Definitive guide to the bmi Mastercard 20000 mile deal + guide to redeeming bmi miles
Nov 13, 2006, 7:39 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2005
Programs: BA
Posts: 3,890
Definitive guide to the bmi Mastercard 20000 mile deal + guide to redeeming bmi miles
Last edited by Wingnut; Jan 20, 2007 at 2:31 am Reason: to provide link to new thread
Nov 13, 2006, 7:55 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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^
Other tips - if you're heading to Hong Kong or China, you can take advantage of the main anomoly of the award chart - that Europe 2 to HK / China is a lot cheaper than UK (Europe 1) to HK / China. First Class, for eg, is 50,000 miles + £340 compared with 70,000 miles + £480. You should start your trip in a Europe 2 country like Copenhagen or Milan (for eg - CPH-FRA-HKG) and pay for a cheapo return from London to CPH to start your trip. This is a bit of hassle but you save a lot of miles.
It is also worth noting which Star Alliance partnershave fully horizontal (ie BA-style) flat beds in business class. At the moment, you have SAA, Air New Zealand (fully flat on the LHR-LAX service) with Air Canada coming in next year. Thai is near enough flat, I think. The LH J seats are VERY slopey - you need to fly F if you want to fly flat. Other comments welcome.
In general, remember that the credit card companies have really tightened up in the last couple of years as default rates have risen. Make sure you cancel any other MBNA cards before applying, and don't apply for any other cards (or indeed credit of any sort) for a month or so before you apply.
Another tip - make sure, like MCS? say in the first post, that you sign up for a DC account before applying for the card. Do NOT let MBNA open an account for you, because you run the real risk that they will mess it up and you will a) not get your account, b) not get the miles or c) you get an account and the miles but MBNA will never tell you what the account number is!
Other tips - if you're heading to Hong Kong or China, you can take advantage of the main anomoly of the award chart - that Europe 2 to HK / China is a lot cheaper than UK (Europe 1) to HK / China. First Class, for eg, is 50,000 miles + £340 compared with 70,000 miles + £480. You should start your trip in a Europe 2 country like Copenhagen or Milan (for eg - CPH-FRA-HKG) and pay for a cheapo return from London to CPH to start your trip. This is a bit of hassle but you save a lot of miles.
It is also worth noting which Star Alliance partnershave fully horizontal (ie BA-style) flat beds in business class. At the moment, you have SAA, Air New Zealand (fully flat on the LHR-LAX service) with Air Canada coming in next year. Thai is near enough flat, I think. The LH J seats are VERY slopey - you need to fly F if you want to fly flat. Other comments welcome.
In general, remember that the credit card companies have really tightened up in the last couple of years as default rates have risen. Make sure you cancel any other MBNA cards before applying, and don't apply for any other cards (or indeed credit of any sort) for a month or so before you apply.
Another tip - make sure, like MCS? say in the first post, that you sign up for a DC account before applying for the card. Do NOT let MBNA open an account for you, because you run the real risk that they will mess it up and you will a) not get your account, b) not get the miles or c) you get an account and the miles but MBNA will never tell you what the account number is!
Last edited by Raffles; Nov 21, 2006 at 3:07 am
Nov 13, 2006, 8:04 am
#3
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: SAN
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Posts: 4,382
Excellent post ^
One remark - both the non-fee and the fee BMI card comes in two colours (one not-so-shiny blue and the other silver). So theoretically you could do the 20K miles trick 4 times. Not sure if anyone ever succeeded with that though.
Anyway, be careful to select a non-fee (1.5 miles per £) one to start with.
Never tried, but is there a problem with first getting the Silver non-fee card, and then the Silver fee-paying one? Same argument if they ask, getting 2 miles per £ is better.
One remark - both the non-fee and the fee BMI card comes in two colours (one not-so-shiny blue and the other silver). So theoretically you could do the 20K miles trick 4 times. Not sure if anyone ever succeeded with that though.
Anyway, be careful to select a non-fee (1.5 miles per £) one to start with.
Never tried, but is there a problem with first getting the Silver non-fee card, and then the Silver fee-paying one? Same argument if they ask, getting 2 miles per £ is better.
Nov 13, 2006, 9:25 am
#4
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: MAN
Programs: F
Posts: 2,898
Originally Posted by More Champagne Sir?
Another tip, regarding award class: I believe you get charged for the class in the longest sector. On your shorter sector however, you can go in any class where there’s availability! So I’m doing SFO-JFK in F, and JFK –LHR in J, yet I’m only being charged the J price for the full trip!
Nov 13, 2006, 9:35 am
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Good post Lewis, thanks! ^
Like the other said though, both cards come in standard Blue or Platinum (or as everyone seems to call it here, the silver card...).
I don't think that putting a higher salary figure when applying will make them issue the fee card though.
Surely they will issue the card you ask them to issue, so if you ask them for Classic card (non fee one) surely that is what you will get.
I might be wrong though...
Like the other said though, both cards come in standard Blue or Platinum (or as everyone seems to call it here, the silver card...).
