The SAS | EuroBonus Forum Kafé
Apr 14, 2019, 10:14 am
#4816
Join Date: Jun 2015
Programs: AY+, SK EB
Posts: 2,962
Thank you so much, CPH-Flyer.
You’re always so helpful
I have 17000 basic points + 44000 extra points now.
Do you think it’s better to buy + convert extra points now so I can reach 45000 basic points before end of April?
Or maybe I can lean on this plan:
I’ll be flying Lufthansa & Air China C class plus SAS plus with route Oslo - Frankfurt - Beijing - Tokyo and Jakarta - Beijing - Stockholm - Oslo this May.
I will buy Tokyo - Singapore - Jakarta in Y so I hope I get more points.
Sorry, I am really a newbie here.
You’re always so helpful
I have 17000 basic points + 44000 extra points now.
Do you think it’s better to buy + convert extra points now so I can reach 45000 basic points before end of April?
Or maybe I can lean on this plan:
I’ll be flying Lufthansa & Air China C class plus SAS plus with route Oslo - Frankfurt - Beijing - Tokyo and Jakarta - Beijing - Stockholm - Oslo this May.
I will buy Tokyo - Singapore - Jakarta in Y so I hope I get more points.
Sorry, I am really a newbie here.
The exchange rate of extra points to basic points is 10:1. Pretty bad. Also to buy basic points you need to pay 100€ for 1000 basic points. Pretty bad again. Also there is a maximum of 5 or 10k basic points you can get this way.
In case you are located in Norway (or Sweden), you should obtain the SAS Amex Elite card. It gives 20k basic points. So you need only 25k in addition from flights. That is not a high bar.
Apr 14, 2019, 10:17 am
#4817
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Tokyo
Programs: JAL Metal Card (OWE), SAS Eurobonus Gold (*G), Marriott Titanium (LTP), Tokyu Hotels Platinum
Posts: 21,173
17K is too low to buy the remaining, and 44K points to spend is I believe not enough to convert to make a difference. Either you have to fly a lot in the remainder of April, or accept that you will drop to silver.
Your May flying will get you a big chunk of the requirements for the next year. If you get all in to 200% earning in long haul, plus the two short haul you'll be well above half way for Gold.
Your May flying will get you a big chunk of the requirements for the next year. If you get all in to 200% earning in long haul, plus the two short haul you'll be well above half way for Gold.
Apr 14, 2019, 10:58 am
#4818
Join Date: Jan 2014
Programs: Eurobonus, GarudaMiles, Qmiles
Posts: 66
17K is too low to buy the remaining, and 44K points to spend is I believe not enough to convert to make a difference. Either you have to fly a lot in the remainder of April, or accept that you will drop to silver.
Your May flying will get you a big chunk of the requirements for the next year. If you get all in to 200% earning in long haul, plus the two short haul you'll be well above half way for Gold.
Your May flying will get you a big chunk of the requirements for the next year. If you get all in to 200% earning in long haul, plus the two short haul you'll be well above half way for Gold.
I think you are too late to maintain your status. If you have no flights in April, then just leave it as it is.
The exchange rate of extra points to basic points is 10:1. Pretty bad. Also to buy basic points you need to pay 100€ for 1000 basic points. Pretty bad again. Also there is a maximum of 5 or 10k basic points you can get this way.
In case you are located in Norway (or Sweden), you should obtain the SAS Amex Elite card. It gives 20k basic points. So you need only 25k in addition from flights. That is not a high bar.
The exchange rate of extra points to basic points is 10:1. Pretty bad. Also to buy basic points you need to pay 100€ for 1000 basic points. Pretty bad again. Also there is a maximum of 5 or 10k basic points you can get this way.
In case you are located in Norway (or Sweden), you should obtain the SAS Amex Elite card. It gives 20k basic points. So you need only 25k in addition from flights. That is not a high bar.
I have learned a lot now.
