May 26, 2014, 8:47 am

FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moderator2

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.

Region definitions
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

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Jul 30, 2014, 7:14 am

#586

Rusell

Join Date: Mar 2012

Location: Australia

Programs: QF, LM, AA,VA Silver, Qatar, Accor Gold, CC Gold, HH Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott B Plat

Posts: 535

Hi everyone,

Is there any C6 - C3 routes still going!!

I know of one but I would prefer to fly through SIN instead.

Please PM me if anyone knows of any.

Jul 30, 2014, 9:23 pm

#587

babypuwet

Join Date: Mar 2012

Posts: 989

anyone know of a c2-c1 trick other than via the woodcutter tool? I used to know a couple of boomerangs, but cant find any of those in existence anymore

Jul 30, 2014, 11:18 pm

#588

Maayan

Join Date: Nov 2006

Location: TLV

Posts: 522

While looking for deforesting options in August, saw a first for me: overnight in TLV. Available 6 days to EWR. Only once to IAD and once to ORD in the entire month. Nothing to any other C1 gateway.

2014-08-01 xxx-xxx-TLV-UA85-EWR
2014-08-04 xxx-xxx-TLV-UA85-EWR
2014-08-07 xxx-xxx-TLV-UA85-EWR
2014-08-21 xxx-xxx-TLV-UA85-EWR
2014-08-22 xxx-xxx-TLV-UA85-EWR
2014-08-29 xxx-xxx-TLV-UA85-EWR
2014-08-07 xxx-xxx-CDG-UA914-IAD
2014-08-12 xxx-xxx-CDG-UA986-ORD

Out of curiosity looked at TLV-EWR and availability is pretty nice for midsummer - especially where connections in Europe are involved.

2014-08-01 TLV-UA85-EWR
2014-08-01 TLV-TK789-IST-LH1775-MUC-LH99-FRA-LH402-EWR
2014-08-01 TLV-TK789-IST-LH1775-MUC-LH103-FRA-LH402-EWR
2014-08-02 TLV-UA85-EWR
2014-08-04 TLV-LH691-FRA-LH470-YYZ-AC7476-EWR
2014-08-04 TLV-LH691-FRA-LH470-YYZ-UA3466-EWR
2014-08-05 TLV-UA85-EWR
2014-08-05 TLV-TK789-IST-TK1611-FRA-LH402-EWR
2014-08-05 TLV-TK789-IST-TK1611-FRA-LH908-LHR-UA941-EWR
2014-08-08 TLV-UA85-EWR
2014-08-08 TLV-LH691-FRA-LH402-EWR
2014-08-12 TLV-LH691-FRA-LH470-YYZ-AC7476-EWR
2014-08-12 TLV-TK793-IST-TK1587-FRA-LH910-LHR-UA943-EWR
2014-08-21 TLV-LH691-FRA-UA988-IAD/DCA-UA3900-EWR
2014-08-21 TLV-LH691-FRA-LH470-YYZ-AC7476-EWR
2014-08-22 TLV-UA85-EWR
2014-08-23 TLV-UA85-EWR
2014-08-27 TLV-LH691-FRA-LH418-IAD/DCA-UA3900-EWR
2014-08-30 TLV-UA85-EWR
2014-08-30 TLV-LH681-MUC-LH103-FRA-LH908-LHR-UA941-EWR
2014-08-30 TLV-LH681-MUC-LH105-FRA-LH908-LHR-UA941-EWR

This is all in J.

Jul 31, 2014, 5:08 am

#589

Enigma368

Join Date: Feb 2010

Location: London / Los Angeles

Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond Ambassador, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Globalist, BA Silver

Posts: 1,631

Quote:

anyone know of a c2-c1 trick other than via the woodcutter tool? I used to know a couple of boomerangs, but cant find any of those in existence anymore

There are a couple of boomerangs that still work(at least they show up as bookable- I haven't booked them) from C2-C1. Not much availability in J through -I think with US air gone, it is more difficult. Everything now seems to be via EWR. They go from fairly obscure airports.

Last edited by Enigma368; Jul 31, 2014 at 6:26 am

Jul 31, 2014, 6:22 am

#590

babypuwet

Join Date: Mar 2012

Posts: 989

Hi guys, been trying to book the deforestation the last couple of days. LM shows availability however, I couldn't book it after entering credit card details. I did get a confirmation number but no miles was deducted. However, prior to attempting to book with LM, when searching via united and aeroplan, the individual segments of the flight that I'm trying to book, those flights aren't available. Could this be phantom availability?

Jul 31, 2014, 6:37 am

#591

zagy

Join Date: Jun 2013

Programs: SPG Plat 100, A3*G

Posts: 678

Quote:

Originally Posted by babypuwet

If you go to checkmytrip.com, did you get a ticket number? 202-... ?

