Yes, but it is 1000 for a month only.

I too was considering VS, and approached this thread to ask the very same question.

However, once "Raffles" says something i do tend to listen. I've found it to be a very good stratergy in the past. Is he ever wrong.... ever?? :D

On Tesco points and earning miles/Avios I would agree, but ask him what will win the 3.30 at Newmarket on Friday and then tell me? ;) :D
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... thank goodness this is not the BA board!!

[pedant]
It's actually a little over two months, from 26 January to 31 March.
[/pedant]

They are using 'February' for shorthand.

Aye, i just thought waribai had got the impression it was for ever and ever. :)

To me, the features I'm looking to find in a FF program to replace DC are:
- Easy redemption across *Alliance
- Family plan

Nice-to-haves are:
- 200% multiplier on Business Class earnings
- C+P redemption across *Alliance
- Silver/Gold status bonus on *Alliance flights

I'm based in CPH and easily qualify every year as *Gold on SK, just by crediting all SK flights (only 40 sectors required). Point earnings on SK metal are poor, but frequent "Point-booster" promotions make up for it. For redemption I use SK points to places where SK flies (which is not that many places), since I don't pay YQ on SK.

I've used DC as my secondary program, crediting practically all non-SK flights and all my familys flights (including SK). This has allowed me to pile up enough points to be able to use DC C+P to fly Business class when I'd otherwise have ended up in paid cheap economy.

My status level on DC varies between Silver and Gold depending on activity, but since I have *Gold from SK, it doesn't really matter. And I have to admit I've never flown BMI metal - neither paid or award.

I'm also LH SEN (matched from DC Gold->FB Gold), but up till now I've only used that to credit cheap economy flights on LH/OS/LX/SN, that would not have earned anything in DC.

So basically I'm struggeling to find out where to go. In a few weeks, I'm flying BKK-IST with my family in paid Business Class, and since I can't see any alternatives, I'm leaning towards crediting the flights to DC. At least that way I can still pile them togeth through the Family plan, and try to make use of them before DC closes if the offers to transfer them to the new owners aren't good.

Any suggestions ?

Perhaps Egyptair Plus could be interesting. Only *A program with family membership that I know of. Re-qualification should be easy with 30,000 miles in two years (qualification for *G is 60,000 miles). Have no experience myself with the program though...

I'm seriously leaning towards BA. I am doing less flying now than I was, but they suit me as LGW is closest. I also have a carribean holiday planned in J, in November, so again this suits and will give me a chunk of miles. A few flights into AMS and other European destinations also swing it. MFU's look quite nice and all in on a WT+ fare doesn't look that different to miles/cash/tax rewards I have made in DC.

Saying that, I do have reservations after some awful BA flights in the past in Y, but money is a bit better nowadays for personal, that WT+ at least for international flights. Business travel is hit and miss, occasional east coast flights, that it is difficult to justify Business Class for, unless a very good deal, but WT+ is a happy medium.

I've cleared out my DC miles, and only some low earning OZ & LH flights planned for June. Some status transfer to BAEC would be nice, although I do have Cathay Pacific Gold courtesy of the recent AMEX offer.

I'm in bit similar situation.

Main *A FFP - M&M (SEN), secondary - BD DC (Gold at the moment) but since the announcement of the merger I'm just burning there.

I took up in November SK EB as a secondary and so far I'm happy with them. YQ-less redemption is great, intra-Scandinavian flights are cheap (with LH it's just "Europe") and at 45k *G is realtively easy, especially when the elite multipliers kick in.

As I'm SEN till Feb/2015 I might as well pump up my SK poängs. This gives also a nice possibility to maximize earnings between the two programmes, depending on booking class and Elite multiplier. Come LH requalification time, I'll probably drop to Silver with SK in 2014 or 2015.

I'm unlikely to be flying anywhere near as much as I was last year - I only requalified this year (well, for this August, if that will count for anything) thanks to the major status miles bonus last summer. So I'm probably going to go for BAEC - indeed, I just applied for the BA Amex the other day, and am going to start converting my Clubcard points to Avios. I'm unlikely to achieve status with BA unless my work-related flying picks up again, but Avios don't seem to be too bad at least for European redemptions and for MFUs, and they're fairly decent for trips to Brazil in Y (with the exception of the lack of TAM domestic flights, but that may change...), which will keep my Dad happy! Plus, the fact all BA economy fares earn at least 100% mileage is definitely a plus for me.

