SAS states that their elite level qualification is based on miles accumulated when travelling on Star Alliance flights. This is seemingly not the case for British Midland where the miles are classed as "Extra", meaning they can be used for claiming awards but not for elite level status.

That's true, but as you might know, British Midland isn't part of the Star Alliance. We've also learned the hard way that just the airlines are part of Star Alliance, not their program partners.

For future reference, SAS is one of the Star Alliance airlines, partnering with Air Canada, Lufthansa, Thai Airways, United, and from October 1, Brazil's Varig Airlines.

VARIG became member already on oct-first 1997.

SAS EuroBonus clarified the above in one of their recent newsletters. Even if the flight is coded as an SK flight, you do not necessarily get basic points. You only get basic points from Star Alliance partners and a few other airlines like Skyways and Air Botnia. It's a shame but true. The EuroBonus website can be used to check which airlines give basic points. But I do think it's a bit odd that a flight that's coded (well code-shared) as SK does not always mean basic points.

See: http://www.sas.se/eurobonus/earn/pwp.htm

definition question: you probably define "basic" points as those points/miles that will define you future status in your ff-program? ("we" on this FlyerTalk board in general call them STATUS points/miles).

All StarAlliance partners (Air Canada, Lufthansa, SAS, Thai, United, Varig plus new Ansett and Air New Zealand) will credit flight miles (with some airlines sometimes minus 30% - 50% for eco) as Status miles (as long as you have entered your ff-number and as long as your flight number is a StarAlliance flight number AND the original carrier is a StarAlliance member).

Compared with other frequent flyer programs this is already much better than average.

Thanks Rudi. I'm new to this bulletin board and I am obviously making some mistakes. By 'basic' points, I do mean 'status' points. This is after all the EuroBonus part of this system and I thought that everyone in the EuroBonus part would know that SAS refers to these 'status' points as 'basic' points right throughout their literature. I'll try and remember to use a more universal language from now on!

It's interesting perhaps that SAS does not change this if it's more in line with other FF systems. Because recently, as part of their livery changes, they renamed their EuroClass and Tourist Class to Business Class and Economy Class respectively. They said that this was to be more in line with the other Star Alliance members. I don't mind the new colours and it's kind of cute to see a message written on the outside of the plane when you board. Things like 'Can you taste a snowflake?'

[This message has been edited by Austman (edited 03-12-99).]

thank you Austman. We (the "oldies" at FlyerTalk) appreciate if someone like you joins and gives his infos/questions as a SAS flyer - some of us are already exchanging frequently StarAlliance topics from the "egoistic" view of the different members-ff-programs. One very good example of this is BlondeBomber who is THE expert on Air Canada. And I think that Air Canada flights (counting as Status miles in your SAS-program) could be, from time to time, an alternative for you from Scandinavia, if you plan to fly to N America. It is always good to have more than just one option.

Please keep sharing your infos/questions/answers here on this board. Thank you.

Thanks again Rudi. I'll be pleased to say my part about SAS and EuroBonus which is the airline and FF program that I mostly use as I live in Stockholm. I've also travelled on all Star Alliance airlines except for Varig. And I'm including Ansett and Air New Zealand in that statement.


[This message has been edited by Austman (edited 03-12-99).]

You might want to add the SAS column to our Star Alliance comparison chart (we have UA, LH and AC covered now)?

That's a good Idea BlondeBomber, the creator of the comparison chart. Maybe Thai too?

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CATMAN

probably before Thai (looking at the interest and contributions of our fellow colleagues on the board) the new members Air NewZealand and Ansett will interest and influence our future options.

But I don't mind at all, if we find somebody who is top-tier with Thai and can contribute. As we found out in the meantime, you have to be a top-tier to find out about all (sometimes hidden) perks of a program. May be next year (after being 1K 98 & 99 and probably 2000 as well, and this year testing LH Senator) I'll head for VARIG or Thai top-ff?

[This message has been edited by Rudi (edited 03-13-99).]

Rudi,

By far you are the most professional FFlyer I have ever "met" !

Good luck !

MMM

thank you - "most craziest one" - on that I would agree!

I can add to the comparison chart for SAS as I am a top tier EuroBonus member (or at least have been for a few years. (Now, I'm not so sure ...)

Where is the chart?