Alternative to LM for * miles buyers?
Nov 25, 2017, 5:18 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: London. Or a plane.
Programs: "Only" 50,000 TPs until BA GGLfL
Posts: 2,773
Alternative to LM for * miles buyers?
Sorry if this is a question that's already been discussed at length, but I couldn't find a thread in the search.
LM's many, many problems are well documented - but for me (and no doubt many others), now that it's harder and harder to book J/F awards that are bookable with other * miles LM is no longer really fit for purpose for me.
As a non Star alliance flyer, I use LM to buy cheap miles in decent quantity so that when a star alliance J or F award is the best option for travel, I can book it at a reasonable price (factoring in the original cost of the miles).
What alternative program would you recommend for people like me? Key constraints for me are:
Alex
LM's many, many problems are well documented - but for me (and no doubt many others), now that it's harder and harder to book J/F awards that are bookable with other * miles LM is no longer really fit for purpose for me.
As a non Star alliance flyer, I use LM to buy cheap miles in decent quantity so that when a star alliance J or F award is the best option for travel, I can book it at a reasonable price (factoring in the original cost of the miles).
What alternative program would you recommend for people like me? Key constraints for me are:
- Must be able to buy reasonably large (100-200k?) amounts of miles per year
- Not require a US credit card to earn
- Doesn't requite meaningful amounts star alliance flown miles/status on star
- no large scale blocking of J/F awards! (excl LX F which is obviously blocked across the board)
Alex
Nov 25, 2017, 7:33 am
#2
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: TLV
Posts: 522
Yesterday for Black Friday AA sold miles for about 1.64 cpm (when you buy 150,000 and get 120,000 bonus), the most attractive price I've seen for AA miles in a very long time, and not much more than LM miles. If you travel on routes where AA award availability is good, then AA miles at this price are an excellent alternative to LM.
Nov 25, 2017, 8:42 am
#3
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
Yesterday for Black Friday AA sold miles for about 1.64 cpm (when you buy 150,000 and get 120,000 bonus), the most attractive price I've seen for AA miles in a very long time, and not much more than LM miles. If you travel on routes where AA award availability is good, then AA miles at this price are an excellent alternative to LM.
I'd rather be a buyer of UA miles at even 1.8 cpm than a buyer of AA miles at 1.64 cpm.
Nov 25, 2017, 9:01 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: London. Or a plane.
Programs: "Only" 50,000 TPs until BA GGLfL
Posts: 2,773
Yesterday for Black Friday AA sold miles for about 1.64 cpm (when you buy 150,000 and get 120,000 bonus), the most attractive price I've seen for AA miles in a very long time, and not much more than LM miles. If you travel on routes where AA award availability is good, then AA miles at this price are an excellent alternative to LM.
Nov 25, 2017, 9:52 pm
#5
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Tokyo
Programs: Marriott Plat, HH G,Hyatt E,*A Gold, OW Emerald.
Posts: 3,023
Sorry if this is a question that's already been discussed at length, but I couldn't find a thread in the search.
LM's many, many problems are well documented - but for me (and no doubt many others), now that it's harder and harder to book J/F awards that are bookable with other * miles LM is no longer really fit for purpose for me.
As a non Star alliance flyer, I use LM to buy cheap miles in decent quantity so that when a star alliance J or F award is the best option for travel, I can book it at a reasonable price (factoring in the original cost of the miles).
What alternative program would you recommend for people like me? Key constraints for me are:
Alex
LM's many, many problems are well documented - but for me (and no doubt many others), now that it's harder and harder to book J/F awards that are bookable with other * miles LM is no longer really fit for purpose for me.
As a non Star alliance flyer, I use LM to buy cheap miles in decent quantity so that when a star alliance J or F award is the best option for travel, I can book it at a reasonable price (factoring in the original cost of the miles).
What alternative program would you recommend for people like me? Key constraints for me are:
- Must be able to buy reasonably large (100-200k?) amounts of miles per year
- Not require a US credit card to earn
- Doesn't requite meaningful amounts star alliance flown miles/status on star
- no large scale blocking of J/F awards! (excl LX F which is obviously blocked across the board)
Alex
Nov 28, 2017, 4:39 am
#7
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Tokyo
Programs: Marriott Plat, HH G,Hyatt E,*A Gold, OW Emerald.
