Basic Questions (1st post here) please answer
 

Hello all, this is my frist post on this site http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Today I discovered that I want to start collecting miles for future travel. So I have basic questions which I can't find answers to.. hopefully you can help.

Mostly I fly with Lufthansa, British Airways, Air Canada, Eurowings, or LOT.

Now if I wanted to collect "miles" which should I collect?? is Frequent Flyer miles for every airline?? I know for a fact that "Lufthansa" airways has their own system called "Miles & More" is this their own system seperate from Frequent flyer miles?? or is it all the same?

I live in canada and all I see is everyone use frequent flyer miles, but most of my flights are made to Germany or Poland. What should I start collecting?

How does this all work, if I sign up for "Miles & More" will I be able to add miles with every purchase I make just by handing them my card? Will I get a card or does this work through Credit Cards only?

As you can tell I am somewhat confused.. but I really want to start collecting and start earning free flights.

Thank you in advance to anyone who answers my questions.

Cheers

Luke

Welcome to FlyerTalk, Optima!

The basics of the basics can be found here: http://travel.howstuffworks.com/ff-programs1.htm

Also, there is always a valuable base of knowledge by using the search function.

Good luck on your FF endeavors!

Aloha

[This message has been edited by slippahs (edited 09-18-2003).]

most airlines have their own frequent-flier program (you mention LH with miles&more). Some 'other' arlines are close partners (for LH thats all StarAlliance airlines) from the airlines you list LOT, Eurwings and Air Canda are partner of miles and more and you earn (and can spend) miles flying them (also United Airlines, etc. etc.). British Airways is not (their major partners are the oneworld-members).

To become a member of a frequent flier program you don't need any credit-card. The airline-program of your choice will send you, after application (often a provisory card can already be tearedoff the application form) their card home.

Most programs differ (even between airlines of the same alliance) heavily: diffent mileage earning and spending rules and mileage-amounts. Different upgrade- and lounge-access-policies, different miles needed in different periods to climb up the 'status'-list for that specific frequent-flier program.

To give you better individual advie, which program(s) might be the best for you, we would need more informations: your place of origin (programs often have also different rules for different countries), kind of fares you buy (eco, business, first), what are priorities for miles-usage later (free award flights in which class from where to where, class-of-flight upgrades on paid tickets). Etc. etc. etc.

Thank you for your reply, I read the article and did some more reaserch and now i have new different questions.


If I enroll with "Miles & More" can i use it at every purchase i make? does anyone use it here?

Also I noticed that with frequent flyer miles their needs to be empty space on flights and its really hard to get tickets from your points. While with miles & more if I use the Lithuansa there is no problems.. is this true?

Thanks

I am located in Toronto, Canada

always economy class

My main destinations will be Germany and Poland.. it doesn't matter what airline i fly with as long as I get there for the cheapest price and its safe.

I usually fly with plane changes not straight to the destination, because its cheaper.

Thanks

[This message has been edited by Optima (edited 09-18-2003).]

M&M is a frequent flyer program not a credit card. You will be issued a FF number once registering with LH. Each time you make a airline reservation with LH or any other Star Alliance partner give them your M&M number and after you complete the flight you will be given miles in your LH M&M account.

For some free Lufthansa miles, take a look at both the Credit Card page and the Airline Registrations page of my web site below. Also, you might want to read the How to Begin and Value of Miles pages.

Happy free travel, but Caution - seeking free miles can be adictive.

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Free Frequent Flyer Miles

thanks pgrary, but most of your info is for US residents.. us Canadians can't take advantage of 80% of things you have listed there..

Any successful Canadian travelers around there?

If I collect Luthansa miles and Frequent flyer miles on some visa.. will I be able to join them at the luthansa airline later on to purchase one flight with the joint collection of both of these points?

Thanks

Luke

For information on credit cards and travel, I'd suggest the four part article from Smarter Living:

http://www.smarterliving.com/columns...mn.php?id=4984
http://www.smarterliving.com/columns...mn.php?id=5092
http://www.smarterliving.com/columns...mn.php?id=5346
http://www.smarterliving.com/columns...mn.php?id=5481

They go over the different types of cards and what might match for different types of travelers.

I think that the reason that most of the offers I list are for Americans is that most of the offers available are for Americans. But the success of marketing via miles seems to be getting the attention of businesses in other countries, including Canada. Give it a few years, I think, to see the opportunities world wide, perhaps with repetition of some of the mistakes that were so lucrative for us Americans. In the meantime, be sure to check out the Canadian website on the subject, Rewards Canada, at http://members.shaw.ca/rewardscanada/. Also, be sure to subscribe to its free email newsletter.


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Free Frequent Flyer Miles