Status match to UA gold? From which Ffp? Surely not BD....

This time, a match to the Cathay Marco Polo gold card that Amex kindly sent me :)

However - I enquired about 12 months ago about a status match, said that I was a BMI gold card holder and that I wanted to switch, and they offered me a similar sort of deal - fly x number of miles on UA metal in 90 days. This time it's 17500 to get *G (Premier Exec) until the end of 2012 - although their program seems to be changing come the new year, so I'm not sure which *G tier I'll be in - the 50K one, or the 75K one (not the 100K one!).

I think they refer to it as a 'mileage challenge', it's not a straight match which means you might get lucky saying you are coming from BMI... :)

Did you get that based on BMI gold? They don't normally do it with *A partners do they?]

Edit - sorry, just reread your post... still suprised they offered a challenge 12 months ago. As a frequent United flyer that'd be PERFECT for me now.

Argh, just figured out what these threads were all about, can't believe it is finally the end of this era...

I have BA Gold already, love the airline, like the award redemptions, don't love the YQ but can tolerate it since I am only using miles for business and first anyway. Not sure what the partner (especially CX) awards will change to next week, that's a big question mark.

I've used DL for years and just stick around and keep taking the battering, mostly because my company has a 50% discount on premium cabin tickets and so they are often very cheap. The FF program is getting shredded of value though.

I picked up LH Senator on a match and then stuck with it, the 200% earnings for paid business has always been a great attraction, that and the companion at 50% benefit have made it a better program than many other *A programs.

I still stick a bunch of travel on BD, though had lapsed to Silver and was just on my way back to Gold. Between no starnet blocking, C+M values, one ways and sporadic SQ premium cabin availability I found some unique value for BD that I just don't see elsewhere. Bottom line, not sure there is a "replacement"

I was a BA gold for 2 years, aprox 5 years ago.
we accured more than 1 million miles with our family ( 4 of us ).
Based in Germany and Thailand, I only can say, I never ever was able to redemm a ticket between Europe and SE Asia ( BKK/SIN ), also other favorite destinations as MRU, CPT I never got seats.
That's why we switched to *aliance as the availability with TG/LH and bevore also SQ was/is much better.

Does anyone have an idea which airline offers status match? Sigh.. Am toying between OZ, TK and A3. Comments?

Exactly. That was my point as well. Most of of my BD awards are such that they could not have been redeemed on any other FF program. That made me to accept and tolerate the horrendous "taxes" that BD were charging.

I matched from BD*G to UA*G doing the challenge 2 years ago, havent looked back.

And for those looking at AC Aeroplan - a major unannounced devaluation today - they now charge YQ on most partners - something we've all been used to with BD - but at least BD had great mileage rates to go with the YQ.

I have gotten exceptional value out of my BD miles, but started winding it down about a year ago.

[QUOTE==jon=;17416457]Not for me it isn't :(

When the rumours started about BMI being up for sale I looked at a lot of the other FFPs to see what options there are - as BA is points based on some function of distance and fare, it really doesn't suit my travel pattern of transcontinental in cheap Y (damned works travel policy). With BMI (or most star FFPs) for a trip to Japan or the USA I'd net about 10K miles, so in 4-5 trips I'd have my *G status for another year, and with my 8-9 trips per year I'd clear *G comfortably..

On BA, I worked out that you'd get 60 points round trip to the US or Japan, and a 600 point threshold for BA silver - so I'd be looking at in excess of 10 trips to requalify which I probably wouldn't manage :(

QUOTE]

I think you may want to look again at BA.

Firstly, Long haul tier points are increasing to 35 each way in discounted Y (40 I think for Tokyo!) so 8 trips x 70 (minimum) = 560 points. There are a few ways you can find those extra points...not least by buying cheap airport upgrades to WT+ (average around £160-£180) which net an extra 55 points (it usually takes a phone call post flight to get the extra points and mileage bonus added but it's never a problem)

Remember that you get 100% mileage on ALL fares now which is as good as any FF offering and when you reach Silver you get 200% on every fare so with your travel pattern you'd rack up some decent miles

Overall, I think BA has gone from being one of the worst progammes for us frequent Y flyers to being one of the best. It does take a bit of planning ahead to make sure you're picking up enough tier points but it's got easier and it's worth the effort

There has been some discussion about whether M&L or Exec Club is better.

Therefore, I thought fellow DC members might wish to read this:

http://boardingarea.com/blogs/onemil...d-award-space/

Yikes

This is how I picture the last days of DC.

GBM

Even so, I think WT+ upgrades to Club on sale fares will be the new cash + miles

Aw, bless - BA has introduced married-segment market logic. Remember how it suddenly appeared round these parts almost 2 years ago?

Oooh.....how we do so love our married segment logic over here in DUB.....