I don't think that putting a higher salary figure when applying will make them issue the fee card though.
Surely they will issue the card you ask them to issue, so if you ask them for Classic card (non fee one) surely that is what you will get.
I might be wrong though...
Nov 13, 2006, 3:57 pm
#7
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: London
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Excellent post many thanks ^
I put in a high salary amount and my card is silver, though there is no fee attached to it, perhaps they just give you a nicer colour to go with your higher credit limit?
like redshift27 im thinking about:
Does that mean that I could book a LHR-SYD Y class ticket, and fly the (for example) SIN-SYD part of the route in F and only pay Y miles for the trip????
I put in a high salary amount and my card is silver, though there is no fee attached to it, perhaps they just give you a nicer colour to go with your higher credit limit?
like redshift27 im thinking about:
Another tip, regarding award class: I believe you get charged for the class in the longest sector. On your shorter sector however, you can go in any class where there’s availability! So I’m doing SFO-JFK in F, and JFK –LHR in J, yet I’m only being charged the J price for the full trip!
Nov 13, 2006, 6:01 pm
#8
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Deptford, UK.
Programs: BD Gold (yes forever), BA Silver, Hilton Gold.
Posts: 547
Thanks for this, very helpful.
Nov 14, 2006, 3:13 am
#9
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: West Sussex, UK
Posts: 503
Originally Posted by aceman
Does that mean that I could book a LHR-SYD Y class ticket, and fly the (for example) SIN-SYD part of the route in F and only pay Y miles for the trip????
This is just a different rule when flying US domestics... as all their premium products are SO crap, if you book a Business reward, you will get a First Class seat on the domestic sector, provided that it only has First/Econ on board. If it has Business too, I believe you get the Business seat.This ONLY applies when travelling within the US (and Canada I think).
Nov 14, 2006, 3:28 am
#10
Company Representative - British Airways
Join Date: Oct 2005
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DarrenT - sorry didn't know I was being..only pop up when theres a post I can answer or help with.
Nov 14, 2006, 3:48 am
#11
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: London
Programs: BA bronze, Hertz pres circle, Marriott Platinum, hilton diamond
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Originally Posted by DarrenT
Nice try! This is just a different rule when flying US domestics... as all their premium products are SO crap, if you book a Business reward, you will get a First Class seat on the domestic sector, provided that it only has First/Econ on board. If it has Business too, I believe you get the Business seat.
This ONLY applies when travelling within the US (and Canada I think).
This is just a different rule when flying US domestics... as all their premium products are SO crap, if you book a Business reward, you will get a First Class seat on the domestic sector, provided that it only has First/Econ on board. If it has Business too, I believe you get the Business seat.This ONLY applies when travelling within the US (and Canada I think).
Nov 14, 2006, 2:24 pm
#12
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: MAN
Programs: F
Posts: 2,898
Originally Posted by More Champagne Sir?
( ANA award search tool...) NB Make sure you search sector by sector, it struggles with the concept of stopovers! When you see the results page, an orange box with a circle in it signifies that there is award availability on the selected flight (table row) and class (table column).
By contrast, SK995 on 20/3 has 2 J available when flying through MAN-CPH-PEK, but not direct CPH-PEK!?
Anyone have any ideas why the difference? Which one will be correct when trying to construct an award itinerary for BMI miles?!
(I've since found that ExpertFlyer seems to show LH award availability - useful if correct.)
Last edited by redshift27; Nov 14, 2006 at 2:41 pm
Nov 14, 2006, 8:56 pm
#13
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Singapore
Posts: 2,317
An excellent post which has compelled me to join. I'll ditch my dormant Virgin Money credit card and hopefully transfer the credit line to the bmi card.
It seems you get to be bmi Silver straight away, however unfortunately lounge priveleges don't come with it and also they don't fly FRALHR. Pity
It seems you get to be bmi Silver straight away, however unfortunately lounge priveleges don't come with it and also they don't fly FRALHR. Pity
Nov 15, 2006, 12:49 am
#14
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: MAN
Programs: F
Posts: 2,898
Originally Posted by redshift27
(I've since found that ExpertFlyer seems to show LH award availability - useful if correct.)
"At the moment, this is correct. The reason it is not listed is that LH
awards come and go on the GDS systems we access without notice
and with no pattern. This has been the case for over a year. We have no control
over when they are viewable on ExpertFlyer.
Rather than state in our list that they are available and then disappoint
our subscribers when they are gone, we have chosen not to list them and
just be happy when they appear.
We appreciate your support and look forward, along with you, when LH
decides to consistently make available their award and upgrade inventory
on a commited basis.
Thank you,
The ExpertFlyer.com Team"
Nov 15, 2006, 1:02 am
#15
Join Date: Oct 2003
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*Offer available to UK applicants, who make their first card purchase within 90 days of the account opening date.
Any way the BMI credit card is available to US residents at US addresses?
Any way the BMI credit card is available to US residents at US addresses?