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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 Expiration
Miles 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.
« Last edited by Thingywingy on June 12, 2020, 06:22:36 PM »

Author Topic: Miles and more  (Read 122109 times)

Offline IsraelGuy

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Re: Miles and more
« Reply #40 on: April 13, 2015, 05:29:32 AM »
FRA-SEA

Anyway to see award availability for first without calling in to M & M? Don't have enough miles in my account so I always just get an error online

Offline MAJ

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Re: Miles and more
« Reply #41 on: April 15, 2015, 10:11:47 AM »
FRA-SEA

Anyway to see award availability for first without calling in to M & M? Don't have enough miles in my account so I always just get an error online
as long as you have miles you should be able to check

Offline MAJ

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Re: Miles and more
« Reply #42 on: April 15, 2015, 10:12:50 AM »
looking at flying lx with miles and more miles for tlv-nyc.

searching on expert flyer :when i put in tlv-nyc than for 450 am tlv-zrh and 950 am zrh-nyc, it shows 3 seats in I (business)
however if i search separately, tlv-zrh will show 5 seats on the 450 am and than zrh-nyc will show 7 seats.
miles and more website is showing at least 4 seats a flight if done separately but only allowing 3 if done together.

I need 4 seats, any advise?

Offline jaywhy

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Re: Miles and more
« Reply #43 on: April 15, 2015, 04:47:00 PM »
looking at flying lx with miles and more miles for tlv-nyc.

searching on expert flyer :when i put in tlv-nyc than for 450 am tlv-zrh and 950 am zrh-nyc, it shows 3 seats in I (business)
however if i search separately, tlv-zrh will show 5 seats on the 450 am and than zrh-nyc will show 7 seats.
miles and more website is showing at least 4 seats a flight if done separately but only allowing 3 if done together.

I need 4 seats, any advise?
It's a married segment.
Call and HUCA until you get someone to book it for you.

Offline MAJ

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Re: Miles and more
« Reply #44 on: April 15, 2015, 05:09:38 PM »
ok tx

Offline IsraelGuy

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Re: Miles and more
« Reply #45 on: April 25, 2015, 03:06:19 PM »
If you book in Y and J later becomes available on Lufthansa, can you pay the difference in miles to upgrade?

Offline mawmaw

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Re: Miles and more
« Reply #46 on: April 28, 2015, 02:45:30 AM »
i'm N00b for award booking :-[ Q *A dont show availability on LX TLV-NYC should i book now using M&M and later if *A open-up cancel (pay the $60 fee)and re book using AC?

Offline AharonInIsrael

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Re: Miles and more
« Reply #47 on: April 28, 2015, 03:43:42 AM »
i'm N00b for award booking :-[ Q *A dont show availability on LX TLV-NYC should i book now using M&M and later if *A open-up cancel (pay the $60 fee)and re book using AC?
Why would you prefer using AC? They charge YQ also, and more miles for that route than M&M (which considers Israel part of Europe, as long you're booking from an Israeli address).

Offline D93

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Re: Miles and more
« Reply #48 on: April 28, 2015, 06:18:53 AM »
Why would you prefer using AC? They charge YQ also
AC doesn't charge YQ on LX flights
and more miles for that route than M&M (which considers Israel part of Europe, as long you're booking from an Israeli address).
Indeed - 82.5k AC vs. 52k (and some YQ) m&m

Offline AharonInIsrael

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Re: Miles and more
« Reply #49 on: April 28, 2015, 07:19:35 AM »
AC doesn't charge YQ on LX flights
Odd that they don't charge on LX, but do on LH. Thanks for the info!

Is there always this much availaibility on the JFK-ZRH-TLV route in J (to M&M but not partners)? If so, I'm going to have get more LH miles :)

Offline D93

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Re: Miles and more
« Reply #50 on: April 28, 2015, 07:37:06 AM »
Is there always this much availaibility on the JFK-ZRH-TLV route in J (to M&M but not partners)? If so, I'm going to have get more LH miles :)
Yes

Offline AharonInIsrael

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Re: Miles and more
« Reply #51 on: April 28, 2015, 08:31:20 AM »

Offline mawmaw

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Re: Miles and more
« Reply #52 on: April 28, 2015, 10:14:29 AM »
YQ is much higher around $250 OW

Offline Joe4007

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Re: Miles and more
« Reply #53 on: April 28, 2015, 10:24:50 AM »
YQ is much higher around $250 OW
Much higher than?

Offline @Yehuda

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Re: Miles and more
« Reply #54 on: April 28, 2015, 10:26:13 AM »
Much higher than?
Than if booked with UA.

Offline Joe4007

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Re: Miles and more
« Reply #55 on: April 28, 2015, 10:28:34 AM »
Than if booked with UA.
No kidding. Who mentioned UA here?

Offline @Yehuda

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Re: Miles and more
« Reply #56 on: April 28, 2015, 10:31:22 AM »
No kidding. Who mentioned UA here?
Was just an assumption, but I would imagine that's what mawmaw was referring to.

Offline D93

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Re: Miles and more
« Reply #57 on: April 28, 2015, 01:22:37 PM »
YQ is much higher around $250 OW
Ok, so...

82.5k AC + no YQ versus 52k m&m + $250

If you'd take AC over m&m, you are valuing AC at .83! WOW!

Offline AharonInIsrael

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Re: Miles and more
« Reply #58 on: April 28, 2015, 03:10:49 PM »
Ok, so...

82.5k AC + no YQ versus 52k m&m + $250

If you'd take AC over m&m, you are valuing AC at .83! WOW!
Or valuing AC at 1.1 and M&M at 1.26 (or higher).

Offline mawmaw

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Re: Miles and more
« Reply #59 on: April 28, 2015, 03:46:17 PM »
actually i value M&M@1.75/1.8