May 5, 2011
There are so many places I want to go,but getting to some places are not cheap, thanks to frequent flyer/guest programs and great airline alliances, so I can travel to so many places in comfort and cheap.
Back to one month ago, I mentioned my planned trip in May.Now, I’d like to share the process of booking all these awards.
The completed trip will be like this
PVG-FRA-ALA-IST-AMM//AQJ-AMM-JED-DXB-HKG-PVG//PEK-HKG-RUH-AMM-ADD-FRA-LCA//ECN-IST-ALA-DYU-IST-FRA-PVG
all bold cities are places I will enter or at least attempt to enter.
Confusing? 
because they are 5 separate tickets using 3 different airlines miles, so let’s me break them one by one. All award search was done by kvstool
First part and last part, PVG-FRA-ALA//DYU-IST-MUC-PVG, Lufthansa A346 and A 330 First Class, Turkish Air B737 business class and Air China A340 First Class, Using US airways , taxes amount 100+ 50 processing fee. It only took 2 phone calls to get this ticket issued because first agent refused to let me backtracking. I did not have option to try any other airlines first class product on the way back because flight from DYU-IST only operates 2 times per week, Monday and Wednesday, and I needed to find a way connect back to China same day. Also, DYU-IST was the segment I booked as Economy and just moved to Business last week
Then I used BMI miles for ALA-IST-AMM(stopover)-ADD on Turkish Airways B737 Business and BMI A321 Business class. This was a easy one, 1 simple phone call finished booking。BD flight only had economy left, but since I am Gold member, revenue management released business award seat for me. Never been to Africa, always want to be there. Although days spend in ADD(Addis Ababa) will be very short, I don’t want waste a free stopover when using BMI one way award. Tax amount was very strange, I checked with ITA first with Point of Sale Boston, the taxes and fuel were not too high, but when I called to book the ticket, taxes and fuel were a lot higher than I checked. Then I went back to ITA again with POS London, exactly same kinds taxes line by line, but currency was UK AND amount was higher. I knew POS can affect the fare price, but I didn’t how this affected taxes amount. Total taxes include Cash + miles copay were 300+USD
Originally, I planed to tour around Jordan, Syria and Lebanon for around 3 weeks, but now Syria is not stable, so I decided to go back to home in middle of the trip. From middle east to China, the cheapest option of using miles was American Airline, but unlike above tickets, this one took me some checking and calling. I will travel in a single direction in Jordan, which means I will start from Amman and finish in Aqaba. When I called AA to book from AQJ-AMM-JED-HKG-PVG, flight AQJ-AMM was priced in addition to normal Middle East to Asia 2 business class. The explanation I got was there was no published fare btw AQJ-PVG. I then tried something like AMM-BAH-BKK-HKG-PVG and more such as via BOM, DEL, KUL, all came back with same result, 3 segments, correct pricing, 4 segments, miles increase. I mentioned before there are many restrictions with AA, so nothing to argue about it, move on. I eventually settled with AMM-JED-DXB(through flight)-HKG-SHA on Royal Jordanian A320 and Cathay Pacific A330 business class, but too bad, it’s regional A330.6 hours layover in JED, hopefully, I can get a transit pass to exit the immigration. As for AQJ-AMM, I bought a one way from AQJ-AMM for $75 on Royal Jordanian. Taxes were only 30+USD.
Return from China to continue my trip also used AA miles PEK-HKG-RUH-AMM on Dragon Air A330 and Cathay Pacific A330 business class regional and Royal Jordanian A320 in Economy. From Riyadh to Amman there was no way to get business class award(I did some checking) . Unlike above flight, I added a exactly 24 hours connection in Hong Kong and 17.5 hours connections in Riyadh. I picked Riyadh because of final arrival time in Amman to connect to ADD on the same day on BMI flight was perfect. All other options including Bahrain, Delhi, Mumbai and Dubai were not working either because of finally arrival time in Amman or India visa issue. I knew I should try different airlines, but for this one, I just had to stuck with Cathay. Total taxes for these flights were also only 30+ USD
The final part: ADD-FRA-LCA//ECN-IST-ALA on Lufthansa A340-300 and A321 business class and Turkish airline B737 business class using BMI miles. This was an interesting part. Again, I don’t want to waste BMI miles one way stopover, but not too many options. I did not want stopover in Egypt, could not stopover in Europe according to BMI redemption rules, holding PRC passport, so need to find a country visa free and there was no *A flight from ADD continued to Southern Africa until Ethiopia airline joins *A. With so many restrictions, I decided Cyprus, which still part of Europe, but I did not think BMI agent had knowledge where it located. Then my friend suggested me to try to make agent believde Larnaca and Ercan airport were co-terminals. My luck was very good, first agent believed me LCA and ECN were co-terminals and she had no idea where the Cyprus was, so ticket issued, total taxes were 400+USD including cash portion for C+M.
