Lufthansa Miles & More MasterCard
Oct 20, 2008, 7:55 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Atlanta
Programs: Delta Diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 169
Lufthansa Miles & More MasterCard
I've searched through the archives, but haven't found very many comments on the Lufthansa MasterCards. What the general consensus on this card?
There definitely seems to be some better card signup offers out there, but I have (or had) many of them already (SPG Amex, Hilton AMEX, United Visa, Citi AA cards, etc). Most of my current mileage balance is with One World or Sky Team, so it would be ideal to start working on accumulating some Star Alliance miles.
There is a signup offer right now for 20,000 + another 10,000 miles, which is the best I've seen for this card. I consider Lufthansa to be one of the best airlines out there, so a good card/program and a great airline seem like it would be worth getting the card.
https://www.juniper.com/app/japply/l...partnerid=1117
The drawbacks:
$79 annual fee, not waived
Lufthansa charges some fees/taxes for award redemption
????
The good:
Top tier airline (at least in my opinion and where I want to fly)
Miles don't expire
Better than average award ticket availability
Reduced mileage redemption when booked online
Ability to switch to a no annual fee card down the road
Any thoughts on this card compared to some other Star Alliance cards (Continental/Chase MasterCard or United Airways cards)?
There definitely seems to be some better card signup offers out there, but I have (or had) many of them already (SPG Amex, Hilton AMEX, United Visa, Citi AA cards, etc). Most of my current mileage balance is with One World or Sky Team, so it would be ideal to start working on accumulating some Star Alliance miles.
There is a signup offer right now for 20,000 + another 10,000 miles, which is the best I've seen for this card. I consider Lufthansa to be one of the best airlines out there, so a good card/program and a great airline seem like it would be worth getting the card.
https://www.juniper.com/app/japply/l...partnerid=1117
The drawbacks:
$79 annual fee, not waived
Lufthansa charges some fees/taxes for award redemption
????
The good:
Top tier airline (at least in my opinion and where I want to fly)
Miles don't expire
Better than average award ticket availability
Reduced mileage redemption when booked online
Ability to switch to a no annual fee card down the road
Any thoughts on this card compared to some other Star Alliance cards (Continental/Chase MasterCard or United Airways cards)?
Last edited by ez311; Oct 20, 2008 at 7:57 pm Reason: Corrected Continental/Chase card
Oct 21, 2008, 7:14 am
#3
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: MD/DC
Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Platinum, Marriott Titanium, TK Gold
Posts: 1,536
The only reason I've recently got the card is to keep the mileage account alive. I still got 100K+ on the account from the days before I've switched to UA MP.
It is the only way I know to keep the miles from expiring (except from having status of course, and my curtsy FTL is going to be expire soon).
My e-mail confirmation though said I was approved for Platinum card (but with a line of credit way up from the $5000). The card has not arrived yet, so I do not know to what card exactly they have approved me for. On one hand keeping the mileage account alive with no annual fee is nice, on the other hand 30,000 miles for 79$ is not bad either.
It is the only way I know to keep the miles from expiring (except from having status of course, and my curtsy FTL is going to be expire soon).
My e-mail confirmation though said I was approved for Platinum card (but with a line of credit way up from the $5000). The card has not arrived yet, so I do not know to what card exactly they have approved me for. On one hand keeping the mileage account alive with no annual fee is nice, on the other hand 30,000 miles for 79$ is not bad either.
Last edited by MD/DC Flyer; Oct 21, 2008 at 8:23 am
Oct 21, 2008, 8:34 am
#6
Join Date: Apr 2008
Programs: AFKL Platinum, VS Gold, HH Diamond, Hertz PC
Posts: 149
Be careful when applying for the LH card. I was issued a regular platinum MC card (not a World MC) with a credit limit of $5000. No annual fee, but your miles continue to expire and a tiny signup bonus of 5000 miles.
Called Juniper/Barclays to request upgrade, they would not budge. All they could offer was a review in 12 months. I closed the account right away.
BTW, I have other cards with unused credit of $50K+, so I don't know where they are getting their credit checks from. Also, note this was *before* the financial meltdown - back in March/April when they just launched the card in the US.
Called Juniper/Barclays to request upgrade, they would not budge. All they could offer was a review in 12 months. I closed the account right away.
BTW, I have other cards with unused credit of $50K+, so I don't know where they are getting their credit checks from. Also, note this was *before* the financial meltdown - back in March/April when they just launched the card in the US.
