LifeMiles Share Promo 01-15 October

[bcworld]

Am I on the right track, or completely lost?

I think completely lost just about sums it up!

First thing, you mentioned Krisflyer...I'm not sure why because it has nothing to do with this.

The cost in miles of tickets has no relationship with what US Airways or any other program charges. The miles cost of Aus-Europe-Aus with LifeMiles is 175k. However most people don't redeem that way as LifeMiles offers part cash redemptions - the same trip could be got for 70k + money.

Business class returns to Europe with LifeMiles come in at about A$2.5k-3k if all miles were bought in promos.

 

[HWilliams]

I think completely lost just about sums it up!

First thing, you mentioned Krisflyer...I'm not sure why because it has nothing to do with this.

The cost in miles of tickets has no relationship with what US Airways or any other program charges. The miles cost of Aus-Europe-Aus with LifeMiles is 175k. However most people don't redeem that way as LifeMiles offers part cash redemptions - the same trip could be got for 70k + money.

Business class returns to Europe with LifeMiles come in at about A$2.5k-3k if all miles were bought in promos.

Sorry, I didn't meant Krisflyer. I was meant to write LifeMiles. As you can probably guess, today has been a very confusing day for me.

Okay, so the amount of points needed is 175,000.

My calculations though should be correct, right?

$1600 for 200,000 points. That means I need another 150,000 points. 150,000 points equates to $2250. Rounding up to $2400 (AUD -> USD).

That's $2400 + $1600 = $4000 for 2 business class tickets.

Am I still lost?

That's buying everything in points. Now I'm not sure as to the difference if you just utilise the 200,000 points obtained through this deal and pay the rest cash.

 

[bcworld]

As an example MEL-CDG-MEL in business is 175k + taxes

Or you could use 82k miles + USD1395 + taxes. Copayments when used correctly cost the same as promo miles e.g. $15/1000.

In this example assuming all miles were bought at $15/1000 the total costs would be:

82k miles - USD1230
Cash - USD1395
Taxes - USD207
Booking Fee - USD25

So a total of USD2857...approx A$3200 per person...so your numbers are still way out.

 

[aikman]

Your first assumption is wrong which affects all of your calculations. Purchasing 1000 miles is US$30.

As per the Lifemiles website:
Need more LifeMiles to achieve your desired redemption? You can purchase them here in blocks of 1,000 LifeMiles for US$30.00 + tax, per block.

 

[HWilliams]

Your first assumption is wrong which affects all of your calculations. Purchasing 1000 miles is US$30.

As per the Lifemiles website:
Need more LifeMiles to achieve your desired redemption? You can purchase them here in blocks of 1,000 LifeMiles for US$30.00 + tax, per block.

I can't post a link due to being a new member, but if you go to the page where this special is on, at the bottom it notes:

Transfer fee for each block of 1,000 LifeMiles: USD $15 + local taxes

Or is that the price INCLUDING the free miles that are provided due to the special.e.g. $15 for 1000 miles, not $15 for 1000 and then you get the extra 1000 due to this special as well.

 

[aikman]

You need to have some miles in your account to start off with before you can transfer to another account.

 

[HWilliams]

I can't seem to get my head around where I'm going wrong...

Here is my final calculation:

Account A:
$30 for 1000 miles - needed (as stated above)
$750 for 100,000 miles - transferred from account B
[$15 for 10,000 miles - $750 for 50,000 miles (maximum allowed) + 50,000 bonus miles]

Once I found the flights I wanted, I kept clicking at the bottom and accumulating money until the miles decreased by 65,000 giving me a figure of $1038.20.

The end amount of miles then is exactly 175,000 after spending $1818.20.

edit: realised where I went wrong, you need to have the points in order to transfer... duh! I thought it was $15 per 1000 points to purchase + transfer

 

[quokka77]

Just transferred 15K miles left over in my account (after a previous redemption) to my partner's account. She already has 150K, but as pointed out in a previous post, a points plus cash booking for 2xJ Aus-Europe-Aus seems to be best attuned to about 164K of existing miles. Better to have all the family's LM in one spot in any event. Thanks Avianca/taca for making it easier to aggregate 'em. I'm looking at booking around May next year (shoulder season, weather should be reasonable in Spain and Italy). Hope work approve my leave -- 2014 roster isn't finalized until Dec this year, so would have plenty of time to cancel the reservation!

Even managed to get LifeMiles to accept my Amex card for payment (it wouldn't accept it last time, had to use a visa). This time, it declined the visa, but accepted the Amex? Oh well, maybe this means I can satisfy Amex Plat Charge's points booking insurance requirements, and they will cover the trip (have to check T&Cs).

 

[bcworld]

I can't seem to get my head around where I'm going wrong...

Here is my final calculation:

Account A:
$30 for 1000 miles - needed (as stated above)
$750 for 100,000 miles - transferred from account B
[$15 for 10,000 miles - $750 for 50,000 miles (maximum allowed) + 50,000 bonus miles]

Once I found the flights I wanted, I kept clicking at the bottom and accumulating money until the miles decreased by 65,000 giving me a figure of $1038.20.

The end amount of miles then is exactly 175,000 after spending $1818.20.

