What is HON worth to you?
Feb 15, 2019, 7:19 am
#196
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Usually seat 1A, home:Tallinn
Programs: LH -- HON Circle **, IHG Spire Elite, Hilton Diamond, 1865 Voyager
Posts: 470
But my travel insurance which I have with my Amex Plat card did cover the costs, when I did not reach TLV airport due traffic.
Actually only equation asked was when I did start driving.
As that was OK by normal traffic conditions I just got money on my account in 5 days.
Was something around 500 €
Feb 15, 2019, 8:20 am
#197
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: NYC -- UA 1K; SPG Platinum; HH Diamond.
Posts: 2,919
I agree, a no brainier for your business & mine but I have come across seemingly ‘brainless’ things from LH, it’s a huge organisation.
LH IT is a complete joke.
Certainly they get most aspects of HON Circle right with a dedicated team & instructions from the Top to take care of us, their attitude yesterday was spot on, not just the help provided.
i have travel insurance anyway for such occasions but they saved me the time & effort of claiming on that !
I think when it comes to the LH people and the IT systems that support HON and F, they are very good.
Feb 15, 2019, 8:48 am
#198
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Stoke on Trent, UK (MAN ), BUE, BKK, DBV
Programs: LH HON***,UA,BA.EK Gold,AV.
Posts: 11,637
I do not know about Germany.
But my travel insurance which I have with my Amex Plat card did cover the costs, when I did not reach TLV airport due traffic.
Actually only equation asked was when I did start driving.
As that was OK by normal traffic conditions I just got money on my account in 5 days.
Was something around 500 €
But my travel insurance which I have with my Amex Plat card did cover the costs, when I did not reach TLV airport due traffic.
Actually only equation asked was when I did start driving.
As that was OK by normal traffic conditions I just got money on my account in 5 days.
Was something around 500 €
Your correct that the standard terms of travel insurance include being able to demonstrate you acted responsibly & left for the airport at the appropriate time.
Feb 15, 2019, 9:14 am
#199
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 1,481
LH’s business class is a solid product, but the 2-2-2 seating wasn’t made for single business travelers. But the new business class is starting next year. So as long as LH keeps on having all other advantages, there won’t many better products on the market. And full-integrated carriers, like OS and especially LX, already offer excellent business class products.
But the main benefit of all M&M tier levels is earning award miles by other actions than flying. If you have high spendings anyway, it”s easy to earn some hundred thousands award miles every year by paying, shopping, sleeping, renting, reading etc. If you use them for F companion awards and use your evouchers to upgrade from P to O, the drawback of high taxes on award tickets shouldn’t bother you.
But the main benefit of all M&M tier levels is earning award miles by other actions than flying. If you have high spendings anyway, it”s easy to earn some hundred thousands award miles every year by paying, shopping, sleeping, renting, reading etc. If you use them for F companion awards and use your evouchers to upgrade from P to O, the drawback of high taxes on award tickets shouldn’t bother you.
Feb 15, 2019, 1:14 pm
#200
Join Date: Feb 2013
Programs: LH M&M, BA EC, DL SM
Posts: 5,724
Thank to both of you. Iwill look into this. When I pay for the flights with my LH SEN card, I am not protected, and haven’t found additional insurance to offer that protection.
Apr 7, 2019, 6:00 pm
#201
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Terceira Island
Programs: TP Gold, *G Star Alliance
Posts: 251
Most cost efficient way of reaching HON
Hey guys,
I would like to know in your opinion what is the most cost-efficient way of reaching HON circle nowadays for someone with no status with LH.
Should the strategy be mainly based in flying 7-8 RT in F due to very good deals we have been seeing ex-EU to Asia and South America or should it be mixed with some long-haul J flights? Also how likely is it to be done with intra-Europe flying?
Would also like to hear what are your estimates on how much would it cost doing it the most efficient way (the only specific I could find on the subject was from 2012).
PS: Please don't flame the curiosity of a future HON Circle member!
I would like to know in your opinion what is the most cost-efficient way of reaching HON circle nowadays for someone with no status with LH.
Should the strategy be mainly based in flying 7-8 RT in F due to very good deals we have been seeing ex-EU to Asia and South America or should it be mixed with some long-haul J flights? Also how likely is it to be done with intra-Europe flying?
Would also like to hear what are your estimates on how much would it cost doing it the most efficient way (the only specific I could find on the subject was from 2012).
PS: Please don't flame the curiosity of a future HON Circle member!
Apr 7, 2019, 7:23 pm
#202
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Stoke on Trent, UK (MAN ), BUE, BKK, DBV
Programs: LH HON***,UA,BA.EK Gold,AV.
Posts: 11,637
Cheapest is on the best A class fares as you suggest, added benefit your flying F already & therefore receiving many of the HON benefits such as lounge access & better irrops handling.
Only way in J Intra EU is D Class & that’s not cheap apart from a few obscure routes around the Balkans. Doing it in D Class is a lot of flying NEK
As to cost it’s a simple multiplication of those A deals
Only way in J Intra EU is D Class & that’s not cheap apart from a few obscure routes around the Balkans. Doing it in D Class is a lot of flying NEK
As to cost it’s a simple multiplication of those A deals
Apr 7, 2019, 8:02 pm
#203
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Terceira Island
Programs: TP Gold, *G Star Alliance
Posts: 251
Cheapest is on the best A class fares as you suggest, added benefit your flying F already & therefore receiving many of the HON benefits such as lounge access & better irrops handling.
