May 26, 2014, 8:47 am
Last edit by: SingaporeDon
Every forum on Flyertalk has a personality. A forum gains a personality through user input over time, and Lifemiles is a very definitive example of how users have developed a unique community.
While Flyertalk boards actively encourage sharing of info, the Lifemiles community has developed and thrived via obscuring of certain data elements. It may not be easy for new participants to break through the codes and gain knowledge of the program's quirks, but the overall board community has adopted this unique approach. And frankly, that is not going to change overnight.
If a FT member wants to participate on this board, then they will need to respect other users. Hence, posts that run counter to this community's standards, will be removed.
While Flyertalk boards actively encourage sharing of info, the Lifemiles community has developed and thrived via obscuring of certain data elements. It may not be easy for new participants to break through the codes and gain knowledge of the program's quirks, but the overall board community has adopted this unique approach. And frankly, that is not going to change overnight.
If a FT member wants to participate on this board, then they will need to respect other users. Hence, posts that run counter to this community's standards, will be removed.
C1 North America
C1.5 Caribbean, Bermuda
C2 Europe
C2.5 Middle East
C3 Asia
C4 South America
C5 Africa
C6 Oceania
2X, 3X: in the context of this LifeMiles thread, 2X and 3X refer to any 2nd and 3rd legs of a one-way award ticket.
LifeMiles' Star Alliance Award Chart
LifeMiles' old Star Alliance Award Chart (before Oct 15 2014) // Table of changes
Cash & Miles redemptions: the price per mile purchased during award booking varies significantly depending on how many miles are purchased. The "sweet spots" are between 38% and 58% of the total mileage required, where miles are purchased for 1.5 cents. See here for some examples.
Beware of Cabotage: LifeMiles has been known to issue tickets that constitute Cabotage, and at least one instance of denied boarding has been reported, stranding the passenger. An easily-seen example is travel on Copa from LAX to SJU (via PTY).
Understand Cabotage: Departing country 1, transiting country 2, returning to country 1 (no stopping) *is* cabotage (example: depart JFK, connect in YYZ to return to ORD, or depart Miami, connect in Bogota, return to San Francisco). On the other hand, departing country 1, going to completely unrelated country 2, and ending up in country 3, is not cabotage. So if you fly JFK-JNB-ZRH, for instance, this is completely not cabotage.
Availability: Seeing availability for *A award seats elsewhere is no guarantee they are accessible on Lifemiles. For instance award space shown on ANA often is not accessible on Lifemiles. Similarly, finding award space on single legs doesn't mean you'll get award space on the combined itinerary. And no, there is no way to overcome that.
Screenshot Method
Send email to [email protected] with attached screenshots on Lifemiles website of each individual leg showing availability. Also, screenshot showing no availability as one booking. Include passenger names, gender and DOB and copy of passenger passport. They will either call you for payment or email the itinerary and give you 3 days to call up and make payment by CC.
NOTE: This previous thread has been closed; it can be read here LM F and J routes (and the occasional trick-it)
LM F and J routes (and the occasional trick-it) Rebooted v2.0
Jan 10, 2015, 5:28 pm
#1597
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: The KUL city
Programs: AA Lifetime Plat, TK Elite+
Posts: 2,663
^
Jan 11, 2015, 2:35 am
#1600
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Airline nobody. Sad!
Posts: 26,062
I'm going to need lots of PMs to figure it out! 
(No PMs please in all honesty)
Though it is a bit sad we are stuck grasping at the last few straws of theoretical value (outside of trying a new product, who really wants to spend that long on a plane even in premium class?).
(No PMs please in all honesty)
Though it is a bit sad we are stuck grasping at the last few straws of theoretical value (outside of trying a new product, who really wants to spend that long on a plane even in premium class?).
Jan 11, 2015, 6:29 am
#1601
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: New York Metropolitan Area 45 km from JFK
Programs: UA,AA,AS,BA
Posts: 4,607
At least I got the thread jump started. 10 postings in the last 24 hours versus 2 in the 24 hours prior. Of course it is quality that counts not quantity. Even the Aussie thinks he knows something, which by the way he can not use.
At least that contributed to quantity.
Last edited by WingedWorldExplorer; Jan 11, 2015 at 6:39 am
Jan 11, 2015, 7:18 am
#1602
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Posts: 1,470
I'm going to need lots of PMs to figure it out!
(No PMs please in all honesty)
Though it is a bit sad we are stuck grasping at the last few straws of theoretical value (outside of trying a new product, who really wants to spend that long on a plane even in premium class?).
(No PMs please in all honesty)
Though it is a bit sad we are stuck grasping at the last few straws of theoretical value (outside of trying a new product, who really wants to spend that long on a plane even in premium class?).
Jan 12, 2015, 2:21 am
#1604
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Airline nobody. Sad!
Posts: 26,062
So true and so sad.
At least I got the thread jump started. 10 postings in the last 24 hours versus 2 in the 24 hours prior. Of course it is quality that counts not quantity. Even the Aussie thinks he knows something, which by the way he can not use.
At least that contributed to quantity.
At least I got the thread jump started. 10 postings in the last 24 hours versus 2 in the 24 hours prior. Of course it is quality that counts not quantity. Even the Aussie thinks he knows something, which by the way he can not use.
At least that contributed to quantity.
Meanwhile, naturally, one of my non-tricked, straightforward tickets is giving me issues
.
Jan 12, 2015, 5:18 am
#1605
Join Date: May 2013
Location: west coast best coast
Programs: TINDER GOLD, STARBUCKS GOLD, COSTCO EXECUTIVE!!
Posts: 3,989