let’s recap here:
US Airways for PVG-FRA-ALA//DYU-IST-MUC-PVG, Lufthansa A346 and A 330 First Class, Turkish Air B737 business class and Air China A340 First Class
BMI miles for ALA-IST-AMM(stopover)-ADD and ADD-FRA-LCA//ECN-IST-ALA, Turkish Airw ays B737 Business, BMI A321 Business class and Lufthansa A340-300 and A321 business class
AA miles for AMM-JED-HKG-PVG and PEK-HKG-RUH-AMM Dragon Air A330 and Cathay Pacific A330 business class regional and Royal Jordanian A320 in business and Economy
Cash paid for ALA-DYU on Air Astana and AQJ-AMM on Royal Jordain
Total miles used for all tickets: 115,000
Now, let’s go to hotel part, fairly easy and straightforward
Almaty: Hyatt just rebrand to different hotel, so I still have not decided where to stay yet
Amman: Le Meridien, C+P
Petra: Marriott, Cat 1-4 certificate
Riyadh: Marriott, Cat 1-4 certificate
Nicosia: Hilton, standard award redemption
Dushanbe: Hyatt, stay certificate, Classic level.
I hope I did not make you guys fall in sleep while reading!
Posted by Troy under 2011 Trip, Africa, American Airlines, Asia(Including Central Asia and Middle East), Award redemption, BMI Diamond Club, Hilton, Hyatt Gold Passport, Marriott, Starwood Hotels, US airways |
March 13, 2011
sign up here, you will get instant BMI silver status for a year. However, According to Gary, United and Continental changed checked bag policy, *A Silver is no longer getting second checked bag free.
United airline Elites will only give 25%/100% elite bonus miles on all US, CO, selected LH and AC fares, no status bonus given on other *A flights, but BMI silver elites get 25% bonus on all *A mile earning fare.
Posted by Troy under BMI Diamond Club |
February 28, 2011
Not too long ago, we all heard BMI program will NOT be merged to LH Miles and More program any time sooner, a big relief. As a BMI GOLD member for few years, I finally had a chance to redeem a flight on BMI metal recenlty.
The flight I wanted had no more business class award open, but as an unpublished benefit of Gold member, you can ask ICC to set up a reservation in coach with waitlist for business class, then ask them to pass the reservation to revenue management team. Since my booking was over the weekend, RM team did not confirm my seat until Monday. If it’s a normal working day, you can even ask ICC to contact RM team while you are still on the phone.
I won’t release any trip detail now, it’s a trip with 3 awards, multiple countries and continents and it will be one of the most interesting redemption. But before that, heading to Tahiti next Monday
Posted by Troy under 2011 Trip, Award redemption, BMI Diamond Club |
December 7, 2010
Log in your BMI account, then click buy miles, then you will this special offer. offer valid until Dec 12th
Posted by Troy under BMI Diamond Club |
August 31, 2010
It’s very interesting to write about this today. I just took a flight from PRG-LHR in Business class, which was just first few row of the plane with middle seat blocked. There are minor difference with UK carriers, seats on left side are two bigger seats with one very small middle seat.
5 years ago, I took a flight from LHR-DUB on BMI with seat assignment 3C, at that time, I was general member of all airlines. The middle seat next to me was very very small, I was wondering who can fit in that seat at the time, not even a kid.
5 years later, I finally realized I was actually seating in the Business class, the seat was not intended for anyone.:P
Posted by Troy under 2010 Trip, BMI Diamond Club, British Airways |
August 19, 2010
It’s a one way ticket using BD miles, I am still waiting for return next Sun from ZRH-SFO flights open up, so I can have a flat bed both directions this time.
A lot times, Premium cabin award will be released when departure date getting closer. diff airlines or destinations have diff releasing date. for example, from LAX-HKG on Cathay, seats will be released 3 days prior to departure if there are still plenty of C cabin for sale, but for JFK-HKG on CX, it’s 7 days.
