NYC1

When (if ever?) is M&M going to freeze the expiration of miles considering covid 19? Other airlines and hotels have taken measures weeks ago! Instead, I get emails promoting buying junk on the shopping portal or even better spending money to extend the miles with Loylogic. Come on!

vladko

I have a feeling that they won't do it at all. While most of the airlines were extending status and mileage expiration M&M remained silent. And this just perfectly underline my experience with M&M for the past 3 years.

NYC1

This topic hasn't gotten much traction over the last 3 months. While I'm surprised by that but maybe most posters here aren't affected by miles expiring. I think it's pretty outrageous behavior and I will adjust my spending patterns with LH group accordingly. As a heads up for those who might care, June 30/July 1 is an expiration deadline.

Concerto

I have already adjusted my spending with Lufthansa Group and all the airlines, by simply not flying or using the train for my needs in Europe. The airlines have behaved awfully, they don't deserve our custom or money.

mobilemario

This is really poor.

yurtripper

LH is distinguishing itself (yet again) by being the only major airline to push through hard expiry of miles with no grace or extension, and no way of transferring miles (e.g. via Marriott or Amex) to top up the balance for a redemption. Their message will be: “If you don’t want to lose your miles, buy something vastly overpriced on World Shop”.

They’re also refusing to offer any status extension to those who were qualified till Feb 2022, even though 2020 is basically a dead year and 2021 will be a wipeout for at least Q1 (and likely Q2 also for long-haul). A3 and SQ have made me whole - giving me extensions on status and miles validity; LH is giving me the finger.

No doubt they’ll soon be asking for another bailout, as these Scrooge-like measures aren’t enough for them.

MikeFly

I have over 375k miles and LH wants 3,750 Euro to extend them via Loylogic! Insane! Any suggestions from the experts as to alternative methods?

Grog

I think you'll find the only methods to be 1) maintaining status in Miles & More (which I would guess you don't have) or 2) possessing the Germany-based Miles and More credit card (which requires establishing a verified bank account in Germany).

I think you'll also find yourself between a rock and a hard place. LH miles have a value, especially when redeeming for certain first class and business routes, but LH miles value is horribly diminished when redeeming for their catalog items, gift certificates, or economy-class flights.

If you don't intend on flying LH in First or BIZ in the next year or two, I would consider finding someone who will cover the transfer fee costs and just gift them away to them. Or you can select some junk that you really don't need from their catalog and then regret how the miles went to such a waste.

Finkface

Why not the US Barclay M&M card? While it galls me to keep it alive and pay the AF (to be fair, they did waive it), it keeps miles from expiring. I just put one small recurring charge on it each month. Can’t wait until I can burn my remaining miles and dump the card.

Grog

I don't see this as a benefit of the US Barclay M&M card. I am open to any written confirmation you might have for this.

Finkface

A simple read of the T&C would have shown it. But here you go:

https://www.barclaycardus.com/applyc...Cs.jsp?tc41874

Award miles are exempt from expiring, provided a miles-related purchase is made at least once a month (that is not returned) and the Card Account has been open for at least three months. For details visit miles-and-more.com/en/no-mileage-expiration. If either of these conditions is not met, the mileage expiration is reactivated and the award miles will be subject to expiration according to the Program terms and conditions.

And from M&M: https://www.miles-and-more.com/row/e...dit-cards.html

Benefit from suspension of mileage expiry with Miles & More credit cards

Your award miles will not expire after 36 months but will enjoy unlimited validity when the following conditions are met:
You have been the holder of a Miles & More credit card for a minimum period of three months and
you make at least one mileage-qualifying transaction per month using your Miles & More credit card. This applies to the Miles & More account used for crediting the award miles of that Miles & More credit card.
The unlimited mileage validity applies to all award miles ‑ regardless of whether these have been earned for flying, making purchases or through promotions with any other Miles & More partner.

Grog

I thank you for the clarification and reference.

Your simple read is actually a long read, but that was to be expected. This was certainly not the case in the earliest years of the US Barclay M&M card. I know this as I was a US Barclay M&M card holder and LBBW M&M card holder at the same time. This is a welcome change which probably occurred many years without me noticing it.

Maybe MikeFly has the three months' leadtime and can use your suggestion!

Finkface

By no means a recent change. I have had the US Barclay on and off for about 10 years (whenever I needed M&M) just for this reason. I just set up one small recurring monthly charge so I don’t forget to use it.