This seems to be an active conversation on at least 3 forums, and I suspect UA and others where I don't hang out.

ANA has restricted access to the *A availability function for those without miles in their account. A few members transferred 1 mile over, which worked for a bit but now is also restricted. From my current read, 50 miles doesn't get access and 100 does, so the magic balance is somewhere in the middle.

If others can post their balances and whether or not they have access, we should be able to determine the cutoff. And SPG PLT member can transfer any number of points, as low as 1, so we should be able to to find the number pretty quickly.

Yes, I know there are workarounds, yes I know it's subject to change at any time, yes I know KVS can get you the same feature. But isn't figuring out these very detailed features of a FF program an embodiment of the FT spirit?

I'm waiting on confirmation of the 50/100 data points in the BMI forum, and I can try 75 next from SPG. Anyone know the posting lag for SPG transfers?

I put in a transfer of 1 point a couple of days ago. We'll see what happens when that point posts.

I have about 3,000.

I have recently started crediting flights to my NH account.

There is a simple workaround that doesn't require a mileage balance. Log on as normal, Click ANA International Flight Awards and search for flights on any route NH flies (like SFO-NRT), then click on Use Star Alliance Member Airlines. At that point, enter any city pairs you want and the system works as it should/did.

But for how long? Surely it's better to sacrifice somewhere between 50 - 100 miles and not have to worry about ANA blocking the workaround?

I disagree. I'll go with what works today and not worry about them changing it tomorrow. When I initially posted my GreasyMonkey script workaround a number of folks suggested that just posting a mile to the account was better because it was more likely to "beat the system." It wasn't.

We simply do not know what - if any - the next change that NH is going to make to their system is. No one would have predicted that they would try to limit access. No one predicted that they'd change the number of miles required (though I did suggest it was possible a couple times and was laughed at). And now we have no idea if they will change the number again or close either of the known functioning loopholes or even shut down the tool completely (highly unlikely).

I'll take what I know to be working over speculation and FUD. And when something changes I'll worry about it then. With the number of highly motivated people we have here on FT odds are we'll come up with the next solution pretty quickly, just like we did for this current situation.

C'mon, the OP already acknowledged that there are workarounds, but that isn't the point of this thread.

I've read on a german board, that somebody has it working with 20 miles (http://www.vielfliegertreff.de/sonst...tml#post235076) - so I wouldn't rule out the possibility that it might work below 50.

And folks here with 50 have said it doesn't work for them.

I salute you, for the workaround!

FWIW, I have 20 orphaned miles, it used to work... now it doesn't. So I salute you as well, for the script!

Brilliant. Too bad it didn't find me the availability I wanted. Now THAT would be a workaround!

I put 450 miles from one of mine forgotten Hertz car rentals, just to make sure, it will work for some time.

I've been using the above mentioned workaround checking on an October/November multiple *A carrier itinerary on a daily basis since ANA started requiring miles (4/1/10 I believe). It has never failed to perform and I have been able to eventually upgrade a couple of segments via checking in with the tool. The workaround is quite simple to use as SFO777 explains.

Any updates on the minimum milage required? 50? 100?

See post #4. The mininum is zero miles.

I mean without the workaround.