Only way in J Intra EU is D Class & that’s not cheap apart from a few obscure routes around the Balkans. Doing it in D Class is a lot of flying NEK
As to cost it’s a simple multiplication of those A deals
Only way in J Intra EU is D Class & that’s not cheap apart from a few obscure routes around the Balkans. Doing it in D Class is a lot of flying NEK
As to cost it’s a simple multiplication of those A deals
Apr 7, 2019, 9:18 pm
#204
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 2,188
Apr 8, 2019, 12:29 am
#205
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Stoke on Trent, UK (MAN ), BUE, BKK, DBV
Programs: LH HON***,UA,BA.EK Gold,AV.
Posts: 11,637
I need to travel & made the choice to stick with one primary programme, which enabled me to make HON. Had I just bought the cheapest premium products at the time of travel & route I would not have made a top tier, it’s all a calculation.
Apr 8, 2019, 12:32 am
#206
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Stoke on Trent, UK (MAN ), BUE, BKK, DBV
Programs: LH HON***,UA,BA.EK Gold,AV.
Posts: 11,637
Most HON members qualify because of their travel patterns alone; a few have to pad their accounts on the odd years with a mileage run or two. Given the current mileage earning table at M&M, it just isn't cost-effective to qualify for HON on mileage runs alone (remember: time is money). As a consequence, frequent flyers such as chris63 appreciate the fact that the FCLs/FCT are rarely crowded.
Apr 8, 2019, 1:05 am
#207
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Usually seat 1A, home:Tallinn
Programs: LH -- HON Circle **, IHG Spire Elite, Hilton Diamond, 1865 Voyager
Posts: 470
I am also going for HON this year, currently from 600 000 Hon miles around 470 000 will be after 1 week already under belt (278000 was from 2018, so lot of flying this year).
My statistics gives that very frankly 1 HON mile cost around 0,10 EUR
There are sometimes deals with (cheapest I find) around 0,05 EUR per mile, but that is rare and quite uncomfortable (at least for me).
Lot of tariffs require more, like 0,12-0,17 EUR per mile, but median for me around 0,10 EUR.
And yes, frankly it is A and D class bookings only.
I do not pure mileage run, but adjust my travel pattern for that need (trying not to fly direct if possible have transfers).
It is quite fun to see the check-in lady face when she realize that I want to fly not WAW-PRG, but WAW-FRA-MUC-PRG.
Usually there is no big price difference, but for me the difference is 5000 miles.
And I have that time and actually like flying (but yes, the NEK is bad).
As Chris63 wrote -- there is lot of calculations.
Should I fly only most comfortable and/or cheapest premium products, the median cost of 1 HON mile might be around 0,20 EUR I guess
My statistics gives that very frankly 1 HON mile cost around 0,10 EUR
There are sometimes deals with (cheapest I find) around 0,05 EUR per mile, but that is rare and quite uncomfortable (at least for me).
Lot of tariffs require more, like 0,12-0,17 EUR per mile, but median for me around 0,10 EUR.
And yes, frankly it is A and D class bookings only.
I do not pure mileage run, but adjust my travel pattern for that need (trying not to fly direct if possible have transfers).
It is quite fun to see the check-in lady face when she realize that I want to fly not WAW-PRG, but WAW-FRA-MUC-PRG.
Usually there is no big price difference, but for me the difference is 5000 miles.
And I have that time and actually like flying (but yes, the NEK is bad).
As Chris63 wrote -- there is lot of calculations.
Should I fly only most comfortable and/or cheapest premium products, the median cost of 1 HON mile might be around 0,20 EUR I guess
Apr 8, 2019, 1:23 am
#208
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: HKG
Programs: LH HON
Posts: 195
To maintain HON, I also book routings that don't make a lot of sense if "time" is a super big issue. So instead of going for the cheapest J or F fare from HKG to EU (mostly: MEA), I book a flight from HKT or MNL via HKG on LH/LX that requires a positioning flight. This pushes down the airfare significantly compared to the (ludicrous) non-stop fares to MUC or ZRH and nets HON miles
Apr 8, 2019, 1:34 am
#209
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 48,165
The best you can do is ~10 cents per HON Circle mile. So you are looking at a substantial out of pocket expense and an incredible waste of your time for minimal returns. I would rather buy F(A) tickets or upgrade C tickets to enjoy the F facilities once in a while when travelling to a place I want to go to.
PS: I'm 40+ and have a family. That probably tweaks my perception.
PS: I'm 40+ and have a family. That probably tweaks my perception.
Apr 8, 2019, 1:47 am
#210
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 286
Should the strategy be mainly based in flying 7-8 RT in F due to very good deals we have been seeing ex-EU to Asia and South America or should it be mixed with some long-haul J flights? Also how likely is it to be done with intra-Europe flying?
Would also like to hear what are your estimates on how much would it cost doing it the most efficient way (the only specific I could find on the subject was from 2012).
Would also like to hear what are your estimates on how much would it cost doing it the most efficient way (the only specific I could find on the subject was from 2012).
I think the most cost efficient (but also most time consuming) strategy are the 10k flights in Europe for EUR 500,- or below. (so EUR 0,05 or lower per mile)