IC6A

Hi all BMI members, I think this topic may be covered by many other thread. But I am interested to learn that what is the known fastest and cheapest way to gain Gold statues from the basic level. Please excuse me but I think it is great to share the information.

For example, with BA/QF the fastest and cheapest way to get to Platinum is to take several AA K-up TP run. I am sure there is ways for BMI members to achieve the top level by flying selected cabin on selected routes.

So, who is the record holder in BMI? What route did you take and how much you spent to achieve such a goal? If you know some other ways please share here by:

-- The least number of segment
-- The cheapest Mileage Run
-- The best value Mileage run

to achieve Gold.

WilcoRoger

I'd say the fastest and cheapest way is to request a status match and have one leg booked with BD

fatmac70

I retained BD Gold with four segments.
PHL-LAX (UA F) - SYD (UA C) - SFO (UA C) - EWR (UA F).

Maybe could do in 2 - EWR-SIN-EWR - but I am not sure.

heramato

Does this apply if it's a BMI ticket but TAM metal?

redshift27

A paid business class return LHR-AKL on NZ pretty much got there for our family in style and comfort a couple of years back. We paid about £2700 each back then, about 5.6p per status mile.

When LX offered their cheap intra-Europe business class fares I think these earned at around 4p per status mile for e.g. MAN-ZRH-ATH return. They dropped this fare offer a few months back.

Fare classes A on US or UA can still earn well, e.g. SMF-PHX-TPA at £513 costs 3.5p per mile.

Guy Betsy

Come to London and fly LHR-MAN on BD, and then request status match with your QF Platinum level.

IC6A

Sounds like that is what I should do.

But redshift27, yous is the cheapest at this moment and can be done in the fastest way to fly for Gold! Well done!

fatmac70's way is useful for NA members. Not European members though.

Would like to know more ways. Thank you guys again for the response.

NickB

If you want the lowest number of segments, money-no-object, then the answer has to be a long-haul F class trip as long as you avoid the airlines with reduced F class mileage (eg: SQ).

I don't think that there is any non-stop F class route ex-Europe that allows that but a one-stop itinerary would do it (eg: LHR-ICN-HKG return on OZ: 40K, or LHR-LAX-HNL return on UA:48K - even an LHR-LAX-SFO return would get you close enough at 36K).

If what you are looking for is the cheapest, typically an el cheapo return economy on UA/CO/US to the US West Coast would get you 11 to 12K if you do it more or less direct (more if you 'optimise' the routing).

You then need another 26/27K, which can be done by a suitably long US return A class fare. The exact routes that are cheap and generating good mileage returns vary but the usual suspects are routes from California airports (often from secondary airports but not always) to Florida, Mexico or Central America on US, routed via the East Coast (PHL or BOS generating the longest routings).
To give you an example, I did an SFO-MEX return A-class trip last year on US costing about $600 (approx £400) and generating just short of 30K membership miles when routing via BOS. That particular fare is no longer available but similar ones come and go over time (usually a little more expensive but not necessarily dramatically so).

As to the Swiss J-class specials, they are no longer as good as they used to be but the 'normal', year round J class ex-UK can still work out reasonable if you need a top-up of circa 5-6K miles. LON-IST in J class works out at approx 6p per membership mile, for example. The LH Italia Z fares can also be good value.

littlevoices

Don't forget to get to gold you need 54k airmiles, not 38k, if you are starting from nothing (16k for your silver membership first) but your suggestions are very valid NickB.

However: Put simply, status match is the easiest way since BMI are aggressive in this aspect. At the moment, with the BA strikes happening, any BA Gold/Silver (or for that matter any other FFP that is outside of the star alliance) will be status matched onboard by the crew (fill in a card, crew confirms your other status card, you will get an email/letter shortly afterwards), Gold=Gold or Silver=Silver, again only needs a single BD flight.

NickB

. Indeed. I was thinking renewal rather than from scratch.

Agreed and, tbh, DC has always matched BA elites very easily and I would expect them to keep on doing so. With regard to elites on other airlines, how long the benevolent consideration will continue with Herr Paupers-Showered at the BD helm is, however, anyone's guess.

jdbelfast

I bought a routepass and they did not upgrade me automatically to silver, complained to DC and was upgraded to Gold for a year. Already got 53000 miles with a 9k trip to canada next week to retain my gold.

Raffles

Since one *G is the same as any other *G, there is no need to focus on BMI. For example, my wife got Thai *G status last year (valid for 2 years) and I got Asiana *G (again, 2 years) through the Hong Kong status match promo. Keep an eye out for similar schemes.

Similarly, Malev is currently matching any *G card for Malev's top level, which will get you OneWorld Emerald (=BA Gold). 1 Malev leg required.

WilcoRoger

They match *G to TOP level?? Their materials say "same level" so I assumed Gold to Gold, ie. DC Gold to MA Gold (OW Sapphire) We'll see, just had a MA flight sending the dox in Monday

Edit: Talked to MA customer service, they match Gold to Gold (in my case LH *G to MA Gold) They responded within a few hours by email. The tier upgrade shows by the evening the same day ^ So LH M&M *G was matched to MA Gold OW sapphire

lhr baby

NickB is on the right lines here in my view (assuming status match isn't an option).

You also ask about the fastest way. That depends on whether you mean elapsed time or shortest flying time. In elapsed time the Mileage Run Forum is probably your best bet because some of the offers apply to travel in a few weeks time. The Mileage Run Forum also offers a few tricks that can get you more points per pound. Its not unique to Star Alliance but is by far the best place to look for earning status miles at an economical price without booking months ahead.

However, if you mean shortest flying time but you don't mind waiting several months to do it, then you will find it hard to beat a trans-Atlantic crossing via a European hub in Business to the East Coast USA coupled with a trans-continental to the West Coast in First. You could do this for under £2000 if you bought well in advance from say Swiss/United and its easy to get 35,000 miles on one trip. Playing around with routes might even get you the other 3,000 (for example you might get a connecting flight to ZRH via GVA in each direction for an extra hundred pounds or so). I've got a 34,000 miler coming up in September for £1800 and that was without even trying.

Globalist

TG F, LHR-BKK with a segment to KUL or SIN in C.

This has worked for me for years, 1 return flight LHR to KL or Singapore with TG in F will get 39.180 miles.

(35.592 for a return in F LHR-BKK and 3588 for a short international flight in C) Thai F tickets can be bought for 2500 pounds ex UK when the right promotion is available. When the pound was stronger I used to buy a return for SGD6900 which was 2300 pounds, nowadays it is 3400 pounds ex Singapore.

Globalist