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
May 30, 2014, 2:40 am
#151
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Germany / Thailand
Programs: M&M/S SPG livetime gold, but not running behind status & points anymore! Now only book value for $
Posts: 3,090
very strange I still found one C2--C2.5 via C3 which works.
But it only works from one Airport in C2 to one in C2.5 ! No explaination why the others not work.
But it only works from one Airport in C2 to one in C2.5 ! No explaination why the others not work.
May 30, 2014, 2:46 am
#152
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: CDG
Programs: TK Elite
Posts: 1,611
May 30, 2014, 3:15 am
#153
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Valencia, Spain
Programs: Pascal and Python, no C++
Posts: 738
There are more airports from C2 to C2.5 and if we have the same C2.5 there is a stop in that leg, which probably explains its exceptional showing up.
As for some of you guys writing you have an exception to the distance rule (and bertheike, we should compare our distance tables
), I have tested that very extensively when it was still working and I've found only two classes of exception: - one was with one specific region only, so there could be something in the argument that a combination of rules was used in the algorithm. In this region there might have been a "sub-region" rule. You don't find these anymore after the changes, so it's difficult to impossible to say whether this assumption holds true.
- the other one was for quite a few well known boomies of a different sort, where the destination was what I call a "lonely airport" (and these still do exist thanks god). There are a few in C2 but with abysmal availability, there are some in C3, C4 etc. etc. All of these boomerangs still work so that's about as much as you will hear from me.
Last edited by WolfvanWeen; May 30, 2014 at 3:17 am Reason: Spelling correction
May 30, 2014, 3:39 am
#154
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: MUC
Programs: *A Gold, OW Emerald; IHG S, SPG P, HH D, HGP D, Accor P, Carlson G
Posts: 215
May 30, 2014, 5:51 am
#156
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Germany
Programs: IC Dia, Hyatt Globlist, Hilton Gold, Star Alliance Gold, Emirates Gold, BA Gold
Posts: 558
I had a curious look around LM today.
Yes things have changed a lot and some real winners gone but lots of the old tricks from C 2 seem valid. C availability seemed low but lots in cattle class showing up even for some of our favs.
Searched around candy too. Interesting route back to wood cutter. Via C1 to c2 to our mis placed C1 airport.
You know what they say. You never stop learning.
Oh on secret files. Love them......
Yes things have changed a lot and some real winners gone but lots of the old tricks from C 2 seem valid. C availability seemed low but lots in cattle class showing up even for some of our favs.
Searched around candy too. Interesting route back to wood cutter. Via C1 to c2 to our mis placed C1 airport.
You know what they say. You never stop learning.
Oh on secret files. Love them......
May 30, 2014, 6:11 am
#157
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: BTS
Posts: 611
There's no magic, you just have to know what to look for.
Only bookable OS route is VIE < > JFK at the moment. All other routes are operated by Tyrolean, hence not visible on LM. NRT and BKK used to be operated by OS as well, but not anymore.
**images removed **
Availability is nightmare though.
Only bookable OS route is VIE < > JFK at the moment. All other routes are operated by Tyrolean, hence not visible on LM. NRT and BKK used to be operated by OS as well, but not anymore.
**images removed **
Availability is nightmare though.
I wonder if there is a 14-day release to LM on these - the furthest I see is seats (both Y and J) is Jun 15
May 30, 2014, 8:28 am
#158
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Toronto (YYZ)
Posts: 6,279
May 30, 2014, 10:34 am
#162
Join Date: Jun 2010
Programs: IC Amb :-(, UA silver, BA Gold, SPG Plat, A-Club Plat, Marriott Plat
Posts: 913
If you mention the origin city and the amount paid it will let people know what you have achieved with too much detail on how. using some sort of reference to the origin city more subtle than the 3-letter airport code would be good also.
the other way to contribute is that I suspect you will get PM's asking for details :-)
I've booked something similar recently for 25K from C3S & also eating Do&Co
the other way to contribute is that I suspect you will get PM's asking for details :-)
I've booked something similar recently for 25K from C3S & also eating Do&Co
May 30, 2014, 11:05 am
#165
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Brussels BE
Programs: SEN, FB PLT, HH,
Posts: 105