OT: the cost of LH Senator status
Sep 6, 2006, 1:32 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2002
Programs: QF Platinum (OW Emerald); QF Lifestime Silver; BD Diamond Club Gold (*A Gold)
Posts: 4,786
OT: the cost of LH Senator status
So I know it's the BD forum here, but couldn't resist sharing the contents of a letter just received from LH: options for renewal of Senator (*A Gold) status - fly 100K status miles before x date or pay EUR 1,500 
Sep 6, 2006, 1:45 am
#2
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: PMI
Programs: BA,LH,CX,EK SPG,IC mainly and a few others
Posts: 1,862
Originally Posted by virtualtroy
So I know it's the BD forum here, but couldn't resist sharing the contents of a letter just received from LH: options for renewal of Senator (*A Gold) status - fly 100K status miles before x date or pay EUR 1,500
Who would pay 1500 EUR to get a SEN card which is pretty much worthless anyway, now that they have improved M/M?
Sep 6, 2006, 5:36 am
#3
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Gold(OWE), QF LTG, MR Plat, IHG Spire, Hertz PC
Posts: 8,156
Originally Posted by LonLH
I thought you will be a SEN anyway if you have 100K status miles.
Who would pay 1500 EUR to get a SEN card which is pretty much worthless anyway, now that they have improved M/M?
Who would pay 1500 EUR to get a SEN card which is pretty much worthless anyway, now that they have improved M/M?
Sep 6, 2006, 6:27 am
#4
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: CGK
Programs: LH SEN (LH*G), HH Diamond, AB Gold (1W Saph)
Posts: 5,677
Originally Posted by LonLH
I thought you will be a SEN anyway if you have 100K status miles.
Who would pay 1500 EUR to get a SEN card which is pretty much worthless anyway, now that they have improved M/M?
Who would pay 1500 EUR to get a SEN card which is pretty much worthless anyway, now that they have improved M/M?
100K status miles OR 1500 EUR. (i.e. you can pay 1500 EUR if you don't make it on miles)
Which means LH is of the opinion that its SEN status is worth 1500 EUR, though I doubt many others would subscribe to this view.
Sep 6, 2006, 11:35 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2002
Programs: QF Platinum (OW Emerald); QF Lifestime Silver; BD Diamond Club Gold (*A Gold)
Posts: 4,786
Originally Posted by alex0683de
If you read the OP correctly, then you will realize it says
100K status miles OR 1500 EUR. (i.e. you can pay 1500 EUR if you don't make it on miles)
Which means LH is of the opinion that its SEN status is worth 1500 EUR, though I doubt many others would subscribe to this view.
100K status miles OR 1500 EUR. (i.e. you can pay 1500 EUR if you don't make it on miles)
Which means LH is of the opinion that its SEN status is worth 1500 EUR, though I doubt many others would subscribe to this view.
Sep 6, 2006, 12:06 pm
#7
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: EDI
Posts: 699
Depends a lot on how much travelling you do on LH I guess,
SEN status gained via the convential route is valid for 2 years. So if the cash offer is the same that's 750 EUR / Year.
Requalifying for SEN via the convential route gives 2 eVouchers, which are good for either 2 European Y to C upgrades, or 1 routewide upgrade from Y to C or C to F. If that's included in the cash offer how much is a one class upgrade worth to you.
So called 'quiet zone', well unless there are babies. LH reserve the first few rows of 'Y' for SEN / FTL plus I believe exit and bulkhead rows.
Seat blocking, although not guaranteed it's normal to have the middle seat free in 3 x 3 config unless the flight is completely sold. Flying to and from Germany in my weekly commute I seldom have to sit next to anyone.
Very occasionaly the FA address you by name, I like when they do that.
Catering is better in SEN lounge than Diamond Club.
but overall unless you fly a lot on LH not worth the money and if you do then SEN isn't so hard to achieve. Just wish Miles and Less did cash + miles though...
SEN status gained via the convential route is valid for 2 years. So if the cash offer is the same that's 750 EUR / Year.
Requalifying for SEN via the convential route gives 2 eVouchers, which are good for either 2 European Y to C upgrades, or 1 routewide upgrade from Y to C or C to F. If that's included in the cash offer how much is a one class upgrade worth to you.
So called 'quiet zone', well unless there are babies. LH reserve the first few rows of 'Y' for SEN / FTL plus I believe exit and bulkhead rows.
Seat blocking, although not guaranteed it's normal to have the middle seat free in 3 x 3 config unless the flight is completely sold. Flying to and from Germany in my weekly commute I seldom have to sit next to anyone.
Very occasionaly the FA address you by name, I like when they do that.
Catering is better in SEN lounge than Diamond Club.
but overall unless you fly a lot on LH not worth the money and if you do then SEN isn't so hard to achieve. Just wish Miles and Less did cash + miles though...
Sep 6, 2006, 12:16 pm
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: MAN and LON
Programs: Mucci, BAEC LT Gold, HH Dia, MR LT Plat, IHG Diamond Amb, Amex Plat
Posts: 13,760
The generous offer by LH was 1500 EUR for ONE year (implying a 3000 EUR value over 2 years). Whilst I do not think SEN is worth that much it is quite valuable to me and offers more really useful perks than BAEC Gold.
50% Discount on companion awards and the (albeint now smaller) miles overdraft are real programme benefits. BAEC offers little of real value to Golds in comparison.
50% Discount on companion awards and the (albeint now smaller) miles overdraft are real programme benefits. BAEC offers little of real value to Golds in comparison.
