Debzie
Jul 30, 12, 2:11 pm
Can anyone please help?
Since BMI pulled out of Star Alliance I am transferring my custom from AC to Jet Airways, as I understand I can then still transfer my miles to BAEC. I use a BMI credit card and understand if I book using the Tesco travel site, which is affiliated to lastminute.com I'll also earn clubcard vouchers which I can then convert to BAEC avios.
Mu question is, is there any way of knowing whether flights qualify for diamond club when not booking directly with the airline? Am I likely to book a flight that doesn't qualify? Would I be better booking with the airline direct, to be sure? Apologies if this is a basic question. I have emailed Tesco travel but no response as yet.
irishguy28
Jul 31, 12, 1:28 am
Can anyone please help?
Since BMI pulled out of Star Alliance I am transferring my custom from AC to Jet Airways, as I understand I can then still transfer my miles to BAEC.
Mu question is, is there any way of knowing whether flights qualify for diamond club when not booking directly with the airline? Am I likely to book a flight that doesn't qualify? Would I be better booking with the airline direct, to be sure?
The fare classes that earn Diamond Club miles on Jet Airways can be checked here (http://www.flybmi.com/bmi/en-gb/loyalty-programmes/diamond-club/earning-miles/flights.aspx) (may require you to be logged in to your Diamond Club account; scroll to the bottom of the page).
First Class: F, A (x 3 miles)
Business Class: C, J, Z, I, P (x 2 miles)
Economy Class: Y, M (x 1.5 miles)
Economy Class: T, U (x 1 miles)
Economy Class: N, L, Q, S (x 0.5 miles)
I'm no expert on Jet Airways, so I can't say if Jet Airways operates other economy class fare codes which do not appear on the bmi earning chart. However, this is at least possible, and if you had a ticket/flight in a fare code that is not shown on the earning table, it will not earn you any Diamond Club miles.
Many online travel agency sites make it difficult (if not impossible) to determine what fare code you are actually booking, so proceed with caution. Always check to see if there is a link to the "fare rules" and look for a fare basis code - the first letter should indicate what actual fare class the flight is booked in.
It turns out that the Jet Airways website explicitly tells you which classes your selected flights are in:
http://i45.tinypic.com/2vki4gi.jpg
In this case, the flights in T class would earn you a mileage amount in Diamond Club equal to the distance flown, while the flights in S class would earn you a mileage amount in Diamond Club equal to half the distance flown. (Ignore the JPmiles earning statement, mileage earning in Diamond Club may be different to earning in Jet's own program).
Good luck!
Beware also that there is no guarantee that Diamond Club will remain as is, and there is at least a possibility that Jet Airways may no longer be a Diamond Club partner by the time you come to take these flights.
If your primary concern is earning miles in a programme where you can use them, you may also want to consider an airline that allows you to earn miles direct into your BA Executive Club account.
Debzie
Jul 31, 12, 1:59 am
I used an on-line calculator to work out the mileage I would get and know the class if I book direct with Jet but, as you say, can't find out if they are the same class when booking via another site, although they do give me the option of putting in my DC membership number, so that is hopeful! I think another attempt to call might be in order.
Unfortunately, there is no direct flight for the routing I'd like to take with any airline linked to BAEC and as I'm planning on travelling next week, I'm hopeful that Jet will still be a member of DC then - or at least give some notice if they are about to exit!
Thanks for your help.
Debzie
Jul 31, 12, 6:49 am
After being very persuasive on the phone, I was told the return leg of this is H class - which doesn't qualify for Diamond club miles - so back to direct booking with the airline as they list the class as S, which will qualify.