Author Topic: Why LAN is the best choice for banking your miles  (Read 7882 times)

Offline SBS

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite
  • ****
  • Join Date: Jun 2008
  • Posts: 394
  • Total likes: 9
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 27
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Location: Brooklyn, NY
Why LAN is the best choice for banking your miles
« on: June 06, 2008, 12:06:38 AM »
Since discovering LAN last year and sharing it on DansDeals.com (see here: http://www.dansdeals.com/archives/2390) I have come to realize more and more benefits of banking your SPG miles in LAN, and crediting all the OneWorld flights to it. I will list the benefits of LAN.

1. The SPG transfer rate is 20000 Starwood points to 50000 Kilometres. Since LAN works on Kilometres and all other airlines work on miles, and every mile is 1.6 kilometres so the reward chart is done proportionate to the kilometres, so you end up recieving a 35% increase in value when transferring SPG points to LAN.

2. For the above reason, their reward chart is significantly less than any other airline. See here the award chart: http://plane.lan.com/lanpass/canjee_kms/tabla_premios-en-us.html.

3. They have two award charts, one for LAN flights (and AA and Alaska), and one chart for the OneWorld alliance members. AA & LAN flights are based on a regular zone chart, so to fly in the US48 and Canada on AA is 40000 kms, instead of 25000 on AA (FYI, AA has a promo of 15k for short-hops so don't use the kms for that). The great thing about it is that you can search online availability for any ticket on these AA flights (which are codeshared with LAN). Also, now you can fly from anywhere in the US48 to South America for the same cheap price of 48000 kms (that includes Brazil to which tickets usually cost $1000+)!!!

4. Their award chart is incredible, and it gives you great options, such as Israel for 95000 kms. To understand how to use the chart check out the above link to DansDeals.

5. They don't have any of the add-on fees that US-Based airlines impose:
* You can book the ticket 24 hours before and pay nothing (as opposed to AA $100 fee).
* You can change the ticket as many times as you want for free! (as opposed to some US-Based airlines which charge $50-$100 fee)
* You don't pay fuel surcharges (as opposed to most European Airlines).

6. The award chart states that flights from USA to South America Zone 2 (Peru, Ecuador, Brasil, Bolivia, Colombia, Venezuela) cannot connect in South America Zone 1 (Argentina, Chile, Uruguay), BUT I was able to price a ticket from MIA to GRU (S. Paulo) thru EZE (Buenos Aires, Argentina) or SCL (Santiago, Chile) for the same price.
Available for Sha'alos

Offline Avid Reader

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: May 2008
  • Posts: 4002
  • Total likes: 13
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 2
    • View Profile
  • Location: NYC
  • Programs: Starwood Gold, Accor Gold, Hilton Gold, Hertz Five Star Gold, Marriott Silver, National Executive
Re: Why LAN is the best choice for banking your miles
« Reply #1 on: June 06, 2008, 01:00:09 AM »
SBS thanks for this great info!  :D

Offline Daniel

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite + Lifetime Gold Elite
  • ******
  • Join Date: May 2008
  • Posts: 916
  • Total likes: 8
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
    • View Profile
Re: Why LAN is the best choice for banking your miles
« Reply #2 on: June 08, 2008, 12:00:20 AM »
"(FYI, AA has a promo of 15k for short-hops so don't use the kms for that). "

Where can I get info on that promo?

Offline Dan

  • Administrator
  • Dansdeals Lifetime 50K Diamond Elite
  • **********
  • Join Date: May 2008
  • Posts: 67598
  • Total likes: 16909
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 16442
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Location: CLE
  • Programs: UA GS, AA EXP, DL Dirt, Hyatt Glob, Fairmont Lifetime Plat, DD Diamond, Blocked By @NeriaKraus
Re: Why LAN is the best choice for banking your miles
« Reply #3 on: June 08, 2008, 12:01:12 AM »
"(FYI, AA has a promo of 15k for short-hops so don't use the kms for that). "

Where can I get info on that promo?
http://www.dansdeals.com/archives/1324
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

Offline flyingace

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Jun 2008
  • Posts: 1409
  • Total likes: 405
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
    • View Profile
Re: Why LAN is the best choice for banking your miles
« Reply #4 on: June 11, 2008, 07:46:35 AM »
One caveat. LAN has a 15,000 mile penalty for cancelling an award ticket and putting miles back into your account in addition to the fee of around 45 dollars.