Jul 31, 2014, 7:18 am

#592

babypuwet

Join Date: Mar 2012

Posts: 989

Quote:

Originally Posted by zagy

If you go to checkmytrip.com, did you get a ticket number? 202-... ?

No, I know the ticket wasn't issued. But my question is why is availability showing up on LM but nowhere else?

Jul 31, 2014, 7:41 am

#593

miikkak

Join Date: Jul 2012

Location: Helsinki

Programs: A3 Gold, BA Silver

Posts: 1,014

Quote:

Originally Posted by miikkak

I have a tricked ticket and the trick still seems to work. While doing online checkin I noticed that one flight number has changed and the ticket apparantly needs to be reissued (carrier combination, flight numbers, flight times, routing etc hasn't changed). Is there any way to try to solve this without contacting Lifemiles?

Well, I went to airport without contacting Avianca and the operating airline of the first leg apparently fixed the ticket somehow without reissuing it (based on the ticket stock). Ground handling is done by contractor which probably helped as no questions were asked or nothing commented about the routing.

Jul 31, 2014, 8:02 am

#594

tng11

Join Date: Jul 2010

Location: YYZ

Posts: 1,666

LM is a strange with availability... I've booked itineraries with AC and TK, where ANA didn't show availability for the individual segments and the bookings went through no problem and ticketed.

Jul 31, 2014, 8:20 am

#595

TheBOSman

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Aug 2011

Location: Austin, Texas

Programs: Airline nobody. Sad!

Posts: 26,062

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maayan

While looking for deforesting options in August, saw a first for me: overnight in TLV.

Probably because award availability to TLV (particularly on the ex-NA nonstops) was basically impossible. But it is a lot easier to get for right now, assuming you want to take a more than insignificant risk...

Jul 31, 2014, 10:55 pm

#596

bfpri

Join Date: Jun 2014

Posts: 40

Is asking for luggage to be checked... NOT... to the final destination always allowed? Or is it risky? I know its frowned upon, but will they always agree to it?

Jul 31, 2014, 11:07 pm

#597

SFO777

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Nov 2007

Location: Denver • DEN-APA

Programs: AF Platinum, EK Gold, AA EXP, UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist

Posts: 21,602

Quote:

Originally Posted by wheresmybagba

Or LM have done the maths and seen that the cost of LH F awards (I've seen $1000 per long haul sector quoted elsewhere) is not being covered by the miles expended? Boomerangs anyone!?

Sure seems like LM is blocking LH First. Both UA and AC show F seats on FRA-YYZ this weekend but LM shows zero-zip-nada.

Jul 31, 2014, 11:29 pm

#598

markus_see

Join Date: Jun 2011

Posts: 51

I recently flew Australia-NRT-GUM but using United Mileageplus (same region award; Oceania) and throwaway the last sector. When I arrived in NRT, i called United and tell them I will not board the NRT-GUM flight (just give whatever excuse eg. emergency etc) and ask them to cancel that last segment. I did that because I was a bit worried that they will cancel my United mileage account for no-show.
I know this is LifeMiles forum and I'm aware of the boomies trick which many are gone now include the GummyBear trick.
I just want to share my experience and ask you more experienced chaps, instead of no-show why not tell the airline on arrival of your intended destination that you will not board the subsequent flight to avoid risking cancellation of your mileage account. Maybe this was mentioned before. Jut want to share for those who going to use the hidden cities trick in future.

Aug 1, 2014, 12:49 am

#599

GUWonder

Suspended

Join Date: Jul 2001

Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory

Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting

Posts: 102,095

Quote:

Originally Posted by SFO777

Sure seems like LM is blocking LH First. Both UA and AC show F seats on FRA-YYZ this weekend but LM shows zero-zip-nada.

Couldn't it be LH blocking access to AV/TA but not blocking UA/AC in the same way?

Aug 1, 2014, 1:48 am

#600

oliver2002

Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources

Original Poster

Join Date: Dec 2002

Location: MUC

Programs: LH SEN

Posts: 48,171

Quote:

Originally Posted by SFO777

Sure seems like LM is blocking LH First. Both UA and AC show F seats on FRA-YYZ this weekend but LM shows zero-zip-nada.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GUWonder

Couldn't it be LH blocking access to AV/TA but not blocking UA/AC in the same way?

I vote for / suspect the latter. LH is restricting select award availability to the office ID behind the AV LM website using . Just like SQ does to UA

Some background reading on Amadeus Altéa Inventory control:
http://www.amadeus.com/airlineit/sol...dule_1inv.html

Quote:

Inventory control: Key functionalities such as Revenue Availability (Origin & Destination) to control airline inventory and calculate availability by revenue bid price and market based yields, point of sale control down to IATA agency ID, real-time interaction with revenue management and departure control systems, automated availability publication rules and prioritisation of users' daily workload.