I’ll try to get AMEX Card , fly more this year and even use my SAS Premium MasterCard more.
Once again, thank you and I wish you all a lovely Easter 😊
Apr 15, 2019, 1:44 am
#4819
Moderator: SAS
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: BLL & CPH & ZRH
Programs: LX, SK EBD (*G)
Posts: 3,153
You could try and do a mileage run in the next 15 days. Given, it'd be expensive, but it depends on how much you are willing to spend for your status.
Currently you'd need 28k basic points, or a little less and buy the remaining ones by transferring extra points to basic points (terrible value at 10:1, although I have done it when I was 300 points short of gold).
Your options of mileage runs: OSL-LIS-JFK in Business and back on TAP yield 20k points for a price of 1600$ with only one night in JFK (18th to 19th April or 24th ot 25th April)! Leaving you only short 8000 points of gold. Those you could just buy for approx 800 dollars and already enyjoy your gold status. Is that really worth it for you? Only you can answer that question. Tbh 2500 $ as a total cost for 28k miles is pretty decent, especially for a flight being in the next few days... I'm actually considering of doing this myself now! Sadly I'm busy on both available flight dates
Another although more costly option is OSL-BRU-NRT-Sapporo-HND-VIE-OSL that would yield approx 25k miles and books into a mix of Y on the short hauls and Business on the long hauls. The rest of the points you'd need to buy or exchange with extra points again.
Currently you'd need 28k basic points, or a little less and buy the remaining ones by transferring extra points to basic points (terrible value at 10:1, although I have done it when I was 300 points short of gold).
Your options of mileage runs: OSL-LIS-JFK in Business and back on TAP yield 20k points for a price of 1600$ with only one night in JFK (18th to 19th April or 24th ot 25th April)! Leaving you only short 8000 points of gold. Those you could just buy for approx 800 dollars and already enyjoy your gold status. Is that really worth it for you? Only you can answer that question. Tbh 2500 $ as a total cost for 28k miles is pretty decent, especially for a flight being in the next few days... I'm actually considering of doing this myself now! Sadly I'm busy on both available flight dates
Another although more costly option is OSL-BRU-NRT-Sapporo-HND-VIE-OSL that would yield approx 25k miles and books into a mix of Y on the short hauls and Business on the long hauls. The rest of the points you'd need to buy or exchange with extra points again.
Last edited by Nick Art; Apr 15, 2019 at 1:57 am
Apr 15, 2019, 7:30 am
#4820
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: AGH
Posts: 5,979
Really, spending $3k for a last minute mileage run (or runs) to obtain EBG? Are you serious? There is no way that *G is worth that kind of money if you are not a very regular traveler which needs FastTrack and Lounge access to ease the pain. If you barely qualify for silver due to your flying patterns, I doubt investing that money (and time, I find mileage runs - especially crazy thing like for a day across the Atlantic - very disruptive and 3 days are worth a bit for me as well. Both on business at a day rate over $1.000 or private to enjoy time with my family and friends, hard to put a value on) is a good value proposition.
Best advice: If you want EBG, travel more! If you travel a lot in cheap economy, pony up the money for Plus flights. Which probably come cheaper than $3k and a messed up weekend.
EDIT:// btw, it might be too late for the AMEX (which costs 4.000 SEK/year as well). I think they award the 20k miles after the first invoice is settled, not when the card has been issued. But I might be wrong.
Best advice: If you want EBG, travel more! If you travel a lot in cheap economy, pony up the money for Plus flights. Which probably come cheaper than $3k and a messed up weekend.
EDIT:// btw, it might be too late for the AMEX (which costs 4.000 SEK/year as well). I think they award the 20k miles after the first invoice is settled, not when the card has been issued. But I might be wrong.