Sep 6, 2006, 12:26 pm
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2002
Programs: QF Platinum (OW Emerald); QF Lifestime Silver; BD Diamond Club Gold (*A Gold)
Posts: 4,786
Originally Posted by allanhuk
Depends a lot on how much travelling you do on LH I guess,
SEN status gained via the convential route is valid for 2 years. So if the cash offer is the same that's 750 EUR / Year.
Requalifying for SEN via the convential route gives 2 eVouchers, which are good for either 2 European Y to C upgrades, or 1 routewide upgrade from Y to C or C to F. If that's included in the cash offer how much is a one class upgrade worth to you.
So called 'quiet zone', well unless there are babies. LH reserve the first few rows of 'Y' for SEN / FTL plus I believe exit and bulkhead rows.
Seat blocking, although not guaranteed it's normal to have the middle seat free in 3 x 3 config unless the flight is completely sold. Flying to and from Germany in my weekly commute I seldom have to sit next to anyone.
Very occasionaly the FA address you by name, I like when they do that.
Catering is better in SEN lounge than Diamond Club.
but overall unless you fly a lot on LH not worth the money and if you do then SEN isn't so hard to achieve. Just wish Miles and Less did cash + miles though...
SEN status gained via the convential route is valid for 2 years. So if the cash offer is the same that's 750 EUR / Year.
Requalifying for SEN via the convential route gives 2 eVouchers, which are good for either 2 European Y to C upgrades, or 1 routewide upgrade from Y to C or C to F. If that's included in the cash offer how much is a one class upgrade worth to you.
So called 'quiet zone', well unless there are babies. LH reserve the first few rows of 'Y' for SEN / FTL plus I believe exit and bulkhead rows.
Seat blocking, although not guaranteed it's normal to have the middle seat free in 3 x 3 config unless the flight is completely sold. Flying to and from Germany in my weekly commute I seldom have to sit next to anyone.
Very occasionaly the FA address you by name, I like when they do that.
Catering is better in SEN lounge than Diamond Club.
but overall unless you fly a lot on LH not worth the money and if you do then SEN isn't so hard to achieve. Just wish Miles and Less did cash + miles though...
The first few rows do indeed appear to be reserved for LH's own elites (to the exclusion of other *A Golds, IME)
Seat blocking a great benefit and rarely observed by other airlines with their own elites within Europe. But then ex-UK flights in Y are generally a 1/3 more expensive than equivalent offers from BA (cf the most recent 'offers' email - fly to Germany in order to fly to Nice... erm...
)As for catering in lounges, that is more debatable. Agree that BD is lamentable on this front, but then LH's potatoes in lard and mini frakfurters offer isn't too far behind.
In conclusion, personally, I couldn't imagine why anyone would be prepared to pay EUR 1,500 to retain this status, but then LH does have a very loyal fly-the-flag catchment.
Having been comp'd into into LH SEN through one of the previous *A promos, while holding BD Gold in parallel, I was merely curious.
I wonder what price BA would place on its Gold tier, were it to be a purchasable commodity...
Sep 6, 2006, 7:39 pm
#10
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: PMI
Programs: BA,LH,CX,EK SPG,IC mainly and a few others
Posts: 1,862
Originally Posted by alex0683de
If you read the OP correctly, then you will realize it says
100K status miles OR 1500 EUR. (i.e. you can pay 1500 EUR if you don't make it on miles)
Which means LH is of the opinion that its SEN status is worth 1500 EUR, though I doubt many others would subscribe to this view.
100K status miles OR 1500 EUR. (i.e. you can pay 1500 EUR if you don't make it on miles)
Which means LH is of the opinion that its SEN status is worth 1500 EUR, though I doubt many others would subscribe to this view.
Sep 6, 2006, 7:43 pm
#11
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: PMI
Programs: BA,LH,CX,EK SPG,IC mainly and a few others
Posts: 1,862
Originally Posted by virtualtroy
Great summary:
The first few rows do indeed appear to be reserved for LH's own elites (to the exclusion of other *A Golds, IME)
Seat blocking a great benefit and rarely observed by other airlines with their own elites within Europe. But then ex-UK flights in Y are generally a 1/3 more expensive than equivalent offers from BA (cf the most recent 'offers' email - fly to Germany in order to fly to Nice... erm...)
As for catering in lounges, that is more debatable. Agree that BD is lamentable on this front, but then LH's potatoes in lard and mini frakfurters offer isn't too far behind.
In conclusion, personally, I couldn't imagine why anyone would be prepared to pay EUR 1,500 to retain this status, but then LH does have a very loyal fly-the-flag catchment.
Having been comp'd into into LH SEN through one of the previous *A promos, while holding BD Gold in parallel, I was merely curious.
I wonder what price BA would place on its Gold tier, were it to be a purchasable commodity...
The first few rows do indeed appear to be reserved for LH's own elites (to the exclusion of other *A Golds, IME)
Seat blocking a great benefit and rarely observed by other airlines with their own elites within Europe. But then ex-UK flights in Y are generally a 1/3 more expensive than equivalent offers from BA (cf the most recent 'offers' email - fly to Germany in order to fly to Nice... erm...
)As for catering in lounges, that is more debatable. Agree that BD is lamentable on this front, but then LH's potatoes in lard and mini frakfurters offer isn't too far behind.
In conclusion, personally, I couldn't imagine why anyone would be prepared to pay EUR 1,500 to retain this status, but then LH does have a very loyal fly-the-flag catchment.
Having been comp'd into into LH SEN through one of the previous *A promos, while holding BD Gold in parallel, I was merely curious.
I wonder what price BA would place on its Gold tier, were it to be a purchasable commodity...
