Stranded Miles EVA Program
 

History==> I am gold for life on United, which means i am gold for life in Star Alliance. I attempted to go for the gold on Eva, because the higher your status, the better your seat. I didnt realize that once you reach a level, they reset the next target. I thought that i could make silver, which i did, then make gold two and a half trips later.

Along the way, i accrued EVA miles,and i am trying to figure out how to use up them up, or transfer them to either a credit card, or another program. I am in the same situation for Hainan Airlines, but their program is even more complex than EVA.

So how many miles do you need to reach gold?

To make gold, you first have to make silver, with is 30k, then another 50k to gold.

I am already gold for life based upon my time with United.

The benefit of being EVA gold is that you may be getting the benefit of the doubt when you travel on their plans, and have better access to better economy seats.

What i didn't realize is that by accruing miles on EVA somewhat limited me to earning free flights to where i work, which doesn't sound like a vacation to most.

I love EVA and I like Taiwan, and i really like what passes for economy plus seating.

EVA has an awful FF program and it is one of the reasons why I no longer fly as much as I want on the airline. I saw 40000 miles expire for lack of opportunity to use. Considering that EVA has a 20-40% premium cost over the *A carriers I typically use, there is no incentive to fly as much as I once did. I made Gold over successive years with EVA but there was no benefit for me to do so since I am not in Taiwan. If EVA initiated a more reasonable non expiry of miles for foreign residents, it would encourage FFers to choose EVA. Considering the fact that EVA is battling it out on some North American routes with Air Canada and the pending introduction of a new Air Canada FF program, perhaps EVA may juice up its FF program soon. AC selected Cathay for its route connections to MNL, SIN, and BKK, not BR, which should have been a wake up call.

Eva
 

Thanks I am likely going to give the miles to one of my Taiwan based co-workers and move on. For the Eva trips I do take, I will use my United credentials. It really is a shame, as I have always had good experience with eva.