Since my holidays now involve 3 of us flying places rather than just me, being able to pick up European redemptions for £27 each, instead of perhaps £200 cash each, is certainly nice, even if it's not quite as nice as being able to fly to the likes of New Zealand in C!

Thinking of doing the same. Assuming you are ready to forego the 2 4 1 companion offer, wouldn't it be better just spending on the tesco credit card and then converting all the points to avios?

You get 1 point per £4 with the Tesco card, with 1 point then becoming 2.4 miles. So £4 on the Tesco card gives you 2.4 miles, versus £1 giving 1 mile on the Amex (or 1.5 on the fee-paying card). There's currently a bonus (if you haven't exchanged any points for Avios before, I believe) that'd give you 4 miles per 1 point, therefore giving you 4 miles per £4. But you could spend a million pounds in £3.99 increments on the Tesco card and get no points at all!

I guess the Tesco card is better than nothing if the retailer doesn't accept Amex. Anyway, I'm sure all of this is no doubt written down in the Tesco thread over in the BA forum. :)

BA is my primary programme so nothing will change there.

DC was my secondary programme and useful both for BD sectors and accumulating miles on various random short and mid-haul *Alliance sectors (I worked out I have flown 21 of the 27 members). The BD sectors will fall to BA this year so it is really about

• *Gold status easily for those random trips on SQ, OS, TG et al
• Sensible earning rates on a wide range of carriers
• Relatively reasonably priced awards
• One way awards possible

After some research Aegean is the best fit with an easy – very easy – way toearn * Gold. On the other points it is worse than many other schemes. For sure it is another gravy train which one day will pull into the terminus but for now it represents the best fit for my travel pattern.

I have been thinking about this quite a lot and, like many of you, I am really uncertain what to do in the coming months. But recently I have been thinking of returning to SK actually.

Main reason would be 45k for *Gold (if your address is outside Scandinavia), 1,5x earnings for economy extra on SK-flight (fairly easy to get through Option Town for not so much money and then of course there is also Option Town all the way to C for a little more), and the fact that I still earn miles with my EB Mastercard from time to time (and transfer from Amex). So, for a Swede living in Korea flying quite a few times Europe-Korea, it can make sense. Another benefit is that SK does not charge YQ on their own metal.

Downside is that LH fares are becoming increasingly non-earning (only reason to stick to Miles and More) and that UA/CO often only earns 0,25x meaning I will have to fly AC whenever I travel to the US.

But yes, I will definitely miss DC. I have not seen that many people discuss SK as an option so I am curious what you think?

M&M Status match
 

A very quick question.
Do people think LH will offer a status match to DC gold members to M&M (perhaps offered to BAEC silver after takeover)?

No. See post 414 onwards.

What's a (Scandi) FF to do?
 

Since July I've been flying LHR<->ARN about every 2 weeks, and since I also have a need to visit Dublin now and then, DC has been receiving all the points. Seemed like the best option at the time. Also re-targeted credit card spend from VS card to shiny new BMI card.

I have a bloated VS account with 350K+, but haven't had the chance to use any in the last 3 years.

I have an old "blue" BAEC also, now Avios I guess, but not much in there.

I just hit silver on DC with the assistance of the BMI Amex card. I have a fair few trips planned the coming year, about the same between LHR<->ARN, plus some with LGW<->MLA and some LHR<->BOS. Also Edinburgh is somewhere there.

So wise uncles/aunties - do I freeze DC bookings and target BA now? Or do I continue targetting SAS/BMI etc, and hope that there is some kind of trade-in offered by BAEC/Avios?

Any tips gratefully received!

I was already mostly flying VS and NZ since BMI's transatlantic flights stopped, with internal BD (UK) and UA (US) flights. This won't change, but my points are now all going to UA and VS. A shame to split the load, but I rarely hit Gold status anyway, and Silver doesn't give a lot. Shame about the VS-CO breakup though, as that made my bookings way easier. :/

I am just about to achieve *G for the first (and probably the last!) time with BMI, having been BD*S for most of the past 10 years, and though I took the precautionary step of achieving *G with A3 last year, I am unconvinced by A3's current benefit set, and am still looking for a *A programme to replace DC.

