Nov 6, 2017, 3:33 am
Last edit by: irishguy28
Introduction
As you have been following the past thread, the Flying Blue programme will change as of 1 April 2018. In order to split the discussion from the earlier thread, we have created a new thread.
On 6 November Flying Blue has organised a press conference to inform the public about the changes to the programme. In addition, a mailing will be sent out to all members on the 6th and 7th of November and more information can be found on the designated website (link: https://explorefurther.flyingblue.com).
As an introduction, please find a summary of the changes below.
Please note that at the current time there is no difference expected to the benefits of the current tier.
Change 1: no more level miles, no more segments, but Experience Points
As of 1 April 2018 you will no longer earn level miles and segments per flight, but you will earn Experience Points (XP). The number of XP earned per flight depends on your cabin (multiplier times 2 for Premium Economy, 3 for business, 5 for La Premiere) and the type of flight (distinction between domestic, medium haul, long-haul 1/2/3).
For flights between 1 January – 31 March 2018 all earned level miles and segments will be converted into XP (1 segment = 7 XP; 1,000 level miles = 5 XP for members outside France). Please note that the highest conversion applies (it is not cumulative).
The number of XP required per tiers is:
- 100 for Silver;
- 180 for Gold;
- 300 for Platinum;
- 1,800 for Platinum Ultimate (in 2 years).
Please note that for current flyers who qualify on segments based on only intra-EU flights this could see an increase in the number of flights required. However, if you fly a mix if intra-EU and intercontinental (but qualify on segments), this will most likely see a reduction in the number of flights required to qualify.
For elite members, there is a roll-over of all XP above your tier threshold.
The rules for soft-landing have been extended. It is now no longer required to make at least 1 qualifying flight and in case you do not meet your threshold you will only drop one tier.
Change 2: number of miles earned dependent on fare paid (including fuel surcharge)
The number of award miles (for AF/KL/A5) earned is now depending on the fare paid (including fuel surcharge). Ivory members earn 4 miles per Euro, Silver 6, Gold 7 and Platinum 8.
Also earn award miles on AF/KL purchases (relating to seats, baggage and meals) according to the above schedule.
Earnings on partners remains as-is (based on fare class and distance flown).
Change 3: dynamic pricing of award tickets (on AF/KL/HV)
Another change will be that award tickets will have dynamic pricing, e.g. an award AMS-JFK could be more expensive than an award DUS-AMS-JFK. This is also in line with change 2, as flights from AMS are also more expensive than flights from DUS (you also earn more miles).
This also implies that we will see a difference in the number of miles required per flight. For example, an award from continental Europe to continental USA will currently set you back 25,000 miles for a one-way in economy. It does not matter if you fly to LAX or NYC, the number of miles is currently fixed. Under the new proposition, this will change. The cheaper flight (in this example: NYC) will see a slight reduction in the number of miles required, whilst LAX will see a slight increase in the number of miles required.
Furthermore, there will be a standard base level for the number of miles required per destination. As the standard revenue price increases, so does the number of award miles.
Change 4: status valid for 12 months (+ 3 months), personal membership year
FB will be moving away from membership year = calendar year (in case of upgrade of tier). Instead, FB will have an individual membership year. This means that after obtaining the higher tier, you will have 12 months to requalify. Benefit of this is that members are not bound by the calendar year (e.g. members who earn 20,000 level miles in a December of a given year and 20,000 level miles in January of the next year, do not have any benefit of their flights in case limited flights before/after).
I know some will feel that this is a significant downgrade compared to the current – at maximum – 27 months. Please note that based on FB information the majority of members (re)qualify in the last quarter of the year.
In addition, please note that for an Ivory member would like to go obtain Platinum in one year, as it will become more difficult, as (s)he will have to earn each threshold (so not 300 XP in the first year, but (100 + 180 + 300 = 580 XP).This is only applicable in the first year.
