nufnuf77

So after having achieved GfL and retained GGL I am thinking whether to spread my eggs into LH territory.

Currently a *A G and thinking whether i should focus on getting to HON circle or whether i should pursue GGLfL (HON circle would mean i just ratain GGL by 3K TPs rather than going to 10k like this year).

Are there esteemed members of the board that can advise on long-term implications? What would you consider most and least valuable benefits of the two and how would you make this decision?

I really like GUFs, but recent changes to its crediting of TPs, and opening up jokers to masses make me inclined to take my business elsewhere. On top of that I have been dissatisfied with my Y experiences and lack of opups from W over the last 12 months (0 longhaul opups in 10W journeys)

madfish

I have heard there are plans to convert to revenue based with M&M. Probably not good for you.

ermis177

HON is quite exclusive status. You will get 6 upgrade vouchers and also meet and greet service in the main Hubs. When it comes to upgrades LH group has a much more solid policy compare to BA. as HON you will be on the top of the list. Personally I would go for HON status if I could afford it. Also I found LH economy a much better experience. LH does not have any 787 or 10 across 777 which tends to be horrible in Y.

Cymro

M&M redeemable miles are essentially revenue based, which is not good. You'd have to fly exclusively booked J/F on LH group airlines to get Hon Circle. I'm sure the benefits are incredible but you're talking something like LHR-MUC-SIN return twice a month in J. Does LOT do your routes or would you effectively be restricting yourself to LH/LX?

megaloman

I don't see your problem with upgrades - I'll give you an advice you've given me a few years back: book the class you want to fly and don't count on upgrade gods - when you get one it will be a nice surprise rather than a disappointment.

ahmetdouas

i don’t know when I was *G (using the Aegean loophole while it lasted ) I got 2 last minute upgrades at the gate in like 5 flights! Maybe OP is right, OW aren’t that generous with upgrades Compared to *A

flying_pig

I am stating the obvious but if you are based in London, something which obviously I don't know, I would have ZERO appetite to go down the LH HON route.

Assuming geography-wise it's the same for you to fly BA vs LH/LX, then my second defining factor would be how you like the product. To me, LX F > LH F > BA F. But I must admit that I prefer BA's hard product in J (yes, even the old CW seat).

The third factor would be the program itself. If this is your main question (ie: assuming geography doesn't make a difference and you like the products equally), then HON Circle is in my view a better program than GGL. Simply because of LH's excellent ground services for HONs, versus the almost-total lack of ground services for GGL (I only started getting some attention from Special Services when BA suddenly realised - or decided - that my work profile/position could be deemed of an interesting profile).

Just my two cents.

ukgooner

The other thing is how much flying over at LH would you need without status?

Would it mean extra connections too, as don’t forget *A don’t count towards Hon

Mike P

That is a pretty serious amount of flying needed!

orbitmic

To me that is a very good summary. In my view, there is no doubt that like for like, HON is a much stronger set of perks than GGL. You will be far more likely to be treated like royalty (soft perks can be quite exceptional), the LH F lounges and terminal are much better than the CCR etc. That said, in my view, HON is much harder to get for many people, especially for non-Germany/Switzerland based people.

ermis177

As a top tier flyer, LH has a much better upgrade policy. BA upgrade policy is a weird computer algorithm that upgrade pretty much whoever it likes based on a variety of factors. Let’s be honest, most of us would love if BA adopted the same policy ( well most of BA golds at least).

ermis177

Not that simple. I live in East london and I would rather if I fly from City and change in Germany or Zurich rather than travel all the way to T5. I might be a minority thought 😉

Filthy Monkey

i don’t really think HON Circle would work for you as you just won’t find the same number of ways to game the system and you’ll have to spend a serious amount of money to earn it. It’s all very anti-nufnuf!

Tafflyer

Being partly based in Germany, I cannot escape sometimes using LH, regardless of how much I really loath flying with the attitude some of the crew have.

LH have recently started deeply discounting their J tickets, which traditionally they didn’t do, and so I have been flying more with them. The latest trick though is at T-8 hours or so, after knowing Y numbers, they expand the J cabin, moving the curtain back past the exit row even when there’s only the first few rows occupied, so causing a very cramped experience in a shrunk Y cabin with all seats taken while J has up to 10 empty rows. If you complain, they’ll tell you it’s for trim reasons. I call BS. And I’m back to avoiding LH as much as I possibly can.

ermis177

The HON members even get a special priority tag when they check in luggage. Once the agent run out of normal priority tags and I got one, when I landed and went to the luggage belt my luggage was the only one already circling around. German efficiency.