This post is mainly addressed to non-travelers or infrequent travelers who want cheap business class tickets and are undecided between this and buying US miles.

This post does not address Frequent Travelers who would have *A Silver or better status no matter what.

Summary:

If you buy business class tickets or even full-fare economy tickets, than this promotion is worth it.

If only for the free tickets and you don't travel except on the award/upgrade tickets; NO, better to buy miles with US Air.

http://www.usairways.com/en-US/divid...s/default.html

If you actually fly a couple times a year on *A and/or LH and wouldn't have any status with *A otherwise, than YES.


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WARNING:

I have made certain assumptions based on what I believe certain benefits are worth. For you they may be worth more or less.

Also, I have used information that I believe to be reliable from FT, for example, only if you are a M&M member can you see information about eVouchers. I believe the information is correct but can not be certain.

It costs 937.5 Euro (all in) per 50,000 miles. So 625,000 is 11,250 Euros or $~15,500.

You get a 25% bonus after the first roundtrip. 100,000 for the first roundtrip. 105,000 for the next 5.

For this money one would receive 10 eVouchers. 6 for Hon, 2 for partner Sen, and 2 when demoted to Sen.

It takes 4 eVouchers to fly roundtrip in business from FRA-JFK, according to FT. So one would receive 2.5 Business Class tickets. You can't buy S,W,U fares. V or Q looks like your best bet. The tickets should run about $200 more than a normal economy ticket. I value the upgrade at $1,000 a roundtrip (it's really $1,200 is you back out the increase in the price of an economy ticket.

$1,000 benefit * 2.5 tickets = $2,500

$15,500 (flight cost) - $2,500 (eVoucher) = $13,000 (Cost-Vouchers)

Now on to the free tickets.

625,000 miles get you 4 business and 4 companion business tickets to America with 40,000 miles to spare.

Unfortunately, with lufthansa, one has to pay the stupid fuel surcharges LHYQ on bonus tickets, according to FT. From FRA to JFK it's about $340 for taxes and fees.

$340 Tax * 8 tickets = $2720 (Taxes and Fees)

$13,000 (Cost-Vouchers) + $2720 (Fees and Tax) = $15,720 Real Cost

Next one has to value the residual 65K. I will use 1.5 cents a mile.

65,000K * $.015 = $975


$15,720 (Real Cost) - $975 (Residual Cost) = $14,745

$14,742 (Real Cost) / 8 tickets = $1,843 per Business Class Ticket

If you are only buying the miles to use the free tickets and upgrades than it is not worth it, assuming you don't ever fly.

I bought US miles and got a ticket that contains a European leg (C), Transatlantic leg (F), and a US leg (C) (6 segments in total) for $2000 a ticket, all fees/taxes included. I could of had business for $1,600 a ticket. I don't fly for business so the benefits listed below don't make sense for me.

Also one must take into account that the flights I figured up above (8 free tickets) didn't include a US or European leg and those would surely add more tax and/or fees to each ticket.

So if one is just doing it for the miles than buy as many tickets as one can with US. I bought 8 using accounts of every family member.

Now what happens if you actually fly LH and/or *A.

Let's assume you fly 12 a year roundtrip on LH and/or *A (I know that is a small number for FT, but I would say is average for a normal business traveler).

For 4.5 years you will not have to pay checked baggage charges.

$25 Baggage Fees * 54 = $1,350 Baggage Fees

I know it could possibly be so much more each trip, but sometimes you wouldn't travel with baggage, so I just made an assumption.

Next you get access to the lounge.

Again at $25 a round trip that is another $1,350 of benefit. I costs more for a 1-day pass, but I figure that you won't use it every time, so I just made an assumption.

Next the 25% milage bonus is worth at least another roundtrip business class ticket in 4 years.

So to recap:

$14,742 (Real Cost) - $1,350 (Baggage) - $1,350 / 9 tickets = $1,338 a Business Class Ticket.

Of coarse I haven't included intangibles like FCT, limousine, PA, etc. And if you fly more often, the 25% bonus could give you more than one free business class ticket.

So if one actually flies a couple times a year on LH/*A, than this is definitely worth it.

If anyone notices any mistakes, errors, etc. Please let me know and I will edit the post.

Praise is also welcome