Oct 21, 2008, 8:37 am
#7
Join Date: Apr 2008
Programs: AFKL Platinum, VS Gold, HH Diamond, Hertz PC
Posts: 149
Let us know!
Oct 21, 2008, 8:51 am
#8
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: MD/DC
Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Platinum, Marriott Titanium, TK Gold
Posts: 1,536
I'll let you know.
However the FAQ does not make those distinctions (https://www.barclaycardus.com/app/cc...faqDynamic.jsp)
However the FAQ does not make those distinctions (https://www.barclaycardus.com/app/cc...faqDynamic.jsp)
Oct 21, 2008, 10:01 am
#9
Join Date: Apr 2008
Programs: AFKL Platinum, VS Gold, HH Diamond, Hertz PC
Posts: 149
I'll let you know.
However the FAQ does not make those distinctions (https://www.barclaycardus.com/app/cc...faqDynamic.jsp)
However the FAQ does not make those distinctions (https://www.barclaycardus.com/app/cc...faqDynamic.jsp)
https://www.juniper.com/app/japply/l...req=CCMWC13255
And there - somewhere on the bottom - it says:
"No mileage expiration: all unused miles, which have been awarded to your Miles & More account and those you will earn in the future remain valid for an unlimited period of time and will no longer expire provided ..... For further information, please visit www.miles-and-more.com/creditcard. "
And there you will find a link to:
http://www.miles-and-more.com/online...8002&solo=norm
It lists only the Premier World, and regular World MC for USA. No Platinum MC there.
Oct 24, 2008, 2:34 pm
#10
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: MD/DC
Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Platinum, Marriott Titanium, TK Gold
Posts: 1,536
I've finally got the card. It is indeed only the Platinum MasterCard. Form the time Barclays sent the card by the time it got here the credit line had been slashed from 20K to $500 (serves me right to apply to 4 credit cards at one time).
But, the specific terms and condition for the Miles and More Platinum MasterCard states:
"No mileage expiration: all unused miles, which have been awarded to your Miles&More account and those you will earn in the future remain valid for an unlimited period of time and will no longer expire provided that you make a purchase for which miles are awarded at least once a month and have held a Miles&More MasterCard for at least three months."
This was confirmed by Barclays card services department. Of course they had to state it in the negative, miles will be lost after 36 miles unless you will use the card every month.
So it seems to be a very good deal to keep the miles open. Hopefully come March 2009 I will not discover all my miles are gone.
But, the specific terms and condition for the Miles and More Platinum MasterCard states:
"No mileage expiration: all unused miles, which have been awarded to your Miles&More account and those you will earn in the future remain valid for an unlimited period of time and will no longer expire provided that you make a purchase for which miles are awarded at least once a month and have held a Miles&More MasterCard for at least three months."
This was confirmed by Barclays card services department. Of course they had to state it in the negative, miles will be lost after 36 miles unless you will use the card every month.
So it seems to be a very good deal to keep the miles open. Hopefully come March 2009 I will not discover all my miles are gone.
Nov 25, 2008, 8:14 pm
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Atlanta
Programs: Delta Diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 169
I've got a question for anyone who applied with the current offer of 20,000 miles after the first purchase + an additional 10,000 miles for any purchase made by 12/31/08.
I applied in late October, received the card and my first billing cycle just closed. The 20,000 bonus miles + miles from spend promptly posted to my Miles and More account, but not the additional 10,000 bonus. Has anyone else had this happen?
I applied in late October, received the card and my first billing cycle just closed. The 20,000 bonus miles + miles from spend promptly posted to my Miles and More account, but not the additional 10,000 bonus. Has anyone else had this happen?
Dec 1, 2008, 4:57 pm
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Atlanta
Programs: Delta Diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 169
I've got a question for anyone who applied with the current offer of 20,000 miles after the first purchase + an additional 10,000 miles for any purchase made by 12/31/08.
I applied in late October, received the card and my first billing cycle just closed. The 20,000 bonus miles + miles from spend promptly posted to my Miles and More account, but not the additional 10,000 bonus. Has anyone else had this happen?
I applied in late October, received the card and my first billing cycle just closed. The 20,000 bonus miles + miles from spend promptly posted to my Miles and More account, but not the additional 10,000 bonus. Has anyone else had this happen?