Easiest path to SkyTeam Elite+
 

What is the easiest way to achieve SkyTeam Elite+?

Can this be added to the FAQ?

I am aware of the AmEx Delta cards that can achieve Elite+ with maybe $100k spend.

How about which FF program offers Elite+ with the fewest number of segments and which offers with the fewest miles flown?

Is there any easier way?

In other words, where is the Aegean Airlines of SkyTeam?

Easiest path to SkyTeam Elite+
 

Soon to be Garuda but for now, AFKLM Flying Blue gives you STE with 15 segments.

I pulled the below together, if there are corrections or errors let me know. Have added a link to this thread on the FAQ.

None as easy as Aegean, it looks like the lowest requirements are Middle East Airlines (40,000 Qualifying Miles) or Flying Blue (40,000 Level Miles for non-French residents - although I think most economy fares don't earn full mileage credit in that program). Garuda's is also 40,000 miles but they aren't expected to join until 2014.

Korean Air gives you the easiest lifetime STE+ (500,000 miles on ST carriers).

Aeroflot
http://www.aeroflot.ru/cms/en/afl_bonus/rules_club
50,000 qualifying miles or.50.flight segments within a.calendar year

Aerolineas Argentinas
Over a 12 month period:
50.000 miles or
60 flights or
30.000 miles and 30 flights

Aeromexico
http://www.clubpremier.com/us/earn-k...evels/platinum
Premier - 80,000 Premier Kilometers on Aeroméxico and/or SkyTeam™. Airlines (works out to just shy of 50,000 miles)

Alitalia
http://www.alitalia.com/US_EN/millem.../features.aspx
Frecia Alata - 50,000 qualifying miles or 60 flights in a calendar year

China Airlines
http://www.china-airlines.com/en/club/club_mi_22.htm
Emerald – 110,000 qualifying miles in a 24 month period, then with validity for 24 months

China Southern
http://skypearl.csair.com/en/member2_en.html
Gold – 80,000 kilometers or 40 qualifying segments each year
As with China Eastern below, most Business and First fares earn more than 1 qualifying segment:
On CZ/OQ: http://skypearl.csair.com/en/air1_en.html
On ST: http://skypearl.csair.com/en/air2_en.html

China Eastern
http://www.easternmiles.com/uk/east/vip.jsp
Gold – 180,000 kilometers or 100 segments (“Elite Times”) in a consecutive 24 month period
As with China Southern above, most Business and First fares earn more than 1 qualifying segment:
On MU/FM/KN: http://www.easternmiles.com/uk/miles/mu_flight.jsp
On ST: http://www.easternmiles.com/uk/miles/sta_flight.jsp

Czech Airlines
http://www.czechairlines.com/en/port...ages/cards.htm
Earn 50,000* SkyTeam Miles for your flights, or.
Earn 30** segments on SkyTeam alliance flights
And simultaneously earn at least 2 segments on OK flights operated by Czech Airlines

Delta Air Lines
http://www.delta.com/skymiles/about_...ance/index.jsp
Gold – 50,000 Medallion Qualifying Miles or 60 Medallion Qualifying Segments. MQMs earned above 50,000 in a year roll over as a starting balance for the following year.
Note: If you are able to obtain US Delta branded American Express cards, you can earn MQMs based on spend thresholds, up to 20,000 MQMs for the Platinum Amex and 30,000 MQMs for the Delta Reserve Amex. Theoretically, if you had both cards and maxed out the spend thresholds, you could earn STE+ simply through spend.
Delta have at times also run promotions giving MQMs for stays at Hilton hotels.

Flying Blue
http://www.airfrance.com/X07/en/loca...te_devenir.htm
Gold - 40,000 Level Miles (60,000 for residents of France) or 30 flights

Korean Air
http://www.koreanair.com/
Morning Calm Premium Club - 500,000 flown miles or more on Korean Air and/or other SkyTeam partner airlines.
This is the longest to achieve but once reached is a lifetime status

Middle East Airlines
http://www.mea.com.lb/English/CedarM...rivileges.aspx
Golden Cedar – 40,000 Qualifying Miles or 30 Qualifying Flights

Saudia
http://www.saudiairlines.com/portal/...001f64e80aRCRD
Alfursan Gold – 50,000 Status Miles or 40 International Sectors in one calendar year, 40,000 miles or 30 sectors to requalify the following year

Vietnam Airlines
http://www.vietnamairlines.com/wps/p...4Q09JUjFWNw!!/
50,000 qualifying miles or 50 eligible flights in a consecutive 12 month period

The fifteen segments on AF/KLM is for SkyTeam Elite, NOT ElitePlus, right?

Easiest path to SkyTeam Elite+
 

Correct. I misread the OP.

Everyone,

Thanks for the great feedback.

It looks like Flying Blue, Middle East or Garuda at 40,000 or 30 segments.

Great thanks.