So, be patient, you will get what u want even if you missed early period
Posted by Troy under Award redemption, BMI Diamond Club |
August 3, 2010
I had some diffculty with LH intra Europe awards with BD miles yesterday, the flight is FRA-PRG in business class, both ANA and LH website showed at lest 4 seats available, but BD agent told me she could not see anything, not just business class, also Economy class. I then tried to route via DUS or VIE, same thing,not a single flight available in any class from FRA-DUS or VIE on LH with BD miles despite ANA and LH showed many seats.
Hopefully, it just a temporary thing.
Posted by Troy under Award redemption, BMI Diamond Club, Other Airline Reward Programs |
August 3, 2010
I did quite few award bookings for the past few days including
1 For a reader using 60K Delta miles from East coast to CTU, China this August with $123 in taxes on MU,CZ and DL, this did surprise some of my friend again. Of course, it’s a paid service.
2 For myself, my wife and my mother in law go to China in earlier September this year, 3 seats, business class, I did not make the booking yet, because I found availability on JL using AA miles almost open everyday, no rush.
3 For myself, my mom and my grandma to Europe in late September this year, 3 seats, business class on LH A380 
, return on TK B77W via NRT with stopover in Tokyo.BMI is very strict on routing now, it took me very long time to ticket these reservations. For outbound, via FRA, there are three short haul intra Europe flights for same day connection and award seats are everywhere via ANA or LH website, but BMI could not see any seats, not even economy, nothing for all three flights, I called several times, in order to keep my A380 segment, I decide to stay overnight at FRA airport(next day afternoon connecting open) and call later to change.
Then for return via NRT, it’s getting even worse, I am going to diff city after arriving in China, so I called BD to book my ticket first, once they put my final segment in, they had to check for routing because they never heard that city before. Then, they told me, it’s invalid routing, I have to pay Zone 2- Zone 8+Zone 8-Zone 8. Follow the hang up, call again rule, I called 2 more times, same thing, refuse to ticket unless pay point by point because it’s not published routing. I know it’s not gonna work, so I took different approach, I called forth time, instead of working my trip first, I let them do IST-NRT-PEK for my mom and grandma first, this time, they had no problem issuing a ticket with 18750 miles because they knew where PEK is and don’t need to check their “system”. Then I gave them my trip, they have no problem anymore:P
All three tickets cost me 112,500 BMI miles+2500 USD in taxes and fees, It’s expensive, but average $800 per ticket in business, it’s not bad at all.
4 Last one, I haven’t search very hard yet, but it should be easy, 1 seat for myself to go Europe in late August for 1 or 2 days, with plenty of routing possible, I am not worry to much.
A lot of work, but I am pretty satisfied for what I have done.
Posted by Troy under American Airlines, Award redemption, BMI Diamond Club |
July 20, 2010
We’re pleased to announce that from 1 August we’ll be increasing the loyalty destinations miles bonus on all flights you take with Lufthansa to 35%. You’ll continue to earn a 25% loyalty bonus whenever you fly with any other Star Alliance or partner airline.
We hope you agree this is great news and means that you’ll start to earn even more miles as a result of our partnership with Lufthansa.
Thank you for your continued loyalty to bmi and Diamond Club.
Regards
Posted by Troy under BMI Diamond Club |
July 1, 2010
Musings of The Global Traveller mentioned timetable for Diamond Club closure that LH released during shareholder convention, the LH financial statement will be no reflection of BMI diamond club, that means the program will be closed sometimes during next year!
Well, start burning now, It’s very sad for one of the most valuable program to disappear!
Posted by Troy under BMI Diamond Club |
June 22, 2010
Follow the instruction posted here, all miles are posted today.
I am not unhappy with BMI on this promotion posting issue, in fact, I have never been unhappy with them because they always handled everything properly, sometimes slow, but it will be done. BMI has Joanna there to help us!
I know some people get angry because of late posting, but you should not if u are in mileage world long enough
1 you should never count on those promotion miles for your travel plan because almost all promotion carry a clause“bonus miles will be award 8-12 weeks after the end of promotion”
2 there is no need to contact them before end of posting frame because they probably will ask you to wait anyway. Don’t waste your time, just be patient.
When I just join the miles/points world, I always called them before end of posting frame, things never get done because they always told me “8-12 weeks”.
Now, I wait until end of posting frame,most missing miles/points can be posted with 1 call, so be patient!!! you will feel a lot of happier than wasting your time on phone.
Posted by Troy under BMI Diamond Club, General Frequent Flyer Advice, Trip(Wyndham) Rewards and Other Reward programs |
