Miles Purchase [available from 8th October 2015]
Oct 1, 2015, 1:27 pm
#16
Community Director
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I don't mind at all. It would probably help even more if I could remember 
.
I believe it's the number that's been touted, tentatively at least, in this forum. It might well be more than that - I doubt it'll be less.
Whilst the idea is clearly, as you say, to monetise the programme, it is also to try and get people to travel with A3 given the way re-qualification is now structured.
That would mean Golds only needing 12,000 miles. It seems unlikely - given A3 has most likely introduced the new qualification criteria to reduce the number of Golds - that they would suddenly offer the opportunity to buy half the miles needed for re-qualification.
. I believe it's the number that's been touted, tentatively at least, in this forum. It might well be more than that - I doubt it'll be less.
Whilst the idea is clearly, as you say, to monetise the programme, it is also to try and get people to travel with A3 given the way re-qualification is now structured.
That would mean Golds only needing 12,000 miles. It seems unlikely - given A3 has most likely introduced the new qualification criteria to reduce the number of Golds - that they would suddenly offer the opportunity to buy half the miles needed for re-qualification.
Oct 1, 2015, 3:02 pm
#17
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: SEA
Programs: A3*G, AC, IHG Plat AMB
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That said, and don't use me as an example for anything, I originally qualified by booking a trip for <100 miles. Had I the option to just buy them outright, I would have absolutely done that rather than additional trips. But the comment is relevant that 2000 miles is low for a cap.
Oct 1, 2015, 3:27 pm
#18
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 39
It looks like you can buy status miles on TK, which is a great example on what prices could be.
I was wondering whether if it was worth buying tier miles to retain my gold status or if I should book a 4 segment ticket in mid October seeing how I only miss 4 flights or 12k miles.
Still very curious how Aegean will handle it and if it will be ready in time for November expirations
I was wondering whether if it was worth buying tier miles to retain my gold status or if I should book a 4 segment ticket in mid October seeing how I only miss 4 flights or 12k miles.
Still very curious how Aegean will handle it and if it will be ready in time for November expirations
Oct 1, 2015, 4:07 pm
#20
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The wording on the website implies it is 2 separate things available - purchase of award miles, and purchase of status miles
Oct 2, 2015, 1:53 am
#21
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Netherlands
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Oct 2, 2015, 1:56 am
#22
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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If you are on 12k tier miles and 0 A3 segments, for you it's a no-brainer - you need to take 4 A3 segments - that is all you need to get your Gold renewal.
Oct 2, 2015, 5:11 am
#23
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 39
If you still need to take 4 A3 flights, that means you will have to requalify on the higher 24k target. If you are only at 12k miles as you seem to suggest, then it is highly unlikely you will be able to buy another 12k miles (see discussion above. The amount you can buy may be capped at an amount as low as 2,000 miles).
If you are on 12k tier miles and 0 A3 segments, for you it's a no-brainer - you need to take 4 A3 segments - that is all you need to get your Gold renewal.
If you are on 12k tier miles and 0 A3 segments, for you it's a no-brainer - you need to take 4 A3 segments - that is all you need to get your Gold renewal.
Thank you for your help!
Oct 2, 2015, 7:16 am
#24
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Avoid codeshares (A3 flight number, operated by someone other than Aegean).
For non-Star Alliance partners, such flights don't count (as I found out by bitter personal experience earlier this year!). I am not sure that A3-coded, Star Alliance operated (eg Lufthansa) would count either (perhaps someone will be along to clarify). EDIT: The wiki in this thread states that A3 coded flights operated by other Star Alliance carriers do not count as one of your 4 required sectors. Stick to A3-metal flights only.
For the avoidance of all doubt - make sure you travel only on A3 metal, booked under its A3 code. (Of course, flights on Olympic (Greek domestic routes) are OK, too, as long as they are in mileage-earning classes)
For non-Star Alliance partners, such flights don't count (as I found out by bitter personal experience earlier this year!). I am not sure that A3-coded, Star Alliance operated (eg Lufthansa) would count either (perhaps someone will be along to clarify). EDIT: The wiki in this thread states that A3 coded flights operated by other Star Alliance carriers do not count as one of your 4 required sectors. Stick to A3-metal flights only.
For the avoidance of all doubt - make sure you travel only on A3 metal, booked under its A3 code. (Of course, flights on Olympic (Greek domestic routes) are OK, too, as long as they are in mileage-earning classes)
Last edited by irishguy28; Oct 2, 2015 at 8:18 am
Oct 2, 2015, 9:58 am
#25
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Heraklion, Greece
Posts: 7,565
DELLAS reported last week in a different thread about his A3-coded LH flight. It did NOT count as an A3 flight (i.e. one of the four required for requalification), but it did count towards miles accumulation. Thus, what you wrote is absolutely true!
Oct 2, 2015, 12:12 pm
#27
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,899
LH metal A3 flight number = NO
A3 metal LH flight number = YES
Oct 2, 2015, 12:24 pm
#28
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: CKH
Posts: 575
I have now also amended this section to also include non-*A partner flights.
Snacky
Last edited by Snacky; Oct 2, 2015 at 12:33 pm
Oct 5, 2015, 12:53 pm
#29
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...
Status miles, frankly, are anyone's guess - it's difficult to imagine someone who needed 2,000 miles to re-qualify (which is the buying cap we're expecting) being able to buy that number for as little as 80 Euros plus fee (which would be the cost if Award and Status were priced the same). I would expect it to be something like 5 to 10 times that amount given the benefits.
Status miles, frankly, are anyone's guess - it's difficult to imagine someone who needed 2,000 miles to re-qualify (which is the buying cap we're expecting) being able to buy that number for as little as 80 Euros plus fee (which would be the cost if Award and Status were priced the same). I would expect it to be something like 5 to 10 times that amount given the benefits.
Just a tidbit, I agree we will just be guessing until the function have been implemented.
Oct 5, 2015, 1:50 pm
#30
Join Date: Mar 2013
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Just as a benchmark I can report that OW member Finnair sets the cost for tier miles to 3 times the cost of award miles on its program. (You cannot but Tier miles directly, but you can buy award miles and the exchange them for tier miles at the 3:1 ratio)
Just a tidbit, I agree we will just be guessing until the function have been implemented.
Just a tidbit, I agree we will just be guessing until the function have been implemented.