A2A

if i get you correctly you want more loss-making carriers so that there are more redemption opportunities and sign-up bonuses? One kingfisher going down is not enough?? people have lost anything from 5k to 500K miles. As a blogger, I get their queries all the time about people who were saving miles for their holidays and all that with KFA. And I don't think they will go back to mileage earning CC anymore. There has to be a fundamental reason to offer mileage earning massive mileage earning bonuses (In the USA it was the cheap miles that banks bought to save airlines like Delta/United, and then the slowdown of 2008). Americans have them, no one else does so much. With our not so evolved air travel sector in India, that is a far far cry.

onlysuites

Looks like we are being ignored.

Anyway I think what they are talking about is the fact that US credit cards give huge bonuses like Chase giving 100k Avios for signup and in India we get 5k signup bonuses.

paragbmehta

Fair point. My view of reasoning was that only when you have competition of full service carriers will there be banks ready to buy miles and offer good cards to consumers. In a market lacking competition, Jet will take the undue advantage of high pricing of its miles deterring banks to buy more to offer to consumers

A2A

Since I am privy to the cost of miles for at least 2 of the banks, and don't ask because I can't tell, my guess is it could only go cheaper in the Bankruptcy scenario of 9W, somewhere it is fast approaching if it does not get the money from EY.

Lets not compare with the US. They really know how to live off others money.... They just print more when they need it. Similarly their airlines keep issuing miles, leading to most of the 1 trillion unutilised miles globally right now.

And yes, what is your definition of a 'good card'?

paragbmehta

Absolute apologies for overlooking your post. Never meant that !!

Seems you answered it right on. There are like 10 card companies offering bonus miles and points based on spends in US but in India there is no such thing which hurts spends in a big way !! I always remain optimistic for a bright future

paragbmehta

My definition of a good card is similar to the Citi AA (Personal + Business), AmEx SPG, Chase BA, etc.

A2A

then you have citibank premiermiles for you right here... where this whole discussion started!

onlysuites

^

paragbmehta

Issue with PM Miles is their redemption options for international flights are screwed up which lands u in the same bowl as having Jet JP Miles and hence I dont consider it a great card. Agree that there are transfer options that come up once in a while but still using of PM Miles still not that lucrative

A2A

I've never advocated the use of premiermiles portal at all for redemptions of international trips since May 2012. before that, they were offering an even 10% haircut on jet airways redemption rates ... so for instance BOM-BRU Y: 27K economy ow would become 24.3K economy ow with them. The only value for international travellers is in the 1:1 redemption options, bonuses available or not. if you get the bonuses, nothing like it, but even otherwise, I'd not shy away from transferring if I needed a ticket. And they have some good options lined up for redemption: SQ...BA, if you're willing to pay the high surcharges, or if you want to travel intra US, AI, if you want to travel domestic/intl.

Most sporadic travellers use their PM for domestic redemptions, using the PM website. That is the catch, a well-laid trap, which you got to avoid, because that is what PM did beautifully, offer tons of options, and the concept of value for them goes for a toss. "Free Ticket hai". After all, a 4000 rs. ticket for 10K PM, I'll pass, but lots will redeem, not realising PM is actually buying the ticket to give it to them, and in the process, redeeming miles which would be worthy of maybe 20k rs if you used it right.

A2A

And I'me a realist!

theflyingsikh

Hello, I would like to know if anyone has used premiermiles to redeeem a ticket on a full service carrier i.e. Air India etc.. If yes, then in which booking class the ticket was issued? Was it a booking class where one could earn miles? Or was it an actual redemption (booking class) ticket like the ones which the airlines issue, when we redeem straight from our FFP.

onlysuites

The general census on this board is that its cheaper and better to transfer points to the Airline and redeem then do it through PM. AI to LHR is around 55k one way through Flying returns but through PM its 150k +.

Yeah the class is a full service class and not redemption class when you redeem through PM.

SpeedFreak

But depending on what classes are available, you could also be getting booked into E class or S class of AirIndia which is the lowest class and you won't get 100% of miles.

Anwar Saeed

wow , that was fast
my wait now in 3rd week for the 60 odd K points i transferred to B.A