Last edit by: SingaporeDon
Every forum on Flyertalk has a personality. A forum gains a personality through user input over time, and Lifemiles is a very definitive example of how users have developed a unique community.
While Flyertalk boards actively encourage sharing of info, the Lifemiles community has developed and thrived via obscuring of certain data elements. It may not be easy for new participants to break through the codes and gain knowledge of the program's quirks, but the overall board community has adopted this unique approach. And frankly, that is not going to change overnight.
If a FT member wants to participate on this board, then they will need to respect other users. Hence, posts that run counter to this community's standards, will be removed.
While Flyertalk boards actively encourage sharing of info, the Lifemiles community has developed and thrived via obscuring of certain data elements. It may not be easy for new participants to break through the codes and gain knowledge of the program's quirks, but the overall board community has adopted this unique approach. And frankly, that is not going to change overnight.
If a FT member wants to participate on this board, then they will need to respect other users. Hence, posts that run counter to this community's standards, will be removed.
C1 North America
C1.5 Caribbean, Bermuda
C2 Europe
C2.5 Middle East
C3 Asia
C4 South America
C5 Africa
C6 Oceania
2X, 3X: in the context of this LifeMiles thread, 2X and 3X refer to any 2nd and 3rd legs of a one-way award ticket.
LifeMiles' Star Alliance Award Chart
LifeMiles' old Star Alliance Award Chart (before Oct 15 2014) // Table of changes
Cash & Miles redemptions: the price per mile purchased during award booking varies significantly depending on how many miles are purchased. The "sweet spots" are between 38% and 58% of the total mileage required, where miles are purchased for 1.5 cents. See here for some examples.
Beware of Cabotage: LifeMiles has been known to issue tickets that constitute Cabotage, and at least one instance of denied boarding has been reported, stranding the passenger. An easily-seen example is travel on Copa from LAX to SJU (via PTY).
Understand Cabotage: Departing country 1, transiting country 2, returning to country 1 (no stopping) *is* cabotage (example: depart JFK, connect in YYZ to return to ORD, or depart Miami, connect in Bogota, return to San Francisco). On the other hand, departing country 1, going to completely unrelated country 2, and ending up in country 3, is not cabotage. So if you fly JFK-JNB-ZRH, for instance, this is completely not cabotage.
Availability: Seeing availability for *A award seats elsewhere is no guarantee they are accessible on Lifemiles. For instance award space shown on ANA often is not accessible on Lifemiles. Similarly, finding award space on single legs doesn't mean you'll get award space on the combined itinerary. And no, there is no way to overcome that.
Screenshot Method
Send email to [email protected] with attached screenshots on Lifemiles website of each individual leg showing availability. Also, screenshot showing no availability as one booking. Include passenger names, gender and DOB and copy of passenger passport. They will either call you for payment or email the itinerary and give you 3 days to call up and make payment by CC.
NOTE: This previous thread has been closed; it can be read here LM F and J routes (and the occasional trick-it)
LM F and J routes (and the occasional trick-it) Rebooted v2.0
#2341
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: BTS
Posts: 611
#2343
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: ZRH/SFO
Programs: A3*G - AZ CFP- HH DIA
Posts: 3,666
... tells me an american (boooahhh) ...
But you're aware, that your folk doesn't even now the difference between Austria and Australia?
And do you still think, that Sweden is a nice city in Switzerland?
But you're aware, that your folk doesn't even now the difference between Austria and Australia?
And do you still think, that Sweden is a nice city in Switzerland?
Last edited by Air Rarotonga; Jul 15, 2016 at 2:28 pm
#2344
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: DUB-BOS
Programs: various
Posts: 3,651
Does the screenshot method work for connections >8hrs ?
This is a straight forward flight USA - Southern Africa with one connection in IST. Biz available on both legs, but since IST layover is 13hrs, the website does not show it.
This is a straight forward flight USA - Southern Africa with one connection in IST. Biz available on both legs, but since IST layover is 13hrs, the website does not show it.
#2345
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Tokyo
Programs: Marriott Plat, HH G,Hyatt E,*A Gold, OW Emerald.
Posts: 3,023
past anecdotal posts show it works some times. just try your luck!
#2347
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 10
are there any (60/66k or cheaper) f-loops from c2 to c3 left?
i did many of them:
eu-land of the high mountains,
to some strange places in russia
as well as to an island paradise
always great discounts to bkk/sin/hkg. but i cant find any possible route anymore. there are a few routes left the other way around but its becoming pretty challenging to find a great f-deal
i did many of them:
eu-land of the high mountains,
to some strange places in russia
as well as to an island paradise
always great discounts to bkk/sin/hkg. but i cant find any possible route anymore. there are a few routes left the other way around but its becoming pretty challenging to find a great f-deal
Last edited by l0pez; Jul 21, 2016 at 11:15 am
#2348
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Tokyo
Programs: Marriott Plat, HH G,Hyatt E,*A Gold, OW Emerald.
Posts: 3,023
are there any (60/66k or cheaper) f-loops from c2 to c3 left?
i did many of them:
eu-land of the high mountains,
to some strange places in russia
as well as to an island paradise
always great discounts to bkk/sin/hkg. but i cant find any possible route anymore. there are a few routes left the other way around but its becoming pretty challenging to find a great f-deal
i did many of them:
eu-land of the high mountains,
to some strange places in russia
as well as to an island paradise
always great discounts to bkk/sin/hkg. but i cant find any possible route anymore. there are a few routes left the other way around but its becoming pretty challenging to find a great f-deal
#2349
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Tokyo
Programs: Marriott Plat, HH G,Hyatt E,*A Gold, OW Emerald.
Posts: 3,023
Ignoring the apparent major bug thats showing up this week, where F searches return all segments in C only, C serches have Y segments only etc....does anyone have a recollection / saved PDF of the award chart?
Seems Australia-South Asia is now 60K in first! thought it was always 50K, like North Asia.
Seems Australia-South Asia is now 60K in first! thought it was always 50K, like North Asia.
#2350
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Programs: Flying: VA; Buying: AA, AS, AV, BA, UA!
Posts: 2,349
Ignoring the apparent major bug thats showing up this week, where F searches return all segments in C only, C serches have Y segments only etc....does anyone have a recollection / saved PDF of the award chart?
Seems Australia-South Asia is now 60K in first! thought it was always 50K, like North Asia.
Seems Australia-South Asia is now 60K in first! thought it was always 50K, like North Asia.
#2351
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: New York Metropolitan Area 45 km from JFK
Programs: UA,AA,AS,BA
Posts: 4,607
And since we are at it: Toronto is the capital of Canada and Stockholm is the capital of Denmark, where they speak Dutch.
Last edited by WingedWorldExplorer; Jul 25, 2016 at 7:01 pm
#2353
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: SEA
Programs: BA Gold, Hyatt Glob, MR Plat, HH Diamond, IHG Amb
Posts: 443
Trying to book an LH/UA F flight that's showing as available on united.com (LHF-ORD-SFO), but LM website is showing it as Business while asking for 87K miles. Is this a bug? Any way around it?