Need Star Alliance Gold or?? Frustrated with MM
Nov 30, 2018, 12:37 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: FRA
Programs: UA, HH, Bonvoy
Posts: 34
Need Star Alliance Gold or?? Frustrated with MM
Hi Guys,
Long time lurker, first time putting a real post. I fly mainly for business through my company who always purchases the cheapest ticket possible. Even with a few long haul flights this year there was no way I would reach Senator to get Star Alliance Gold. Since I do a decent amount of long haul flights being able to access partner airline lounges is a decent benefit for me and staying with Miles and Less makes this seem unobtainable. the biggest status miles flight I had this year was when I had to travel last minute home to the US for a funeral FRA-DEN. Also lucked out with getting some status miles for flights my wife took....
Where would you guys take your miles? Here's my flight history for the year, see attached. Should I just suck it up and stay with LH? Head to Turkish Airlines?
I appreciate any help you guys can provide, I've been fortunate in the past to have good status with other airlines but Lufthansa seems to be the only one that doesn't have a "middle" tier.
Long time lurker, first time putting a real post. I fly mainly for business through my company who always purchases the cheapest ticket possible. Even with a few long haul flights this year there was no way I would reach Senator to get Star Alliance Gold. Since I do a decent amount of long haul flights being able to access partner airline lounges is a decent benefit for me and staying with Miles and Less makes this seem unobtainable. the biggest status miles flight I had this year was when I had to travel last minute home to the US for a funeral FRA-DEN. Also lucked out with getting some status miles for flights my wife took....
Where would you guys take your miles? Here's my flight history for the year, see attached. Should I just suck it up and stay with LH? Head to Turkish Airlines?
I appreciate any help you guys can provide, I've been fortunate in the past to have good status with other airlines but Lufthansa seems to be the only one that doesn't have a "middle" tier.
Nov 30, 2018, 1:25 pm
#2
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Cologne
Programs: FB Plat, IHG RA Spire, TK Elite+, HH Diamond, LH SEN, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 972
Hi Guys,
Long time lurker, first time putting a real post. I fly mainly for business through my company who always purchases the cheapest ticket possible. Even with a few long haul flights this year there was no way I would reach Senator to get Star Alliance Gold. Since I do a decent amount of long haul flights being able to access partner airline lounges is a decent benefit for me and staying with Miles and Less makes this seem unobtainable. the biggest status miles flight I had this year was when I had to travel last minute home to the US for a funeral FRA-DEN. Also lucked out with getting some status miles for flights my wife took....
Where would you guys take your miles? Here's my flight history for the year, see attached. Should I just suck it up and stay with LH? Head to Turkish Airlines?
I appreciate any help you guys can provide, I've been fortunate in the past to have good status with other airlines but Lufthansa seems to be the only one that doesn't have a "middle" tier.
Long time lurker, first time putting a real post. I fly mainly for business through my company who always purchases the cheapest ticket possible. Even with a few long haul flights this year there was no way I would reach Senator to get Star Alliance Gold. Since I do a decent amount of long haul flights being able to access partner airline lounges is a decent benefit for me and staying with Miles and Less makes this seem unobtainable. the biggest status miles flight I had this year was when I had to travel last minute home to the US for a funeral FRA-DEN. Also lucked out with getting some status miles for flights my wife took....
Where would you guys take your miles? Here's my flight history for the year, see attached. Should I just suck it up and stay with LH? Head to Turkish Airlines?
I appreciate any help you guys can provide, I've been fortunate in the past to have good status with other airlines but Lufthansa seems to be the only one that doesn't have a "middle" tier.
Take a look at them.
Dec 1, 2018, 12:00 pm
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 21,083
Determining status earning can be harder
Dec 3, 2018, 10:05 am
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: FRA
Programs: UA, HH, Bonvoy
Posts: 34
anyone else? It looks from the where to credit site that I would have easily made status with Turkish Airlines or any of the other star alliance partners.
