Thinking to switch...
 

After 4 years as *G on AC I am thinking about switching and I have heard that it is quite easy to get *G on BD.
So...now I have a few questions to the BD experts here:
I reside in Germany and travel to Australia once a year in paid C or F.
Here are my flights (C class) I have booked for 2008:
MEL-LAX (UA)
LAX-FRA (LH)
FRA-DUS (LH)
DUS-FRA (LH)
FRA-BKK (LH)
BKK-MEL (TG)
If I do the maths using the information that is provided on the BD website (ie. 2 x miles for C, min. 600 miles etc) I calculate this trip to get me ca. 50,100 miles.
Since *G is awarded > 38,000 miles I should make gold quite easily or am I missing something?

Does the program work on a calender year? ie. earn > 38,000 miles from 1 Jan 2007-31 Dec 2007 = Gold from Jan 2008-Dec 2008?

How does the elite bonus of 25% work?
Does one get 25% bonus miles on all flights once one is Silver and Gold?

How easy is it to get rewards on miles? I generally use miles for shorthaul trips within Europe.

Any other things a newcommer to BD should know??

Many thanks!

fm747

Gold is 38000 miles once you have hit silver, and 38000 to renew, but is actually 54000 from scratch (16000 to silver). The membership year goes from the date of signing up, and then from the date of moving up in status, rather than by calendar year. The elite bonus is calculated on base miles, and ignores COS bonus, and is credited monthly - 25% on *A flights, and 35% for gold members on flights on bmi metal.

Award availability is generally pretty good, I find, although some routes are of course easier than others.

But you will find out everything you need to know in the FAQ sticky at the start of this thread!

Ah, now I see why there are so many duplicate posts... grrr.

And welcome to the BD forum, I should have said!

As a German resident you will not be able to sign up to BMI's Diamond Club. You will need to find an address outside of Germany, i.e. UK or Netherlands.

I signed up online with my German address and got the confirmation e-mail and the intial electronic membership card.

On the website it was not very clear what countries can or can't sign up. However, I would think that if there were restrictions the software would not have accepted my German address to sign up.

What would happen if I start actually using me DC membership card now?


What about an Australian address? Is that doable?

Thanks

fm747

There may be some restrictions as to which countries residents are eligible for BMI DC membership, but in reality these do not seem to be enforced.

I wouldn't worry too much.

So it seems..but it would be nice to know if there are others here with a german address using BD. I would hate to start collect miles there and then DC closing the account because of violations of the terms of service due to my address!

You will be fine with your Germany address, when you join on-line you have the option of choosing Rest of the World so any address is fine.

Thanks just what I wanted to hear ^