Trying to sign up for Eastern Miles (China Eastern)

[owwreally]

Hey all,

I have been trying to sign up for China Eastern's loyalty program (Eastern Miles) - due to an upcoming trip to China.
However the website is extremally clunky and after about 5 different tries, when I try and submit my details to register, I only get an error pop up saying 'channel.invalid'.

Has anyone signed up recently or overcome this issue?

 

[BettyB]

I had this issue a while ago. A VPN solved it for me.

 

[owwreally]

I had this issue a while ago. A VPN solved it for me.

As in you VPN'd into China?

 

[BettyB]

As in you VPN'd into China?

Yes.

 

[owwreally]

Tried to VPN into Hong Kong (as NordVPN doesn't have one for mainland China) - however wont let me get a verification code to mobile this way (tried both phone and computer).

No word of a lie - this is the worst website form I have ever used.

 

[jase05]

Tried to VPN into Hong Kong (as NordVPN doesn't have one for mainland China) - however wont let me get a verification code to mobile this way (tried both phone and computer).

No word of a lie - this is the worst website form I have ever used.

Any particular reason you chose their program?
Would one of the other SkyTeam partners work out better for you?

 

[owwreally]

Any particular reason you chose their program?
Would one of the other SkyTeam partners work out better for you?

Has been booked via a travel agent - however can I 'collect' these points via another airline? i.e. Virgin?

 

[jase05]

Has been booked via a travel agent - however can I 'collect' these points via another airline? i.e. Virgin?

Absolutely.
Check out what other partners you can credit to and see if the fare is a valid earner and then if you can’t change the FF number online you should be able to ask them at check in to change it

 

[Mwenenzi]

I have been trying to sign up for China Eastern's loyalty program (Eastern Miles) - due to an upcoming trip to China.
However the website is extremally clunky and after about 5 different tries, when I try and submit my details to register, I only get an error pop up saying 'channel.invalid'.is issue?

Why do you want to sign up to a new ffp's.
Orphan ffp's with a few ff miles/points/avios are of nil value. OK if will be your main ffp or flying the airline a *lot*.

Check the fare booking class and ffp details.

Where to Credit | Where to Credit China Eastern Airlines Flights

Find the best frequent flyer program for China Eastern Airlines flights. Where to Credit shows you the number of miles you earn on any frequent flyer program!

www.wheretocredit.com

Aeroflot, Aerolineas Argentinas, Aeromexico, Air Europa, China Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, Czech Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Flying Blue, Garuda Indonesia, Japan Airlines, Korean Air, Middle East Airlines, Qantas Airways, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Vietnam Airlines, Xiamen Airlines

 

[owwreally]

Any recommendations?

Mainly fly with OneWorld (Qantas) and Virgin Australia or their affiliates.

Looking at SkyTeam website, doesn't really look like anything i'd use that often.

China Eastern | Eastern Miles | SkyTeam

China Eastern is one of the 3 major airlines in China. Find out about China Eastern's SkyTeam partners and earn miles today.

www.skyteam.com

 

[jase05]

Any recommendations?

Mainly fly with OneWorld (Qantas) and Virgin Australia or their affiliates.

Looking at SkyTeam website, doesn't really look like anything i'd use that often.

China Eastern | Eastern Miles | SkyTeam

China Eastern is one of the 3 major airlines in China. Find out about China Eastern's SkyTeam partners and earn miles today.

www.skyteam.com

I’m with Virgin Atlantic and find their Flying Club ok. I do fly to SE Asia most years so can credit Vietnam Airlines and Garuda to them and as I’m currently doing once I’ve maintained Platinum with VA I credit my flights to Flying Club.
Others might suggest something like Delta

 

[elanshin]

If you want eastern miles, the easiest (although not language friendly way) is to use alipay (or wechat) and log onto the china eastern mini app there. It can very quickly create an account for you and is also the easiest way to do seat selection (if you're allowed). Downside is it's all in Chinese. Do note if you fiddle around with the app, you could override your other partner FF and have quite a few headaches trying to correct it (or not realise at all).

Besides that crediting it to any other partner is fine too. I recently credited it to DL (Delta) to finish a status challenge although there's a few other skyteam like Flyingblue.

If skyteam isn't your fancy you can also credit it back to Qantas and earn some QFF but no SC. It's highly unlikely your TA would've booked it as a QF codeshare (as it's generally cheaper just to buy Qantas direct).

 

[owwreally]

Appreciate all of the info.

As I am not really venturing outside of OneWorld or VA - even then I need to focus more on one, what is the process to credit the points to Qantas?

Can't create an account with China Eastern, so have no idea where to start?

 

[jase05]

Appreciate all of the info.

As I am not really venturing outside of OneWorld or VA - even then I need to focus more on one, what is the process to credit the points to Qantas?

Can't create an account with China Eastern, so have no idea where to start?

Just show your Qantas card at check in and the staff should be able to change the FF number on the booking.
You don’t need to create a China Eastern account.

 

[elanshin]

Appreciate all of the info.

As I am not really venturing outside of OneWorld or VA - even then I need to focus more on one, what is the process to credit the points to Qantas?

Can't create an account with China Eastern, so have no idea where to start?

Just ask your TA to add your QFF number and it will automatically go in once you've taken your flight. Just make sure it prints on your boarding pass, if it doesn't immediately get the check in agent to fix it.

Use the Qantas points calculator to see how much it'll generate. I think in J it was like 6-8k points for SYD > PVG when i checked for my parents.

 

[owwreally]

Thanks all.

Very odd not having it all in the convenience of an app.
Will head to check in and see what they can do.

 

[elanshin]

Thanks all.

Very odd not having it all in the convenience of an app.
Will head to check in and see what they can do.

It is in the convenience of an app, just not designed for non Chinese people. In some sense, Alipay and wechat is more convenient since literally everything is on that app.

That being said, if you are going to China, I would highly recommend getting Alipay anyways and make payments a lot easier.

 

[Mattg]

Any particular reason you chose their program?
Would one of the other SkyTeam partners work out better for you?

I was wondering the same thing.

If Eastern Miles is that difficult to JOIN, just imagine how hard it would be to actually use their miles!

 

[elanshin]

I was wondering the same thing.

If Eastern Miles is that difficult to JOIN, just imagine how hard it would be to actually use their miles!

Getting the flights to show might need partner booking things, but just reading apparently it's actually a pretty decent mileage cost in Skyteam as despite the name it's km not miles.

So once you do the conversion they come out to be one of the cheaper redemption options.

 

[simonlys]

You can earn QF miles with MU flights between or within Australia and China, award miles only no status points