Other European Frequent Flyer Programs - SNBA partners with Eurostar

SNBA will partner in the Frequent traveller program of Eurostar , Eurostar will partner in SN Privelege,
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Eurostar runs direct services every day between London, Ashford in Kent and Paris, Brussels, Lille, Disneyland Resort Paris and Calais-Fréthun.Direct seasonal services run from London and Ashford to Avignon in Provence (May-October) and to the French Alps (November-April). With a simple change in Lille, Paris or Brussels, you can also reach over 100 more destinations across France, Belgium*, the Netherlands and Germany.

SNBA will partner in the Frequent traveller program of Eurostar
There's something just a little peculiar about these two partnering their frequent-flyer programs, given that they must be pretty much direct competitors on the LON-BRU route...

My thought twas that they should partner to allow straight-through ticketing from London to onward destinations. Just as many fly LCY-AMS-onward, I'm sure that there is a not insignificant market that would appreciate the opportunity to travel Waterloo-[Brussels Eurostar]-BRU-xxx. This of course depends on there being easy access from the Eurostar station to BRU, which may not be the case. It sounds complicated, but from the City wouldn't be much more so than getting to LHR (think cab/tube to Paddington, then HEx to LHR).

I wonder if there are any plans, then, to run a couple of Eurostars direct to Zaventem, like the Thalys?

They could, for example, pick a quite a lot of trade from Kent (recently made airportless) and Lille, as well as London.

And Eurostar has now re-modified its own Frequent Traveller programme. (www.eurostar.com/dctm/jsp/subhome/detail.jsp?page=news&id=09001a59801c961e&webtrends=eurostar_news)

A cheap, restricted First Class one-way ticket between Brussels and London now earns 100 points, 50% more than previously. The same ticket in Standard Class, which costs 50% less only earns you 25 points, exactly as before. This means I can now reach Carte Blanche status quicker.

Also, this is better for standard class UK travellers heading over to the continent. A £59 return ticket, Eurostar's cheapest available fare to Paris or Brussels will now earn you 100 points, the same ticket before would have netted you a miserly 50 points. Having said that, the cheapest First return ticket would earn you exactly the same amount of points as the £59 fare, because it is all price-based.

Eurostar Frequent Travellers can now also transfer Eurostar Points to their SN Brussels Privilege account, at an exchange rate of 14 SN miles per Eurostar point.

This makes it now more attractive to use the Eurostar than to fly - a BusinessPremier return will usually yield 300 points, i.e. 4,200 SN miles. A business class return on SN yields only 4,000 miles. The Eurostar ticket would usually also be somewhat cheaper.

This is even more ponounced for economy class/standard fares.

SmilingBoy.

This makes it now more attractive to use the Eurostar than to fly - a BusinessPremier return will usually yield 300 points, i.e. 4,200 SN miles. A business class return on SN yields only 2,000 miles.

If you're smart, 2 seperate Business Premier single tickets for the same price as a return will yield you an extra 100 Eurostar points, see here, making 5,600 SN miles for a round-trip LON-BRU-LON instead of 2000 SN miles for flying the same route.

Eurostar Frequent Travellers can now also transfer Eurostar Points to their SN Brussels Privilege account, at an exchange rate of 14 SN miles per Eurostar point.

This makes it now more attractive to use the Eurostar than to fly - a BusinessPremier return will usually yield 300 points, i.e. 4,200 SN miles. A business class return on SN yields only 2,000 miles. The Eurostar ticket would usually also be somewhat cheaper.

This is even more ponounced for economy class/standard fares.

SmilingBoy.

An SNBA business class return yields at least 2000 miles each way. So 4000 miles in total for a return flight. It's 2000 miles return for fully and semi-flexible economy fares.

If you're smart, 2 seperate Business Premier single tickets for the same price as a return will yield you an extra 100 Eurostar points, see here, making 5,600 SN miles for a round-trip LON-BRU-LON instead of 2000 SN miles for flying the same route.

Unfortunately, it seems that a further change is that a one way fully flexible BusinessPremier ticket is now significantly more expensive than half a return ticket when travelling from Brussels to London. (This is not the case for tickets from London!)

I don't know what would happen if you wanted a refund on the return leg of a fully flexible ticket...

An SNBA business class return yields at least 2000 miles each way. So 4000 miles in total for a return flight. It's 2000 miles return for fully and semi-flexible economy fares.
Of course, you are right!

I'm extremely curious about the suggestion that I can now convert eurostar points to SN miles. Is this really true? I can see no hint of it on the eurostar website. Available only to members in Belgium, maybe?

I have 10,000 eurostar points that I was struggling to use so this really could be good news for me!

Cheers.

I'm extremely curious about the suggestion that I can now convert eurostar points to SN miles. Is this really true? I can see no hint of it on the eurostar website. Available only to members in Belgium, maybe?

I have 10,000 eurostar points that I was struggling to use so this really could be good news for me!

