Huge changes coming to Matmid in April, including status thresholds
Aug 1, 2018, 2:33 am
#1
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2005
Location: TLV/LHR
Programs: BA GGL, IHG Diamond Elite Amb, HH Diamond, Avis PC, Hertz PC, Sixt Platinum
Posts: 12,948
Huge changes coming to Matmid in April, including status thresholds
Apologies for starting a new thread on this, as I know Houminer started one regarding possible speculated rule changes coming in February with no further information, but this is too big a change to miss... but moderators, if you feel threads should be merged, please do so, and maybe even make this a sticky until changes come into effect?
Generally if you travel Long Haul with LY (like the US etc) you're more likely to benefit from the changes, but if most of your travel is to Europe, this is not good new for you, and leaves the likes of BA etc with a far more attractive proposition.
The changes we know of so far:
1. Points accumulation will be revenue based at 1 point per $10 dollars spent for regular members, and $8 spent for Silver member or higher.
2. Bonus ticket availbility will increase, with the option to pay for your ticket with more points extended.
3. Mixed booking will be possible where one way is paid for with points, and the other cash.
4. Threshold levels for status will be reduces as follows:
Silver - 400 points (down from 500)
Gold - 1000 points (1500)
Platinum 2500 points (3000)
Top Platinum 6500 (7000)
There are a few more changes I believe, but we can post those as more information becomes available.
Generally if you travel Long Haul with LY (like the US etc) you're more likely to benefit from the changes, but if most of your travel is to Europe, this is not good new for you, and leaves the likes of BA etc with a far more attractive proposition.
The changes we know of so far:
1. Points accumulation will be revenue based at 1 point per $10 dollars spent for regular members, and $8 spent for Silver member or higher.
2. Bonus ticket availbility will increase, with the option to pay for your ticket with more points extended.
3. Mixed booking will be possible where one way is paid for with points, and the other cash.
4. Threshold levels for status will be reduces as follows:
Silver - 400 points (down from 500)
Gold - 1000 points (1500)
Platinum 2500 points (3000)
Top Platinum 6500 (7000)
There are a few more changes I believe, but we can post those as more information becomes available.
Aug 1, 2018, 3:01 am
#2
Join Date: Nov 2009
Programs: LY-PL, A3-*G
Posts: 1,680
Wow, thank you for finding this info.
So - 8000$ for GL and 20000$ for PL.
That could have been good, but since GL will be devaluated from October it is not. For me the biggest issue is that on flights to Europe GL do not get preferred seats for free.
OTOH I don't really have a better option.
So - 8000$ for GL and 20000$ for PL.
That could have been good, but since GL will be devaluated from October it is not. For me the biggest issue is that on flights to Europe GL do not get preferred seats for free.
OTOH I don't really have a better option.
Aug 1, 2018, 5:11 am
#4
Join Date: May 2006
Location: New York
Programs: SPG Platinum, AA 2.0 MM, DL Plat, Hertz Plat, LY Gold
Posts: 1,602
Aug 1, 2018, 7:35 am
#5
Join Date: Sep 2011
Programs: Virgin Atlantic Silver, IHG Diamond, Bonvoy Gold, Hilton Diamond, AA Platinum Pro
Posts: 1,386
Also changes to Fly Card Premium benefits:
https://www.elal.com/he/FrequentFlye...d-Holders.aspx
Most notable: 40K ILS in charges a month will now only get you Gold instead of Platinum. Now it will take 80K in charges to get Platinum!
https://www.elal.com/he/FrequentFlye...d-Holders.aspx
Most notable: 40K ILS in charges a month will now only get you Gold instead of Platinum. Now it will take 80K in charges to get Platinum!
Aug 2, 2018, 1:27 am
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2005
Location: TLV/LHR
Programs: BA GGL, IHG Diamond Elite Amb, HH Diamond, Avis PC, Hertz PC, Sixt Platinum
Posts: 12,948
Not surprisingly these changes are not going down well with the majority of regular LY flyers (I'm not talking about Flyertalk where it seems obvious the majority of regulars on here are occasional ElAl flyers, and enthusiasts (a thread about a retro painted aircraft gets more responses than a major divaluation with their FF program...), but it also seems some TAs have raised concern over the new system. They claim that as the points accumulated are based on the actual fare not including any commission, the customer can very easily work out how much the TA actually added to their ticket price.
TBH this makes absolute sense to me, and makes it all a little more transparent, but I wonder how this works with other revenue based FF programs?
TBH this makes absolute sense to me, and makes it all a little more transparent, but I wonder how this works with other revenue based FF programs?
Aug 2, 2018, 1:50 am
#7
Join Date: Nov 2009
Programs: LY-PL, A3-*G
Posts: 1,680
I agree
I fly once a month to Europe in Mid-High Y fares. I used to get (as a GL with flycard premium ) - 232 points, 192 status points.
Now (estimate) - 152 points and 140 status points.
Aug 2, 2018, 9:51 am
#8
Join Date: Aug 2012
Programs: UA 1K/MM, EK Gold, CX Silver
Posts: 880
UA revenue based earnings
UA excludes all taxes and fees when calculating revenue, not just TA additions. I Akari think they pay much smaller commissions to TA's than LY still does.
Can anyone compare LY commissions to other airlines?
Can anyone compare LY commissions to other airlines?
Aug 3, 2018, 9:16 am
#10
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Israel
Programs: Elal Silver, AirCanada Aeroplan, AA AAdvantage, KLM Flying Blue, Continental OnePass, Delta Skymiles
Posts: 529
As reported now by Globes:
https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-e...rms-1001248519
https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-e...rms-1001248519
Aug 3, 2018, 12:42 pm
#11
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Join Date: May 2005
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Posts: 12,948
I just don't get it. As the article says, they have such competition from other FF programs, which offer far more flexibility, options to use points, and benefits yet they still go and devaluate Matmid, not giving a damn about their members.
Forgive me if I find it somewhat difficult getting excited about them paining an aircraft in retro colours...
They really have nothing to offer.
Forgive me if I find it somewhat difficult getting excited about them paining an aircraft in retro colours...
They really have nothing to offer.
Aug 3, 2018, 3:30 pm
#12
Join Date: Nov 2009
Programs: LY-PL, A3-*G
Posts: 1,680
I wrote them an email and someone from “customer retention “ Called me. He tried to convince me that the changes are good for some of the people. The only example he was able to give me is if you buy expensive long haul fares.
LY are hopeless
LY are hopeless
Aug 4, 2018, 12:27 pm
#14
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Israel
Programs: Elal Silver, AirCanada Aeroplan, AA AAdvantage, KLM Flying Blue, Continental OnePass, Delta Skymiles
Posts: 529
With airline consortia liked StarAlliance, OneWorld and others and the fact that Elal is not part of any consortia and therefore at a huge disadvantage, I would have thought that Elal would make a huge effort to make their FF program far better than any other consortia in order to woo back customers.
I guess the prevailing marcom experts and consultants have advised Elal that it is far better to screw its loyal customers than to give FF consortia a run for the money.
I guess the prevailing marcom experts and consultants have advised Elal that it is far better to screw its loyal customers than to give FF consortia a run for the money.
Aug 8, 2018, 6:00 am
#15
Join Date: Feb 2005
Programs: EL AL Matmid, BA Executive Club GfL, GGL/CCR, Hilton Diamond, Avis President's Club
Posts: 2,085