Actually, this number of 40000 miles with AFKL might be misleading. For someone who typically flies on discounted Economy fares with AFKL, the DL threshold of 50000 will be way easier to pass. These people might well have to collect the equivalent of 160000 DL miles before they are granted ST E+ with Flying Blue (because discounted Economy fares give you only 25% of the miles flown). The situation is the other way round if you typically fly expensive fares. So everybody has to do the Math regarding their typical flight behaviour. And the same thing applies when it comes to lifetime status with KE versus AFKL versus DL.

Easiest path to SkyTeam Elite+
 

For (low fare) Economy fliers, FB is easy on segment but horrible on miles.

from http://www.aerolineas.com.ar/arg/mai...20&idIdioma=es

Pertenecer al nivel Platino te permite tener acceso a beneficios únicos que solo este nivel te puede ofrecer y a la vez ser reconocido como socio SkyTeam Elite Plus en todas las compañías miembros de esta alianza.

Para alcanzar esta categoría necesitas cumplir con alguno de los siguientes requisitos en los últimos doce meses:
- 50.000 millas aéreas básicas o,
- 60 segmentos aéreos o,
- 30.000 millas aéreas básicas y 30 segmentos aéreos.

So it's
- 50.000 miles or
- 60 flights
- or 30.000 miles and 30 flights (wonder what that means)

Careful. DL has decreased the miles awarded for unpublished fares and there are rumors/concerns that in the near future DL will similarly decrease the miles it gives for lower fare classes.

Thanks, have updated above. I think what that means is that if you fly 59 flights each of which is 500 miles, you get 29,500 miles so don't qualify, but if you fly 30 flights of 1,000 miles each you do! I guess they don't want you qualifying that easily if you just commute between Buenos Aires and Montevideo!

What is unclear about the statement is that it could also mean "some flights that lead to at least 30000 miles and, on top of this, additional 30 flights (which can be very short)".
You have interpreted the statement as "at least 30 flights that must lead to at least 30000 miles".

DL is the easiest (at least for those who will fly DL/AF/KL), because often the lowest fare flights don't qualify in other programs. Of course, segment fliers might have easier times elsewhere.

I see you're PEK based. Lost of MU/CZ flights are non-qualifying on most/all programs. Often it helps to buy a discounted CZ PEcon fare which is qualifying and has a few nice perks. My flight this morning was in PE, and was only 80RMB more than a non-qualifying fare in the back.

I forgot to underligne something quite importante: it's for 12 months (and not during a civil year).

CI Emerald use to require 110k miles within 24 months, it has been changed for couple years now. It now requires 110k miles within 12 months and you gain 24 months status. To renew, earn 110k miles within 24 status months or soft land to Gold.

The Aerolineas Platinum requirements are now on the English language website:

To reach this category you require to meet with some of the following requirement within a twelve month period:
- 50.000 air miles or
- 60 air segments or
- 30.000 basic air miles and 30 air segments.

http://www.aerolineas.com.ar/arg/mai...20&idIdioma=en

Given that they apply the 500 mile minimum to DL flights, if you flew 30 1,000 mile trips in a 12 month period, that seems to be one of the quickest ways to get STE+ if I'm reading that right?

"Lots" means two fare buckets on FM/MU (W, X) and two on CZ (R, N), which are arguably very cheap, highly restricted fares - and fares somebody on business trips wouldn't use anyway.

FlyingBlue works out great for me, China based, c. 100 flights per year. MU/CZ would give lounge access for plats on domestic flights, however miles expire in their programs. Noteworthy, within the CZ/MU/FM programs, a first class flight counts as two qualifying segments and many lower fares don't count at all. That's an important detail in the original overview.

Do you have links to the first class count and I can update the overview, I guess that would make those programs the easiest STE+ qualification for those flying in First.

Whilst the 2 or 1.5 qualifying segments opportunity sounds tempting, there is an abundance of eco fares that do not earn a qualifying segment at all. So this is really just for those with a lot of flights in first (or business) - cheap leisure flights may not count at all.

For CZ SkyPearl Club
On CZ/OQ: http://skypearl.csair.com/en/air1_en.html
On ST: http://skypearl.csair.com/en/air2_en.html

For MU EasternMiles
On MU/FM/KN: http://www.easternmiles.com/uk/miles/mu_flight.jsp
On ST: http://www.easternmiles.com/uk/miles/sta_flight.jsp

SkyPearl is the 'easier' program to get status and miles (kilometeres) with. Still, despite I am a vivid first class flyer in China, I stick to FlyingBlue.

