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
Nov 9, 2014, 10:29 pm
#1261
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: EWR
Programs: Free agent flyer, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 365
I am still very upset and mad at Avianca and LifeMiles due to the current and big devaluation of my miles in connection with the recent program changes. Therefore as I mentioned before I wont purchase, gift or share miles for a longer time as I want to teach them
a lesson on how to treat loyal customers. Please feel free to do the same. A regular one-way flight in Business- Class e.g.
starting in Europe and ending in South America now is priced with up to 95.000 miles and up to 190.000 miles for a return ticket.
For that amount of money I buy a regular ticket and even get some miles. This is really a big devaluation compared to the old price
of 70.000 miles, just to give you one example among many others. The program definitely has lost a lot of its atractiveness. That is really sad.
a lesson on how to treat loyal customers. Please feel free to do the same. A regular one-way flight in Business- Class e.g.
starting in Europe and ending in South America now is priced with up to 95.000 miles and up to 190.000 miles for a return ticket.
For that amount of money I buy a regular ticket and even get some miles. This is really a big devaluation compared to the old price
of 70.000 miles, just to give you one example among many others. The program definitely has lost a lot of its atractiveness. That is really sad.
Nov 9, 2014, 10:33 pm
#1262
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Between AMS and BRU
Posts: 8,852
Now back to reality please and look at it as a transaction, stop with all that nonsense about loyalty. You aren't loyal, you simply want the best deal... and they are running a business.
Nov 10, 2014, 12:46 am
#1263
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: SYDNEY
Programs: *A Gold, HH dia,Hyatt plat,Sixt PLAT,QF , EY Gold
Posts: 1,890
That should give them something else to work on
Nov 10, 2014, 12:08 pm
#1265
Join Date: May 2012
Location: SXE
Programs: QF LTG, VA Gold, BA Gold, HH, SFSC
Posts: 502
A case of swings and roundabouts methinks. AU was lucky this time, whist other areas missed out. It will actually get them more business from me at the expense of QF and AA FF programs.
Nov 11, 2014, 4:22 pm
#1270
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: EWR
Programs: Free agent flyer, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 365
Nov 11, 2014, 11:26 pm
#1271
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Valencia, Spain
Programs: Pascal and Python, no C++
Posts: 738
There is no 22.5k in Business in the new *A chart which you probably are thinking about. Easy to check.
There is a very limited number of promotional C fares by Avianca at 22.5k (which you can't see in that chart), but I'm pretty sure the OP talks about pre deval.
There is a very limited number of promotional C fares by Avianca at 22.5k (which you can't see in that chart), but I'm pretty sure the OP talks about pre deval.
Nov 12, 2014, 1:39 am
#1272
Join Date: May 2013
Location: west coast best coast
Programs: TINDER GOLD, STARBUCKS GOLD, COSTCO EXECUTIVE!!
Posts: 3,989
In addition to obvious illegal cabotage routing, here's another to the list: you can book ex-USA tickets to Cuba with UA in the itinerary. 
usually routed through CM PTY. It's good value, for those that go.
usually routed through CM PTY. It's good value, for those that go.
Nov 12, 2014, 1:50 am
#1273
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: In the air
Programs: Occasional RTW club
Posts: 6,924
Nov 12, 2014, 7:16 am
#1275
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Multiple locations
Programs: AAdvantage ExPlat LT Gold, BA Silver, Aegean Star Gold
Posts: 5,038
Just for kicks, I did search and find space ex-Cuba to the US on CM... but don't wan't to risk it...