Change 5: changes to the co-branded American Express credit cards (FR/NL)
Currently you earn segments and level miles (on AF/KL purchases for Gold and Platinum card holders). This will change that you will receive additional XP when reaching your membership anniversary each year.
As you have been following the past thread, the Flying Blue programme will change as of 1 April 2018. In order to split the discussion from the earlier thread, we have created a new thread.
On 6 November Flying Blue has organised a press conference to inform the public about the changes to the programme. In addition, a mailing will be sent out to all members on the 6th and 7th of November and more information can be found on the designated website (link: https://explorefurther.flyingblue.com).
As an introduction, please find a summary of the changes below.
Please note that at the current time there is no difference expected to the benefits of the current tier.
Change 1: no more level miles, no more segments, but Experience Points
As of 1 April 2018 you will no longer earn level miles and segments per flight, but you will earn Experience Points (XP). The number of XP earned per flight depends on your cabin (multiplier times 2 for Premium Economy, 3 for business, 5 for La Premiere) and the type of flight (distinction between domestic, medium haul, long-haul 1/2/3).
For flights between 1 January – 31 March 2018 all earned level miles and segments will be converted into XP (1 segment = 7 XP; 1,000 level miles = 5 XP for members outside France). Please note that the highest conversion applies (it is not cumulative).
The number of XP required per tiers is:
- 100 for Silver;
- 180 for Gold;
- 300 for Platinum;
- 1,800 for Platinum Ultimate (in 2 years).
Please note that for current flyers who qualify on segments based on only intra-EU flights this could see an increase in the number of flights required. However, if you fly a mix if intra-EU and intercontinental (but qualify on segments), this will most likely see a reduction in the number of flights required to qualify.
For elite members, there is a roll-over of all XP above your tier threshold.
The rules for soft-landing have been extended. It is now no longer required to make at least 1 qualifying flight and in case you do not meet your threshold you will only drop one tier.
Change 2: number of miles earned dependent on fare paid (including fuel surcharge)
The number of award miles (for AF/KL/A5) earned is now depending on the fare paid (including fuel surcharge). Ivory members earn 4 miles per Euro, Silver 6, Gold 7 and Platinum 8.
Also earn award miles on AF/KL purchases (relating to seats, baggage and meals) according to the above schedule.
Earnings on partners remains as-is (based on fare class and distance flown).
Change 3: dynamic pricing of award tickets (on AF/KL/HV)
Another change will be that award tickets will have dynamic pricing, e.g. an award AMS-JFK could be more expensive than an award DUS-AMS-JFK. This is also in line with change 2, as flights from AMS are also more expensive than flights from DUS (you also earn more miles).
This also implies that we will see a difference in the number of miles required per flight. For example, an award from continental Europe to continental USA will currently set you back 25,000 miles for a one-way in economy. It does not matter if you fly to LAX or NYC, the number of miles is currently fixed. Under the new proposition, this will change. The cheaper flight (in this example: NYC) will see a slight reduction in the number of miles required, whilst LAX will see a slight increase in the number of miles required.
Furthermore, there will be a standard base level for the number of miles required per destination. As the standard revenue price increases, so does the number of award miles.
Change 4: status valid for 12 months (+ 3 months), personal membership year
FB will be moving away from membership year = calendar year (in case of upgrade of tier). Instead, FB will have an individual membership year. This means that after obtaining the higher tier, you will have 12 months to requalify. Benefit of this is that members are not bound by the calendar year (e.g. members who earn 20,000 level miles in a December of a given year and 20,000 level miles in January of the next year, do not have any benefit of their flights in case limited flights before/after).
I know some will feel that this is a significant downgrade compared to the current – at maximum – 27 months. Please note that based on FB information the majority of members (re)qualify in the last quarter of the year.
In addition, please note that for an Ivory member would like to go obtain Platinum in one year, as it will become more difficult, as (s)he will have to earn each threshold (so not 300 XP in the first year, but (100 + 180 + 300 = 580 XP).