Ruling out programmes with short miles life, ruling out programmes with an own-metal status qualification requirement where I don't fly on the carrier regularly (like AC and US), and prioritising programmes where with lower *G qualification thresholds, this reduces the choice for me down to:

- going with with A3 as my main *A programme and hoping the programme improves - some great benefits, and effectively to maintain A3*G you only have to credit one flight a year under current rules, and as A3*G miles do not expire - but currently no changes/cancellations to award bookings without loss of mileage, poor stopover options and expensive redemptions when connections involved, no RTW fares, and crucially no miles-earning credit card or points transfer option for non-Greek residents;

- start crediting miles to OZ - which has a low *G requalifcation threshold at 40K every two years, and 12 year miles expiry for OZ*G, with points transfer from Amex via Starwood Preferred Gold card at 1:1.25 (including 5K bonus if transferred in blocks of 20K), and is the only programme I can find without an own-metal requirement offering lifetime *G (at 500K) - but does not have a brilliant earning/burning ratio and, does not seem that flexible compared to BMI (they were not interested in a status match to start the process off);

- look at SK - which offers a 45K *G requalification with an address in the UK (and most European countries), 25% bonus earn for SK*G which counts towards requalification (so reducing requirement to 36K miles earned from flying), 5 year miles expiry, miles transfer from Amex membership rewards at 1:1; but offers no lifetime status option (it is a shame SAS do not introduce this - a 10 year *G or 500 mile lifetime threshold would convince me to choose SAS as my main *A programme);

- flying pigs (version 1) - BMI regional to stay in *A and to keep DC going in its current form and with its current benefits;

- flying pigs (version 2) - either or both VA/DJ or VS to join *A and add some of the unique DC benefits to their programmes - the VA programme is really good and suits me (the own metal requirements are not an issue given I fly them regularly anyway) - but they are not members of a worldwide alliance, which limits redemptions and opportunities to use the benefits of status - if they would join *A and offer lifetime status it would be perfect;

- flying pigs (version 3) - the BA/BMI deal to fall through, BMI to find a new owner to give it a long-term future (VS/EY?;)), and BMI to stay in *A with an unchanged DC programme.

For the moment I am going to sit tight to see what happens, and what, if anything is offered in the way of transfer/status match out of DC (and hope that it is something, otherwise all my earned points will be down the drain).

In the meantime I am looking forward to achieving BMI *G at last!

First off, congratulations on reaching gold! Are you sure US Airways has a metal requirement as I don't recall that being an issue for status with them.

That's a good point I had not realised and making them look much more achievable.

SK are currently offering 500 miles sign-up bonus which you might want to avail of just in case you do choose to go with them; nothing lost if you don't.

No, I am not actually. I thought I had read it somewhere but cannot now find the reference. Mea culpa - always check before you post!

Having looked at the US programme again, the US*G requalification is 50K, lifetime US*S is a available at 1M miles but not lifetime *G. I guess it is a programme to consider, though the lack of US lounge access on domestic fares and the lack of lifetime *G would put it behind SK for me. But for those UK DC members who fly UK-US regularly, fly in business/first on US metal (getting bonus miles which would assist with requalification), and have Amex Platinum Chargecard/Priority Pass for US domestic lounge access) then I guess it may be more attractive than OZ or SK.

In a textbook case of YMMV, the last few thousand miles to get me to BD*G have ended up in SQ Krisflyer due to an SQ flight being booked from within my SQ profile in their website (which autoloads the SQ number into the booking and has to be changed later via SQ staff) - bizarrely, on a two sector flight one sector credited to SQ and the other to BD, despite my verifying twice with different SQ staff that the SQ number had been deleted from the booking and the BD number reinstated, half the miles went astray.

I am hoping this will be able to be resolved, as orphaned miles in SQ while being an (almost) BD *G until my next flight - assuming DC still exists and BD is still in *A at the time - would not be the best outcome!