Cheers.

http://www.eurostar.com/UK/uk/leisure/frequent_travellers/partners/snb_airlines.jsp

Can't remember where I found the 1:14 Exchange Rate, possibly in my latest Carte Blanche mailing. So 140,000 SN miles for you!

SmilingBoy.

http://www.eurostar.com/UK/uk/leisure/frequent_travellers/partners/snb_airlines.jsp

Can't remember where I found the 1:14 Exchange Rate, possibly in my latest Carte Blanche mailing. So 140,000 SN miles for you!

SmilingBoy.

Awesome. Just spoke to Eurostar and they say the rate is 1:13.4, so a tiny bit less generous, but still great.

Awesome. Just spoke to Eurostar and they say the rate is 1:13.4, so a tiny bit less generous, but still great.

That makes sense: They want a BusinessPremier ticket on the Eurostar to yield exactly the same amount of miles as a Business Return on SN. (But note that going Eurostar Ex-UK you better buy two singles instead of one return, giving you 400 instead of 300 Eurostar points)

I had the opportunity to experience the new Business Premier service for the first time last night from Brussels. There are still some aspects which could be improved. The food hasn't changed much, portions are still quite small (think Economy airline meal yet Eurostar still insist they call it a three course meal :rolleyes: )

The starter was excellent, countryside terrine with beetroot and spiced ginger bread. The main course was okay, Brandade of cod and chive with a bisque sauce, Brussels sprouts (why???) and Vichy carrots. Dessert was a Hazelnut sponge cake with creme anglaise which I passed on as it looked truly vile, more like a splodge of cream with a limp bisciut on top. I didn't touch the cheese as it looked almost as pathetic as well.

My request for another glass of champagne arrived after I'd finished my meal. Service was shockingly slow despite fewer pax in Business. And now no more saucers for your tea and coffee cups.

I did notice some welcome improvements though, such as new, larger, champagne and wine glasses, very stylish cutlery designed by Robert Welch and china by Helios replacing the plastic dishes used previously for the starter, dessert and cheese.


Unfortunately, it seems that a further change is that a one way fully flexible BusinessPremier ticket is now significantly more expensive than half a return ticket when travelling from Brussels to London. (This is not the case for tickets from London!)

I don't know what would happen if you wanted a refund on the return leg of a fully flexible ticket...


Well pointed out. If you want to buy a one-way Business Premier ticket ex-BRU then Eurostar will screw you for more. If you buy the return fare and only used the outward then Eurostar will refund you the difference less the price of the more expensive one-way fare.

Nice trip report. I largely agree with your observations. However, regarding the speed of the service it really depends on your train attendant. Sometimes they serve you a meal, and maybe a second bottle of wine and disappear for the last hour of the trip. On other days they put a new bottle on my table everytime they passed by, even if I hadn't finished the previous one...

I think the biggest improvement are the fast-track lanes for BusinessPremier. It really speeds up things a lot, especially in Brussels.

SmilingBoy.

I think the biggest improvement are the fast-track lanes for BusinessPremier. It really speeds up things a lot, especially in Brussels.

SmilingBoy.

Yes, it certainly does. The queue for the normal check-in machines had to be held back as those who had checked-in were blocking the gates. It's so stupid! The passport control has been moved nearer to the check-in and when the queues build up you have to wait before checking in. They should move the (Belgian) passport control further back.

Yes, it certainly does. The queue for the normal check-in machines had to be held back as those who had checked-in were blocking the gates. It's so stupid! The passport control has been moved nearer to the check-in and when the queues build up you have to wait before checking in. They should move the (Belgian) passport control further back.

Ah, but then there would be no room for the four (count them!) UK Passport Control booths. I do prefer having the checks all together at the start of the journey, but surely they could set it up differently (i.e both sets of passports first, THEN a security check?)

I think the new classes are an improvement, and definitely approve of the new earning structure for E* Frequent Traveller.

Ah, but then there would be no room for the four (count them!) UK Passport Control booths.

Quite right.


I do prefer having the checks all together at the start of the journey, but surely they could set it up differently (i.e both sets of passports first, THEN a security check?)

Like Paris? The problem at Brussels is that check-in never opens more than an hour before departure. This results in a big rush when check-in opens (usually 5 mins late or so). I'm always surprised at how many people there are waiting an hour before departure.

I'm not sure how they can alleviate the problem in Brussels unless they put the Belgian passport control before the check-in gates (Paris had this set-up for years but then moved the passport checks after check-in when the terminal was refurbished).

I have to say I avoid the problem at Midi these days by turning up as late as humanly possible, typically 15 minutes before departure (with crowds travelling on the next departure eagerly waiting to be let in). You generally avoid the worst of the queues this way and then walk straight onto the train.

Awesome. Just spoke to Eurostar and they say the rate is 1:13.4, so a tiny bit less generous, but still great.I transferred 2,000 Eurostar points and less than a week later I now have 28,000 SN Brussels miles. So 1:14 seems to be correct.

SmilingBoy.

For future reference, transferring Eurostar points to SN Brussels Airlines Privilege miles is no longer possible.

I created a new thread here:
http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=770523