Million miler question
Dec 26, 2023, 4:16 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2010
Programs: FF account on all airlines, DM. All hotel accounts, Hilton Diamond.
Posts: 227
Million miler question
Gang
I am a MM'er (almost 2 MM) but rarely fly much these days. Fri Dec 22, I flew OMA-CPH to see my son for Christmas, first time flying since last year.
I could've swore MM'er got Lifetime Gold status, but my account and boarding passes only say Silver. Did that change from Gold to Silver or am I misremembering the original Lifetime status. Either way it's nice, Silver still lets me avoid baggage fees. But, I could have swore it was Gold for life.
BTW, just ranting here: CDG is still the worst airport in the world. There was sooooo much construction I find it hard to believe they will have it 100% functional for the 2024 Olympics. Everytime I come visit my son in CPH I will pay extra to go through AMS. I hope CDG uses some of that Olympic funding to buy some signs that can accurately tell a passenger which way to go. M2, F2? In the 150+ times I've come to CPH to see my son, I've gone through Paris maybe 20 of them and each time is worse than the last. And now with the construction, it's beyond brutal.
I am a MM'er (almost 2 MM) but rarely fly much these days. Fri Dec 22, I flew OMA-CPH to see my son for Christmas, first time flying since last year.
I could've swore MM'er got Lifetime Gold status, but my account and boarding passes only say Silver. Did that change from Gold to Silver or am I misremembering the original Lifetime status. Either way it's nice, Silver still lets me avoid baggage fees. But, I could have swore it was Gold for life.
BTW, just ranting here: CDG is still the worst airport in the world. There was sooooo much construction I find it hard to believe they will have it 100% functional for the 2024 Olympics. Everytime I come visit my son in CPH I will pay extra to go through AMS. I hope CDG uses some of that Olympic funding to buy some signs that can accurately tell a passenger which way to go. M2, F2? In the 150+ times I've come to CPH to see my son, I've gone through Paris maybe 20 of them and each time is worse than the last. And now with the construction, it's beyond brutal.
Dec 26, 2023, 4:27 am
#2
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Berlin, Germany
Programs: DL DM/2MM, UA PE, HH Gold
Posts: 1,080
No, 1MM was always "Silver", 2MM got you "gold". This will change on february 1st 2024 when 1MM will become "Gold" and 2MM "Platinum".
As bad as CDG is, naming it the worst airport in the world shows that you haven't travelled THAT much. You should try Cairo next time....
As bad as CDG is, naming it the worst airport in the world shows that you haven't travelled THAT much. You should try Cairo next time....
Dec 26, 2023, 5:39 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2010
Programs: FF account on all airlines, DM. All hotel accounts, Hilton Diamond.
Posts: 227
No, 1MM was always "Silver", 2MM got you "gold". This will change on february 1st 2024 when 1MM will become "Gold" and 2MM "Platinum".
As bad as CDG is, naming it the worst airport in the world shows that you haven't travelled THAT much. You should try Cairo next time....
As bad as CDG is, naming it the worst airport in the world shows that you haven't travelled THAT much. You should try Cairo next time....
Maybe I was confusing the Lifetime Gold with when I would "gift" someone Gold when becoming Platinum and Diamond. Who knows? Anyway, thank you for the quick answer.
Dec 26, 2023, 7:40 am
#6
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: West of CLE
Programs: Delta DM/3 MM; Hertz PC; National EE; Amtrak GR; Bonvoy Silver; Via Rail Préférence
Posts: 5,384
The only really bad thing about CDG (other than its sheer size) is that the French make pax on flights from the USA go through security as a part of changing planes, even though they don't have access to checked bags; in other words, no real reason to do this other than security theater. The Dutch don't make USA originating pax do this at AMS, and AF and KLM are owned by the same company.
When I used to travel from IAD to NCL and EDI, I found that CDG was actually a very easy airport to make the connection (other than having to be forced to go through security). The gate for those flights (a bus gate) was very close to the staircase/elevator to the AF Salon, which in turn was pretty close to the security exit, in what is now called concourse K (the original terminal there which looked somewhat like the inside of a Washington Metro station).
When I used to travel from IAD to NCL and EDI, I found that CDG was actually a very easy airport to make the connection (other than having to be forced to go through security). The gate for those flights (a bus gate) was very close to the staircase/elevator to the AF Salon, which in turn was pretty close to the security exit, in what is now called concourse K (the original terminal there which looked somewhat like the inside of a Washington Metro station).
