How does StarGold membership work?
 

Although I have been *G for years, I still have not figured how the opcost is worked out among the *member airlines.

Suppose I am Air Canada top-tier flyer, owning a *gold card on Aeroplan. When I travel United, and use its Red Carpet Club in Chicago O'hara, who is paying the cost of me using the RCC?

If again I connect Tokyo Narita on United, I instead use All Nippon Airway's lounge with *Gold, ANA lounge agent records my United ticket and my Aeroplan *G membership card, I assume ANA will send a bill to either United or Air Canada, will it?

This part of the business operation has not worked out on my mind.

Much appreciate your enlightenment.

Air Canada

Air Canada again, unless you enter on a business class or first class ticket on United, then United will pay.

thanks...so it is the airline that takes care of its top-tier members. It makes sense to me, I guess.

Does anyone know how much the *G card holder's airline pays per visit? I would find it a bit unfair to pay for a pax staying the entire duration of the opening hours (long transit) opposed to a pax just entering and getting a quick cup of coffee before boarding.

I'm also curious about how status is shared among all the *A members. They don't have a common computer system, to my knowledge, so how does LH know my status when I'm an OZ elite? Do they do a pull from some common database when I make my reservation?

They do know your * status by picking up info from partner airline's database.