Change 5: changes to the co-branded American Express credit cards (FR/NL)
Currently you earn segments and level miles (on AF/KL purchases for Gold and Platinum card holders). This will change that you will receive additional XP when reaching your membership anniversary each year.
Upcoming changes to Flying Blue in 2018
Nov 7, 2017, 3:11 am
#421
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Netherlands
Programs: KL Platinum; A3 Gold
Posts: 28,742
It is known how XPs will expire.
- When you go up a level, they remove the amount needed for that level
- When you go down a level, they remove the amount needed to "buy" the soft-landing; but if you don't have enough for the "soft-landing", they take them all away
But this idea that everyone who soft-lands gets to keep ALL of their XPs [if that is what you are saying - and it has been said in this thread] is almost certainly wrong.
"Rollover" will always impy "losing" some (in most cases, probably a majority) of the XPs in the account at that time. (It's not like a lottery jackpot rollover, where the unclaimed jackpot in its entirety rolls over to the next week. In FFPs, you always have to "pay" for what you "earned"). This is how it operates now, for people maintaining, or going up, in status.
Now that they will introduce "rollover" for people going down in status, the same MUST be true.
As you say, when you go up in status, you "get" a new status (which you EARNED!!), but they deduct the necessary XP amount, the rest is the "rollover".
I can understand why you might be stuck on the idea of the "soft-landing" - previously given for free - now has to be "paid for". But that's exactly how the system works. A Gold who just missed out on Gold will get Silver next year, under the old scheme just as in the new, but currently, they would lose ALL of their segments/level miles. At least, in the new system, those who had earned the right to have the lower status anyway, will still get to keep some of their miles - they get a rollover - but only the "excess" left over after paying for what they would have got anyway. Is that fair? It's certainly more fair than the current case, where someone who didn't fly at all also gets a soft-landing.
If you get to the end of your current membership year, and you managed to maintain your "current" status but failed to reach the target in your account (which is always set to the level just above the one you currently have), then the current system is that you retain that status, and you get a "rollover" - so that number of XPs will be deducted, and you start with a much smaller number of XPs).
If at the end of your current membership year, you didn't even manage to maintain your current status, you get a softlanding. But year-end is when they clear your level miles/segments/XPs!. In the current system, everyone who softlands loses all of them!. The only difference in the new system is that those who managed, anyway, to "earn" that lower status will get a rollover - meaning the excess above the lower threshold.
In your example, where a softlander gets to keep ALL their XPs, then ALL of those XPs are most certainly being double-counted. They were earned in the previous membership year, and were found insufficient for progress. That means they would (currently) be cleared to zero!. Instead, you seem to take it for granted, as a completely logical and obvious implementation, that they would just shrug their shoulders and say - "hey! You had 12 whole months to meet a target, but you still missed. But guess what? We will give you another 12 months now for another target - but we won't clear your balance at all!!! So, we give you a lower target to aim for, and we give you a (much) higher starting balance to get you on your way!)
Sorry, but that is just not at all logical!
Most soft-landers will still lose all their XPs when they start their new membership year. The only change is that they seem to finally recognise the fact that some of those had earned that status anyway, and given them something in recognition of the fact - which is the rollover, which is operated in the same way as it is currently implemented for those maintaining or going up in status, rather than in the extremely generous way you seem to have in mind. [Remember - rollover HAS TO imply the deduction of an amount of XPs equal to the relevant status threshold.]
You really don't see the difference? In current system you don't get rollover, unless you at least maintaned status, you loose everything, you use nothing. You get soft landing.
Under your interpretation, those who got just under enough for the lower tier lose everything, putting them (XP wise) on the same place as those who earned nothing.
Under your interpretation, those who got just under enough for the lower tier lose everything, putting them (XP wise) on the same place as those who earned nothing.
You may not be familiar with how Flying Blue has evolved: rollovers are a relatively new addition to the programme. At the start, only those Platinums who earned above a (very high threshold, way above the annual qualification threshold) got a rollover, and only above that very high threshold.
