*A Useful Reference Links

Old May 31, 2004, 10:10 pm
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*A Useful Reference Links

Here are some links that I find useful for *A.


Anything else should be included?


Note - links that are external to FT are italicised.

Easy way to find *A award availability on most *A airlines, in real time

Finding award seats thread

NB: special thanks to OxonFlyer for this over at the bmi board.

*A Members and Airline Codes
(with links to relevant FT fora and FAQs)

*A

Full Members
AC Air Canada
CA Air China
NZ Air New Zealand
NH ANA and FAQ
OZ Asiana
OS Austrian
BD BMI forum and FAQ
MS EgyptAir
LO LOT
LH Lufthansa
SK SAS
FM Shanghai Airlines
SQ Singapore
SA South African Airways
JK Spanair
LX Swiss
TP TAP Portugal
TG Thai
TK Turkish
UA United forum and FAQ
US US Airways

Regional Members
KF Blue1
JP Adria Airways
OU Croatia Airlines

Observer Members
AI Air India expected to join *A in 2010
CO Continental and FAQ NOTE - CO is expected to join *A 25 October 2009
JJ TAM expected to join *A in 2009 or 2010
SN Brussels Airlines expected to join *A in 2009 or 2010

Former Members
RG Varig

Official *A Websites
www.staralliance.com
www.starallianceemployees.com

*A Reference Guide (very useful rules, lounges and airport guide)
pdf (warning ~4 Mb)
online version

*A Timetables
*A PDF timetable (warning ~5 Mb)
*A downloadable timetables
*A mobile timetable browser

*A Flights
*A flight search
*A flight status

Product Planners (RTW, passes, etc)
*A RTW online mileage calculator, thread listing RTWMC bugs and short version of rules (see also fare rules below)
*A Fare Products index
*A Fare Product Calculators


Official *A Member Airlines Websites
Adria
Air Canada
Air New Zealand
ANA
Asiana
Austrian
Blue 1
BMI
Croatia
EgyptAir
LOT
Lufthansa
SAS
Singapore
South African
Spanair
Swiss
TAP Portugal
Thai
Turkish
United
US Airways

Air India
Brussels Airlines
Continental
TAM


FFP's
thread on BlondeBomber's *G Comparison Chart 2008 (includes CA and TK)

*S comparison thread and FLYGVA's *S comparison chart
*A FFP Partner Airlines
*A can be credited to which non *A FFP?
Choosing a *A FFP
How to upgrade on *A carriers
Earn miles on *A FFPs (by carrier and booking code)
*A FFP status drops one level only if fail to requalify
*A FFP's which have one-way awards
*A FFP awards with/without fuel surcharges
How long elite status lasts
Requalification periods (calendar year, rolling, etc).
*A wide upgrades


Official *A FFP's Websites
Air Canada's Aeroplan
Air New Zealand Airpoints
ANA Mileage Club
Asiana Club
Adria, Austrian, Croatia, Lufthansa, LOT, Swiss Miles & More
BMI Diamond Club
EgyptAir Plus
SAS EuroBonus
Singapore KrisFlyer
South African Voyager
Spanair Plus
TAP Victoria
Thai Royal Orchid Plus
United Mileage Plus
US Airways Dividend Miles

Air India Flying Returns
Brussels Airlines Privilege
Continental Onepass
TAM Fidelidade


*G Lounges
Official Lounge Access for First, Business and *G Passengers
Links to *A member lounges
The Global Lounge Project (no longer working - does anyone have new link?)
BlondeBomber's *G Lounge Guide
Air NZ lounge thread
LH Lounge list
AC Lounge list (note for SIN SQ Raffles lounge listed in error)
Discussion on contract lounges (at PEK but also more generally)
Lounges used by *A that arent *G
Your favourite *A lounges worldwide
Your favourite *G lounges worldwide (note this means lounges available to *G no matter class of travel)

BlondeBomber posted AC *G members can access *G lounges when flying non-*A carriers if there is no *A carrier on the route and this thread discussed more general *G case. Seems limited to AC but YMMV.