Dec 26, 2023, 7:56 am
#7
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 799
CDG is a dump for sure.
But the first time I flew into PNQ there were chickens running around just inside the baggage claim.
We probably need some criteria for worst airport. Is this most disorganized? or slowest? in honor of CDG is it most apathetic?
But the first time I flew into PNQ there were chickens running around just inside the baggage claim.
We probably need some criteria for worst airport. Is this most disorganized? or slowest? in honor of CDG is it most apathetic?
Dec 26, 2023, 11:12 am
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2017
Programs: AS 75K, DL Silver, UA Platinum, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Platinum + LT Gold
Posts: 10,516
The only really bad thing about CDG (other than its sheer size) is that the French make pax on flights from the USA go through security as a part of changing planes, even though they don't have access to checked bags; in other words, no real reason to do this other than security theater. The Dutch don't make USA originating pax do this at AMS, and AF and KLM are owned by the same company.
CDG is okay. Objectively, there are a lot of worse airports.
Dec 26, 2023, 11:59 am
#9
Join Date: Oct 2019
Programs: Flying Blue, Hilton Honors, Amtrak Guest Rewards
Posts: 2,407
The only really bad thing about CDG (other than its sheer size) is that the French make pax on flights from the USA go through security as a part of changing planes, even though they don't have access to checked bags; in other words, no real reason to do this other than security theater. The Dutch don't make USA originating pax do this at AMS, and AF and KLM are owned by the same company.
Dec 26, 2023, 12:11 pm
#10
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: RDU
Programs: DL DM+(segs)/MM, UA Ag, Hilton DM, Marriott Ti (life Pt), TSA Opt-out Platinum
Posts: 3,227
CDG is confusing. Signage is poor, at best, for connections (esp Int'l) Do I think it's terrible, no. The new AF club is actually super nice. It's the only airport I've ever been to where my plane got put nose to nose with another widebody on a far away taxiway...that was fun (it was foggy, but that should still never happen). Took an hour to get a pushback out there to move the other aircraft out of the way so we could hit a crossover. They never told us what happened...I only noticed because tuned my IFE to the forward looking camera...and they eventually cut the feed off. But not before I could grab a pic 
And they're both Schengen Agreement members... I wonder if this is because other airlines use the same terminals where US flights arrive? In that case, they may have no choice. I think AMS has all the US arrivals in one concourse.
The only really bad thing about CDG (other than its sheer size) is that the French make pax on flights from the USA go through security as a part of changing planes, even though they don't have access to checked bags; in other words, no real reason to do this other than security theater. The Dutch don't make USA originating pax do this at AMS, and AF and KLM are owned by the same company.
Dec 26, 2023, 12:13 pm
#11
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: RDU
Programs: DL DM+(segs)/MM, UA Ag, Hilton DM, Marriott Ti (life Pt), TSA Opt-out Platinum
Posts: 3,227
CDG does allow pax from the US to not go through security, as long as the flight arrives at the right gates and the proper doors are opened. DL metal flights do not arrive at the appropriate gates (all of which are L gates, which DL doesn't use), but a substantial proportion of AF flights from the US do.
Dec 26, 2023, 12:58 pm
#12
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: LHR / BHX / MAN / ATL
Programs: DL DM 2MM - IHG Diamond
Posts: 4,053
Dec 26, 2023, 8:21 pm
#13
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: HSV
Programs: Bellevue Lifetime Premiere Mega Elite Supreme
Posts: 1,509
On a completely OT/Irrelevant note…
The new IST is a seriously cool airport. Only issue is it can be a HAUL to get from gate-to-gate or from gate to exit. It feels every but of a mile walk.
The new IST is a seriously cool airport. Only issue is it can be a HAUL to get from gate-to-gate or from gate to exit. It feels every but of a mile walk.
Dec 26, 2023, 11:42 pm
#14
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 6,338
The only really bad thing about CDG (other than its sheer size) is that the French make pax on flights from the USA go through security as a part of changing planes, even though they don't have access to checked bags; in other words, no real reason to do this other than security theater. The Dutch don't make USA originating pax do this at AMS, and AF and KLM are owned by the same company.
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Dec 27, 2023, 3:31 am
#15
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 127