canadaorca

I have Gold status with AC Aeroplan until Feb 2015. However, I'm weaning myself off mileage accrual with Aeroplan in favour of TK's M&S program (for a variety of reasons). So my question is: can I enjoy my gold status perks (such as lounge access or extra baggage allowances) that using my Aeroplan Gold card on all * Alliance flights even when I'm earning miles for a different program?

I obviously don't mean I'm trying to collect on two programs at once - just accrue miles from a flight on one program, but gain things like lounge access for that same flight through my card in another program. Common sense dictates that if I've 'earned' Star Alliance Gold Status, then it doesn't mater which program I'm earning points on now, as this is a reward based on last year's flying - but does anyone have any experience with 'transitioning' in this way?

Kiwi Flyer

Short answer - have the FF number you want to credit mileage to in your booking and show your other card to access status benefits.

Long answer - have the FF number with status entered in the FQTS field and the FF number to credit mileage in the FQTV field (the default for FQTS is to match the FQTV field). Note that some airlines' staff struggle with doing this.

Xiaotung

I only have heard NZ has the ability to do this. What other airlines can do this?

IluvSQ

SQ for sure.

Acornragazzo

What I have done on UA is put in my UA *G number into the reservation to get all the benefits (E+, baggage allowance) then after checkin changing my FF number to TK. Often times from the lounge =)

mahasamatman

They all can, but very few will do it for you anymore.

Fizzer

We are in the same position. My wife and I are AC/AP Gold switching to UA MP. On our first flight of the year (YQR-BKK via DEN,LAX, NRT) we had initially mixed results. Check in for the UA flights at YQR is done by AC. They were unable to do it and wanted to charge us for bags. They called what they said was UA admin and said they were told it was not possible. We changed my wife back to AC to get free bags. At LAX the next morning it was contract staff not UA so no help at all. We asked in the lounge and changed her back in about 2 minutes with no problem. Surprisingly ( to us at least) UA was credited for all the legs, including YQR-DEN-LAX the day before.

We then flew Thai BKK-HKT and had no problems or complaints doing this at check in.

So far in our limited experience it was UA yes, Thai Yes, AC not in YQR at least.

Xandrios

I would try to avoid having, at any point, another FF number in your booking than the one you want to earn with. Chances of you being unable to correctly remove it from the booking (just before the flight) are simply too great.

Usually you should be able to just show your (gold) card to get access to the lounge, and so on. Yes, they may make a remark that it doesnt match the booking but normally it is no problem.

Another way would be to not have any FF number in your booking. Then just retro-claim back the miles after the flight, to the program that you like.

Fizzer

Of course without the FF number associated with your Gold status you may well find yourself charged for bags. The computer at YQR apparently could not accept free baggage allowances without that number. That's why we initially went with my wife using her status to get the free bags while I accrued to UA ( although as I said we were able to change later so we both accrued to UA). Not a problem checing in in BKK for the return journey BTW.

montblanc

I am also thinking about migrating.... crediting my miles to A3 on my next trip, but using my benefits from BR. I am curious though, if I were to have my FF number changed at gate/lounge, what would happen on my return flight? (I assume when I check-in for my return flight they would see my A3 status instead of BR...) Does that mean I won't be able to get the benefits on my return flight?

By any chance, has anyone ever succeed dealing with FQTS/FQTV with BR?


Thanks

montblanc

According to this post, I guess I could just keep changing my FFP number at gate/lounge then..

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/star-...erent-ffp.html

Fizzer

In our admittedly very limited experience the only times we have been unable to have one FF Number on the booking at check in and yet still be able to use another number with status to get benefits is with AC staff at YQR and contract staff at UA check in at LAX. The UA lounge staff at LAX had no problems or hesitation changing after check in. We were successful with Thai staff at 2 locations and with UA at one check in ( the only one with UA staff). In all fairness the AC staff at YQR were willing to do it but didn't know how to,
We have no experience with BR at all.

trex6464

Has anyone else tried to change the FF number after check in?
Or have the experience it changing the FF number online after check in?

Acornragazzo

I used to do this all the time during a short period when I was re-qualifying for TK. I would put in my UA number in the reservation through check-in and go to the UC and ask them to change my number there. At the PHX UC there were some staff who were unwilling to do this because so then I would do it online after I entered the UC. I did this very consistently for 3 or 4 months all on UA metal without a problem.

bruno-s

On a recent trip with Austrian what I did was to actually print 2 boarding passes. The first one showing my *G number to use for lounge access and priority boarding and the second one with the FF number that I wanted to credit the miles to.