I really don't understand your logic at all. But here's all you need to know. 1000 miles costs $15 in a 2x1 promo. 15 x 175 = $2625. It's really that simple.

 

[anat0l]

I can't seem to get my head around where I'm going wrong...

Here is my final calculation:

Account A:
$30 for 1000 miles - needed (as stated above)
$750 for 100,000 miles - transferred from account B
[$15 for 10,000 miles - $750 for 50,000 miles (maximum allowed) + 50,000 bonus miles]

Once I found the flights I wanted, I kept clicking at the bottom and accumulating money until the miles decreased by 65,000 giving me a figure of $1038.20.

The end amount of miles then is exactly 175,000 after spending $1818.20.

So one account already has 100,000 miles, or are you starting from a standing start (i.e. nothing)? Otherwise, where does the 100,000 miles from account B come from if the second account is also empty to start with? Are you using four or more accounts to generate points (by bouncing between pairs of accounts) for two people?

Also how do you get $15 for 10,000 miles (10,000 miles will cost as a minimum $150)?

I think you're mixing things up a bit here.

I really don't understand your logic at all. But here's all you need to know. 1000 miles costs $15 in a 2x1 promo. 15 x 175 = $2625. It's really that simple.

Of that 175,000 points, though, you don't need to buy (share) the whole lot right now in this promo if you need to. You only need to buy about half as much, viz. 88,000 or so (keeping in multiples of 1,000). The rest can be obtained at the time of booking using the cash+miles system; and the end rate will be the same (at best 1.5c per point).

Also, may be a silly question, but for completeness sake: when you share, they track how many points are shared for the purposes of an annual limit. Whose "allowance" is used up when a share is done? For example, if A shares 10k miles with B, is it 10k counted against the buy/share annual allowance for A or B?

 

[bcworld]

Of that 175,000 points, though, you don't need to buy (share) the whole lot right now in this promo if you need to. You only need to buy about half as much, viz. 88,000 or so (keeping in multiples of 1,000). The rest can be obtained at the time of booking using the cash+miles system; and the end rate will be the same (at best 1.5c per point).

Yup...and I covered that in post 43.

HWilliams...try reading post 36 again...both the original quoted text and the clarifications...it should spell out to you where you're going wrong.

 

[anat0l]

Yup...and I covered that in post 43.

HWilliams...try reading post 36 again...both the original quoted text and the clarifications...it should spell out to you where you're going wrong.

Guess the challenge is that if HWilliams starts from a standing start, how to get 88k each for two accounts using this promo in the cheapest way.

I see one way which involves having to open quite a few more than just the two target accounts (assuming that this promo is open to new account holders) - messy, but it can work, time notwithstanding.

 

[HWilliams]

I figured out where I was going wrong guys, thanks for the help.

Hopefully my new calculation is okay this time (round 3):

After buying an initial 1000 points on both account A & B and going back and forth, my end result is a balance of 51,000 in both accounts after an expense of $750 per account plus the initial $30 for the first 1000.

So that's 102,000 points for $1560.

So just say I would like to buy a Europe business class with one account, current balance is 51,000. I need 175,000. That leaves 124,000 points. When looking at ticket info I've managed to get the points down to 70,000 (175,000 - 70,000 = 105,000 miles purchased) with the price at $1654.80.

So that's 156,000 miles for $2434.80. To buy the other 24,000 miles would cost $720 (24 x 15). Total cost is then $3154.80, which is around $3400 AUD.

Is this all correct? The only more economic way would be to add a 3rd account into the equation (as suggested by anat0l).

 

[whole-lotta-moxie]

Hi all this is my first post on this site and I just wanted to say thanks for all your great information hopefully I will be able to contribute information when I'm not a newbie. I have purchased points and I am very excited about it

 

[Nizar]

Does anyone know when this promo ends ?
Is it like cob (ie.5pm) colombian time on the 15th or more like midnight colombian time on the 15th?

Cheers

 

[Nizar]

I'm looking at flights to CAI and can get the one-transit on the way up TG to BKK then MS to CAI but on the way back the system wants to route me through TG and SIN which is annoying.
If there are different airlines involved will my bags still get checked through all the way to my final destination ?
ie, from CAI all the way to MEL even though I'm flying MS to BKK then TG to SIN then SQ to MEL ?

I'm thinking that if all the flights are on the same PNR then it should be no problem whether through LM or otherwise but just wanted to confirm as never flown multiple airlines checking my bags all the way through before.

Thanks.

 

[burmans]

Does anyone know when this promo ends ?
Is it like cob (ie.5pm) colombian time on the 15th or more like midnight colombian time on the 15th?

Cheers

Promo mentions date of transfer not time so assume its 12 midnight but why not play safe!

 

[Nizar]

Promo mentions date of transfer not time so assume its 12 midnight but why not play safe!

Agree.
Any thoughts on my other question ?

 

[NDiddy]

Hi guys,

Anyone else notice that you can share upto 100,000 (100K + 100K bonus) lifemiles even though the promo only says 50,000? It seems to allow 100,000 but not 101,000.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Hi guys,

Anyone else notice that you can share upto 100,000 (100K + 100K bonus) lifemiles even though the promo only says 50,000? It seems to allow 100,000 but not 101,000.

That's a seriously good find
Might have to get onto that one