Posts: 3,023
In a few years, yes. The YQ, its a pain to live with it. But, Aeroplan checks off most of the OP's requirements.
I wouldn't bank my life savings of miles and points in it, but its a viable option for the next few years.
I wouldn't bank my life savings of miles and points in it, but its a viable option for the next few years.
Nov 28, 2017, 2:43 pm
#8
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
Nov 28, 2017, 6:00 pm
#9
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: YVR
Programs: OZ Diamond, Jiffypark Manhattan Gold
Posts: 4,485
Wow, the more I read the more I doubt Lifemiles, I was gonna buy some miles with this 150% sale recently and didn't cuz I don't really have the cash to buy em on spec at the moment, but it sounds like even beyond the speculative aspect this is not a good idea.
Does anyone have any link to really telling blogs/thread posts on the topic? I've only ever seen minor comments about availability and passing comments like the one the OP posted, but never any actual sort of long form informative posts.
Does anyone have any link to really telling blogs/thread posts on the topic? I've only ever seen minor comments about availability and passing comments like the one the OP posted, but never any actual sort of long form informative posts.
Nov 28, 2017, 6:43 pm
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: London. Or a plane.
Programs: "Only" 50,000 TPs until BA GGLfL
Posts: 2,773
Wow, the more I read the more I doubt Lifemiles, I was gonna buy some miles with this 150% sale recently and didn't cuz I don't really have the cash to buy em on spec at the moment, but it sounds like even beyond the speculative aspect this is not a good idea.
Does anyone have any link to really telling blogs/thread posts on the topic? I've only ever seen minor comments about availability and passing comments like the one the OP posted, but never any actual sort of long form informative posts.
Does anyone have any link to really telling blogs/thread posts on the topic? I've only ever seen minor comments about availability and passing comments like the one the OP posted, but never any actual sort of long form informative posts.
Dec 7, 2017, 4:37 pm
#11
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 3,714
I'm looking into Aeroplan and Aegean as LM alternatives, although they both charge YQ on certain routes. Aeroplan has the benefit of being an MR transfer partner, and Aegean is an SPG transfer partner.
Thanks, Tokyoite for suggesting Aeroplan.
Thanks, Tokyoite for suggesting Aeroplan.
Dec 17, 2017, 2:51 pm
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,378
To OP: I actually think AV is still OK. About to head to SE Asia using AV miles on BR J. I might explore a combo of AV/UA/AA/AS; all have prices at times below 2 cpm and all have strong and weak points.
Last edited by eponymous_coward; Dec 17, 2017 at 2:59 pm
Dec 18, 2017, 2:46 pm
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,378
Sure. I'm just puzzled when someone asks "hey, would there be another program to buy miles in?" and specifically disclaims interest in credit cards that someone would suggest MR/UR or SPG (though there are ways with SPG if you're willing to have your dog, cat and goldfish have accounts, though that program is likely not a solution much past 2018). Makes me wonder if I missed something (as I fit the OP's profile: amassing credit cards and bonuses are not an option, buying miles IS an option).
Dec 26, 2017, 11:35 am
#15
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: DCA/IAD
Programs: most of them
Posts: 3,283
Alaska frequently runs sales on their miles as well. They have a variety of partners across several alliances. Their website/booking engine generally works pretty well. (And from what I understand their BoA credit card is still churnable)
I managed to book a couple of nice F class awards to/from SE Asia last year (traveled in Nov) using Lifemiles. But their website is now pretty much unusable for booking awards as far as I can tell. I haven't bothered jumping through all of the screenshot hoops yet. I might try and book over the phone first. If they ever get that fixed I think this is still a useful program given how cheap the miles can be.
FWIW, Aeroplan does not charge YQ on all airlines/routes. I flew C class on Brussels and SAS for just a few dollars plus the miles. But my flight on Austrian cost a lot of YQ. Lesson learned.
I managed to book a couple of nice F class awards to/from SE Asia last year (traveled in Nov) using Lifemiles. But their website is now pretty much unusable for booking awards as far as I can tell. I haven't bothered jumping through all of the screenshot hoops yet. I might try and book over the phone first. If they ever get that fixed I think this is still a useful program given how cheap the miles can be.
FWIW, Aeroplan does not charge YQ on all airlines/routes. I flew C class on Brussels and SAS for just a few dollars plus the miles. But my flight on Austrian cost a lot of YQ. Lesson learned.
