A3 for *G/Bag Fee Waivers/Lounge Access: An Analysis for UACO flyers
Nov 25, 2011, 8:36 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Fairfield County, CT USA
Programs: AA PLT+2MM / DL DM+1MM / A3 *G / Fairmont LT Plat / Ritz Gold / SPG Gold
Posts: 4,077
A3 for *G/Bag Fee Waivers/Lounge Access: An Analysis for UACO flyers
I am 1,050 miles short of A3 *G...I'll cross the 20k threshold in December. I put together an analysis of the costs and benefits of making A3 your *A program of choice.
I've not yet been to Greece...but when I get there over the next two years, I'll have my A3 Gold Card!
Here is LINK REMOVED BY MOD DUE TO REPEATED MALWARE SECURITY ALERTS. I'd welcome any comments or suggestions!
I've not yet been to Greece...but when I get there over the next two years, I'll have my A3 Gold Card!
Here is LINK REMOVED BY MOD DUE TO REPEATED MALWARE SECURITY ALERTS. I'd welcome any comments or suggestions!
Last edited by GoldCircle; Dec 5, 2011 at 8:54 am Reason: Link removed - malware alert!
Nov 25, 2011, 8:50 am
#2
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: DUB - Ireland
Programs: EI-GCE, BD-G, BA-G, A3*G, TK*G, FB-G, HH-G, Hyatt-Dia
Posts: 8,527
I'm gonna lock this down until the OP has contacted his blog site administrator and had it swept for malicious code. We'll open it again at that point. When ready NYBanker - just hit the little red report post icon and we'll get things moving again.
The article link was to a blog that point to A3 *G status as the cheapest way to get UACO RCC access.
GoldCircle
Aegean Airlines forum Mod
The article link was to a blog that point to A3 *G status as the cheapest way to get UACO RCC access.
GoldCircle
Aegean Airlines forum Mod
Nov 25, 2011, 8:17 pm
#3
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: MSP
Programs: AA EXP, DL PM (FO soon), A3 Gold, TK Classic Plus, SPG Plat, HH Gold, Hyatt Diamond, National EE
Posts: 1,003
I think the biggest value of the program is for people like you (or me) who primarily fly other alliances, or who just don't fly much. If you're a star alliance flyer, you're giving up some combination of EQMs and RDMs (and bonus RDMs) in your primary program, while as a flyer from another alliance you're not giving up nearly as much.
I'm generally crediting my *A flights to A3. Lounge access via gold is an especially useful complement to those who get domestic lounge access via Amex, as it fills most of the holes in that program.
I'm generally crediting my *A flights to A3. Lounge access via gold is an especially useful complement to those who get domestic lounge access via Amex, as it fills most of the holes in that program.
Nov 25, 2011, 11:31 pm
#4
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: SEA/ORD/ADB
Programs: TK ELPL (*G), AS 100K (OWE), BA Gold (OWE), Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Plat, IHG Plat
Posts: 7,763
I agree with some of the analysis, but not all of it.
For example, a 1P would have absolutely no use for A3 status, unless they want to continue crediting to A3 (and I'm not sure why that would happen).
A3's policy that in order to recieve benifits, you must credit to them makes this strategy not effective.
For example, a 1P would have absolutely no use for A3 status, unless they want to continue crediting to A3 (and I'm not sure why that would happen).
A3's policy that in order to recieve benifits, you must credit to them makes this strategy not effective.
Nov 25, 2011, 11:56 pm
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Over the Bay Bridge, CA
Programs: Jumbo mas
Posts: 38,628
Do you not get UA lounge access while flying UA on domestic US service if you are a *G member from a foreign carrier? That is a valuable benefit.
Nov 26, 2011, 12:01 am
#6
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: SEA/ORD/ADB
Programs: TK ELPL (*G), AS 100K (OWE), BA Gold (OWE), Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Plat, IHG Plat
Posts: 7,763
A3 has a policy that in order to use your benifits, you must credit to them, or your account will be closed after multiple infractions. I assume this is because they offset the lounge fees, etc. with the income from selling miles to the operating carrier.
Therefore, A3 has basically made it so that they must be your primary *A FFP to be of any use.
Nov 26, 2011, 9:35 pm
#7
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Heraklion, Greece
Posts: 7,565
I fully understand this, and I am not afraid of such a policy as B&M is my primary programme and A3 the airline I use most of the times. Still, this policy is not stated anywhere by A3 and it sort of goes against what *A describes. Where do you have the info from?
Nov 26, 2011, 9:41 pm
#8
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: SEA/ORD/ADB
Programs: TK ELPL (*G), AS 100K (OWE), BA Gold (OWE), Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Plat, IHG Plat
Posts: 7,763
Apparently it is covered in the clause which goes something like "your A3 number must be reflected on your Boarding Pass to use benifits."
Nov 27, 2011, 1:46 pm
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Fairfield County, CT USA
Programs: AA PLT+2MM / DL DM+1MM / A3 *G / Fairmont LT Plat / Ritz Gold / SPG Gold
Posts: 4,077
A friend of mine who has reached A3 gold says he just presents his A3 card at the UA lounge - though his booking and boarding pass have his UA number for miles accrual. I haven't been with him when he enters the lounge, so I don't know the procedures they go through.
