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
Aug 23, 2014, 5:00 pm
#706
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: New York Metropolitan Area 45 km from JFK
Programs: UA,AA,AS,BA
Posts: 4,607
PREMISE OF THE POSTING WAS SOUTH OF EQUATOR. North of equator we have all been able to for a very long time. Nothing newsworthy about that . Have you checked your math ?
Aug 23, 2014, 5:39 pm
#707
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Valencia, Spain
Programs: Pascal and Python, no C++
Posts: 738
Have been working before the cabotage sabotage, are still working now.
My other sentence with the phrase "above the equator" (meaning north of it) was just meant as additional information.
Aug 23, 2014, 7:59 pm
#708
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: New York Metropolitan Area 45 km from JFK
Programs: UA,AA,AS,BA
Posts: 4,607
Yes, checked again. 4 south of equator, one of these very close to it. One more that errs out (despite correctly coded, flown to etc.)
Have been working before the cabotage sabotage, are still working now.
My other sentence with the phrase "above the equator" (meaning north of it) was just meant as additional information.
Have been working before the cabotage sabotage, are still working now.
My other sentence with the phrase "above the equator" (meaning north of it) was just meant as additional information.
As to the # 3: Despite not being a cabotage situation I could not find availability after "the fiasco".
As to # 4: I can imagine what it is but have not found availability.
Aug 23, 2014, 9:49 pm
#709
Moderator: Avianca, Travel Photography, Travel Technology & USA
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Far western edge of the La-La Land City limits
Programs: Emeritus VIP Fromins Deli Encino grandfathered successor program - UA MM & HH Diamond
Posts: 3,729
Personal attacks and bickering will not advance this thread, and will be edited out. If someone has an issue with a specific posting that can't be rationally responded to in a courteous manner, report it to the moderator.
Community standards on this board differ than other Flyertalk forums. Respect your fellow flyers, and recognize some "tricks" may have to go unsaid. There is always the PM system if a reader wants to know more, when a poster says something vague. This philosophy may run counter to other forums here on FT, but as alluded to, every board is a somewhat unique community.
Community standards on this board differ than other Flyertalk forums. Respect your fellow flyers, and recognize some "tricks" may have to go unsaid. There is always the PM system if a reader wants to know more, when a poster says something vague. This philosophy may run counter to other forums here on FT, but as alluded to, every board is a somewhat unique community.
Aug 23, 2014, 10:40 pm
#710
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 6,385
Personal attacks and bickering will not advance this thread, and will be edited out. If someone has an issue with a specific posting that can't be rationally responded to in a courteous manner, report it to the moderator.
Community standards on this board differ than other Flyertalk forums. Respect your fellow flyers, and recognize some "tricks" may have to go unsaid. There is always the PM system if a reader wants to know more, when a poster says something vague. This philosophy may run counter to other forums here on FT, but as alluded to, every board is a somewhat unique community.
Community standards on this board differ than other Flyertalk forums. Respect your fellow flyers, and recognize some "tricks" may have to go unsaid. There is always the PM system if a reader wants to know more, when a poster says something vague. This philosophy may run counter to other forums here on FT, but as alluded to, every board is a somewhat unique community.
love UR wonderful words.
Now back on topic - found some lovely organic delicious boomerangs for a ~50% discount on y/j, to from c1, pH to pH.
Aug 24, 2014, 1:57 pm
#711
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 163
Has anyone been able to get any savings with the new *alliance partner Air India. I was able to get savings via a boomerang from C1 with AI. The savings were negligible but satisfying as they proved that the boomerang option was working for AI. Would be very impressed if someone can send me a boomerang option for AI ?
Aug 24, 2014, 2:00 pm
#712
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Da World (GOT usually)
Programs: Oneworld, Hilton, IHG
Posts: 409
Has anyone been able to get any savings with the new *alliance partner Air India. I was able to get savings via a boomerang from C1 with AI. The savings were negligible but satisfying as they proved that the boomerang option was working for AI. Would be very impressed if someone can send me a boomerang option for AI ?
Aug 25, 2014, 7:52 pm
#715
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Perth, Australia
Programs: QF, LM, USDM, AA
Posts: 209
I'd be impressed if anyone wanted to offer any tips for C1 to C3S, about to settle for Y but if anyone wanted to offer any clues for something better...
By the way, what is the difference between a misplaced and a miscoded airport??? I think I know one of the miscoded ones...
By the way, what is the difference between a misplaced and a miscoded airport??? I think I know one of the miscoded ones...
Aug 25, 2014, 8:27 pm
#716
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Airline nobody. Sad!
Posts: 26,062
I'd be impressed if anyone wanted to offer any tips for C1 to C3S, about to settle for Y but if anyone wanted to offer any clues for something better...
By the way, what is the difference between a misplaced and a miscoded airport??? I think I know one of the miscoded ones...
By the way, what is the difference between a misplaced and a miscoded airport??? I think I know one of the miscoded ones...
Aug 25, 2014, 10:29 pm
#717
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Perth, Australia
Programs: QF, LM, USDM, AA
Posts: 209
Yes, that got a few people a bit hot under the collar round here didn't it... 
I was actually just looking at booking a J to it before it got displaced... I think I saw someone once post on here that they had a great trick in J to somewhere like SIN for about 30K but have never been able to work it out...
I was actaully wanting to leave from your current location BOSman...
I was actually just looking at booking a J to it before it got displaced... I think I saw someone once post on here that they had a great trick in J to somewhere like SIN for about 30K but have never been able to work it out...I was actaully wanting to leave from your current location BOSman...
Aug 26, 2014, 10:10 am
#719
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Airline nobody. Sad!
Posts: 26,062
Yes, that got a few people a bit hot under the collar round here didn't it... I was actually just looking at booking a J to it before it got displaced... I think I saw someone once post on here that they had a great trick in J to somewhere like SIN for about 30K but have never been able to work it out...
I was actaully wanting to leave from your current location BOSman...
I was actually just looking at booking a J to it before it got displaced... I think I saw someone once post on here that they had a great trick in J to somewhere like SIN for about 30K but have never been able to work it out...I was actaully wanting to leave from your current location BOSman...
. I think I got over it within 24 hours, not much bothers me anymore. I'm not aware of anything in particular out of my current location, at least not specifically. Although, I am leaving today for home for a few days before multiple more trips, so this message will look rather unusual over the next few weeks 
.