Renewing Elite status in a single trip
Aug 13, 2019, 7:52 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: London UK
Programs: BAEC Silver,, Oman Air Gold
Posts: 747
Renewing Elite status in a single trip
My flights next month to IST and ATH will secure me Elite membership for another two years once my card expires in December 2019.
I’m thinking now of getting 25,000 miles early in my new earning year which starts next January and to renew my Elite card until December 2023 in one points trip. I’m based in London and would probably fly February or March and am looking for a destination that would give me a bit of sunshine for a few days. Obviously I would fly via IST.
I could fly LHR - IST - MIA return and get 24,092 miles for £2,390 (and I’m sure I will do a *A flight somewhere next year to get me over 25,000).
Alternatively going LHR - IST - SFO would get me 26,444 miles for the same price - £2,390.
These seem to be good value flights but I wanted to take the views of the experts on here if there were other routes I should be considering that are even better value?
I am open to a flight starting outside of London/UK.
Any other suggestions for me?
I’m thinking now of getting 25,000 miles early in my new earning year which starts next January and to renew my Elite card until December 2023 in one points trip. I’m based in London and would probably fly February or March and am looking for a destination that would give me a bit of sunshine for a few days. Obviously I would fly via IST.
I could fly LHR - IST - MIA return and get 24,092 miles for £2,390 (and I’m sure I will do a *A flight somewhere next year to get me over 25,000).
Alternatively going LHR - IST - SFO would get me 26,444 miles for the same price - £2,390.
These seem to be good value flights but I wanted to take the views of the experts on here if there were other routes I should be considering that are even better value?
I am open to a flight starting outside of London/UK.
Any other suggestions for me?
Aug 13, 2019, 9:32 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
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IIRC Scandinavia to Thailand in J is usually quite cheap and gets you enough miles with the 160% bonus.
Aug 13, 2019, 10:10 am
#3
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Last time I did a return trip LHR - BKK in Biz, I got 19,844, so neither is quite enough.
Aug 13, 2019, 11:35 am
#4
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I'm also not sure that MIA is significantly farther away from IST than BKK/HKT, but could be wrong...
Aug 13, 2019, 11:40 am
#5
Moderator, Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles & Accor ALL
Join Date: Apr 2009
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I tend to use use https://www.owenrudge.net/utils/starcalc/?p=TK for accurate mileage earnings
Aug 13, 2019, 12:17 pm
#6
Join Date: May 2016
Location: SFO, DUS
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I tend to use use https://www.owenrudge.net/utils/starcalc/?p=TK for accurate mileage earnings
EU-BKK is around 19k miles with 160% bonus!
Aug 13, 2019, 12:19 pm
#7
Join Date: May 2016
Location: SFO, DUS
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Posts: 528
Better price when starting in CAI if you are up for an adventure
Aug 13, 2019, 3:01 pm
#8
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Aug 13, 2019, 4:53 pm
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: London UK
Programs: BAEC Silver,, Oman Air Gold
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Thanks for the suggestions. I calculated the journeys on the TK calculator set for Elite and on the Owen Rudge calculator and there was only a difference of about 10 miles in the calculations.
i checked out LON - DPS and it was coming in at over 25,000 but over £3000 so going west seems to be cheaper this time, certainly from London.
i checked out LON - DPS and it was coming in at over 25,000 but over £3000 so going west seems to be cheaper this time, certainly from London.
Aug 14, 2019, 1:48 pm
#10
Join Date: May 2014
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Aug 14, 2019, 10:41 pm
#12
Join Date: May 2014
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I forgot to add that the DPS route from Scandinavia and AMS can be done without any long layover/overnight in IST (unlike most US and South American routes), so it's perfect for a simple run without too many additional costs.
Plus, there are very cheap but comfortable hotels in Bali (Hilton Garden Inn, very close to the airport, is around 40 eur per night, or 5000 pt)
Plus, there are very cheap but comfortable hotels in Bali (Hilton Garden Inn, very close to the airport, is around 40 eur per night, or 5000 pt)
Aug 15, 2019, 11:22 am
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: London UK
Programs: BAEC Silver,, Oman Air Gold
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Guys, very many thanks for the suggestions that everyone has made. I did consider each of them. For a while I was considering DUB-IST-HAV ın February which was coming in at an amazing €1,708.
In the end, however, I have taken up Lefly’s suggestion and have booked AMS-IST-DPS over the Easter weekend for €2,070 (one third cheaper than departing from LHR or LGW!)
I live very close to LCY and have booked a one hour positioning flight to AMS for 16,000 BA Avios and £1. Both the Owen Rudge and TK calculator say I will get 24,942 miles for the TK flights but I also have a one way TP flight in the Spring from LIS-LCY and the Owen Rudge calculator says it will get me 98 miles (!) that will push me over the 25,000 renewal.
I had forgotten that the flight to DPS is the Dreamliner so it will be fun to try that out. As others have reported I can’t change my seat but I have been allocated 1K both flights to/from Bali which I hope is a good seat.
Thanks again everyone.
In the end, however, I have taken up Lefly’s suggestion and have booked AMS-IST-DPS over the Easter weekend for €2,070 (one third cheaper than departing from LHR or LGW!)
I live very close to LCY and have booked a one hour positioning flight to AMS for 16,000 BA Avios and £1. Both the Owen Rudge and TK calculator say I will get 24,942 miles for the TK flights but I also have a one way TP flight in the Spring from LIS-LCY and the Owen Rudge calculator says it will get me 98 miles (!) that will push me over the 25,000 renewal.
I had forgotten that the flight to DPS is the Dreamliner so it will be fun to try that out. As others have reported I can’t change my seat but I have been allocated 1K both flights to/from Bali which I hope is a good seat.
Thanks again everyone.
Aug 15, 2019, 12:33 pm
#14
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A bit too late... but there are those ridiculously cheap TAP fares to SFO from DUB, OSL, etc.
Not sure why we all ended up proposing TK metal when any *A J fare would do...
Not sure why we all ended up proposing TK metal when any *A J fare would do...
Aug 15, 2019, 12:50 pm
#15
Join Date: May 2014
Location: BRU
Programs: BA GGL, TK E (*G), ITA exec
Posts: 4,091
I don't think the cheap fares on TAP can give elite renewal in one single trip. I have also some doubt with using *A fares as the cheap ones earn much less than directly on TK.