If you have a different FF number in your record, do the UA lounge dragons swipe the A3 card or manually note it in the PNR? How does the info get back to A3?
When I had a BA Gold (OW-E) card but started accruing on American, I just presented my BA card at the AA lounges and they'd let me straight into the Flagship Lounges - without any sort of notation. (This was in 2008.)
Nov 27, 2011, 6:44 pm
#10
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: SEA/ORD/ADB
Programs: TK ELPL (*G), AS 100K (OWE), BA Gold (OWE), Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Plat, IHG Plat
Posts: 7,763
Interesting. I am going for Gold mainly for the UA/CO lounge access.
A friend of mine who has reached A3 gold says he just presents his A3 card at the UA lounge - though his booking and boarding pass have his UA number for miles accrual. I haven't been with him when he enters the lounge, so I don't know the procedures they go through.
If you have a different FF number in your record, do the UA lounge dragons swipe the A3 card or manually note it in the PNR? How does the info get back to A3?
When I had a BA Gold (OW-E) card but started accruing on American, I just presented my BA card at the AA lounges and they'd let me straight into the Flagship Lounges - without any sort of notation. (This was in 2008.)
A friend of mine who has reached A3 gold says he just presents his A3 card at the UA lounge - though his booking and boarding pass have his UA number for miles accrual. I haven't been with him when he enters the lounge, so I don't know the procedures they go through.
If you have a different FF number in your record, do the UA lounge dragons swipe the A3 card or manually note it in the PNR? How does the info get back to A3?
When I had a BA Gold (OW-E) card but started accruing on American, I just presented my BA card at the AA lounges and they'd let me straight into the Flagship Lounges - without any sort of notation. (This was in 2008.)
Not sure about the specifics, sorry...
Nov 29, 2011, 3:31 am
#11
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Zurich, Switzerland; Manila, Philippines
Programs: LX M&M FTL, Aegean Gold, Mabuhay Miles Platinum
Posts: 90
This actually supports the claim of others, that it is the operating carrier paying for the lounge access and not the gold card issuer.
Nov 29, 2011, 4:26 am
#12
Moderator, Hertz; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: KRK
Programs: UA 1MM, BA GGL, Hyatt Glob, Hilton Diamond and others
Posts: 12,690
It is however a valid question; yesterday I took a short flight from DUS to ZRH and when entering the lounge, the woman only scanned the bar code printed on my boarding card, without doing anything with the information on my Aegean card. I was billing the miles to A3 (as they give 500 instead of the 125 I would get with M&M) but had I used a different FFP, there would be no link to A3 whatsoever by just scanning my boarding card.
This actually supports the claim of others, that it is the operating carrier paying for the lounge access and not the gold card issuer.
This actually supports the claim of others, that it is the operating carrier paying for the lounge access and not the gold card issuer.
And there is nothing in the T&C that state that A3 can cancel the member's status. Just cause 1 agent said so doesn't make it true.
And I don't see that clause anywhere in the rules.
Nov 29, 2011, 6:27 am
#13
Moderator, Finnair
Join Date: May 2011
Location: MMX (CPH)
Programs: Eurobonus Diamond, QR Gold, AY+ Platinum, A3*G, Nordic Choice Lifetime Platinum, SJ Prio Black
Posts: 14,172
It is very clearly stated that A3 can cancel a membership, miles and status:
Terms and conditions
General terms
...
5. Violation of the Terms by the Member may lead to cancellation of all Member’s Miles, offers, as well as their entire membership.
Terms and conditions
General terms
...
5. Violation of the Terms by the Member may lead to cancellation of all Member’s Miles, offers, as well as their entire membership.
Nov 29, 2011, 7:46 am
#14
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: DUB - Ireland
Programs: EI-GCE, BD-G, BA-G, A3*G, TK*G, FB-G, HH-G, Hyatt-Dia
Posts: 8,527
I've always understood that the operating carrier pays for the lounge access. Membership of the alliance comes with its costs as well as its benefits for the airlines.
Very often a lounge has shared costs and that's why they record the entry via BP of the operating carrier; recording of status could be down to internal accounting (i.e. what's the cost of servicing alliance generated business).
Very often a lounge has shared costs and that's why they record the entry via BP of the operating carrier; recording of status could be down to internal accounting (i.e. what's the cost of servicing alliance generated business).
Nov 29, 2011, 8:40 am
#15
Moderator, Hertz; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: KRK
Programs: UA 1MM, BA GGL, Hyatt Glob, Hilton Diamond and others
Posts: 12,690
It is very clearly stated that A3 can cancel a membership, miles and status:
Terms and conditions
General terms
...
5. Violation of the Terms by the Member may lead to cancellation of all Member’s Miles, offers, as well as their entire membership.
Terms and conditions
General terms
...
5. Violation of the Terms by the Member may lead to cancellation of all Member’s Miles, offers, as well as their entire membership.