Asiamiles

[k3nnis]

Hi Guys,

Just wondering anyone out here in Australia collects asis miles? I am thinking to go down this route after I use up all my Virgin Flying Club miles. I have an AMEX Platinum EDGE credit card which I do 1:1 for Flying club at the moment. I also have a westpac altitude gold visa and amex which primarily used VISA for things which I can't pay with AMEX. I haven't redeemed the points yet I have approx 20000 altitude points at present. So thinking if I do go with asiamiles I wll do that.

Asiamiles looks like it has great burn rates but not so great earn rate.

What are your opinions? Should I go for another FF program? MH, SQ ? or something else? I don't purchase tickets often to travel mainly I redeem for tickets, so I don't need status. I will try and redeem for J class if possible...or premium economy if available.

Also do asia miles expire after 3 years? I like flying club because they don't expire as long as you have account activity...I don't think there are many programs like this?

Cheers,
K.

 

[kamchatsky]

Hi Guys,

Just wondering anyone out here in Australia collects asis miles? I am thinking to go down this route after I use up all my Virgin Flying Club miles. I have an AMEX Platinum EDGE credit card which I do 1:1 for Flying club at the moment. I also have a westpac altitude gold visa and amex which primarily used VISA for things which I can't pay with AMEX. I haven't redeemed the points yet I have approx 20000 altitude points at present. So thinking if I do go with asiamiles I wll do that.

Asiamiles looks like it has great burn rates but not so great earn rate.

What are your opinions? Should I go for another FF program? MH, SQ ? or something else? I don't purchase tickets often to travel mainly I redeem for tickets, so I don't need status. I will try and redeem for J class if possible...or premium economy if available.

Also do asia miles expire after 3 years? I like flying club because they don't expire as long as you have account activity...I don't think there are many programs like this?

Cheers,
K.

Where are you planning to redeem? If you plan to go to HKG a lot this would make sense. However, given that the conversion rate from Amex MR to Asia Miles is 4:3, it means you need 60000 MR points -> 45000 AM for say SYD-HKG Y ticket, or 120000 MR points -> 80000 AM for SYD-HKG J ticket.

For Virgin Atlantic it is 1:1 so you only need 80000 MR points -> 80000 FC for SYD-HKG J ticket.

I am one of those people hopeful that Amex will change their redemption rate to CX to 1:1.

 

[samh004]

Also do asia miles expire after 3 years? I like flying club because they don't expire as long as you have account activity...I don't think there are many programs like this?

That is correct. Miles expire 3 years after you earn them, unless you choose to pay astronomical rates to extend their validity.

I think the main question you want to ask yourself (or I am asking you), is who you fly most with? While AsiaMiles does have a few Asian carriers, it’s mostly OneWorld airlines. And if you’re looking to also gain status, you’ll need to fork out USD$50 for marco Polo Club (Cathay Pacific’s FFP, which uses your AsiaMiles number).

 

[k3nnis]

Thanks guys for the info. I will mainly fly to asia, SYD-HKG or BKK, SIN, KUL, NRT. Maybe LAX. I am based in SYD. Also I had a thought I won't be flying much revenue, so mainly on reward points from credit cards etc. If this is the case then I guess it don't matter when AM miles expire etc as I will only transfer from my credit card when required?

Have you guys ever redeemed using AM on CX J or QF J? Is it hard to get?

Cheers,
K.

 

[auriga]

SYD to HKG J awards on CX often do not get released until quite late, maybe a few weeks prior to travel. Not so good if you like to plan way ahead.

 

[k3nnis]

Yeah that won't be good. So maybe I best use AM to redeem for QF for SYD-HKG-SYD in J or maybe in Premium Economy? Is it easy to plan ahead with QF awards?

 

[Timtammi]

I currently have an asia miles point award request in for late August for J CX flights MEL-FCO via HKG. Still on waitlist a month after the request went in. Expect them to be on waitlist for quite some time yet although flight is currently like a ghost town.
As others have said problem with this approach is that if they don't come through I have very little time to book something else and will probably have to pay over the odds or fly Y

Cheers