What would you guys do in my situation? not being Star alliance gold sucks. I'm originally from US, would it then be better to go to United? What Star alliance partner would give me the best benefits considering i'm flying in europe on Lufthansa the majority of the time.
What would you guys do in my situation? not being Star alliance gold sucks. I'm originally from US, would it then be better to go to United? What Star alliance partner would give me the best benefits considering i'm flying in europe on Lufthansa the majority of the time.
Dec 3, 2018, 12:26 pm
#6
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: AMS/RTM
Posts: 2,828
Or consider investing in a credit card that would give you PP membership, or outright paying for a UA club membership, if lounge access is all you want/need (which I totally understand, btw).
Dec 3, 2018, 2:59 pm
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Barcelona, London, on a plane
Programs: BA Silver, TK E+, AA PP, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 13,068
Turkish, Aegean and Asiana are the consensus "easiest" ways to get or keep *G.
However, you really need to cross-reference your actual fare codes against wheretocredit. Sometimes you don't earn ANY partner miles with the really cheap LH fares.
However, you really need to cross-reference your actual fare codes against wheretocredit. Sometimes you don't earn ANY partner miles with the really cheap LH fares.
Dec 4, 2018, 4:01 am
#10
Join Date: Jul 2016
Programs: QR Platinum OWE, LH SEN
Posts: 91
At the about 30 flights a year, FTL - medium level status sounds fair. I have only just made sen this year with over 60 flights, about 50 legs in domestic economy and the other ten mixed long haul C/F. Simple message is if you want status, fly more.
Dec 4, 2018, 4:48 am
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: FRA
Programs: UA, HH, Bonvoy
Posts: 34
Thanks for the feedback guys..... They were certainly not all in E class, for some reason my account history is showing that but it is certainly not correct.
Guess I'll need to make a spreadsheet and sort some of this out.... but certainly seems like LH MM is not the program for me.....
I did update the sheet with all of the correct fare classes but it will take some time to hash out all of the different fare classes and the mileage return for them. Looks like there some flights I left off as well.
Open to any other feedback but seems like a change is inevitable.
Guess I'll need to make a spreadsheet and sort some of this out.... but certainly seems like LH MM is not the program for me.....
I did update the sheet with all of the correct fare classes but it will take some time to hash out all of the different fare classes and the mileage return for them. Looks like there some flights I left off as well.
Open to any other feedback but seems like a change is inevitable.
Last edited by ekasey; Dec 4, 2018 at 4:55 am
Dec 4, 2018, 11:47 am
#12
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: LON
Programs: LH M&M SEN, Accor Plat
Posts: 83
It’s always been my dream to be a SEN. Years of FTL and it’s all I aspired to. Last year I became SEN and this year I renewed it for another two years. Lounge access is nice of course (no big difference between Business and SEN lounges though) but otherwise it’s soooo overrated. I didn’t get a single upgrade (50+ flights including overbooked ones where I was flying in full fare J class), SEN hotline is good but honestly on par with FTL hotline, during IRROPS I always get the f*nger esp. repeatedly from LX.. I’ll say the really good benefits for me are advanced seat selection incl. exit seats, priority luggage and priority boarding which I didn’t have as FTL. You’re much better off with Star Gold on another program for sure (incl. SEN lounge access) but check your real booking classes. Some programs won’t credit you on lower booking classes even on long-haul
Dec 5, 2018, 4:29 am
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: FRA
Programs: UA, HH, Bonvoy
Posts: 34
So I did the Math, or rather excel did the math, and unless I did something wrong screwed either way. I did exclude the premium economy flight I took back to the states as this would not be normal travel for me.
It basically turns out like so:
Flown Mileage = 69597
Asiana = 25784
United = 35614
So looks like I am hosed either way.....
attached photo for anyone interested
It basically turns out like so:
Flown Mileage = 69597
Asiana = 25784
United = 35614
So looks like I am hosed either way.....
attached photo for anyone interested