FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Thai Smiles now "WE"; no longer Star Alliance; award availability with MileagePlus?

Apr 11, 2014 | 6:32 pm

#14

goodeats21

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Quote:

Originally Posted by UnitedFFinAsia

Domestic flights in Thailand are pretty cheap so not too bad but if smile starts doing all the flying to places like Sri Lanka and others like some have suggested then it will really become an issue.

I am not overly concerned with the 200 odd miles to be credited by flying BKK to domestic Thai cities.

It does concern me that Star Alliance elite benefits will not apply to WE flights. Checking in for a flight at Udon Thani, I have to imagine baggage allowance is going to be problematic.

Also a big degradation for award flights. Use miles to Bangkok, but then have to buy a separate ticket for the last 200 miles?
That is why I was curious to find WE flights still offered as awards on UA.com, albeit still showing a TG "operated by Challenge" flight number.

Overall, there has been a rapid and significant trend of devaluation with the Star Alliance over the past year or two.

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