zeer0

I will check for you when I get home. Doubt I'll be successful outside on my phone .

zeer0

Yes, availability should match, with one exception in my experience. I once had a Brussels J segment available on UA not be found by OZ agents. But for the most part, the availability should match.

Pitas are delicious but an 'extreme pita' is anything but

zeer0

Ok, YVR-LHR is $36. YYZ-CDG is $42. YVR-NRT is $104. So it seems OZ matches UA on flights to Europe, but adds extra fees on flights to Asia.

drvannostren

Ok so my miles just posted to hit Diamond, couple questions. Canadian resident here btw if that changes anything.

1) Does/will OZ send out any kind of elite package? Luggage tags etc? More importantly a physical card? I know on the website they mention a sticker card, not entirely sure I get what they mean in the description, but since I never originally got a membership card, I feel like it something they don't do.

2) Any way to load the card into apple wallet? I can just keep the screenshot picture, but I'd rather have it in apple wallet with my other stuff.

3) Anyone else ever have problems with digital cards? I can't remember what airport, I think IAH, but I had a lounge dragon once deny me because I couldn't produce the physical card and she couldn't scan my digital one. For the past year I've been entering lounges on my SQ card, but earning on the BPs to OZ. This year at least for the next little bit while I'm in the OZ buffer (earning, but not towards re-qualifying) I think I'll want to enter with my OZ card, but then earn to different programs.

zeer0

@drvannostren
1) You won't get a physical card or luggage tag. There are 2 exceptions I know of. You can pick one up in ICN airport, or if you happen to find yourself in Germany, they can send you one from the German office (this is what I did).

3) I've been asked for a card a few times over the last few years at *A lounges, and just the digital card was ok. However, at contract lounges, I have heard people have had issues with this.

drvannostren

This is a bummer, I guess it's a minor downside to the program. I don't really need the luggage tags but having that physical card as a backup is nice to have, especially with the issues I've had once or twice. That said, if the right FFP is on my boarding pass, I've never had any issues. So I guess I kinda brought it on myself.

sol95

OZ seems to still send out the package for some. I recently made OZ Platinum, and as I was at the Asiana desk at ICN arrivals for STPC, I asked if I could get a physical card. There was no questions asked and they printed one out for me promptly. As I was sitting at a bench nearby, one of the women at the desk came and asked if my mailing address was still the same. I confirmed it, and thought nothing of it. On arriving back home, there was a package from OZ waiting for me - a neck cushion and an amenity kit in a case I hadn't seen OZ use before (faux aluminium with grooves like rimowa luggage). Nothing amazing, but a nice surprise, especially since I wasn't expecting anything.

Also, at the desk, I was asked if I wanted to go to Seoul or stay at Incheon for my STPC. This was the first time in about 3 years that I was pro-actively given this option. Previously, I've had to demand the Seoul hotel from reluctant staff. While I much prefer the hotel in Seoul, as I had an early morning flight, I opted for the Incheon hotel this time around.

JoeDaejeon

Congratulations! You're the only member here that I've noticed who's Platinum. Hope you can enjoy some additional benefits at that level.

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re 1) I'm not entirely sure — I got the Diamond package when I first made Diamond about two years back — they stopped sending physical cards but hadn't changed the package so I got a mailer with a luggage tag and a blank space where the card should have been. That said I didn't get anything when I crossed to Diamond Plus this year, so maybe that's changed as well.

Also the US office might still send physical cards if you call them and ask for one — that's how I got mine two years ago, but I'm not sure if they still do. Asking at ICN definitely still works though (did it last month, took them all of 2 minutes or so).

for 3) I've only been asked for a physical card once — at the AC MLL at FRA of all places. Even LH (which is apparently notorious for wanting a physical card) never asked me for one, FWIW.

sol95

Thanks. Honestly, I was considering moving my earned miles to another program after I got to Diamond Plus Lifetime, but never got around to deciding. There's not a whole lot of difference by way of published benefits between Platinum and Diamond Plus Lifetime, but we'll see how it pans out over the next few trips.

SightseeMC

Hi all. We're expecting to go expat in Seoul for at least 6 mo/yr with multiple return trips to the USA for the foreseeable future; thus, we're moving from OW to *A with Asiana. I feel like I have a good grasp of the basics for status (2 year periods, accumulate from enrollment date, 40K *A miles for Diamond), but I have a few newb questions after reading the FAQ and lurking the main threads.

1. No status match, right? We are both AA Plats so it would be nice to get a little jump on comfort while earning *A Gold.
2. OZ lounge for Priority Pass is now only on OZ flights? Not too concerned, as I expect we'll be pounding LAX/SEA/SF-ICN for the next few years but just in case we fly someone else we'd like to know.
3. OZ awards come with surcharges even to their own customers, and SAS, AC, and UA are the only exceptions to big hits here? (Really want a way to hit the Turkish business lounge one day.)
4. Now all 777s have Smartium seats, but what are the odds that an LAX/SF/SEA flights get a swap to an angled seat? Not a current issue, but definitely a concern circa 2019-2020 for us. Any schedule for upgrading the rest of the long haul fleet?
5. I read the earning chart as 100% for normal economy, and 200% for paid regular business (100% + 100%). Is this correct?

erik19283

You don't have to go with OZ as your *A FFP just because you are coming to Korea. You can choose another one, especially if you find one that would give you a status match... Turkish Airlines comes to mind, but you'd have to fly at least once with them to keep your status.

SightseeMC

Asiana reasoning:
UA has a terrible awards chart compared to Asiana, so no UA.
The vast majority (read: all) of our international, non-awards flights will be to Seoul but not necessarily paying large amounts; earning on miles and not $ is necessary.
Don't have to worry about required flights to other destinations to make/keep status.
Also don't have to worry about our primary flights being devalued by another carrier. (No reason a non-Asian carrier couldn't give 50% miles for NA-Asia runs on a *A partner.)
2 years to earn status is great: 3 r/t per year is our expectation so we'll hit and hold Diamond indefinitely at that rate.
Non-UA *A Gold gets domestic lounge access for when we do travel within the US.

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to answer your questions:
1. Nope
2. Yes — but plenty of other PP lounges at ICN and the OZ lounge is really nothing to write home about anyway
3. AFAIK yes
4. Basically zero — the 772s, 359s and 380s all have Smartium and I don't see them sending a 330 to the U.S. (except HNL). Doubt they'll upgrade the 330s but the furthest those fly is ICN-IST.
5. No — earnings for OZ flights are 0/50/70/80/100% for economy and 100/125/135% for business depending on booking class — see Mileage Accrual Table by Class < Boarding Flights of Asiana Airlines < Asiana Mileage Accumulation < Asiana Club < Home.

drvannostren

I dunno what STPC is and I'm not going through Seoul anytime soon, but this sounds like a secret OZ hack. Seems like a good deal to get a free hotel. I've got like 12 hours in paris next week, had to spend $115 just cuz the metro doesn't open early enough for my flight, can't walk from the hotels and don't wanna pay 20 Euro to go 2km. I've toyed with buying one of those (even fake) Rimowa amenity kits, but they always want like $30 and I can't justify it. I could get one free!

FWIW I almost never get asked for the physical card, but for the fact that I've been asked and almost denied, twice, leads me to wanna carry one. Hell I have a card from ANA JUST because I wanted to use their search engine, I have one from JAL just because I signed up one day to check something. It's just a bit surprising that someone doesn't send them out, especially to elites. But it's not the end of the world and I'm happy to have 2 years of star gold to look forward too .