Aegean Airlines - Star Alliance gold by United mileage run - have I missed something?

Aegean Airlines - Star Alliance gold by United mileage run - have I missed something?

Following AusBT's earlier article on Aegean Airlines mileage scheme as an easy route to Star Alliance Gold, I am looking at a mileage run on United on my forthcoming US trip.

From what I can work out it seems I can book a HNL-EWR-AUA one way for around USD1100 on United in first/business. The HNL-EWR (flat seat on a 767-400) would accrue over 20,000 miles (first thus 300% x 6920) and the EWR-AUA leg another 3900 or so (business thus 200% of 1958).

That would total in excess of the 20,000 miles to qualify for Gold for about USD1100.

What have I missed (if anything)?

I think you are not missing anything. Just make sure your First Class fare is booked in F or A and Business class is booked in J, C, D, Z and you should be Star Gold after your mileage run.

As KG said, check the booking class. Go on the Aegean Airlines site and look at what codes give what miles accural.....normally flights on BusinessFirst have 200% while Global First has 300%. Seems pretty good what you have! Good way to get Star Alliance Gold

Many thanks, KG and Koru17. Much appreciated.

My goodness! I've just checked. PLATY you're right!

You could also do HNL/SFO (2398 miles 767-400) and SFO/EWR (4963 miles A320) and hit target before even getting to Aruba for AUD 1,330!

It's well within a tolerable budget to do a yearly run just to maintain Gold.

Enjoy Aruba!

Assuming, of course, that you're starting in Hawaii, and don't mind the fact that you'll be stuck in Aruba at the end, which isn't an annual occurrence for most of us.

An interesting question would be perhaps the most cost-effective way to get 20,000 Aegean miles starting from and returning to an Australian airport. It's tricky, you gotta find fares which are cheap but expensive enough that they still earn 100% mileage.

Best I found by some quick searching is a $2111 for a V class fare in October on United from MEL-SYD-LAX-HNL and back. Should earn just over 20,000 miles. Downside: an atrocious amount of time spent in United economy.

Thanks, Hugo.

Back in the US, you can do a SFO-AUA-SFO for around $1300, which also gets you over the mark.

Aruba isn't all bad - at least the Renaissance neart the airport has its own private island with frequent free launch boat service there and back from he hotel lobby...

...also US immigration is on the island so if you take the can breeze through US customs at AUA (at quieter times) and arrive in MIA or EWK with the status of a domestic flight...

PS. you can also do an AUA-(MIA-ORD)-BOS on AA to get 540 QF status credits for about USD1000...

Guys,

I'm pondering this further. Does Agean count bonus miles (e.g 300% miles flying UA First) towards the 20,000 miles target?

It seems that they do not make a distiction between "tier" miles and bonus miles. Is this correct? It just feels wrong somehow.

For example SFO/EWR on UA First with base miles of 4963miles, which of the following is correct?

1) 4963 miles towards Gold status, 9926 miles bonus miles (i.e 15,037 miles required to hit Gold), or

2) 14,889 miles towards Gold status (i.e. ony 5,111 miles more required to hit Gold)

TRB: It is normal that cabin bonus is considered level miles, so the 300% mileage earn is indeed counting towards the 20K treshhold. What does not count is status bonus (if and when applicable) for being a higher tier member of a FF program.