A few years ago, the change it to the current system: those who exceed the Level Mileage threshold at the end of the calendar year, for their same, or higher, status level, get to keep the excess.
At present, anyone failing to maintain their current status LOSES ALL THE LEVEL MILES. A Gold who accumulated 39,900 level miles will "soft-land" to Silver, and start the next year with 0 Level Miles. A Gold who accumulated 5 level miles will "soft-land" to Silver, and start the next year with 0 Level Miles. In effect, you are saying that they must now translate to a system whereby, the Gold who accumulated 39,900 level miles should start the next year with Silver, and 39,900 level miles...
Think of it this way. At present, the price of a soft-landing is TO LOSE ALL LEVEL MILES. Regardless of whether that number was 69,900 [i.e. just missing Platinum], 39,900 [i.e. just missing Gold], 100, or even just a big fat zero. Soft-landings can currently be VERY expensive for those who only just missed out on maintenance! The new system will impose the "lose everything" on those who didn't even "earn" that lower status; for those who would have exceeded that threshold, they only take away the relevant amount, allowing them to start with a non-zero starting balance - which is an improvement on the present implementation.
But the FFPs also give another currency - the Award Miles. The FFP should be designed such that people want to fly for these, too.
(I admit none of us are talking about Award Miles, and the incentive of Award Miles is not one that motivates me as an FB flyer. But still - every FFP has situations whereby people motivated by "status" hit a plateau, or have got to a level whereby, for them personally, it makes no more sense to pay for XPs/Level Miles (whatever) for the rest of their current membership year.
(And again, we are not represntative of the typical flyer. Most will probably continue to fly without worrying too much, or thinking at this depth, about the qualification implications of their programme and their strategy)
You said earlier that you didn't know or understand how XPs can expire. But you must surely understand that, rollovers excepted, the idea is that a standard XP cannot have any effect in more than one "qualificaiton period". This is the reason they "remove" XPs when you go up a level. They don't want you to use "old" XPs to help a second time. The same should apply for people going down, not only to those going up. So, allowing soft-landers to keep all their XPs from the previous year simply goes against the whole ethos of the programme - and it the exact opposite of the current implementation.
It is arbitrary. It is set somewhere. It can be 300 days after my first flight (or first status upgrade) or it can be 3 days after my first flight (or first status upgrade).
Consider this:
I stay for 35 days in October and November at a hotel and for 35 days again in January and February.
Am I a worse customer for the hotel than the man who stayed for 25 days in May and June, and for 25 days in August and September?
Because with the arbitrary year end in December, I can't get the 50 night status and he can.
Consider this:
I stay for 35 days in October and November at a hotel and for 35 days again in January and February.
Am I a worse customer for the hotel than the man who stayed for 25 days in May and June, and for 25 days in August and September?
Because with the arbitrary year end in December, I can't get the 50 night status and he can.
You talk of "arbitrariness", but again, loyalty programmes have to choose some period, and some starting date; it's just the nature of the beast. For those who travel consistently, it doesn't matter. If you always do the same amount of travel in a year, it doesn't matter when your chosen FFP or loyalty programme starts their year - across any 12 month period, your pattern of stay/travel will be identical.
When "measuring" loyalty, programmes will therefore have to impose a certain degree of "arbitrariness" as you call it; I think that FB currently has the least amount of arbitrariness, in that EVERYONE knows when the year starts and finishes; it can never change; and it is aligned with the calendar year, which itself is an arbitrary measure of time, but one that we all accept, know and understand.
The current system, of course, has this limitation too - but it is less "arbitrary" in that EVERYONE has the same start and end date, aligned to the calendar year, and easy to understand. In programmes where the start/end date can change - in response to your travel patterns - you lose at least this degree of predictability. In that sense, the new system, whereby "years" can end early and dates can shift, is, even more arbitrary.
KLM has up to 5 daily flights to DUB now.
