Programs: AA Lifetime Plat (5m+), BA GGL, LH Sen, DL Silver, SPG Plat, Mucci
Posts: 4,317
Sen Requal Question
I received my SEN status in Jan 08 on a Status Match. I am sure LH was happy as I accumulated about 350,000 Status Miles, including about 250,000 HON miles in 2008.
However, the current economy and saving money is meaning I am trying to do one long haul trip every four weeks instead of one every three weeks, so i will be reducing my longhaul flying from approximately 17 trips per year to 12, and also downgrading from F to C except for RTWs. I want to keep a certain level of BA Gold (GGL) and also accumulate 3500 TPs on BA so I get my two GUF2 (Gold Upgrades for two) which are what I really value out of the BAEC.
I have a couple BA trips booked from their recent CW sale which offered TATL ex JFK for around 2k, so I am pretty well set on getting to my BA goals.
Here is the LH Sen questions.
Since I am now a SEN through 2009 and 2010 and a run at HON is out of the question, do I need 100,000 status miles in both 2009 and 2010 to renew my SEN status to 2012?
If I for the sake of argument did 0 LH status miles in 2009, would I then simply need 100,000 status miles in 2010?
If I do 100,000 LH status miles in 2009, does that mean I gain an extra year to 2011?
I read the M and M thread, but didn't see a specific answer.
Thanks for your help. Hope this is not an obvious question with the answers all over the place. I couldn't find the answer on the LH web site either.
PS - I want to also say thanks to the MandM Board for great information during 2008 that has really helped me maximize my LH, OS and LX experience
I received my SEN status in Jan 08 on a Status Match. I am sure LH was happy as I accumulated about 350,000 Status Miles, including about 250,000 HON miles in 2008.
Didn't know LH status matched but since you've accumulated those status miles you've earned it anyway.
Quote:
Since I am now a SEN through 2009 and 2010 and a run at HON is out of the question, do I need 100,000 status miles in both 2009 and 2010 to renew my SEN status to 2012?
No. You only need 100,000 status miles in one of the two years.
Quote:
If I for the sake of argument did 0 LH status miles in 2009, would I then simply need 100,000 status miles in 2010?
Yes.
Quote:
If I do 100,000 LH status miles in 2009, does that mean I gain an extra year to 2011?
Assuming your current SEN status expires at the end of Feb 2011, 100,000 status miles in 2009 will etend your SEN status till Feb 2013. Doing another 100,000 status miles in 2010 won't extend your SEN status any further..
Quote:
I read the M and M thread, but didn't see a specific answer.
Yes, the rule may seem hard to understand at first but once you understand it it's quite simple.
Programs: AA Lifetime Plat (5m+), BA GGL, LH Sen, DL Silver, SPG Plat, Mucci
Posts: 4,317
Quote:
Originally Posted by NewbieRunner
Didn't know LH status matched but since you've accumulated those status miles you've earned it anyway.
No. You only need 100,000 status miles in one of the two years.
Yes.
Assuming your current SEN status expires at the end of Feb 2011, 100,000 status miles in 2009 will etend your SEN status till Feb 2013. Doing another 100,000 status miles in 2010 won't extend your SEN status any further..
Yes, the rule may seem hard to understand at first but once you understand it it's quite simple.
Thanks for the answers! I don't think they do Status Matches very frequently, however, I was with some of the US LH management and they were asking me about my flying. At the time I was BA Gold, AA EXP and DL Plat. They asked me to give them copies of my statements, and they then had to write a recommendation to an EVP in Germany so it apparently is not an everyday thing. The SEN status they gave me in Jan 08 expired in Feb 09 so the match was only for a year which makes sense. Overall I have been extremely happy with LH, particularly the FCT and their concept that F pax should really be treated differently be it extra carry-ons or just a better experience. It is ashame BA couldn't have done something similar with T5.
I have requalified for SEN until Feb 2013. As far as I understand it I would only need to post 100k Status Miles in either 2011 or 2012 to requal to 2015. My question is as follows, should I just stick to M&M and post as many miles as possible, or should I try another alliance in the meantime? My long Haul flights take me to India and the US, so i can conceivably make gold on another carrier, but is it really worth it? I was looking at BA and Virgin as possible carriers, or even DL or AA.