Lounge access when not flying *A (or other partner airline)
Loungeguide wiki (more than just *A)


*A Booking Codes
*A Booking Classes


*A RTW
*A RTW mileage calculator tool

*A RTW rules - from NZ (effective 1 May 2008) and *A special (economy) RTW rules - from NZ (effective 1 May 2008)

For the latest rules use the link above (other versions of rules included for completeness/comparison with discussion threads, and so I don't lose the links to alternate sources)

*A RTW May 2008 major rule changes
*A RTW 2008 price rise watchlist
*A RTW April 2008 rule changes
JayHawkCO's spreadsheet of January 2009 prices
New RTW rules from 1 May 2007*A RTW Rule Changes 02JAN07
New RTW prices from 1 June 2006
*A RTW Comparison price chart 2005
*A RTW Rule Changes 15APR05
*A RTW allowable codeshares

*A FAQ
*A RTW Comparison price chart 2004
WearyBizTrvlr's RTW comparison spreadsheet (includes One World and Sky Team as well as *A)
*A RTW rules
RTW rules - from NZ
RTW rules - from SK

Alternative RTWs with *A Airlines (Compilation)

USA fare rules for TAs from NZ
*A product rules for TAs from NZ

*A Passes
*A Circle and Airpass mileage calculator tool

Circle Pacific thread
Visit USA thread
Europe Airpass list of countries
*A FAQ
Air NZ rules (RTW, Circle Pacific, Circle Asia, Airpasses for Asia Europe North America Japan Thailand South Africa)

*A non-fuel surcharges (RTW and others)
2005 *A RTW rule change
insidious growth of surcharges
2006 *A rule changes


*A unorthodox routes
Unorthodox *A routes.


*A Seating
Air Canada seating thread
Air NZ seating thread
Air NZ seating charts
Lufthansa seating thread


*A Carry-on & Checked Baggage Limits & Enforcement
See also FFP
Air Canada
AKL international carry-on warning
New lower checked baggage limits


*A Mileage Expiry
*A FFP Mileage expiry


*A owned airlines - included in *A or not?
*A owned airlines


Misc
Some minimum connect times from UA timetable
*A and major airline routings (warning large 13 megs)
*A First Class Routes
list of one coupon multiple sectors routes


Please advise additions/corrections/bad links. Updated to post #92.
zzz
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Last edited by Kiwi Flyer; Jan 15, 2010 at 10:51 am
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Old May 31, 2004, 10:10 pm
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Future *A Members

AI Air India in 2010


Please advise additions/corrections/bad links. Updated to post #83. Work in progress

Last edited by Markie; Mar 7, 2011 at 11:39 pm
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Old May 31, 2004, 10:11 pm
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Choosing a *A FFP

Randy's advice from the Official Frequent Flyer Guidebook (courtesy of Patron)

You want to earn free travel and other benefits of membership as quickly as possible.

Most frequent travellers enjoy comfort as much as earning miles. There are many choices and benefits in each FFP and its best to understand the difference beforehand:
  1. It all begins with location and destination: You need to find an airline that meets your basic travel needs
  2. Decide what you want (eg elite status, upgrade awards, free tickets to South Africa)
  3. Take a closer look into FFPs your favourite carrier participates and choose this FFP that will serve you best.

Randy outlined five questions you should answer before you choose your FFP:
  • What is the minimum mileage your program offers?
  • Does the program complement its minimum mileage or actual mileage earnings with COS bonuses?
  • Does your program offer promotions throughout the year?
  • Are the partners affiliated with your program convenient and beneficial for you to use?
  • What are the rules & rates of earning with partners (its evident, that a lot of us earning miles without flying like using CCs, telecommunication, miles for clicking, etc)?
Four other questions you also may consider to answer:
  • How important are criteria like price, schedule, safety feelings, ground & on board service, FFP to select an airline?
  • How many upgrade certificates to you receive as an add on?
  • What kind of flight awards (eg upgrades, awards on long haul flights) on which airline do you like to use?
  • What is generally more important to you with Frequent Flyer Programs, to reach as many awards as possible or the elite membership with its benefits?
I recommend that you decide step by step or in other words: Choose your favourite airline first and then lets talk about which FFP fits best for you.

a comparison of *A FFPs higher tiers thanks to BlondeBomber ^
BlondeBomber's *G Comparison Chart 2004

a small selection of threads discussing FFP choices
here, here, and here.

some threads on joining multiple FFPs
here and here.

a thread on minimum ages for FFPs
here.


