SFO777

Why TK?
What are you trying to accomplish? Where do you travel?
If you are just looking for a cheap *G card, try Aegean.

manhattan92

I mainly travel internationally and am very impressed by the TK product. If I fly 80,000 miles per year, the benefits far outweigh UA or Aegean-see here: http://www.turkishairlines.com/en-us...lite_plus.aspx

I hear that complimentary upgrades are very common for Elite Plus members and the bonus miles, family memberships and other benefits combined with their fast-growing route system make it a better option than Aegean's tiny network.

SFO777

Thanks for the link. The only reason I suggested Aegean is that they only require 18K for *G the cheapest *A carrier. Not many care about their network, only the cheap *G benefits including lounge access at any UA-US-AC lounge when flying *A.

gold_digger

I think you can forget about getting a status match with TK. at best you will get in a few months a reply from a TK agent quoting the rules in poor English but not saying much else.

but since you already have status with UA, you could just credit your miles to TK while still enjoying lounge access,... With a UA *G. the only benefit of having status with TK would be the 200 % earning in C compared to 150% for non elite.
But as you only need 40 K miles to become E, the "lost" miles would be limited

I joined TK 3 years ago (while using my LH SEN card to enjoy *G benefits)

If you fly regular with TK, the 2 free upgrades are quite nice but if you credit 1,5 Mio miles in a short period you should note that miles are only valid for 3 years.
Redemption levels in Limited Capacity on TK are competitive with other programmes but they are limited capacity and for example from London there seems to be never seats on offer. if you want to spend your miles on the normal rates you need 3 times as many miles.
while if you want to spend on *A you will have to go in person to the nearest TK office to have the ticket issued (so not by phone or internet but in person!!)
So I would not recommend TK if you plan to credit a significant amount of miles to the programme

Shanye2233

any chance of getting AirNZ match with my alaska MVP gold. Hoping for *A Gold.

manhattan92

Thank you for the insight. May I ask what status you have with TK and what your experience with complimentary upgrades has been over the past 2-3 years?

worldexpress

Are you saying one can access UA-US lounges when flying domestic (U.S.)? If so, something to think about. And Aegean has no minimum own-metal flight requirement?

zkzkz

Any *G can access any *G lounge when flying on any *A flight anywhere in the world -- except for UA/US/CO golds accessing those airline lounges with a domestic flight.

It doesn't make sense to me either.

SFO777

If you carry *G from any non-US (US/UA) *A carrier, you are entitled to complimentary United Club or US Airways Club access when flying UA/US. Many of us carried AC Elite status for that very reason. Now Aegean is the new "cheap" way to access UA/US lounges. To my knowledge, there is no minimum A3 metal requirement.

gold_digger

I m E + (highest level)
I had 2 complimentary upgrades (when flight was totally full) but one upgrade was when I had just joined the programme and hadn't any status.
I asked the desk that time why I was chosen that time.
As I had a dispute with TK when I wanted to enter the lounge with my LH Sen card but earn miles on M&S.
I was first told that this was not possible and only after a long discussion could I enter the lounge. when I got upgraded at the gate, I thought that this was for the inconvenience that it took them 30 minutes to decide I could enter the lounge while by that time it was already time to go to the gate
But it turned out that the flight was fully booked and I was the only person travelling single making it easiest to upgrade me to the single free biz class seat so status might not be the most important criteria to get an upgrade)

duke2013

Anyone requested a match to UA lately? How long did it take approximately? Thanks

manhattan92

Thanks for the information.

worldexpress

Thanks for the clarification.

The dragons will let you in even if the flight is being credited to UA/US FF account? Aegian site says the Gold qual is "once you have collected 16,000 miles within one year..." Is that flight miles or any (cars, bonuses, etc) miles?

SFO777

Yes, the *G card is all you need regardless of which FF program you are crediting the flight.

worldexpress

Hmm.. 4K (silver) + 16K (gold) certainly is cheaper than the UC annual fees but quick scanning of Aegian T&C revealed a couple of things that might deter me from going that route.

Award redemption might be too much work and UA W, S, T, L, K and G fares only accrue 50%.