Phoenixtinct

I qualified for *S and subsequently for *G in 2012 and didn't credit anything in 2013 but did credit 2 SAS flights this year to keep the account current.

I never used the card for its benefits and credit elsewhere except on few intra-European flights on LH that were booked in K and L and earned nothing in other FFPs but Miles&More. It just saved me the trouble of requesting missing mileage credit later on.

I also have *G status through United and Turkish. I decided to drop United due to the changes they implemented starting next year. If A3 implements a metal requirement and requires requalification every year with United's 50% earnings on most Economy fares, then I will move to Turkish and use Asiana as my backup.

I've never thought that once you reached a certain level in a FFP and can't get to the next tier or one doesn't exist, one should continue crediting to that program. I've always credited to another program but didn't use the benefits from another FFP.

I find the TK's program in its current state very attractive - 40,000 miles for initial qualification and 25,000 per year thereafter or 37,500 every 2 years with the option to purchase up to 10,000 status miles for a reasonable price. So, essentially, TK's requirements are very attractive, especially when you keep in mind that United's economy earnings are 100% except for booking class N.

jerry_greece

My info say that all gold members will keep their status (at least for a year) but all current gold members will need to fly 12k miles (4 A3/OA flights incl.) to keep it for the next one.

Also, the silver status will not be for granted and 8k miles (2 A3/OA flights incl.) will be needed to keep it!

When the program launches there will be an adjustment of current tier miles.

tycosiao

Could this be pressure from other *A members?

If A3 implements 4 sectors to qualify for status, they would be the first in *A?

Correct me if I am wrong..

NWIFlyer

You are wrong .

UA also has a minimum metal requirement from 2015:
http://www.united.com/web/en-US/cont...r/qualify.aspx

AC already has a segment or minimum mileage requirement on AC metal - 5 segments/10k miles:
https://altitude.aircanada.com/status/overview

AV has a minimum mileage requirement (10k) for *G status:
https://www.lifemiles.com/eng/abo/wnb/wnbelitab.aspx

Jma12

Well, you can still get *G if you fly 24k on other *A airline. We still have to wait until end of the month for the official announcement from A3.

jrey

It's only fair if they give full miles for discounted fare classes if they were to increase the requirement.

MAN Pax

One trip to the west coast USA and an A3 sector run from MAN. Not too much to ask for *G?

dio1982

The 4 A3/OA Segment + 12k miles requirement is fortunately not terribly difficult. At least from Germany I can easily book a 4 segment flight with A3 for 233€, leaving the remaining 9k miles to be collected somehow differently.

9k + 233€ is absolutely not terribly difficult for *G. BUT, given TK's better redemption abilities, I will have to think very hard about TK's program.

NWIFlyer

This is simply not going to happen, because for lots of people it'll make it much easier to qualify initially - meaning, for NA travel, 24k real miles in the air rather than around 46k (38k currently) assuming all discounted Y on NA carriers (leaving aside the 500 mile UA minimum).

Don't forget that A3 also has to pay out for those miles on redemption, but they'll still only be paid the same amount for them when awarded - which would mean redemption values would have to increase dramatically as well, leaving all existing miles in accounts significantly devalued.

NWIFlyer

I think you may be in a more fortunate position in Germany - it would be difficult (probably impossible) to find 4 sectors for the £180 equivalent out of the UK. Over double that (still not a fortune, granted) is much more likely. For example, LON-LCA in January (hardly a peak time to visit) would be £400 in flex to earn the 4k miles, with GoLight not too much less.

The difficulty with TK (and what remains in A3's favour) is that miles expire after 3 years making C & F long-haul redemptions off the back of low earning base tricky.

There are things that A3 could do to sweeten this a little and make people more likely to fly on their metal - like an additional Gold bonus for flying on A3/OA, or free upgrade vouchers subject to space availability (BD used to do both). Currently, if you're going to hit the minimum of what we assume will be 24k anyway, there's no great incentive to take A3 to ATH over any other Star airline. If the object of the lower qualifying mileage coupled with group segments is to try to incentivise more people onto A3 metal, then they need to look at the benefits as a whole to encourage a greater demographic of M&B members to do just that.

shorthauldad

Reality check: think about those of us flying s/h discount Y ...

24k status miles/year would require 96 return flights/year (booked eg in K) if we were earning status via another well-known *A programme. That's a reasonable amount of flying.

nk15

Does anyone know if the "4 Aegean/Olympic flights+12,000 miles or 24,000 miles per year" will also be the initial qualification requirement for Gold, or just the re-qualification one? Anyone has any info when the changes will take effect?

jerry_greece

4OA/A3+12k, or 24k is for keeping gold.

For (initial) gold you have to earn 24000k+4OA/A3 or 48k.

I think that there will also be changes in mileage credit. Accrual will be implemented, but still with % depending on fare value. I think that accrual will also be implemented on redeeming.

End of November will be the "launch date".

nk15

Ok, great, I am about to qualify soon with the existing rules, so that works...

Jma12

Hi Jerry, do you have more information? Also, how did you know about the "launch date"?