Programs: LH SEN, BA Gold, AB Gold, FP Platinum (and going down due to CO leaving for *A)
Posts: 311
Status on multiple airlines is actually quite nice. I'd be HON on LH if I used them exclusively. That, however, would be really expensive because I'd be required to use LH through MUC/FRA a lot. Since my clients pick up the tap some, but not all of the time, I really have watched fares.
I am a very happy SEN / BAEC Gold / AirBerlin Gold person (Will - happily - lose my AF status since CO switched sides).
Obtaining status with another *A does not really make sense (except SQ to obtain earlier access to their C class reward inventory for FRA-JFK).
Obtaining status with another alliance makes more sense, in my book. It allows you to go for the better offer, pricewise, at times. Best example are TATL and Far East D and A fares.
In addition, other factors might affect the decision: Personally, I hate/loathe/detest FRA and will take long detours to circumvent that sorry excuse of an airport. For instance, I go Varna regularly from TXL. Now, there's a *A routing through VIE, which is a nonstarter to due price & schedule when compared to MA (which is in oneworld). Similar issue with TXL-LUX: yes, I could plunk EUR 500+ for a day return or add one hour and happily fly to SCN for EUR 100 on AB or (ducking for cover here) HHN. Same with TXL-RSW (Ft Myers): AB simply has the schedule & decent fares.
Getting BA status with INN as a primary airport is tricky, but feasible. The real upside of BA Gold is their open doors policy (except in MUC & GVA, AFAIK, but that would not matter since OP is LH SEN anyway), of which I make very frequent use in TXL (much quieter lounge than either LH, friendly staff and a peaceful atmosphere). In addition, obtaining status with BA as an Austrian resident is easier than with LH due to the tier point scheme (rather than miles flown) and the fact that the Gold threshold is rather low: With some some planning, a single RTW in C + a couple intraeuropean return flight would do the trick. BA Gold renewal is easy: 2,5 TATL return trips in C.
I do agree with most of your analysis, awestphal. Status with another airline and/or alliance can be quite useful and will increase flexibility.
Quote:
Originally Posted by awestphal
Obtaining status with another *A does not really make sense (except SQ to obtain earlier access to their C class reward inventory for FRA-JFK).
I beg to differ. A second *A status can be reasonable and useful. If you fly with *A airlines anyway because it is the most convenient alternative why would you make a detour to fly non-*A airlines? In such a case non-*A status is not really useful but it can be still reasonable to collect miles in a second *A progam such as BD DC or UA MP. UA MP is nice because of the SWU once you become 1K and you can earn much more miles with BD DC especially if you fly in premium cabins.
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Programs: LH SEN, BA Gold, AB Gold, FP Platinum (and going down due to CO leaving for *A)
Posts: 311
Quote:
Originally Posted by totti
I do agree with most of your analysis, awestphal. Status with another airline and/or alliance can be quite useful and will increase flexibility.
I beg to differ. A second *A status can be reasonable and useful. If you fly with *A airlines anyway because it is the most convenient alternative why would you make a detour to fly non-*A airlines? In such a case non-*A status is not really useful but it can be still reasonable to collect miles in a second *A progam such as BD DC or UA MP. UA MP is nice because of the SWU once you become 1K and you can earn much more miles with BD DC especially if you fly in premium cabins.
OK - I see the point now.
Failed the see the point originally due to the fact I always flew multiple alliances. Living in TXL, I have ample choice between *A / oneworld carriers, AB, EZY and FR.
I do agree with most of your analysis, awestphal. Status with another airline and/or alliance can be quite useful and will increase flexibility.
I beg to differ. A second *A status can be reasonable and useful. If you fly with *A airlines anyway because it is the most convenient alternative why would you make a detour to fly non-*A airlines? In such a case non-*A status is not really useful but it can be still reasonable to collect miles in a second *A progam such as BD DC or UA MP. UA MP is nice because of the SWU once you become 1K and you can earn much more miles with BD DC especially if you fly in premium cabins.
As always, it depends on the circumstances.
Having multiple status in the same alliance means you can arbitrage benefits/rewards when flying that alliance. It also means get the special go-the-extra-mile elite benefits/treatment on more than one airline.
Having statuses in different alliances means more flexibility in that you aren't tied to the same alliance. Eg need to book an award from Europe to Australia at short notice, and you have more airlines to choose from and thus greater odds of having something available.
I'm fortunate enough that I currently fly enough that I can do both strategies. I have multiple statuses in different alliances. If/when my flying reduces such that this is not possible I'll have to assess the better approach to take, for my circumstances.
when up front