Offline Dan

  • Administrator
  • Dansdeals Lifetime 50K Diamond Elite
  • **********
  • Join Date: May 2008
  • Posts: 67598
  • Total likes: 16909
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 16442
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Location: CLE
  • Programs: UA GS, AA EXP, DL Dirt, Hyatt Glob, Fairmont Lifetime Plat, DD Diamond, Blocked By @NeriaKraus
Re: Why LAN is the best choice for banking your miles
« Reply #5 on: June 11, 2008, 11:16:18 AM »
One caveat. LAN has a 15,000 mile penalty for cancelling an award ticket and putting miles back into your account in addition to the fee of around 45 dollars.
Which or may not be as bad for you as the $150 penalty that AA and United charge...

BTW where did you see that penalty?
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

Offline SBS

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite
  • ****
  • Join Date: Jun 2008
  • Posts: 394
  • Total likes: 9
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 27
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Location: Brooklyn, NY
Re: Why LAN is the best choice for banking your miles
« Reply #6 on: June 11, 2008, 02:44:36 PM »
Why Cancel if you can change unlimited times?
Available for Sha'alos

Offline flyingace

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Jun 2008
  • Posts: 1409
  • Total likes: 405
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
    • View Profile
Re: Why LAN is the best choice for banking your miles
« Reply #7 on: June 11, 2008, 03:58:27 PM »
The ticket is only good for one year. So if you book a ticket 10 months in advance and then can't travel you have to redeposit the miles or lose them.
 
This is what I was told when I booked a ticket through them.

Offline coralsnake

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: May 2008
  • Posts: 4555
  • Total likes: 162
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 9
    • View Profile
Re: Why LAN is the best choice for banking your miles
« Reply #8 on: June 11, 2008, 08:02:42 PM »
So I guess the obvious question (since I have been receiving their emails) is- Do they speak English?
"Here at DansDeals we don’t do buses." -Dan

Offline E

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: May 2008
  • Posts: 1509
  • Total likes: 5
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
    • View Profile
Re: Why LAN is the best choice for banking your miles
« Reply #9 on: June 11, 2008, 09:37:22 PM »
yes they do they even have an English website http://www.lan.com/index-en-us.html (you probably knew that already)

Offline lala

  • Dansdeals Gold Elite
  • ***
  • Join Date: Jun 2008
  • Posts: 115
  • Total likes: 0
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
  • Gender: Female
    • View Profile
Re: Why LAN is the best choice for banking your miles
« Reply #10 on: June 15, 2008, 08:30:38 PM »
SBS: I do think that LAN is a great option (and thanks for discovering them in the first place). However wouldn't it be much wiser to keep the points banked in SPG? That way they could be moved whenever and wherever needed. Once you move to LAN you are pretty much stuck...

Offline jake1

  • DansDeals Copper Elite
  • *
  • Join Date: Apr 2009
  • Posts: 8
  • Total likes: 0
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
    • View Profile
Re: Why LAN is the best choice for banking your miles
« Reply #11 on: April 28, 2009, 06:59:36 PM »
i'm trying to figure out if i have aa miles how would that convert miles to kms ratio and how would i go about booking a mileage  ticket in the most productive way??

Offline Dan

  • Administrator
  • Dansdeals Lifetime 50K Diamond Elite
  • **********
  • Join Date: May 2008
  • Posts: 67598
  • Total likes: 16909
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 16442
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Location: CLE
  • Programs: UA GS, AA EXP, DL Dirt, Hyatt Glob, Fairmont Lifetime Plat, DD Diamond, Blocked By @NeriaKraus
Re: Why LAN is the best choice for banking your miles
« Reply #12 on: April 29, 2009, 02:44:04 PM »
i'm trying to figure out if i have aa miles how would that convert miles to kms ratio and how would i go about booking a mileage  ticket in the most productive way??
100,000 AA transfers to 200,000 Hilton
200,000 Hilton transfers to 52,000 LAN.

