...
Mar 19, 2014, 3:53 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 7
I tried to do that using matrix but the problem is I don't find any good faires to either south america (Rio/Costa Rica or similar) or to Asia (Thailand,Vietnam,Laos,...) for a 6 day vacation. I always end up with the super pricy tickets or the E/L/T booking classes which are not counted 
Any tips from someone how to search best ?
Any tips from someone how to search best ?
Mar 20, 2014, 2:02 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 7
Hi !
I also saw that from AMS-GIG but only in April/May timeframe. I didn't find that flights anymore in June - September. What could be the reason that UA doesn't show me any flights than (tried it also on Matrix and didn't find anything) ?
I also saw that from AMS-GIG but only in April/May timeframe. I didn't find that flights anymore in June - September. What could be the reason that UA doesn't show me any flights than (tried it also on Matrix and didn't find anything) ?
Mar 20, 2014, 6:01 am
#8
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Heraklion, Greece
Posts: 7,565
This is a forum about Aegean Airlines; questions about UA flights should be posted on the UA forum.
Mar 20, 2014, 7:22 am
#9
Community Director
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Norwich, UK
Programs: A3*G, BA Gold, BD Gold (in memoriam), IHG Diamond Ambassador
Posts: 8,476
I am becoming mildly amused by the misconception that the FT community has created - everyone coming on here seems to think that A3*G is obtainable for just a few hundred GBP/Euros/USD.
With so many non-mileage earning classes, and most realistic Y fares at 50% with the pending departure of US, the truth is that it's actually almost as hard for most people as gaining status in, say, UA Mileage+.
As A3 doesn't give any bonus miles for Gold status, unlike many other FFP's, that makes redemptions worse value - meaning that the main reasons to get status with them are longevity @ 3 years, USA lounge access, and extra baggage weight/piece - with perhaps a question mark on IrOps.
Now, I've never needed to use the extra baggage on any trip (as far as I'm concerned the hold is for cargo), and I'm assuming I'm not untypical of someone with a reasonable but not ridiculous flying pattern in that respect. As as result, I rarely need to use priority check-in counters.
USA lounge access - yep, tick for me. But most people asking on here recently seem to want intra-Europe or Asia travel, so that doesn't really apply.
IrOps - well, in most cases this is for complete cancellation with the requirement to re-book. The only time I've had it recently everyone was in the same boat, and I'm sure the only reason I was accommodated out-of-alliance was because I was capable of insisting and was travelling in Business Class - nothing to do with *G given the obvious lack of success of others around me. The fact is that most people who are flying so few times a year that they find qualification difficult are extremely unlikely ever to have a problem they need resolving.
So all we come down to is lounge access. Now, with the very odd exception such as TK's facility in IST and some of the newer LH ones in FRA, *G lounges are generally fairly uninspiring.
I'm beginning to think, therefore, that our stock answer to any question about cheap status should actually be - "Don't bother - just buy a Priority Pass because it'll cost much less and be more flexible".
With so many non-mileage earning classes, and most realistic Y fares at 50% with the pending departure of US, the truth is that it's actually almost as hard for most people as gaining status in, say, UA Mileage+.
As A3 doesn't give any bonus miles for Gold status, unlike many other FFP's, that makes redemptions worse value - meaning that the main reasons to get status with them are longevity @ 3 years, USA lounge access, and extra baggage weight/piece - with perhaps a question mark on IrOps.
Now, I've never needed to use the extra baggage on any trip (as far as I'm concerned the hold is for cargo
), and I'm assuming I'm not untypical of someone with a reasonable but not ridiculous flying pattern in that respect. As as result, I rarely need to use priority check-in counters.USA lounge access - yep, tick for me. But most people asking on here recently seem to want intra-Europe or Asia travel, so that doesn't really apply.
IrOps - well, in most cases this is for complete cancellation with the requirement to re-book. The only time I've had it recently everyone was in the same boat, and I'm sure the only reason I was accommodated out-of-alliance was because I was capable of insisting and was travelling in Business Class - nothing to do with *G given the obvious lack of success of others around me. The fact is that most people who are flying so few times a year that they find qualification difficult are extremely unlikely ever to have a problem they need resolving.
So all we come down to is lounge access. Now, with the very odd exception such as TK's facility in IST and some of the newer LH ones in FRA, *G lounges are generally fairly uninspiring.
I'm beginning to think, therefore, that our stock answer to any question about cheap status should actually be - "Don't bother - just buy a Priority Pass because it'll cost much less and be more flexible".
Mar 20, 2014, 9:16 am
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Netherlands
Programs: KL Platinum; A3 Gold
Posts: 28,730
Fly as cheaply as possible on mileage-earning Star Alliance tickets.
Apr 4, 2014, 8:22 am
#11
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: STR
Programs: LH FTL
Posts: 20
So all we come down to is lounge access. Now, with the very odd exception such as TK's facility in IST and some of the newer LH ones in FRA, *G lounges are generally fairly uninspiring.
I'm beginning to think, therefore, that our stock answer to any question about cheap status should actually be - "Don't bother - just buy a Priority Pass because it'll cost much less and be more flexible".
I'm beginning to think, therefore, that our stock answer to any question about cheap status should actually be - "Don't bother - just buy a Priority Pass because it'll cost much less and be more flexible".
I can't really think of any drawbacks for my personal situation.
Priority checkin is a big plus, also the better lounge access. If I get a op-up, that would also be awesome. So in my personal situation it is far better for me to be A3*G than LH FTL.... What am I missing? I can see that I apparently I cannot use A3 miles to upgrade a LH flight, but for vacation, I would not choose LH anyway.
Cheers
Apr 4, 2014, 2:34 pm
#12
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: WAW
Programs: A3*G
Posts: 81
Cobulus, try FRA-ADD-GRU-ADD-FRA with Ethiopian. One trip and you are *G ! ~ 850 EUR Return.
Apr 6, 2014, 4:33 am
#13
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: homeless 2.0
Programs: A3 Gold, LH FTL
Posts: 1,065
I was wondering what the benefit / downside of being an A3*G would be. Since I am mostly travelling intra-Germany and -Europe, I do not have a big chance to get LH FTL or even SEN. I used to be FTL and will most probably get it again this year by having >30 flight segments, not by miles.
I can't really think of any drawbacks for my personal situation.
Priority checkin is a big plus, also the better lounge access. If I get a op-up, that would also be awesome. So in my personal situation it is far better for me to be A3*G than LH FTL.... What am I missing? I can see that I apparently I cannot use A3 miles to upgrade a LH flight, but for vacation, I would not choose LH anyway.
Cheers
I can't really think of any drawbacks for my personal situation.
Priority checkin is a big plus, also the better lounge access. If I get a op-up, that would also be awesome. So in my personal situation it is far better for me to be A3*G than LH FTL.... What am I missing? I can see that I apparently I cannot use A3 miles to upgrade a LH flight, but for vacation, I would not choose LH anyway.
Cheers
Apr 8, 2014, 12:50 pm
#14
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Chicago, USA
Programs: TK Elite ...and blue, lots of blue...
Posts: 746