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
#2401
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: BTS
Posts: 611
Exactly guys this is the point, I want to book a proper First Class award and also pay the First Class price, however it's always showing only Business Class price and also cabin though First Class section is selected. This is only the case if First Class has a connection. If done segment by segment it's priced correctly. So my question is if in that case screenshots should be sent to the dedicated team so that they can book it manually? But looks like no experience so far. I will check by myself and post here.
I would like to make a round-trip booking using LifeMiles from <origin> to <destination> in First Class for one passenger leaving on <date>. When I use the search tool I am unable to get the correct results.
However, I can find all flight segments as non-stops:
Flight #1: <from> - <to>
<screenshot>
Flight #2: <from> - <to>
<screenshot>
...
Can you price this manually for me and book for <total miles> LifeMiles per person (as per the award chart https://www.lifemiles.com/eng/inc/starredawards.aspx)
LifeMiles account: []
LifeMiles account owner: []
LifeMiles balance: []
Passenger details
First Name:
Middle Name:
Last Name:
Date of Birth:
Passport Number:
Passport Expiry:
Passport Country:
Sex:
<you will also need to attach a color photo of your passport photo page>
Preferred contact email:
Preferred phone contact:
Preferred contact: "e.g. 10am to 6pm San Francisco time"
However, I can find all flight segments as non-stops:
Flight #1: <from> - <to>
<screenshot>
Flight #2: <from> - <to>
<screenshot>
...
Can you price this manually for me and book for <total miles> LifeMiles per person (as per the award chart https://www.lifemiles.com/eng/inc/starredawards.aspx)
LifeMiles account: []
LifeMiles account owner: []
LifeMiles balance: []
Passenger details
First Name:
Middle Name:
Last Name:
Date of Birth:
Passport Number:
Passport Expiry:
Passport Country:
Sex:
<you will also need to attach a color photo of your passport photo page>
Preferred contact email:
Preferred phone contact:
Preferred contact: "e.g. 10am to 6pm San Francisco time"
#2402
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 3,704
Exactly guys this is the point, I want to book a proper First Class award and also pay the First Class price, however it's always showing only Business Class price and also cabin though First Class section is selected. This is only the case if First Class has a connection. If done segment by segment it's priced correctly. So my question is if in that case screenshots should be sent to the dedicated team so that they can book it manually? But looks like no experience so far. I will check by myself and post here.
The LH blocking is exasperating. Too bad I'm not privy to the mysterious cookie insertion hack method.
#2403
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Toronto (YYZ)
Posts: 6,279
#2405
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Tokyo
Programs: Marriott Plat, HH G,Hyatt E,*A Gold, OW Emerald.
Posts: 3,023
Exactly guys this is the point, I want to book a proper First Class award and also pay the First Class price, however it's always showing only Business Class price and also cabin though First Class section is selected. This is only the case if First Class has a connection.
Last edited by Tokyoite; Oct 8, 2016 at 1:56 am
#2407
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 162
#2408
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Tokyo
Programs: Marriott Plat, HH G,Hyatt E,*A Gold, OW Emerald.
Posts: 3,023
then booking engine as it is is great....fewer easter eggs, but lots of opportunities with mixed cabins and firebug plugin.
now, if only they could introduce a way to waiver cancellation fees, christmas would truely have come early.
e.g. No cancel fees for StarGold status (AA style), No cancel fees for 30 or 60 days out (AS style)..
now, if only they could introduce a way to waiver cancellation fees, christmas would truely have come early.
e.g. No cancel fees for StarGold status (AA style), No cancel fees for 30 or 60 days out (AS style)..
#2413
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Programs: AY Platinum, UA Premier Platinum, OneWorld Emerald, VA Platinum
Posts: 558
#2414
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Brisbane
Programs: QF gold, HH Diamond, VA plat, Aegean Gold
Posts: 679
#2415
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Tokyo
Programs: Marriott Plat, HH G,Hyatt E,*A Gold, OW Emerald.
Posts: 3,023