Not a great transfer, but that's as good as is publicly available.
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

Offline Yordai Dooma

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: May 2008
  • Posts: 4234
  • Total likes: 54
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 16
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Programs: AA EXP/LT Platinum, SPG gold, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Platinum Ambassador, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold, Hertz PC, National EE,
Re: Why LAN is the best choice for banking your miles
« Reply #13 on: February 15, 2010, 12:44:11 AM »
Could someone tell me if this would work:

Transfer 20k SPG into LAN which will give me 50k LAN.
I already have 5k of LAN which gives me a total of 55km.

I want to book two itineraries as follows....

ORD to YOW which would be 10,000 LAN (x2 =20k)
YOW to DCA which would be 8k LAN (x2 = 16k)
DCA to ORD which would be 9k LAN (x2 = 18k)

For a total of 54k LAN.

I thought I saw somewhere that LAN only works when flying Round trip.

Would it work in this scenario as well?

Thanks!

Offline jack

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite + Lifetime Silver Elite
  • *****
  • Join Date: Jun 2008
  • Posts: 509
  • Total likes: 10
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: Why LAN is the best choice for banking your miles
« Reply #14 on: February 15, 2010, 11:17:05 AM »
Is it possible to fly non stop to Israel with LAN?
Is it ever available?

Offline damaxer91

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: Jul 2008
  • Posts: 3182
  • Total likes: 64
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 6
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: Why LAN is the best choice for banking your miles
« Reply #15 on: February 15, 2010, 01:23:42 PM »
Could someone tell me if this would work:

Transfer 20k SPG into LAN which will give me 50k LAN.
I already have 5k of LAN which gives me a total of 55km.

I want to book two itineraries as follows....

ORD to YOW which would be 10,000 LAN (x2 =20k)
YOW to DCA which would be 8k LAN (x2 = 16k)
DCA to ORD which would be 9k LAN (x2 = 18k)

For a total of 54k LAN.

I thought I saw somewhere that LAN only works when flying Round trip.

Would it work in this scenario as well?

Thanks!

LAN does not allow One Ways though I believe that they do allow Open Jaws

Offline Yordai Dooma

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: May 2008
  • Posts: 4234
  • Total likes: 54
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 16
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Programs: AA EXP/LT Platinum, SPG gold, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Platinum Ambassador, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold, Hertz PC, National EE,
Re: Why LAN is the best choice for banking your miles
« Reply #16 on: February 15, 2010, 01:31:03 PM »
LAN does not allow One Ways though I believe that they do allow Open Jaws

Pardon my ignorance...but what is an open jaw? Is what I'm trying to do considered an open jaw?

Offline jack

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite + Lifetime Silver Elite
  • *****
  • Join Date: Jun 2008
  • Posts: 509
  • Total likes: 10
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: Why LAN is the best choice for banking your miles
« Reply #17 on: February 15, 2010, 02:14:14 PM »
Is it possible to fly non stop to Israel with LAN?
Is it ever available?

To answer my own question - can only be done with a stop.

Offline me

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite
  • ****
  • Join Date: May 2008
  • Posts: 444
  • Total likes: 0
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
    • View Profile
  • Location: YUL
Re: Why LAN is the best choice for banking your miles
« Reply #18 on: February 15, 2010, 04:09:51 PM »
ORD to YOW which would be 10,000 LAN (x2 =20k)
YOW to DCA which would be 8k LAN (x2 = 16k)
DCA to ORD which would be 9k LAN (x2 = 18k)

In order to get those price plans it needs to be a direct flight. At least ottawa to dc cant get a direct flight.

Offline Platinum

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite + Lifetime Silver Elite
  • *****
  • Join Date: Feb 2010
  • Posts: 567
  • Total likes: 8
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
    • View Profile
Re: Why LAN is the best choice for banking your miles
« Reply #19 on: February 15, 2010, 04:32:59 PM »
Just by the way LAN does not let you check availability without having miles in your account.