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
Feb 1, 2019, 1:20 pm
#2912
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,388
I cashed in a big chunk of my AV balance last night just to be sure (since I saw availability around a holiday where someplace warm would be nice, Thailand it is). Worst case I use what's left on some other redemption (Mexico, UA redemption, whatever) and then walk away from the program.
Feb 5, 2019, 4:20 am
#2913
Join Date: Aug 2004
Programs: AA (EP), Hilton (Diamond), Marriott Bonvoy (Titanium)
Posts: 8,937
Feb 5, 2019, 4:47 am
#2914
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: AU
Programs: former Olympic Airways Gold (yeah - still proud of that!)
Posts: 14,405
Keep looking just in case. Last year they had a brief window (likely an error) where they opened up LH F a year in advance. Was only a window of a week or two IIRC.
May 16, 2019, 7:34 pm
#2916
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 100
I knew this was an issue, but did anyone know if LM is still having issues booking with CA? I was trying NRT-ICN-PEK-MEL a relatively straight forward booking with the two latter flights on CA, and they just claiming they can't do that per "internal policy".
A couple weeks ago I've done a SYD-SIN-BKK-PNH-NRT flight which is more complex than this one but the ticket was issued without issue - granted no CA flights in there.
Thanks!
Michael
A couple weeks ago I've done a SYD-SIN-BKK-PNH-NRT flight which is more complex than this one but the ticket was issued without issue - granted no CA flights in there.
Thanks!
Michael
May 16, 2019, 7:47 pm
#2917
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: AU
Programs: former Olympic Airways Gold (yeah - still proud of that!)
Posts: 14,405
I knew this was an issue, but did anyone know if LM is still having issues booking with CA? I was trying NRT-ICN-PEK-MEL a relatively straight forward booking with the two latter flights on CA, and they just claiming they can't do that per "internal policy".
A couple weeks ago I've done a SYD-SIN-BKK-PNH-NRT flight which is more complex than this one but the ticket was issued without issue - granted no CA flights in there.
Thanks!
Michael
A couple weeks ago I've done a SYD-SIN-BKK-PNH-NRT flight which is more complex than this one but the ticket was issued without issue - granted no CA flights in there.
Thanks!
Michael
May 16, 2019, 8:18 pm
#2918
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 100
May 16, 2019, 9:51 pm
#2919
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: AU
Programs: former Olympic Airways Gold (yeah - still proud of that!)
Posts: 14,405
I suspect you are right about booking problems if there are more than one carrier... the same thing happened trying to book LH->AI, wouldn’t ticket (but the AI sectors by themselves were ok).
But if you can see all the sectors on line, in theory the call centre should be able to book them over the phone.
May 20, 2019, 4:40 am
#2920
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Brisbane
Programs: QF gold, HH Diamond, VA plat, Aegean Gold
Posts: 683
Anyone had any luck with a North America to Asia booking via Europe ? I read somewhere that this was no longer allowed? I would be doing it via phone as I need to cancel a booking given Asiana have pulled the route. Thanks
Jun 3, 2019, 11:30 pm
#2921
Join Date: Sep 2018
Programs: Alaska
Posts: 2,188
still has. at least I still can find BOS-ZRH-PEK quite easily.
Jul 6, 2019, 3:00 am
#2922
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: DXB
Programs: Marriott Titanium Elite, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, BA Silver, A3 Gold, Sixt Diamond
Posts: 2,811
I heard something about a “Buddha Maya” trick that still works and which involves flying LH from BKK to FRA.
Any pointers what this could be about will be highly appreciated (PM, please). I promise I won’t share it!
Any pointers what this could be about will be highly appreciated (PM, please). I promise I won’t share it!
Jul 6, 2019, 2:05 pm
#2923
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 3,838
Jul 10, 2019, 8:57 pm
#2925
Join Date: Mar 2018
Posts: 139
Seeing some pretty sweet Business Class Deals in spots... I.E. JFK to LIS on TAP brand new A339 for only 35k LM. I literally waited an hour too long to transfer Amex and book and someone else scooped it up I guess....Anyone seeing these type of deals?