Hi guys! My company is sending be abroad from time to time now, thus I'm looking for a good ST frequent flyer programme. I'm just going to copy the form from the similar *A thread:

(1) What is your home airport? DUS and FRA
(2) What types of fares do you usually buy ? Economy for now
(3) How many miles do you usually fly each year? ~35k
(4) Do you have any kind of status at present? What is it? none with ST
(5) What is most important to you in a FFP? Priority services, lounge access
(6) Which routes do you fly most often? Within Europe, Asia and between the two
(7) Preferred Airlines? ST: MU, KL, CI
(8) Do you travel for work or pleasure? Work, but I can book myself

I still have two MU return flights Frankfurt-Shanghai from the past four months which I'd like to be credited retroactively. From my initial research I believe Flying Blue might be the best choice?

We also need to know how many flight segments you make per year and if your Economy tickets are cheap, medium-price or fully flexible. Long gone are the days in which thus questionnaire contained all relevant information.

Sorry, of course.
Around 5 round-trips EU-China and maybe the same number within Europe. Usually medium-priced since I have to book rather short-term.

Thanks in advance.

If your 10 roundtrips give you 30 segments, Flying Blue would be an option because you would have Gold status and hence lounge access.
It looks like you would probably not fly enough miles to get status elsewhere via the amount of miles you fly.

Thank you very much, I'm going to sign up for FlyingBlue now.

Is Garuda now the best option to quickly get to Elite+? Looks like only 30,000 miles, although their qualifying period seems a little strange.

https://garudamiles.com/TopHome/abou...miles-regular/

Wait, nevermind, seems you need 65,000 miles

You are right. I know it looks quite misleading since in most programs, Gold would equate to STE+, but that is not the case for Garuda.

https://www.skyteam.com/en/Why-SkyTe...kyTeam-Status/

Garuda Gold (30k miles) is only STE whereas Garuda Platinum (65k) is STE+.

China Airlines Gold, which also requred 30K miles is also only ST Elite

So Garuda is not alone right?

... the same for Vietnam Airlines: Titanium (15.000 miles or 20 flights) and Gold (30.000 miles or 30 flights) is STE, Platinum (50.000 miles or 50 flights) is STE+.

Also Aeromexico requires 50,000 miles for Platinum, which is STE.

How is Vietnam airlines's FFP anyway? I suppose I'm deciding between them and Aeromexico now. Although for some reason Aeromexico is telling me that I only have until 7/31/2014 to reach the next level, but I just sign up 3 days ago...

Aeromexico also requires about 50k miles to get to STE+, so I guess I may go with them.

Although, I just signed up for their FFP 3 days ago and it says I only have until 7/31/2014 to advance to the next level. I hope this is some kind of mistake.

Is it easy to attain 50k miles on Aeromexico & skyteam partners? Does it accrue 100% on most economy fares?

Any updates?
 

Hello all, and thanks for the awesome list at the top of this thread. Anything more up to date / new regarding great programs?

My habits: Low # segments, and low/reasonable miles (~40k; intercontinental) per year on mostly personal travel.

Ideally looking for something like Aegean but on the Skyteam group - I'm interested mostly in the LOUNGE ACCESS, so any tips there are appreciated!

Only 6 segments left for elite plus
 

Im based in SHA or PVG, i only have 6 flights left for elite plus, does anybody know the cheapest combination to make the 6 segments at the cheapest price? Im looking all over the net but the fares that earn miles are all over 100usd with tax..
Thanks a lot in advance!!!

I will suggest flying with GA domestic where u can get flight for as low as usd100 per flight. You can fly PVG CGK then fly CGK SUB DPS SUB CGK PVG

Good luck finding something like Aegean in the skyteam group! If there was one, I bet everyone on here would have published it already. ;)

Are you based in the USA? If you seek lounge access on Delta (I'm guessing you fly Delta), then your best bet would be to buy the delta skyclub membership or get the amex delta reserve card.

Is this still accurate with respect to Garuda? Do the 15 segments depend upon fare class or are some fare classes ineligible, either in the Garuda or Flying Blue programs when flying Garuda exclusively to earn the segment credits?

Looking for the best program to credit primarily large numbers of short Garuda flights flown on mostly low fare bucket tickets...

Generally speaking, if a flight earns level miles in Flying Blue, then it also counts as a level segment towards status.

Fare class does affect mileage earning in Flying Blue - some of the lowest fare classes on Garuda will earn zero miles, and hence they will not count as level segments either. You can check the details on the Flying Blue Garuda page. It seems that Q and T earn 25%, so those fare classes, plus anything higher, should count for segment qualification as well. However, I think there are some lower paid fare classes that earn 0 miles, so you'd need to avoid those. (The website lists O, X, V, H, U, Z, E as earning 0 miles, but I think some of these are non-revenue classes anyway).

I don't know the rules for Garuda's own FFP.

Is it possible to merge any existing Skyteam memberships?
Or eventually move a level of KLM FB to garudaMiles?

I don't think there is any ability in any of the airline alliances to move your membership level across or get a status match.

The only time where this is possible is when there are merger (i.e. Delta and Northwest accounts being merged, United and Continental, and soon American and US Airways).