A first time post, and a question for Star Alliance experts.
I reached Gold on TG this year. I will be flying AKL-LHR-AKL before the end of the year, (approx. 24,000 miles) and will be flying the same route probably two or more times in 2002. There are several *A carriers which fly this route, and I will use one of them, economy class, cheapest fare available.
I am told that miles earned in the remainder of 2001 will not count to retaining Gold status on TG. So I am thinking of joining another *A programme in order that the miles I fly in the remainder of 2001 count toward status, and then I would accumlate miles with the new programme throughout 2002 in order to achieve status in that new programme.
Two questions. First, which *A programme is recommended, eg, are the differences over accumulation periods given that I will accumlate some of mileage this calender year, and some of it in the next calender year. Secondly, and most importantly, can I still use the benefits of TG Gold but accumulate the miles on another programme? For example, I am flying close to Xmas, and will need the priority waitlising that *A Gold gives. Can I get the priority waitlisting, but accumlate the miles on another programme? In other words, can I enjoy the privileges of *A Gold at the booking and check-in stage, yet earn miles for a *A programme in which I will have no status? And finally, can I use the complemtary upgrade given by TG Gold on a flight on which I am accumulating miles on another programme?
Hope someone can help.

Welcome to your first post. And SOOO many questions.

To be honest the Star Alliance Forum might be a more suitable place to ask your questions. However for days MOST threads on this Forum clearly do not belong here, and the moderators seem to select a few at random using a dartboard to relocate, so why not overlook another??

You will find some quite superb info here for you:

BlondeBombers Star * Alliance Member Benefit Comparison Chart:
http://members.home.net/deercroft/starall01.html

And be warned as far as I know * carriers work on a calendar year accrual basis, but typically the North American carriers at least allow the status earned in calendar 2001 to be good until end Feb 2003. See recent posts on the "Baht Pass" thread here for more detail on that.

But to answer your questions anyway...

1. As to which program to use for the remainder of this year and the next, it just depends on your needs and priorities. As far as I know, the only two programs which do not work on a calendar year basis are LH's Miles&More and NZ's Air Points. But seeing as you seem to be an economy flyer (nothing wrong with that, of course, so am I ) and that you will only be doing 24,000 more miles in 2001, I would suggest you stick to TG for now until the next year.
Of course, if you could stretch it to over 35,000 miles before end-December then AC will give you Elite (=Star Gold) for 2002.

2. Yes, you can definately receive the benefits of Gold whilst accumulating on another carrier. Simplest thing to do would be quoting your TG number until you check in, at which point you make sure they change the number to the new FFP. That way you'll receive the priority waitlist until you change the number at checkin.
Another thing you could do about the priority waitlist, (all other benefits you only need to show them your card, not necessarily put the number into the reservation) is that you can phone up a reservations agent of the airline, tell her that you're a Star Gold member but wish to accumulate on another airline. Ask her to verify (whichever method she will use) that you're Star Gold then change the waitlist status code to whichever they usually have for Star Golds but keeping your new FFP number there and simply making a note on your reservation, "this passenger is Star Gold, number XXXXXXXXX" (phew! I hope you understood all that, it's very confusing I know)

3. Likewise, you can use your TG upgrade voucher by putting your TG number into the reservation until checkin, but you can ask the agent to change the FFP number after you receive your upgraded boarding pass.

You have to make sure that your boarding pass displays the FFP number of the airline you actually want to accumulate on, because should the computers act dumb and drop your miles, you will not be able to prove that you didn't receive credit into the TG account if the boarding pass says "TG*FFP" when actually you wanted to credit the miles to, say, AC.

Hope this answers your questions, happy flying!

Thanks for using FlyerTalk, as you are new, and may not know, but we do have a seperate forum on the Star alliance. I will now close this thread and move it to the Star forum.

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burkey
FlyerTalk Miles Moderator
MilesBuzz
American Airlines
[email protected]
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