Advice needed: BMI Diamond Club

boombap

Hi,

I'll probably be told to post this message over on Flyer Talk but I've spent most of my Sunday reading the forums there and (excuse the pun) they go over my head!

There are a few questions I would like to know the answer to:

1. How will the recent Lufthansa take-over affect Diamond Club rewards?
2. Do you get better 'deals' spending miles on certain Star Alliance partners?
3. Would I be better off spending my miles on fights or upgrades/hotels/car hire?

I am not a frequent flyer and only travel for leisure. The next long haul I'm hoping to do is to California in the summer (before school holidays). I am pretty disappointed that BMI have stopped flights from MAN to the US but I guess they had their reasons.

I am a BMI Diamond Club member and have slightly over 50,000 destination miles (and a lowly 300 status miles). My membership is blue plus and I earn my miles from the BMI AMEX, online shopping and e-rewards.

Any advice appreicated!

Squee.

Paddy2eyes

Flyertalk is very informative, but most of the travel terms and abreviations they use can be a bit over the head of we mere mortals.
In response to your questions
1. I'm not sure what the effect of the Lufthansa takeover will have on Diamond Club. It may well get integrated into their program, but the peeps on flyertalk reckon it is worth cashing in your miles over the next year.

2. The miles required for a flight are the same regardless of which Star Alliance airline you use. The mileage requirement is done by zones. More information can be found at https://www.flybmi.com/bmi/src/html/diamondclubhowtospendmiles.html

3. The generally accepted best value for using miles is cash & miles flights in business or first class. This way you can get a flight which would cost thousands of pounds for a few hundred, plus you miles of course.
For example a return to Noth America (Zone 3) in business class will cost 37500 miles + £210 + taxes. The full price for such a flight could be over £2000

It is worth persisting with flyertalk. I have learnt a lot there about the best ways to find availability etc.

boombap

Thanks a lot for your help Paddy, very good info there.

I agree that Flyertalk is a wealth of info and makes for fascinating reading even if I'm never likely to become a gold card flyer!

Whilst on the site I picked up the feeling from other users that the Lufthansa frequent flyer forum is not half as 'generous' as Diamond Club which is a bit of a worry for the future. Mind you, in this climate I bet the last of an airlines' concern is their loyalty programs!

Thanks again,

S.

blindman

squee wrote: »

Thanks a lot for your help Paddy, very good info there.

I agree that Flyertalk is a wealth of info and makes for fascinating reading even if I'm never likely to become a gold card flyer!

Whilst on the site I picked up the feeling from other users that the Lufthansa frequent flyer forum is not half as 'generous' as Diamond Club which is a bit of a worry for the future. Mind you, in this climate I bet the last of an airlines' concern is their loyalty programs!

Thanks again,

S.

That is apparently true.

Paddy2eyes has covered your questions.

There is a list of FAQ's at this post on Flyertalk

With 'only' 50,000 miles and non status then your mileage is not going to grow very quick. (unless you spend, spend, spend on the CC:eek:)

Have a look at the ANA tool if your future flights are going to be long haul and keep abreast of the dire Indian Call Centre problems.

If\when you come to redeem the miles look out for any ways to get past the exorbitant fuel charges (Some airlines don't charge as much as others)

Another good hint is that if you are flying to the East then you use less miles by starting in CPH (or similar) as it is in Zone 2, so less miles are needed.

Keep an eye out for bmi surveys that earn miles too.