Sorry to hear about this problem. As a rule when I switch FF numbers I try hard to get a new boarding pass with the right FF numbers on them. It doesn't always mean you will get credit but it makes an appeal much easier.

On the other hand, being able to switch FF numbers in the middle of the trip would be useful sometimes!

I asked for a new BP, but it has no number on it. When I queried this SQ told me their BPs only print SQ numbers (I am not sure this is correct as I have had SQ BP with non SQ status on it before, but not in this case). I asked them to remove the SQ number, and was told they had done so. I asked if the accrual (FQTV) programme was definitely now DC, and they said that the points would now accrue to DC. The agent at SIN confirmed this when I asked again. Short of asking to see everything they typed on the screen (and understanding the codes) I don't see much more I could have done done. I have emailed DC the un-numbered BP but I suspect I will have to get SQ to reliquish the miles before BD will credit them. But bizarre that one sector credited properly and one did not.

I believe you can credit different sectors to different programmes, though have never needed to try, I think the FQTV can be different for each sector (and maybe the FQTS too, though that would only be of use in multi-alliance codeshare situations). But I understand generally when you ask the airline to switch FQTV/FQTS it happens for all sectors unless you request otherwise.

Insiders might be able to tell us if the typing the agent has to do has to be repeated for all sectors or can be applied to all sectors. They always seem to have to do a lot of typing into their command-line systems (even just to check you in, before you start asking to change FF numbers).

In this case I asked the LHR SQ check-in agent to switch the FQTV programme on both sectors, and to delete the SQ number from both sectors, and she said that she had done this, but I guess must only have done it for the second sector, though I don't then understand why the BP then printed without the SQ FF number for the first sector. It would definitely been easier if the FF numbers were on the BP as with other airlines, as then I could have asked why the BD number was not there.

Hopefully all will be resolved before BD/DC ceases to exist, as I was looking forward to that BD*G!

Whilst my DC number has never shown on the SQ boarding passes, I have always had a "BD*G" show just below my name. In your case I would have expected a "BD*S".
Sometimes the agents don't know the correct code for bmi (BD) and wrongly try BM; but in this case, that wouldn't explain the success for one sector but not the other.

My wife and I have been accumulating miles for a trip Europe-Oz in 2014. We've got enough to go now, but its simply not possible for us until S14.

I'm also collecting BA Avios from Tesco Clubcard because its convenient and easy.

All of our BMI DC earning is done with the MBNA BMI Plus Amex / Mastercard. We're not attempting to reach status.

My two concerns right now are:

1) is there any conceivable way I can make the trip in 2014 with my DC miles. (Book and move? But how many changes can you make to a ticket?)... (I guess its too early to say? And I guess I need to wait for announcements from DC). :p I suppose if DC transfers to BA Avios then I'd be ok.

2) which FF programme should I migrate to? I need a programme that is just as easy/quick to earn via a credit card and has redemptions that are easy. Typically I would foresee future trips to West Coast USA, Hawaii and Brazil.

I'd really appreciate your comments.

Thankyou

BAEC has a variety of credit card options, although I don't think any of them are quite as generous as the bmi Plus Amex. Redemptions are roughly the same cost in economy as bmi (miles-only; BA's miles + cash is more expensive) - however, business class is 2x the cost rather than 1.5x with bmi. That said, with the cost of taxes, etc, being as high as they are, it seems a fairly good strategy with BA can be to book a premium economy fare and then upgrade to business (which involves a relatively small amount of miles). You still pay a chunk of cash this way, but you earn a load of miles back, and get to travel in C for a fraction of the cost (on BA metal only, though).

If you're happy with the relatively limited choice of airlines, BAEC may work out OK for you. Otherwise, I'm not sure you'll find that many *A FFPs that are quite as good for earning choices (credit cards, etc) while also having good value redemptions, sadly.

I've just been credited with the points I needed for *G with Aegean. It has only taken two economy TATLs. The cards currently being issued appear to expire in 2014. Status is a huge deal for me, and now that I've done this, it feels like an absolute no-brainer - very pleased I've done it.

Would be nice now if the DC*G I have until June transfers to BAEC S for a while longer than that, although I don't see my having much chance to retain that status beyond the initial term.

