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Use of BMI Credit Card freebie miles

Thanks to MSE, I've just received my freebie 20000 BMI credit card/diamond club miles :) Hoorah! :beer:

However, I've been told by BMI that I am NOT allowed to add them to the 30000 mileage points I've already clocked up with United Airlines Mileage Plus. I was hoping to combine both BMI/UA points for a free flight to Alaska (50000 mileage points).:confused:

I thought that if both are in the Star Alliance, you would be able to combine mileage?

Still can't complain, St. Petersburg here I come!:A

Anyone got an opinion on this?

Comments

  • pin
    pin Posts: 4,265 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    Well, will they are both part of the star alliance, their FFP's are seperate operations. Does it say anywhere you are allowed to combine the two?

    Have a look at the Star Alliance website, nowhere will you find information about combining two different FFP's to one, mainly becuase you can't.
    "An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind" - Mahatma Gandhi
  • The_Boss
    The_Boss Posts: 5,852 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    They need to be under one Star Alliance account. I have been a Star Alliance gold member (through bmi) for almost 4 years and they were initially reluctant to credit the 20k air miles into my account 3 years ago, instead wanting me to re-enrol as a standard blue card holder.
  • pin
    pin Posts: 4,265 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    The_Boss wrote:
    They need to be under one Star Alliance account. I have been a Star Alliance gold member (through bmi) for almost 4 years and they were initially reluctant to credit the 20k air miles into my account 3 years ago, instead wanting me to re-enrol as a standard blue card holder.

    Even if they (as in MBNA) set up a new Diamond Club account for you, Diamond Club are fine about merging accounts, so it shouldn't be a problem.

    Trick is to have all the sign up bonus miles (if you sign up for multiple cards), going to different accounts, as the rules state you can only get the bonus miles once per Diamond Club account and then get them merged at a later date.

    Bob's your uncle and Fanny is your aunt.
    "An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind" - Mahatma Gandhi
  • Question to The Boss: do you have an account with the Star Alliance itself (ie not an airline)? I now have BMI (diamond club) and United (mileage plus accounts).

    Answer to pin, "they" in this case, were diamond club. I didn't ask if I could merge the United/BMI accounts - just the mileage - to which they said no.


    Thanks folks - I'll look at the Star Alliance and the merging of accounts.
  • amf
    amf Posts: 483 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    gazhawkins wrote:
    Question to The Boss: do you have an account with the Star Alliance itself (ie not an airline)? I now have BMI (diamond club) and United (mileage plus accounts).
    Having held a bmi Gold Card for around 10 years, I can confirm that no FF holds an account with *A. *A is an alliance of member airlines who have agreed to make their FF programmes available to other members. This includes the likes of redemption flights, Lounge access, priority check in, etc.

    I think The Boss was suggesting that you can only use miles from one *A member account per redemption. You could, of course, redeem miles from 2 different *A members for two one way journeys - outward and inbound sectors for example.
  • The_Boss
    The_Boss Posts: 5,852 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    I you've held a bmi Star Alliance gold card for that long, you keep it for life. Thats a great perk.
  • amf
    amf Posts: 483 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    The_Boss wrote:
    I you've held a bmi Star Alliance gold card for that long, you keep it for life. Thats a great perk.

    Yep, I've re-qualifyed already this year and this is my tenth year of BDG:j So after the end of this membership year I get my nice, shiny, valid for life BDG Card:beer: BDG Card is handy for getting the family into Lounges when flying *A partners on hols, so its nice to think I'll still have that privelege in future, whether I fly frequently or not.

    One other piece of advice for those having a few miles to burn.....do consider miles and cash redemptions, particularly for business (or first:D ) class awards. It is a great use of miles particularly when flying long haul, when premium class travel really means something.
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