Dude, Where's My Mileage?
Q: Tom, I recently flew on a transatlantic flight with Air France. When I checked the mileage for the flight on my Air France Flying Blue account, I saw that the way east was credited with the expected 4,000 miles or so, while the way back west received only 900 miles! No, this was not the Concorde or some time travel tricks from the airline, but rather some previously unheard of rules that only gives partial mileage to some ticket classes. What is one supposed to do? -Stephan G.
A: Stephan, I feel your pain. What is one supposed to do? I usually go on in excruciating and repetitive detail of how I was wronged, at least until my co-workers' eyes glaze over and I begin to notice no one wants to have lunch with me. At which point, I rethink my course of action and regain favor by bringing in donuts the next morning (powerful mind tool, the deep-fried orb).
For you, I say let's arm you with some information so your miles will never be minimized again (at least without your knowledge).
Airline frequent flier mileage is a convoluted and mysterious thing eluding even the wiliest of travelers. In this case, we're talking about mileage accrual rates. If you go 1,000 miles, should you not get 1,000 miles of credit? It seems only fair.
Most U.S. carriers uncorked their frequent flier programs over 25 years ago and I believe it's a genie that is never going back into the bottle. As more international carriers joined the fray, the rules evolved on a global scale and as we know, not all mileage programs are the same.
U.S. carriers tend to base their mileage credit in an even-steven ratio. What you fly is what you get. Though first class and business class may get a beefier mileage credit, say 1.5 times the actual mileage flown, domestic coach mileage credit is rarely reduced. The $500 coach ticket gets the same mileage accrual as the $200 coach ticket (something business travelers are acutely aware of).
Here's the rub. With some codeshare and most international carriers, your mileage credit accrual is based on the fare you buy. The higher the price you pay, the greater the mileage credit.
For example on British Airways, there are five different mileage classifications based on fares, which on a New York to London flight would play out as follows: lowest economy, 865 miles; flexible economy, 3,458 miles; premier economy, 4,323 miles; business/club 5,187miles; and first, 6,916 miles.
If you have a choice of carriers and mileage accrual is important to you, I suggest checking out your respective airlines and their mileage partners online to see who gives you what. And of course, that's assuming you have a choice. Visit the airline's Web site to see what their mileage accrual policies are. As a rule of thumb, U.S. carriers give at least full mileage credit no matter what fare has been booked (usually more for business and first).
I'll leave you with some examples of airline mileage accrual policies:American Airlines and Partner Airlines Continental Airlines and Partner Airlines Delta Air Lines and Partner Airlines Northwest Airlines and Partners example: Nothwest mileage on flights operated by Air France United Airlines and Partners Virgin Atlantic and Partners
Have a question for Tom?
Tom Conway, who who gets plenty of mileage from sharing his box of donuts, looks forward to your questions, comments and tips below.
A: Stephan, I feel your pain. What is one supposed to do? I usually go on in excruciating and repetitive detail of how I was wronged, at least until my co-workers' eyes glaze over and I begin to notice no one wants to have lunch with me. At which point, I rethink my course of action and regain favor by bringing in donuts the next morning (powerful mind tool, the deep-fried orb).
For you, I say let's arm you with some information so your miles will never be minimized again (at least without your knowledge).
Airline frequent flier mileage is a convoluted and mysterious thing eluding even the wiliest of travelers. In this case, we're talking about mileage accrual rates. If you go 1,000 miles, should you not get 1,000 miles of credit? It seems only fair.
Most U.S. carriers uncorked their frequent flier programs over 25 years ago and I believe it's a genie that is never going back into the bottle. As more international carriers joined the fray, the rules evolved on a global scale and as we know, not all mileage programs are the same.
U.S. carriers tend to base their mileage credit in an even-steven ratio. What you fly is what you get. Though first class and business class may get a beefier mileage credit, say 1.5 times the actual mileage flown, domestic coach mileage credit is rarely reduced. The $500 coach ticket gets the same mileage accrual as the $200 coach ticket (something business travelers are acutely aware of).
Here's the rub. With some codeshare and most international carriers, your mileage credit accrual is based on the fare you buy. The higher the price you pay, the greater the mileage credit.
For example on British Airways, there are five different mileage classifications based on fares, which on a New York to London flight would play out as follows: lowest economy, 865 miles; flexible economy, 3,458 miles; premier economy, 4,323 miles; business/club 5,187miles; and first, 6,916 miles.
