Best way to spend Miles & More miles
Aug 20, 2016, 12:03 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Belgium
Programs: SPG Platinum & Gold for life, M&M Senator, Flying Blue Platinum,
Posts: 90
Best way to spend Miles & More miles
After a few years of inactivity I stocked up last year about 110K miles and I am quite some international flights in J class the next months to come.
In my fist period as miles & more member I used my miles to upgrade myself on the spot.
About a year ago I noticed a lot of very interesting promotions at the 'Millage Bargains' section, in business class to JFK for 55K miles.
I have now been checking for a month or 3 and JFK promotion in J class seems to have dissapeared.
Too bad because I was actually planning to surprise my lovely wife with a city trip to New York.
Anyway, my question to the more experienced Miles & More member, what would be your advice on how to use the miles and get the most out of it?
I am Brussels based by the way.
In my fist period as miles & more member I used my miles to upgrade myself on the spot.
About a year ago I noticed a lot of very interesting promotions at the 'Millage Bargains' section, in business class to JFK for 55K miles.
I have now been checking for a month or 3 and JFK promotion in J class seems to have dissapeared.
Too bad because I was actually planning to surprise my lovely wife with a city trip to New York.
Anyway, my question to the more experienced Miles & More member, what would be your advice on how to use the miles and get the most out of it?
I am Brussels based by the way.
Aug 20, 2016, 12:24 am
#2
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: AMS/RTM
Posts: 2,827
Mileage bargains are good value, but you have to book them quickly as soon as they are announced (every month more or less). Otherwise, stick to long-haul bookings in premium cabins. Economy redemptions, or intra-EU awards, are not good value due to the taxes.
Aug 20, 2016, 5:05 am
#3
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: FRA (formerly JNB)
Programs: LH M&M
Posts: 169
The best value in terms of money, is generally redemption for F awards. As malmostoso says above, economy awards are probably the worst overall bang for your buck.
I find upgrades to be bad value as well - usually the amount of miles required for an upgrade is only slightly less than an outright award, and on top of that you need to be booked in an expensive fare to begin with, which is usually more expensive than the cheaper fares of the cabin you are upgrading to.
I can't remember seeing JFK in the mileage bargains for a while, but IAD shows up fairly frequently. From there it's easy to get to NYC.
I find upgrades to be bad value as well - usually the amount of miles required for an upgrade is only slightly less than an outright award, and on top of that you need to be booked in an expensive fare to begin with, which is usually more expensive than the cheaper fares of the cabin you are upgrading to.
I can't remember seeing JFK in the mileage bargains for a while, but IAD shows up fairly frequently. From there it's easy to get to NYC.
Aug 20, 2016, 5:39 am
#4
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: AMS/RTM
Posts: 2,827
I find upgrades to be bad value as well - usually the amount of miles required for an upgrade is only slightly less than an outright award, and on top of that you need to be booked in an expensive fare to begin with, which is usually more expensive than the cheaper fares of the cabin you are upgrading to.
I can't remember seeing JFK in the mileage bargains for a while, but IAD shows up fairly frequently. From there it's easy to get to NYC.
Aug 20, 2016, 8:54 am
#6
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: ORD
Programs: BA, AA, SQ, UA, AC, WS, MR TIT
Posts: 8,658
Aug 20, 2016, 9:21 am
#7
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: OSL/IAH/ZRH (time, not preference)
Programs: UA1K, LH GM, AA EXP->GM
Posts: 38,265
Best are SEN companion awards booked into C with waitlist ...
Flexible like a real high revenue ticket and competitively priced.
A Blue Nothing, I exclusively use them for flights that are notoriously overpriced as revenue tix. SIN-HNL or SIN-JNB e.g. or Euro one-ways.
Flexible like a real high revenue ticket and competitively priced.
A Blue Nothing, I exclusively use them for flights that are notoriously overpriced as revenue tix. SIN-HNL or SIN-JNB e.g. or Euro one-ways.
