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DDMS: The Best Cards From Barclays Bank-The Lufthansa Premier Miles & More World MasterCard
You can enroll in the Miles & More program here.US to Israel: For departures from the USA nonstop to Tel Aviv: 80K coach, 135K business.
For departures from the USA to Tel Aviv via Europe: 100K coach, 185K business, 290K first. For departures from Israel to the USA nonstop or via Europe for Miles & More accounts with an Israeli address on file: 60K coach, 105K business, 170K first.
The card has no foreign exchange fees.
Lufthansa miles have a few sweet uses:
3 one-way domestic first class flights on United:You can fly on Star Alliance partner United in domestic first class
for just 17,000 miles each way with no fuel surcharges. All United flights between JFK and Los Angeles or S. Francisco and several flights from Newark have lie-flat seats in business class. Plus you can still order hot kosher meals between JFK and Los Angeles or S. Francisco in business class. United charges 25,000 of their own miles each way for these seats, so you’ll save 8,000 miles each way via Lufthansa. Within 24 hours Lufthansa does allow free cancellations even on United medal.
Remember to book one-way flights as a round-trip business class is 35,000 but they charge half the price and round down for one-way so it’s only 17,000 each way.4 one-way coach tickets:A one-way coach ticket within the US on United will run 12,000 miles.
Business class to Europe:Business class to Europe is 52,000 miles each way and there are no fuel surcharges on Lot Polish which flies 787s with an excellent lie-flat business class to Warsaw. (Note that United.com can’t search for LOT Polish flights if you use that to search for Star Alliance awards).
Availability is excellent.
Hawaii:Business class to Hawaii (including lie-flat seats on flights from Houston and Newark) is just 35,000 miles each way when booked with Lufthansa miles flying on United with no fuel surcharges. That’s a 10,000 mile savings on a round-trip flight compared to using United miles.
Coach is 20K miles each way, a 5,000 mile savings on a round-trip flight compared to using United miles.
Israel based account:If your Lufthansa account is registered with an Israeli address then you can book tickets from Israel using the much cheaper Europe award rates. A flight from Israel to the US will be prices like a flight from Europe to the US. (now must call to get this rate)
Other uses:Lufthansa First Class has significantly better availability when booked with Miles & More as opposed to programs like United.
There is also much better availability on other airlines like Singapore’s top-notch business class when booked via Miles & More as opposed to programs like United.
Barclays cards can be churned, so you can always start saving up for a dream trip.
Mileage ExpirationMiles expire after 36 months, regardless of activity. If you have a Miles & More credit card and use it monthly, then your miles will not expire.