Last edited by irishguy28; Nov 7, 2017 at 3:20 am
Nov 7, 2017, 3:16 am
#422
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: DUS, BRU, POA
Programs: Skyteam E+ (FB PfL), Latam Black, LH MM, Iberia plus, HH: Diamond, Marriott Bonvoy: Plat
Posts: 1,124
In a first place, they tried to tell me that the new setup is more attractive: 60 XP's vs. 8 segments means meeting 20% of the Plat. qualification requirements vs. 13 %'ish with the old scheme.
I said fine - but that's only good news for those who qualified on segments. Then they rowed back a little bit, saying that they were urged by FB to change the scheme accordingly and that FB did not leave any opportunities to negotiate any option to earn XP's over ticket purchase.
I thing we as cardholders should continue pointing them to this significant devaluation.
Nov 7, 2017, 3:20 am
#423
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: CPT,AMS
Posts: 4,412
Currently, it doesn't look like. I had an interesting conversation with them yesterday, complaining about the major devaluation (last year for instance, my AMEX plat card generated +50k level miles - this contribution will drop down to zero).
In a first place, they tried to tell me that the new setup is more attractive: 60 XP's vs. 8 segments means meeting 20% of the qualification requirements vs. 13 %'ish with the old scheme.
I said fine - but that's only good news for those who qualified on segments. Then they rowed back a little bit, saying that they were urged by FB to change the scheme accordingly and that FB did not leave any opportunities to negotiate any option to earn XP's over ticket purchase.
I thing we as cardholders should continue pointing them to this significant devaluation.
In a first place, they tried to tell me that the new setup is more attractive: 60 XP's vs. 8 segments means meeting 20% of the qualification requirements vs. 13 %'ish with the old scheme.
I said fine - but that's only good news for those who qualified on segments. Then they rowed back a little bit, saying that they were urged by FB to change the scheme accordingly and that FB did not leave any opportunities to negotiate any option to earn XP's over ticket purchase.
I thing we as cardholders should continue pointing them to this significant devaluation.
Out of interest, if you generated over 50K level miles from your plat card purchases alone, did you not also travel enough to achieve Plat based on the flights?
Nov 7, 2017, 3:21 am
#424
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 5,041
The concept of "qualifying flight" has not changed. Any flight which counts towards status qualification - in the old scheme, this meant earning Level Miles and counting as a Level Segment; in the new scheme, this means earning XPs - is a "qualifying flight".
Bear in mind, though, that while earning on partners has not been fully explained, to look at the single XP table published, and to therefore assume that every flight on every Skyteam partner will earn XPs is probably incorrect. Given that the "old" tables governing (Award) Miles earning on partners are still in effect, it would be very unusual if they gave you XPs on a Skyteam Partner flight that earns no Miles.
If you look on the FB minisite, and it was posted here in the early minutes of the announcement of the changes, your Level Miles and Level Segments will be converted to XPs on April 1st next. The conversion rate is published. They do not go back and "add" whatever the "correct" XP for each individual flight already taken in 2018 would have earned - instead, they use a fixed, and already-published, conversion rate from Level Miles to XP and from Level Segments to XP.
Whichever conversion gives you a higher XP number - whether it is your Level Miles or your Level Segments that give you the most XPs - that is the value that your account will be "started" for XPs with on April 2018. They don't add both - the Level Miles/Level Segments were two individual and separate means of qualification. There was no case in the old system where you could "add" both measures. So, the conversion to XPs will be done on both, and they give you whichever one of the old items gives you the higher number of XPs.
Bear in mind, though, that while earning on partners has not been fully explained, to look at the single XP table published, and to therefore assume that every flight on every Skyteam partner will earn XPs is probably incorrect. Given that the "old" tables governing (Award) Miles earning on partners are still in effect, it would be very unusual if they gave you XPs on a Skyteam Partner flight that earns no Miles.