Last edited by weero; Aug 20, 2016 at 9:27 pm Reason: used the wrong term, thanks for telling me
Aug 20, 2016, 11:05 am
#8
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: CPH, BRU
Programs: LH SEN* (*G), EBG (*G)
Posts: 793
I still find mileage bargains good, although it was better when travel was not 4-5 months out.
Aug 20, 2016, 11:14 am
#9
Join Date: Dec 2006
Programs: LH SEN, FB Plat., HH D.
Posts: 5,050
Fully agree, in the past I booked once and the flight was one week later, so fine, but 4/5 months in advance is too much. It would be good if you could buy some sort of insurance to get the miles back in case you cannot fly. Probably it exists?
Aug 20, 2016, 9:26 pm
#10
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: OSL/IAH/ZRH (time, not preference)
Programs: UA1K, LH GM, AA EXP->GM
Posts: 38,265
Aug 20, 2016, 9:32 pm
#11
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: OSL/IAH/ZRH (time, not preference)
Programs: UA1K, LH GM, AA EXP->GM
Posts: 38,265
But M&M is not a last minute booking FFP, you always face the 48 hour deadline.
With the American FFPs, I found that they do not use -24h but time-of-day-24h for issuing award. For me that is time-in-China-24h >= Central Time ... which is some 11 hours for UA MP.
AA additionally allows for a significant grace. I was once able to get a partner award (term now used properly) on CX at -120 minutes out to get my assistant back.
I heard that some LLC FFPs do allow actual walk up redemptions but am unsure if that's a rumour.
With the American FFPs, I found that they do not use -24h but time-of-day-24h for issuing award. For me that is time-in-China-24h >= Central Time ... which is some 11 hours for UA MP.
AA additionally allows for a significant grace. I was once able to get a partner award (term now used properly) on CX at -120 minutes out to get my assistant back.
I heard that some LLC FFPs do allow actual walk up redemptions but am unsure if that's a rumour.
Aug 21, 2016, 2:25 am
#13
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: CPH, BRU
Programs: LH SEN* (*G), EBG (*G)
Posts: 793
But M&M is not a last minute booking FFP, you always face the 48 hour deadline.
With the American FFPs, I found that they do not use -24h but time-of-day-24h for issuing award. For me that is time-in-China-24h >= Central Time ... which is some 11 hours for UA MP.
AA additionally allows for a significant grace. I was once able to get a partner award (term now used properly) on CX at -120 minutes out to get my assistant back.
I heard that some LLC FFPs do allow actual walk up redemptions but am unsure if that's a rumour.
With the American FFPs, I found that they do not use -24h but time-of-day-24h for issuing award. For me that is time-in-China-24h >= Central Time ... which is some 11 hours for UA MP.
AA additionally allows for a significant grace. I was once able to get a partner award (term now used properly) on CX at -120 minutes out to get my assistant back.
I heard that some LLC FFPs do allow actual walk up redemptions but am unsure if that's a rumour.
Aug 21, 2016, 2:27 am
#14
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: CPH, BRU
Programs: LH SEN* (*G), EBG (*G)
Posts: 793
I understand that weero is referring to the companion award
Fully agree, in the past I booked once and the flight was one week later, so fine, but 4/5 months in advance is too much. It would be good if you could buy some sort of insurance to get the miles back in case you cannot fly. Probably it exists?
Fully agree, in the past I booked once and the flight was one week later, so fine, but 4/5 months in advance is too much. It would be good if you could buy some sort of insurance to get the miles back in case you cannot fly. Probably it exists?
Aug 21, 2016, 2:33 am
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Belgium
Programs: SPG Platinum & Gold for life, M&M Senator, Flying Blue Platinum,
Posts: 90
Ok thanks for the info.
Guess I will have to keep an eye on the bargain section.
At this time I noticed alltrips to the US in the bargain section are only offered in economy.
I can only hope it changes soon
Guess I will have to keep an eye on the bargain section.
At this time I noticed alltrips to the US in the bargain section are only offered in economy.
I can only hope it changes soon