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
#1351
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: ZRH
Posts: 2
Yeah I'm member since 2011 and I'm a quiet reader, but I don't understand some code words used in the his forum. I've been travelling around the world with dividend miles several times, it's not that I didn't do any homework at all. I wasn't aware that this forum is used to proof how smart and clever you are and not to ask any questions. I'm not asking for a panready trip, I'm asking for hints and tricks, without using a codeword so I can understand it. As my mothertongue obviously is different than english, it might be the problem for not getting the codes. Sorry for that. I haven't used Lifemiles so far and I wanted to give it a try. So if anyone is willing to introduce me to the big secret, very appreciated.
#1352
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 3,835
Last edited by mlqsko; Nov 22, 2014 at 5:19 am
#1353
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Germany
Programs: LH FTL, BA Bronze
Posts: 829
#1354
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 3,835
#1355
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: New York Metropolitan Area 45 km from JFK
Programs: UA,AA,AS,BA
Posts: 4,607
#1356
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: UK
Programs: BA Blue / AAdvantage Platinum
Posts: 9
No availability as one ticket - but availability as two
Perhaps somebody can help me on this one...
I live near an airport which is only served by one Star Alliance airline and it has only one route in/out. I can find availability if I check for flights on that one route (A-B)
The same airline will also show availability on a onward flight if I check it separately (B-C) but I cannot get it to work for a combined flight A-C.
If it did work it would mean a very inexpensive flight across the sea to New York!
I live near an airport which is only served by one Star Alliance airline and it has only one route in/out. I can find availability if I check for flights on that one route (A-B)
The same airline will also show availability on a onward flight if I check it separately (B-C) but I cannot get it to work for a combined flight A-C.
If it did work it would mean a very inexpensive flight across the sea to New York!
#1357
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Valencia, Spain
Programs: Pascal and Python, no C++
Posts: 738
Perhaps somebody can help me on this one...
I live near an airport which is only served by one Star Alliance airline and it has only one route in/out. I can find availability if I check for flights on that one route (A-B)
The same airline will also show availability on a onward flight if I check it separately (B-C) but I cannot get it to work for a combined flight A-C.
If it did work it would mean a very inexpensive flight across the sea to New York!
I live near an airport which is only served by one Star Alliance airline and it has only one route in/out. I can find availability if I check for flights on that one route (A-B)
The same airline will also show availability on a onward flight if I check it separately (B-C) but I cannot get it to work for a combined flight A-C.
If it did work it would mean a very inexpensive flight across the sea to New York!
#1358
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Bruxelles Belgium
Programs: Avios - M&M - Senator - FLYBLU
Posts: 53
Yeah I'm member since 2011 and I'm a quiet reader, but I don't understand some code words used in the his forum. I've been travelling around the world with dividend miles several times, it's not that I didn't do any homework at all. I wasn't aware that this forum is used to proof how smart and clever you are and not to ask any questions. I'm not asking for a panready trip, I'm asking for hints and tricks, without using a codeword so I can understand it. As my mothertongue obviously is different than english, it might be the problem for not getting the codes. Sorry for that. I haven't used Lifemiles so far and I wanted to give it a try. So if anyone is willing to introduce me to the big secret, very appreciated.
I am no expert, far from, but I made friends outside of public postings and slowly built some knowledge that way.
#1359
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: SFO
Programs: AY Plat, LH FTL
Posts: 7,354
re: not flying the last segment on a woodcutter
Any advice as where it would be best to advise TK we won't be flying and request our offloaded bags?
Any advice as where it would be best to advise TK we won't be flying and request our offloaded bags?
#1361
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: SFO
Programs: AY Plat, LH FTL
Posts: 7,354
Thanks, but not really helpful.
Our initial check in is with UA, and if I tell them we won't be flying the last segment, there is likely no way we'll get the bags short checked.
We'll be told if we want to fly any of the segments, we and our bags will need to be checked in on all of the segments open for check in, which will likely be all the way.
It seems I can ask to be offloaded at a transfer desk, at TK check in, or TK baggage claim. Since our bags will need to clear customs, I'm guessing somewhere in the transit area would be the best first place to ask.
Surely, I'm not the first person on a woodcutter who will need to retrieve a checked bag when I'm finished flying the segments I want to fly. I understand the risks I'm taking, and if anyone can point me in the right direction, I'd greatly appreciate it.
Our initial check in is with UA, and if I tell them we won't be flying the last segment, there is likely no way we'll get the bags short checked.
We'll be told if we want to fly any of the segments, we and our bags will need to be checked in on all of the segments open for check in, which will likely be all the way.
It seems I can ask to be offloaded at a transfer desk, at TK check in, or TK baggage claim. Since our bags will need to clear customs, I'm guessing somewhere in the transit area would be the best first place to ask.
Surely, I'm not the first person on a woodcutter who will need to retrieve a checked bag when I'm finished flying the segments I want to fly. I understand the risks I'm taking, and if anyone can point me in the right direction, I'd greatly appreciate it.
#1362
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: TXL
Programs: A3 Silver
Posts: 1,116
Thanks, but not really helpful.
Our initial check in is with UA, and if I tell them we won't be flying the last segment, there is likely no way we'll get the bags short checked.
We'll be told if we want to fly any of the segments, we and our bags will need to be checked in on all of the segments open for check in, which will likely be all the way.
It seems I can ask to be offloaded at a transfer desk, at TK check in, or TK baggage claim. Since our bags will need to clear customs, I'm guessing somewhere in the transit area would be the best first place to ask.
Surely, I'm not the first person on a woodcutter who will need to retrieve a checked bag when I'm finished flying the segments I want to fly. I understand the risks I'm taking, and if anyone can point me in the right direction, I'd greatly appreciate it.
Our initial check in is with UA, and if I tell them we won't be flying the last segment, there is likely no way we'll get the bags short checked.
We'll be told if we want to fly any of the segments, we and our bags will need to be checked in on all of the segments open for check in, which will likely be all the way.
It seems I can ask to be offloaded at a transfer desk, at TK check in, or TK baggage claim. Since our bags will need to clear customs, I'm guessing somewhere in the transit area would be the best first place to ask.
Surely, I'm not the first person on a woodcutter who will need to retrieve a checked bag when I'm finished flying the segments I want to fly. I understand the risks I'm taking, and if anyone can point me in the right direction, I'd greatly appreciate it.
#1364
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: ZRH/SFO
Programs: A3*G - AZ CFP- HH DIA
Posts: 3,666