Apr 15, 2019, 8:47 am
#4821
Moderator: SAS
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: BLL & CPH & ZRH
Programs: LX, SK EBD (*G)
Posts: 3,153
Really, spending $3k for a last minute mileage run (or runs) to obtain EBG? Are you serious? There is no way that *G is worth that kind of money if you are not a very regular traveler which needs FastTrack and Lounge access to ease the pain. If you barely qualify for silver due to your flying patterns, I doubt investing that money (and time, I find mileage runs - especially crazy thing like for a day across the Atlantic - very disruptive and 3 days are worth a bit for me as well. Both on business at a day rate over $1.000 or private to enjoy time with my family and friends, hard to put a value on) is a good value proposition.
Best advice: If you want EBG, travel more! If you travel a lot in cheap economy, pony up the money for Plus flights. Which probably come cheaper than $3k and a messed up weekend.
Best advice: If you want EBG, travel more! If you travel a lot in cheap economy, pony up the money for Plus flights. Which probably come cheaper than $3k and a messed up weekend.
Weekend trip to New York. If you have the time and money and will, why not? I’ve been there and done that. So what? I actually enjoyed it quite much. Everybody can have a different opinion if a mileage run is worth it or not. In my opinion flying to JFK for the weekend is a better value than spending 2000-3000$ on missing points... So I figured I’d show how it would be possible to obtain his missing points by flying. And even you must agree that OSL-JFK in Business departing in only three days for that price is very decent! (fact aside that they do not need to go to JFK, except for the miles).
I enjoy flying so I have no problem doing that for the missing miles. Furthermore I don’t know what your travel habits are but to just so obtain gold I spend significantly more than 3k $ for my travel per year.
As mentioned: I’m looking at planning a week trip to JFK this summer and the price for J then is as low as 1200.-$! (+500$ positioning flights), which I find a decent deal.
Apr 15, 2019, 10:23 am
#4822
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: AGH
Posts: 5,979
Planing a weekend in NYC and just in'n'out for mileage on very short notice run are two different things. I'm heading over to SFO for a one day meeting now... do I enjoy it? Well, flying LH F makes it fun. Would I do it for achieving status? Probably not if I have to pay for it. And yes, I do like traveling a lot, even on business - otherwise I couldn't do the job I do.
EBG/EBD eases my pain to be stuck in the rear end on the metal tube at least twice a week. Lounges, FastTrack, Free Drinks, Soft Seatblocks, the Odd upgrade, Priority at IROPS and all what comes with it, is something I value BECAUSE I travel a lot. I would not travel a lot to achieve benefits which are meaningless if you do not travel enough to make them count.
I think saying you spend more than $3k JUST to achieve Gold, is misleading. You spend $3k because you like to travel, see the world and spend time in NYC. Which is totally understandable.
EBG/EBD eases my pain to be stuck in the rear end on the metal tube at least twice a week. Lounges, FastTrack, Free Drinks, Soft Seatblocks, the Odd upgrade, Priority at IROPS and all what comes with it, is something I value BECAUSE I travel a lot. I would not travel a lot to achieve benefits which are meaningless if you do not travel enough to make them count.
I think saying you spend more than $3k JUST to achieve Gold, is misleading. You spend $3k because you like to travel, see the world and spend time in NYC. Which is totally understandable.
Apr 15, 2019, 2:35 pm
#4823
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
Buying lounge access, extra baggage allowance and perhaps even fast track security, is possible for way less than $3000. And so you won’t see me paying $3000 just for the purpose to go from *S to *G.
Apr 15, 2019, 3:09 pm
#4824
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 2,016
Of course you shouldn't be travelling a lot if you don't like to travel.
Apr 15, 2019, 3:55 pm
#4825
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
Buying how many times? If you remain EBG for a period of ten years, then you get lifetime status, but if you drop to a lower tier just once, then you have to restart from the beginning. It could be worth a lot of money if you are close to attaining lifetime status.
Of course you shouldn't be travelling a lot if you don't like to travel.
Of course you shouldn't be travelling a lot if you don't like to travel.