If you look on the FB minisite, and it was posted here in the early minutes of the announcement of the changes, your Level Miles and Level Segments will be converted to XPs on April 1st next. The conversion rate is published. They do not go back and "add" whatever the "correct" XP for each individual flight already taken in 2018 would have earned - instead, they use a fixed, and already-published, conversion rate from Level Miles to XP and from Level Segments to XP.
Whichever conversion gives you a higher XP number - whether it is your Level Miles or your Level Segments that give you the most XPs - that is the value that your account will be "started" for XPs with on April 2018. They don't add both - the Level Miles/Level Segments were two individual and separate means of qualification. There was no case in the old system where you could "add" both measures. So, the conversion to XPs will be done on both, and they give you whichever one of the old items gives you the higher number of XPs.
to be 7 XP for a qualifying flight, for this particular flight however Manage My Booking says 0.
You will earn:
150 Award Miles
150 Level Miles
0 XP
Nov 7, 2017, 3:27 am
#425
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: DUS, BRU, POA
Programs: Skyteam E+ (FB PfL), Latam Black, LH MM, Iberia plus, HH: Diamond, Marriott Bonvoy: Plat
Posts: 1,124
The point is, that with the old scheme both spending on tickets & the actual membership contributed to qualification. Now the spending contribution will be gone.
As you can see in this thread, I don't seem to be the only one struggling with this.
Nov 7, 2017, 3:27 am
#426
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: London
Programs: SK Gold, ITA Executive, Sixt Diamond, Hertz PC, Avis PC, IHG Platinum
Posts: 5,163
You can’t have both Level Miles and XPs.
Last edited by jms_uk; Nov 7, 2017 at 4:09 am
Nov 7, 2017, 3:30 am
#427
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: NCE
Programs: FB Ultimate - BA EC - LH M&M - Accor All Gold
Posts: 267
On April 1st, FB will convert your 150 level miles into XP, as well as your qualifying flight (7XP). The biggest result will be kept.
Nov 7, 2017, 3:33 am
#428
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: 🇸🇬 🇭🇰 🇫🇷
Programs: Many
Posts: 4,749
Nov 7, 2017, 3:41 am
#430
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: 🇸🇬 🇭🇰 🇫🇷
Programs: Many
Posts: 4,749
Details for the French FB Amex are here: http://operation-ae.com/explore_flyingblue/
Nov 7, 2017, 3:53 am
#431
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: CPT,AMS
Posts: 4,412
Usually I do, but my travel patterns do vary quite a bit, thus the card always helped me to maintain status.
The point is, that with the old scheme both spending on tickets & the actual membership contributed to qualification. Now the spending contribution will be gone.
As you can see in this thread, I don't seem to be the only one struggling with this.
The point is, that with the old scheme both spending on tickets & the actual membership contributed to qualification. Now the spending contribution will be gone.
As you can see in this thread, I don't seem to be the only one struggling with this.
Nov 7, 2017, 4:16 am
#432
Join Date: May 2009
Location: AMS
Posts: 2,064
Nov 7, 2017, 4:18 am
#433
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Seoul, Korea
Programs: KL-PEFL
Posts: 51
I totally agree that there is very high devaluation of the cards, I'm just not sure how would they translate € into XP... taking for example Plat which is 300XP vs. 70K miles, it means roughly each XP is worth roughly 233 miles, so would it then be 116€ for one XP (on the Amex plat), and how would that work if you buy a ticket for 99€? or something for 150€, do you get partial XPs etc?
Under the new scheme, it looks to me as if those 5 returns in business will do the same.
Nov 7, 2017, 4:25 am
#434
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: 🇸🇬 🇭🇰 🇫🇷
Programs: Many
Posts: 4,749
There are a lot of French FB Elite members earning their status thanks to regular commuting on Abonné fares.