Please advise additions/corrections/bad links. Updated to post #10. Work in progress

Last edited by Kiwi Flyer; Jun 20, 2004 at 11:39 pm
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Old Jun 9, 2004, 2:01 pm
  #4  
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Old stuff for reference purposes

Links to old information that is no longer current is kept here.

*A 10th Anniversary Promo

thread

*G comparisons

BlondeBomber's *G Comparison Chart 2004
BlondeBomber's *G Comparison Chart 2005 and thread on 2005 changes
BlondeBomber's *G Comparison Chart 2006 and thread on 2006 changes

Last edited by Kiwi Flyer; May 7, 2009 at 2:56 pm
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Old Jun 9, 2004, 3:02 pm
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Join Date: Feb 2004
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Posts: 256
Thanks for this very useful list, Kiwi Flyer! ^
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Old Jun 9, 2004, 3:34 pm
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thnak you Kiwi Flyer ^

May be, in some weeks, this can be made a sticky?
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Old Jun 9, 2004, 5:27 pm
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Thanks for the great work, Kiwi Flyer! ^
In case you need the airline codes for Blue1, SAA and TAP they are respectively KF, SA and TP.
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Old Jun 9, 2004, 5:36 pm
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Thanks - I'd seen them somewhere but having trouble finding them.
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Old Jun 11, 2004, 2:51 pm
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Added choosing a *A FFP section
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Old Jun 19, 2004, 5:56 pm
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Some more links added.
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Old Jun 20, 2004, 2:03 am
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Thanks for the great all in one resource guide.


I too recommend that this be made a sticky!
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Old Jun 20, 2004, 3:55 pm
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Thumbs up Well Done!

Excellent work Kiwi Flyer. This is a very useful thread.

Add my vote for this thread to become a sticky. ^ ^ ^
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Old Jul 12, 2004, 5:29 pm
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Added link to BlondeBomber's post on AC *G access *G lounge even when not flying *A.

Seeking info on whether this benefit is available more widely.
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Old Jul 13, 2004, 1:11 am
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According to this post from BlondeBomber, AC *G members can access *G lounges when flying non-*A carriers if there is no *A carrier on the route. Also a current thread discussing more general *G case. Is this limited to AC or is it a rule we can all benefit from?


StarGold members have (ZRH StarAlliance-lounge information and experience of BlondeBomber and myself too several times) access to Star-lounges with the StarGold sign outside when travelling on flight segments not served by any Star-carrier - but I very much doubt that this 'rule'/policy is known to many Star-lounge-staffs beside LH in Europe ...
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Old Jul 14, 2004, 12:42 pm
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Originally Posted by Rudi
According to this post from BlondeBomber, AC *G members can access *G lounges when flying non-*A carriers if there is no *A carrier on the route. Also a current thread discussing more general *G case. Is this limited to AC or is it a rule we can all benefit from?


StarGold members have (ZRH StarAlliance-lounge information and experience of BlondeBomber and myself too several times) access to Star-lounges with the StarGold sign outside when travelling on flight segments not served by any Star-carrier - but I very much doubt that this 'rule'/policy is known to many Star-lounge-staffs beside LH in Europe ...
Definitely not widely known, I've seen quite a few *A G members turned away from BD lounges. Are you certain this is Alliance-wide policy? If so, where are the rules to quote from. *A lounge access would be quite handy when travelling on a low-cost carrier
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