I was credited with a status match with Air NZ, but the latest changes make the program look less than great to me. I will probably continue to credit my domestic flight to Air NZ for now.

In the meantime, I have just re-qualified for Gold again with DC, some 6 months before my current Gold expires, so I'll probably just leave it there now. Have some 300,000+ miles to burn...

I have just registered for Aegean - am still to figure out how mileage earning works exactly - will check to see if they have their own forum. Considered Asiana, but I have taken advice here on board, and the registration for Aegean is really easy.

Thanks :)

Aegean do indeed have their own forum which is here: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/aegea...les-bonus-694/

In terms of earning, their chart is here: http://en.aegeanair.com/milesandbonu...on/earn-miles/

It's different in places from the BMI chart. As a pertinent example from my point of view, some of the cheaper United economy fares which earn 1.0x on BMI DC only earn 0.5x on Aegean. And redemption rates are nowhere near as good (but then, whose are?). But it's definitely a very good way to get *G easily.

Hi - and thanks - I've found those. The earn rates aren't quite as generous as DC, but the bar is substantially lower. I'm betting it won't stay that way for too long. Have already altered one upcoming NZ - China itinerary to have my new A3 number in the mileage earning part,and my AirNZ *G in the status to use a recognition upgrade.

DC will sit dormant for a wee while now I have requalified for Gold until they figure out what happens next.

Just enrolled into TK's Miles&Smiles. A no-brainer for me. Easy to requalify, 100% miles on TK economy class, 150% on business class - AND, 200% when you are Gold.

Sad to see DC go though :(

ca anyne help me, as I am kind of at a loss.

My flying pattern fit perfectly to BD:

250-300K status miles a year

mostly longhaul in C or F on LH,LX,TK,OZ,TG,SQ with some domestic US and Europe thrown in

most important aspects would be:

Earn/burn rates in Longhaul C/F

Redemption flexibility (Miles plus cash was great, used one way awards a lot as well)

Anyone have a decent replacement for me?

thanks!

I suggest you Miles & More

C 200% miles
F 300% miles

One way awards for 50% (but only on Miles and More Airline members)
Good availabilty (for LX and LH)

But burn rates are quiet high.

I heard that you have to visit your TK local office physically to reserve award flights, though. If this is true, then lots of inconvenience there.

I was considering MS as well, but all miles expire after 3 years. If there were a way to earn miles from CC spend/hotels/rental cars I probably would choose them, but I doubt I would earn enough just from flights to earn the kind of redemptions I want, based on their burn rates...

For now, I'm at a complete loss as to what to do. Because I'm trying to use up my DC miles, I currently have no paid long-distance flights booked for 2012 (and only a few short flights). If I had more time to travel, I would probably fly some MRs to get *G on Aegean as a placeholder - I can't imagine the 20000 miles for *G will last for many more years. As a mostly cheap fares in NA with a few flights across an ocean and an occasional flight in a front cabin, I had been planning on switching to Aeroplan - but their new 50% miles for all cheap fares (used to be only for intraCanada and Canada-US, now it is also 50% for all international flights). I could survive their 10K metal requirement, but not with the added cost to buy up to a 100% earning fare.

For 2012, I will either start OZ or TK, or just retire from the status-chasing game (crediting my few flights to UAMP) until I have enough paid flights in a year to justify going back to our "insane hobby".

One of those programmes where miles expire, though.

Yes, at least OZ mile expiry is 10 years - 12 years for elites. The hard 3 year expiry on TK was the decider for me.

Flying BD for what may be the last time next week crediting to OZ. (Paltry earning as BD earns Actual mileage only on OZ) but I will make the 40K for *G on my 4th long haul trip this year in Y next month. At this rate I will make OZ Diamond Plus before the 2 years pass, so the lure of lifetime *G will keep calling...;)

Problem now resolved, thanks to the helpful KrisFlyer team at SQ and Diamond Club team at BMI. Miles are now where they should be!

Great to have finally achieved BD*G, even if the programme may only have limited future life! Here's hoping there are some status match options, either with BA as acquirer or other *A carriers, once we finally know what will be happening to DC.

Well.... not SpanairStar appears like.....