FF Miles for European Rail Travel?
Mar 2, 2015, 3:07 pm
#2
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,421
AFAIK none currently. At one point waaaaay back, TWA had some award packages that included travel on the Orient Express train.
Note that most FF programs let anyone join, regardless of where your legal residence (or citizenship) is located, although there are a few programs that have slightly different status requirements depending on the official address associated with your FF account.
Note that most FF programs let anyone join, regardless of where your legal residence (or citizenship) is located, although there are a few programs that have slightly different status requirements depending on the official address associated with your FF account.
Mar 2, 2015, 8:59 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 74
I knew that there used to be some kind of arrangement with a FF program that I was in. I finally figured out that it was Continental Onepass, but that actually only included earning miles on SNCF, not redemptions, as far as I can tell.
I also think that the British version of Amex Membership Rewards includes or used to include some kind of rail redemption, but that doesn't help me. Oh well.
I also think that the British version of Amex Membership Rewards includes or used to include some kind of rail redemption, but that doesn't help me. Oh well.
Mar 2, 2015, 10:23 pm
#4
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: CLT
Programs: AA, UA, BA, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum
Posts: 2,074
Avios (not BA or IB Avios, but a third program called just Avios) can be used for Eurostar trains, essentially London - Paris/Brussels/lots of French destinations beyond Paris. You can transfer Avios among the generic Avios program, BA, and IB. I think you have to be a resident of UK or South Africa to join the generic Avios program, but I also believe I read that you can get around that.
Mar 3, 2015, 9:50 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 74
dukerau, I actually just now played around on the BA website and, lo and behold, on the "Book Experiences" page, I see the opportunity to do a London-Paris roundtrip on the Eurostar (with a metro pass) for the low, low price of 24,200 Avios.
It is actually labeled as a "budget independent rail tour."
It is actually labeled as a "budget independent rail tour."
Mar 6, 2015, 1:17 pm
#7
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Philadelphia
Programs: HH Diamond, IHG Plat, SPG & Marriott Gold, CC Silver
Posts: 541
This is the kind of redemption that points from cards like Capital One Venture and Barclay Arrival are for - the rates aren't that high and they are travel expenses.