Let's do the maths for a common pax commuting between Paris and Bordeaux (could be also Nice, Marseille or Toulouse) on an Abonné fare
Fare: SRPFR
Price: 346 EUR without taxes, 402 EUR in total (no surcharges) for
Trip: ORY-BOD-ORY
Old FB scheme for miles earning:
Ivory + Abonné: 2,000 level miles + 0 award mile = 2,000 miles
Silver + Abonné: 2,000 level miles + 1,000 award miles = 3,000 miles
Gold + Abonné: 2,000 level miles + 1,500 award miles = 3,500 miles
Platinum + Abonné: 2,000 level miles + 2,000 award miles = 4,000 miles
New scheme for miles earning:
Ivory + Abonné: 346x4 = 1,384 miles / 8 XP
Silver + Abonné: 346x6 = 2,076 level miles / 8 XP
Gold + Abonné: 346x7 = 2,422 level miles / 8 XP
Platinum + Abonné: 346x8 = 2,768 level miles / 8 XP
A strict and regular decrease of 31% in miles earned!
Let's assume our pax is paying the trips with a FB Amex
Gold: +603 level miles
Platinum: + 804 level miles
Number of round trips required under the old scheme (with FB Amex Gold / Platinum):
Silver: 7.5 trips (5.5 / 3.5)
Gold: 15 trips (13 / 11)
Platinum: 30 trips (28 / 26)
Number of round trips required under the new scheme (with FB Amex Gold / Platinum):
Silver: 12.5 trips (9 / 7.5) +66% / 64% / 114% needed
Gold: 35 trips (31 / 27.5) +133% / 138% / 150% needed
Platinum: 72.5 trips (69 / 65) +142% / 146% / 150% needed
I guess some won't be happy...
Let's do the maths for a common pax commuting between Paris and Bordeaux (could be also Nice, Marseille or Toulouse) on an Abonné fare
Fare: SRPFR
Price: 346 EUR without taxes, 402 EUR in total (no surcharges) for
Trip: ORY-BOD-ORY
Old FB scheme for miles earning:
Ivory + Abonné: 2,000 level miles + 0 award mile = 2,000 miles
Silver + Abonné: 2,000 level miles + 1,000 award miles = 3,000 miles
Gold + Abonné: 2,000 level miles + 1,500 award miles = 3,500 miles
Platinum + Abonné: 2,000 level miles + 2,000 award miles = 4,000 miles
New scheme for miles earning:
Ivory + Abonné: 346x4 = 1,384 miles / 8 XP
Silver + Abonné: 346x6 = 2,076 level miles / 8 XP
Gold + Abonné: 346x7 = 2,422 level miles / 8 XP
Platinum + Abonné: 346x8 = 2,768 level miles / 8 XP
A strict and regular decrease of 31% in miles earned!
Let's assume our pax is paying the trips with a FB Amex
Gold: +603 level miles
Platinum: + 804 level miles
Number of round trips required under the old scheme (with FB Amex Gold / Platinum):
Silver: 7.5 trips (5.5 / 3.5)
Gold: 15 trips (13 / 11)
Platinum: 30 trips (28 / 26)
Number of round trips required under the new scheme (with FB Amex Gold / Platinum):
Silver: 12.5 trips (9 / 7.5) +66% / 64% / 114% needed
Gold: 35 trips (31 / 27.5) +133% / 138% / 150% needed
Platinum: 72.5 trips (69 / 65) +142% / 146% / 150% needed
I guess some won't be happy...
Nov 7, 2017, 4:36 am
#435
Join Date: May 2009
Location: AMS
Posts: 2,064
Yes, for people *solely* flying short-haul (and even more so for domestic), the qualification requirements have increased. But you can bring the requirements (in short-haul segments) down by flying long-haul, for which the requirements have now effectively decreased (unless you were flying full fare). Example: AMS-NRT in Y used to require 17 one-way flights for silver at 1500 miles each (25% earning, ignoring amex spend), but at 12xp each you only need 9 flights to reach 100xp (with a slight roll-over.)
Last edited by CyBeR; Nov 7, 2017 at 4:42 am