There is no guarantee that SAS EuroBonus’ lifetime status lasts longer than my lifetime, much as that may disappoint some.
I have my lifetime elite status in a few programs, but they end up being worth less and less over time, even with regard to airlines that are likely to keep their own programs far longer than there will be an SK with EuroBonus.
Apr 16, 2019, 3:56 am
#4826
Join Date: Oct 2011
Programs: EuroBonus Diamond, Delta Skymiles 360, BAEC LTG, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 2,827
There is a very notable difference in the value of lifetime status between programs. United gives you lifetime Gold at just a million miles flown which then also gives you SPG Gold for life. Delta provides their Choice Benefits for lifetime Plat status which is a minimum of $200 in value while SK sends their Diamond members 4 discounted cinema tickets to reward their "loyalty". And we don't even have status milage generating creditcards here outside of the EB AMEX Plat annual bonus.
Apr 16, 2019, 6:50 am
#4827
Moderator: SAS
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: BLL & CPH & ZRH
Programs: LX, SK EBD (*G)
Posts: 3,153
Well it always depends on the person:
If you enjoy flying and have the money to spend I see no issue in booking such a last minute mileage run to get *G. Money spent on something you enjoy, even if it's a last minute short trip to New York, is not wasted money.
Given, this does not make any sense for the average Person at all and yes, it's a lot of money and arguing if objectively *G for a year is worth the 3k $: It is probably not. But then again, if I have the money, the time and have fun in doing it then why the heck not?
If you enjoy flying and have the money to spend I see no issue in booking such a last minute mileage run to get *G. Money spent on something you enjoy, even if it's a last minute short trip to New York, is not wasted money.
Given, this does not make any sense for the average Person at all and yes, it's a lot of money and arguing if objectively *G for a year is worth the 3k $: It is probably not. But then again, if I have the money, the time and have fun in doing it then why the heck not?
Apr 18, 2019, 9:11 am
#4828
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 11,586
I guess it makes sense the SK lounges are poorly catered because its not really a premium airline.
I went into the Norsken lounge just for a look, checked in...walked around and straight back out again. Awful.
Apr 23, 2019, 10:24 am
#4829
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: CPH
Programs: SK, A3, QR
Posts: 220
My inbound SAS Plus ticket on my CPH-ARN-LAX-ARN-CPH ticket was cancelled and rebooked onto LH PY LAX-MUC and then LH Y for MUC-CPH.
I will arrive plus 4 hour late and thus expect to be entitled to 600 EUR compensation. But as MUC-CPH is in effect a partial downgrade from PY to Y, will I not be entitled to a (albeit small) partial refund as well? Would anyone know how much to claim?
I will arrive plus 4 hour late and thus expect to be entitled to 600 EUR compensation. But as MUC-CPH is in effect a partial downgrade from PY to Y, will I not be entitled to a (albeit small) partial refund as well? Would anyone know how much to claim?
Apr 24, 2019, 3:58 am
#4830
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 2,016
My inbound SAS Plus ticket on my CPH-ARN-LAX-ARN-CPH ticket was cancelled and rebooked onto LH PY LAX-MUC and then LH Y for MUC-CPH.
I will arrive plus 4 hour late and thus expect to be entitled to 600 EUR compensation. But as MUC-CPH is in effect a partial downgrade from PY to Y, will I not be entitled to a (albeit small) partial refund as well? Would anyone know how much to claim?
I will arrive plus 4 hour late and thus expect to be entitled to 600 EUR compensation. But as MUC-CPH is in effect a partial downgrade from PY to Y, will I not be entitled to a (albeit small) partial refund as well? Would anyone know how much to claim?
Measure some distances:
- CPH-ARN-LAX-MUC-CPH = 12,354 miles (source)
- MUC-CPH = 504 miles
To make it more complicated, you originally booked CPH-ARN-LAX-ARN-CPH, and I don't know if this somehow affects how you calculate the distance percentage.