If you have a choice of carriers and mileage accrual is important to you, I suggest checking out your respective airlines and their mileage partners online to see who gives you what. And of course, that's assuming you have a choice. Visit the airline's Web site to see what their mileage accrual policies are. As a rule of thumb, U.S. carriers give at least full mileage credit no matter what fare has been booked (usually more for business and first).
I'll leave you with some examples of airline mileage accrual policies:
Have a question for Tom?
Tom Conway, who who gets plenty of mileage from sharing his box of donuts, looks forward to your questions, comments and tips below.
Comments
For those of you who are getting started with this Mileage concept, I noticed that you really have to add up some serious miles before you can use them, so forget about getting a free ticket after you fly an Airline twice or htrice. All you can get is a possible upgrade - if you are lucky.
- This is how I felt with the frequent flier mileage on Northwest.
Posted by: Das | August 17, 2007 9:53 AM
My wife flew from London to Denver (nonstop) on British Airways in September 2006, and she received zero miles for the Atlantic Flight. Since we are living in the United States, we opted to go for the American Airlines milage program, and it did not dawn on us that we had to register for British Airways awards program. We registered my wife's AA Frequent Flyer number on the British Airways web site at ticket booking, and the system accepted the number. It wasn't until statement (up to a month later) that we called in and we were informed by American Airlines that their partnership does not allow credit for Trans-Atlantic flights.
Posted by: Matthew | August 17, 2007 9:55 AM
Dear Tom,what does someone do when the airline doesn't answer?
I have been trying via web, phone and fax for several months to have LAN update my mileage (a leg that was not adjudicated) and the only thing I get is different the same recordings over and over, different phone # and fax numbers to contact, no human being in sight, even in Chile and CANNOT get them to take care of this and aknowlegdge my messages?
The trip took place on April 25...
Posted by: Norma.R. Waldhorn | August 17, 2007 1:05 PM
Tom,
That U.S. carriers give full credit for mileage flown regardless of ticket class or price is misleading. What they do is devalue everyone's equal full credit by making the mileage accumulated worth half as much. You can still get a ticket for the mileage required a few years ago if you're the first one requesting and you're willing to fly at an absurd hour on a circuitous route with multiple stopovers and connections. About 90% of the frequent flier seats offered, those that take you directly to your destination at an hour when people are actually out of bed, you can take advantage of for merely relinquishing double miles. And they are brash enough to call the double miles option a tantalizing new "benefit."
Lou
Posted by: Louis A. Moench | August 17, 2007 8:43 PM
In response to Norma's question, is your mileage credit from your travel on LAN for the airline's LanPass program or is it to be credited to another airline in the oneworld family? Be sure to contact the airline program that is associated with your mileage redemption.
In the past, I've found the best way to receive mileage credit due is to make a copy of the boarding pass and itinerary and send it directly to the airline mileage program in question. If your mileage program is from American Airlines but your flew on LAN, I would submit the information to American Airlines mileage program.
I know it seems laborious, but even in this age of electronic ticketing, I've only been able to receive past mileage by submitting copies of my boarding passes and itineray by snail mail to the airline's mileage office. Include of note of explanation and contact info.
Posted by: Tom Conway | August 23, 2007 10:44 AM
Tom, I need to redeem a bunch of miles I flew internationally 30-60 days ago with United and Thaii Air. The website says that's no problem....but I don't have the ticket number or boarding pass any more, but I do have my itinerary, flight number, etc. Is it possible to still redeem the miles even if I don't have my ticket number etc.? Can I retrieve the ticket number etc. from United or Thaii or am I "up a creek without any miles"?
Thanks!
Dave
Posted by: Dave Eikenberry | August 25, 2009 7:27 AM
Hi Dave,
Yikes that's a whole lotta mileage to consider (and keep). If this was a company booking, it's very likely (as it is when booked through Egencia)that when you booked the trip through your corporate travel site or portal, that the information is captured in the booking tool's reporting module. This makes the ticket number retrievable in a report of your transactions.
If you booked it yourself or directly with the airline, you have to check with them directly. Prepare to be patient as this may take several phone calls and/or a written request and copy of your itinerary. The itinerary should at least have your record locator number which should help the airline search for record of your trip and ticket number. Good luck, wish I had an easier solution.
Posted by: Tom | August 27, 2009 3:29 PM