checkerboard

Received an e-mail from LATAM Pass, informing me that in the second half of 2018, the "platform" for earning and redeeming rewards will change to Multiplus:

So:

1) What on earth is Multiplus?
2) Does this also mean that award charts will change? [Is this change a backdoor route to dynamically priced redemptions?]
3) I was just about to jump into LATAM Pass (from AAdvantage) - but was waiting until 1-January to begin. Should this prospective change make me think twice?
4) Unrelated question: for elite qualification. are annual EQM and qualifying dollars in LATAM Pass counted from 1-Jan to 31-Dec? Or is the qualification period different?

FairDinkumMate

1) Multiplus is the spun off mileage program from Latam Brasil (Tam). From a Latam Brasil customer's point of view (Latam Fidelidade), it ostensibly works as it always has. The clear differences being that you are directed to a Multiplus branded section of the Latam website when trying to book & that you can get points from many other retailers in Brasil. You can see if for yourself by going to the Latam site, changing the country to Brasil & then selecting the "Utilizar meus pontos Multiplus" box where on all other Latam sites it is "Use your LATAM Pass KMS" or equivalent.

2) Latam already announced that they are changing Latam Pass from km's to miles. Redemptions are also already dynamically priced. For most routes, it;s been almost impossible for a year or two to get a redemption for the minimum points on Latam's award chart. In fact, in my experience, MultiPlus has been much better at providing awards at the stated cost than Latam Pass.

3) Both AAdvantage & Latam Pass/Fidelidade have their pros & cons. Award flights are easier to get with AAdvantage, upgrades are easier with Latam Pass/Fidelidade. Which program works for you depends on where you live, where you fly, how often & in which class!

4) Latam's qualification period is calendar year - 1-Jan to 31-Dec. Bear in mind that the dates they use are when you claim, not when you fly, so you can do a few flights in the last half of one year, claim them all in January of the next year & get a flying start on qualification.

checkerboard

FairDinkumMate - Thanks, a really helpful response, with a great tip for the end-of-year flights. All much more clear now.

Cheers,

Checkerboard

AlexMC

Can you please clarify that? Never experienced such thing under the old Fidelidade system (my experience with was the opposite in fact) and this current system (operated from Chile) seems to me way more efficient than the older about loopholes.

The fact is that I use the method of segments for my qualification and I will end the year of 2017 with some extra 4 or 5 segments (yet to be flown). Of course, I would prefer to have them counting for my next year's efforts on it... Any help appreciated.

FairDinkumMate

Alex - Not sure what you are referring to when you say that your experience was the opposite. Are you saying you claimed flights in January & they retrospectively credited them to the previous year because that's when you flew?

Latam specify several times throughout their website in various languages that status is based on when the points are credited, not when the flights are taken.

For Latam, I assume it's a way of making sure they don't have massive issues at the end of each year with people taking flights in the last week or two to reach a status goal & then arguing over getting them credited in a day or two.

For us, it means you can virtually pile two years flights into one years status claim if it works to your advantage & you're prepared to forego any status in the first year!