Frequent Flier: Why high total miles better than high miles per year?

[Eboy]

Something similar exists at other airlines but I will use United as an example.

United's highest frequent-flyer status is Global Services reached with a TOTAL of 1,000,000 miles flown. The next highest is 1K reached with 100,000 miles or more PER YEAR.

Why does Global Services have a higher status? I'd think once one reaches 1,000,000 miles they are not going to fly that much more, on average, so the airline will not make that much more money off of them. The 1K passenger, on the other hand, is a reliable revenue source.

[Mr Quite Happy]

could the problem be withyour assumption "they are not going to fly that much more, on average"?

I believe LH gives you a lifetime of SEN if you get 1,000,000. If you are right they do this because they reckon you'll be dead soon !!!!

[slim_slag]

Getting a Global Services card is dependent on dollars spent, not miles flown. Once you fly a total of one million miles on United metal you get milllion miler status, and get Premier Executive (Star Gold) for life. Normally that takes 50k miles on Star Alliance in a year. 1k is 100,000 miles on Star Alliance for a year. If you fly transatlantic a lot in the cheap seats then United wins hands down.

[fendant]

Lufthansa never gave you a lifetime SEN, you had to qualify year after year, even if you had more than 2 Mio miles accumulated. The only airline I know of was SQ who awarded you lifetime PPS membership, after having qualified for 6 or 8 consecutive years. They have recently abandonded this nice gesture f0r long term loyal customers.


Seems to me that the best price / quality ratio route is the one to take in the future, rather than being loyal to your home/preferred carrier. What a gift to the upcoming quality airline from the Middle East!

Frank

[Mr Quite Happy]

Lufthansa never gave you a lifetime SEN, you had to qualify year after year, even if you had more than 2 Mio miles accumulated. The only airline I know of was SQ who awarded you lifetime PPS membership, after having qualified for 6 or 8 consecutive years. They have recently abandonded this nice gesture f0r long term loyal customers.


Seems to me that the best price / quality ratio route is the one to take in the future, rather than being loyal to your home/preferred carrier. What a gift to the upcoming quality airline from the Middle East!

Frank

two things.

1. I heard second hand about the 1mio miles SEN for life thing. But she was quite sure - maybe its a German/UK thing?

2. SEN qual is not year after year, its one year in two.

[chornedsnorkack]

The LH Lifetime Senator offering is real. The requirements are:

Aged over 60 at the time of application (so LH reckons you soon die, or at least retire and can no longer afford to fly with them)

10 years of uninterrupted Sen status

1 million miles accumulated (10 years Sen status means a minimum of 600 000 miles).

Note that LH is not offering lifetime Hon Circle.

SQ Lifetime Solitaire PPS was available for anyone regardless of age or membership continuity who totalled 1000 PPS sectors (about 40 years requalification) or 1 875 000 miles (37,5 years requalification). Those who earned this by 1st of September keep the position, but SQ no longer grants Lifetime PPS status.

Qantas, for one, offers Lifetime Silver and Gold (both at accumulated total of 20 years qualification threshold) irrespective of age - but does not offer Lifetime Platinum.