Air India has joined the Star Alliance today, culminating a seven-year long effort to get inside the world’s largest club of airlines. One of the things that also changes then, is the Flying Returns program, which will now offer earn and burn opportunities across the Star Alliance network of airlines.
I had indicated earlier in this post about how will Air India elite members be mapped to Star Alliance tiers, and how will they be able to receive benefits today onwards. However, the new earning chart for Star Alliance carriers has just been released a while ago.
Earning on Air India for Star Alliance member flights: While you can have a detailed look at the PDF, here are the broad thoughts:
- Usually, earning rates are quid pro quo between the various carriers. So, if United is offering a 100% earn rate on all Air India fare classes, Air India would also do a 100% on economy. This reflects amply in the accrual chart.
- Most First class flights will net you 200% to 300% of flown miles, but flying United, ANA and Thai will earn you 150% of flown miles on flying first class.
- Business Class flights on *A carriers will net you between 100-200% of flown miles towards accrual on Flying Returns.
- Economy & Premium Economy flights will earn you anything between 25% to 125% of flown miles depending on the class in which the ticket is booked.
Burning Air India miles for Star Alliance member flights: Burning Air India’s miles on Air India’s own metal is cheaper than new award chart Air India is offering for Star alliance redemptions. This is consistently displayed across the award chart. The burn rate is 2x of Economy redemption rates for Business Class seats, and 2.5x for First Class Redemptions.
- America redemptions: While you can get an F class seat one-way from India to Air India stations in USA at 112,500 miles, here you are expected to shed 137,500 miles one way. Similarly in Business Class, while AI will get you a seat in 90,000 miles, you spend 110,000 miles on another carrier. However, the award chart is similar for North, Central and South America. Which means if you choose to burn AI miles for South America, you may be hitting a sweet spot.
- Europe redemptions: Europe redemptions from India are again a tad bit expensive over using Air India’s own metal. While you can get a ticket to Europe for 50000 miles to fly AI’s own metal one way (in Business Class), in this case, using a Star Alliance carrier you could be burning 65000 miles.
- Routing Rules: The award chart has been published with round-trip ticketing mileage, and 50% of miles will be required for one-way travel. You cannot backtrack, and one stopover (of over 24 hours) or one open-jaw is permitted per itinerary.
- Booking: At this moment, Air India’s website is not showing Star Alliance carriers on its redemption web engine. So, you’d have to perhaps work the phones to get yourself a ticket.
- Fuel Surcharges: It is possible that AI may charge fuel surcharges on the *A carriers as well, because they charge these on their own metal. This is my expectation of them.
The key difference between burning on Air India’s own metal and that of Star Alliance carriers is the reach. When you burn on Air India’s own metal, you pay for positioning flights separately. For instance to fly Mumbai to Frankfurt, you have to redeem for Mumbai-Delhi and Delhi Frankfurt flights. In this case, you are paying a flat amount of miles for anywhere in India to anywhere in the other continent, which I believe, is the reason that Air India has created a buffer for in terms of redemption.
Those are the first few details I have on Air India’s new charts. Of course they haven’t circulated the fine print yet so this is still a matter of speculation. I will update you with more information when Air India publishes it.
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“The key difference between burning on Air India’s own metal and that of Star Alliance carriers is the reach. When you burn on Air India’s own metal, you pay for positioning flights separately. For instance to fly Mumbai to Frankfurt, you have to redeem for Mumbai-Delhi and Delhi Frankfurt flights. In this case, you are paying a flat amount of miles for anywhere in India to anywhere in the other continent, which I believe, is the reason that Air India has created a buffer for in terms of redemption.”
This is not working…
AI is still charging sector wise for *A. They charged me massive 180000 miles+ Rs 19000 taxes one way business class (Instead of 130000 as per the chart ) for KEF- CPH- FRA- DEL- PNQ.
The agent insisted that they have to charge per flight..!!!
Dear AJ,
Thanks. Even if I get silver status, Can I use FR miles for business class upgrade on Air Canada trans Atlantic flights ? My Economy class tickets are booked on Air Canada L class.
Unfortunately AI does not allow FR members to upgrade on its own flights on L class. Hopefully Air Canada is not as stringent. IRequest your guidance to figure out how to use FR miles for Air Canada upgrade.
thanks again
@Krishnakumar only Y and B classes on Air Canada are applicable for booking an upgrade with FR miles. Check here for details: http://flyingreturns.co.in/html/rd_partner_flights.php#viewtbl
@Sourabh, I bought tickets on Yatra OTA, MUMBAI- LONDON – CALGARY – VANCOUVER and return ANCHORAGE – TORONTO – MUMBAI ( Via LONDON COnnection).
MUMBAI – LONDON sector both ways is on Air India and rest all sectors on Air Canada. Probably this combination would not have been possible prior to AI joining Star Alliance!
Dear AJ,
I reconfirmed. FR told me that one has to be Silver and above to be able to burn FR miles on any Star Alliance Airline.
Other than flying AI more, is there any quick way of getting Silver status on FR? Of course SBI AIR India card gives you silver status after spending 5 Lacs which I feel is time consuming and not very efficient way just for getting silver status.(I would rather spend 5 lacs on Citibank PM than SBI) .
Regards
@Krishnakumar have you tried to get a status match with AI? Here is how to do it. http://livefromalounge.boardingarea.com/2014/03/12/status-match-available-on-air-india-flying-returns/
Just spoke to Flying Returns agent over the phone. He says that since I am Base Member of flying returns, I cannot redeem AI miles on Star alliance. You need to be Silver , gold or Maharaja member !
@Krishnakumar that sounds about very wrong. I haven’t ehard this one before.
Hi AJ,
North America to India would cost 55000 miles one way in Economy.
Can I get four way tickets from Anchorage ANC to Mumbai BOM with a stopover at Toronto YTO using my Flying Return points?
Secondly, I have 20000 points on United Airlines and 10000 points on Lufthansa. In have only 170000 points in AI Flying returns . Can I productively utilise Lufthansa and United points in any way?
Thanks
@Krishnakumar, yes you should be able to get 3 tickets with your FR points, but you don’t have enough points for the 4th one. I don’t see you using your United & Lufthansa points on this trip at least. you can use them for booking short haul tickets inside India, maybe, or the USA, or Europe. depending upon your plans.
Should one also be able to see fares on multiple Star Alliance partners together when one prices out a ticket? I don’t see round trip fares loaded onto OTA’s yet? e.g Air Inida one leg and United one leg. Did you get a sense that it will get loaded later? thanks
I will be flying Singapore airlines. Can I use my air India ff no.
@agarwal yes, you can use your AI FF no. AI and SQ have been partners since before and it has always been possible
Slightly off-topic, but what happens at AI’s station in LHR? All Star Alliance airlines are moving to T2 soon. AI owns and operates its own Maharajah Lounge in T4. Any developments?
@Deo I think I heard that AI is moving to T2 as well. So, I am not sure how long would that lounge last. Maybe they could sell it off to 9W 😉