Best use of 10,500 A3 miles?
Dec 15, 2012, 7:20 pm
#1
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Best use of 10,500 A3 miles?
Hi All--
My wife and I are new to the program and both have about 10,500 miles on A3. Nice surprise to have Silver status on Star Alliance after a long flight. That said, our honeymoon will be in Greece/Croatia likely and I am wondering if the best use of A3 miles would be to stick to a one-way intra-Greece flight? Or an upgrade? (worth it due to short flight times?). Should we earn a few more miles? Any other non flying earning options? We could maybe add a US/UA flight or two to get our balances higher but wanted to ask the experts first.
My wife and I are new to the program and both have about 10,500 miles on A3. Nice surprise to have Silver status on Star Alliance after a long flight. That said, our honeymoon will be in Greece/Croatia likely and I am wondering if the best use of A3 miles would be to stick to a one-way intra-Greece flight? Or an upgrade? (worth it due to short flight times?). Should we earn a few more miles? Any other non flying earning options? We could maybe add a US/UA flight or two to get our balances higher but wanted to ask the experts first.
Dec 16, 2012, 3:00 am
#2
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Since you are going to Greece, I'd say use the miles for a rental car and keep adding miles to your account. Flights are not that expensive. A oneway ATH-HER is currently about €26 before taxes... So that is the amount you will save with your miles.
At least if your destination is something like Crete where you can use a car. Don't bother with a car in Athens.
At least if your destination is something like Crete where you can use a car. Don't bother with a car in Athens.
Dec 16, 2012, 5:29 am
#3
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,894
Id say keep saving them up . If you get enough maybe use for an upgrade on an A3 flight if you get the chance.
Just some advice the earlier you book the Domestics the better. Prices have gone up depending on dates etc...
Car hire on the Islands a great idea. In Athens the public Tram/Bus/Metro are very good and cheap. EUR1.40 for a ticket for 90 mins ( Single ) journey multiple changes between all the above. Been using it myself over the last few weeks
Just some advice the earlier you book the Domestics the better. Prices have gone up depending on dates etc...
Car hire on the Islands a great idea. In Athens the public Tram/Bus/Metro are very good and cheap. EUR1.40 for a ticket for 90 mins ( Single ) journey multiple changes between all the above. Been using it myself over the last few weeks
Dec 16, 2012, 6:46 am
#4
Join Date: Sep 2012
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booking.com, car rental elsewhere, but these don't count for status
If you get to 12500 you can redeem for a 1-way North American flight, could be useful for last minute travel (I believe the taxes in the US are minimal unlike in Europe)
If you get to 12500 you can redeem for a 1-way North American flight, could be useful for last minute travel (I believe the taxes in the US are minimal unlike in Europe)
Dec 16, 2012, 5:48 pm
#6
Join Date: Sep 2012
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I presume you want to achieve Gold status soon, and then you will have 20k to play with..
Dec 20, 2012, 6:52 pm
#8
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If you use miles for a rental car, the default is a small vehicle without an automatic transmission. (Check whether it would be air conditioned.) Even if you try to confirm and pay extra for the automatic, you could still have problems when you go to pick up the car in that they will automatically give you one with a stick shift and might not have an automatic at that location, resulting in a long wait. YMMV.
Dec 21, 2012, 6:19 pm
#9
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If you use miles for a rental car, the default is a small vehicle without an automatic transmission. (Check whether it would be air conditioned.) Even if you try to confirm and pay extra for the automatic, you could still have problems when you go to pick up the car in that they will automatically give you one with a stick shift and might not have an automatic at that location, resulting in a long wait. YMMV.