Status Benefits While Earning Miles With Another Program

SAS Lounge Copenhagen

If you’re planning to switch programs or want to earn miles at a different program, because this flight will earn you more miles there, you might have the problem, that your status benefits may not be recognized by the system. In theory, some airlines let you add two frequent flyer numbers: One for earning miles, and one for the status benefits. Sadly, however, most airlines will only let you add one frequent flyer number.

Example: You have a Miles&Smiles Elite card (= Star Alliance Gold), but are flying in Lufthansa’s K class, which won’t get you any miles at Miles&Smiles. So, you want to earn miles at Lufthansa’s Miles&More program, but still enjoy your Star Alliance Gold benefits, such as lounge access. What is the solution to this problem?

There are some options to enjoy your status benefits while earning miles at another program. Nevertheless, none of the options is perfect. There is always a certain risk or downside. Here are the pros and cons of three possible solutions:

1. Adding the Card That Earns Miles

When booking your flight, you enter your frequent flyer number of the program at which you wish to earn the miles. You’ll be sure to get those miles, but no one at the airport will know that you hold a status!

  • Miles: As the correct frequent flyer program is registered in the booking, you can be sure, that the miles will be credited to the correct program
  • Priority Check-in: If you show your status card, you’ll be able to use the priority check-in counter without any problems. Just make sure, however, that the staff at the counter doesn’t switch the numbers in your booking.
  • Fast Lane: Just like with the check-in, you should be able to use the fast lane by showing your status card. There would only be a problem when there’s only an automated boarding pass scanner to let you through. In that case, try to find someone from the airport staff.
  • Priority Boarding: Should also be granted by showing the status card.
  • Lounge: You should show the staff your boarding pass and your status card. Sometimes, the staff will insist that the status card number has to be registered in the booking. In that case, you’ll have to argue. You could also change the number, and then change it back again.
  • Waitlist priority: As your status isn’t noted by the system, you won’t have a higher waitlist priority. This also counts for free upgrades.
  • Seat blocking: As you officially don’t have a status, you won’t get any seat benefits, such as free seat selection at some airlines, or even a free middle-seat.
  • Priority baggage: Usually doesn’t work, as it is harder to override the system in this case. You should always ask, though.

2. Flying Without a Frequent Flyer Card

If you don’t add any frequent flyer number to your booking, you can simply credit the miles retroactively after the flight. You should, however, really make sure before the flight, that no one adds a number to your booking. Sometimes, for example, a website might automatically add your frequent flyer number if you’re logged in while viewing/booking it.

  • Miles: After booking, you’ll have some extra work to do. Nevertheless, you’ll have plenty of time to think about where you want to credit those miles.
  • Priority Check-in: Just like in Option 1, this should be possible by showing your status card. Just make sure, that the staff doesn’t add the number to your booking.
  • Fast Lane: Also possible by showing the status card. Only sometimes problematic with automatized doors.
  • Lounge: After showing your status card with your boarding pass, entering the lounge shouldn’t be a problem. The staff will usually let you in, especially if you own that airline’s status (e.g. Miles&More Senator in a Lufthansa Senator Lounge). Nevertheless, you also have to make sure here, that your status number won’t be added to your booking.
  • Waitlist priority: No status in the booking, no higher priority in the system.
  • Seat blocking: Not possible, as the status has to be in the system.
  • Priority Baggage: Not automatic, but maybe the staff will allow it.

3. Switching Numbers at the Gate

In this option, you’d add the frequent flyer number with the status to the booking and would change it right before boarding at the gate. Through this, you can enjoy almost all status benefits without any problems, but bear the risk, that the number switch at the gate doesn’t work or that the airport staff refuses to do it. You also have to be at the gate very early, as once boarding is announced, you cannot switch the numbers anymore.

  • Miles: Works automatically, but it could happen that the switch didn’t work, and so the wrong program will get the miles.
  • Priority Check-in
  • Fast Lane
  • Lounge
  • Waitlist priority: Until you switch the numbers, you’ll enjoy the higher waitlist priority.
  • Seat blocking: As nobody usually gets checked in right before boarding, the seat next to you should remain empty. The staff at the gate could, however, still seat someone next to you.
  • Priority baggage: As the baggage tag is printed out and added to your luggage during check-in, it should still remain the same once you’ve switched your number.

Conclusion

All three options have pros and cons. Option 1 is the easiest. Nevertheless, one isn’t guaranteed to get status benefits. If you switch the numbers at the gate, as in option 3, you’ll enjoy all the status benefits, but always bear the risk, that the numbers can’t be changed because e.g. boarding has already begun. If you don’t want to be asked many questions about why you have two different numbers, then option 2 might be the best for you, while keeping in mind, that you then won’t enjoy some status benefits.

Have you already made some experiences with this? I’d love to hear your comments!

Write a comment

Comments (11)

  1. Roger Norwich says:

    Oh so this site doesn’t accept views of a different opinion….that’s so useful in an open forum!

  2. Roger Norwich says:

    Instead of trying to beat the system with arguably crooked use of the system…if you want the privileges with a new account why not just buy a Business Class ticket? The whole system is crowded out with people trying to beat the rules….when I am in Business or First (like I pay for my tickets) I get fed up with fighting to get on the plane with the other 100 ‘Priority’ boarders, most of whom are going to walk straight through to Economy. Too many freeloaders out there. They can’t even behave themselves and resist going through the curtains to use the Business Class bathrooms. Business and First privileges should be for Business and First. If you want privileges just buy the right ticket and status or not you will get what you paid for instead of being like so many locusts!

    • Ditmar Lange says:

      It’s not a crooked use. If you fly a lot, you’re entitled to certain benefits – regardless of the program that you decide to earn miles for with this certain flight. The problem is the system often not being able to properly process that situation. But if I’m on a plane every month flying across the world, and the airline gives me some benefits so that I fly with them instead of the competition, that is 100% legit and nothing to be mad about. The only thing that I agree on, is that if you’re flying economy class, you have no business using the toilets designated for business class.

  3. Stefan says:

    This is indeed an interesting question. I think that LH Miles & More will be less attractive starting next year. Only 1 year status validity and no more executive bonus. So I want to use my status for the next 2 years but I am looking for another *Alliance partner to collect miles. Any idea who this could be?
    Option 1: “You could also change the number, and then change it back again.” Is it possible to change the number after check-in by yourself?

  4. David says:

    I have option no.4 .

    I access the airline lounge (when there is actually one) with same alliance but different carrier gold card. Then after I’m accepted in, I ask the airline lounge employee WHO has that airline res system to change my FF no to the flying (and lounge)carrier silver card that I have. Of course it needs to be the relevant carrier lounge. Always works.

  5. Zoltan says:

    Hi Ditmar! I definitely make a “4.” option. Register my frequent flyer nr. (LifeMiles Diamond): enjoying all the benefits of Star Alliance Gold. And – staying with your example – retroactively the miles of Lufthansa, class K. As LifeMiles will consider the Lufthansa flight unfit to accumulate, so far without difficulties I have been able to revalidate my miles in Miles&More (minimum eight days after the flight and maximum six months).

    • Ditmar Lange says:

      Hi Zoltan. Yes, this is a valid option – however, it is one that comes with risks. Some programs will give you a hard time when doing it this way. Also, this option only works if you don’t get any miles for that flight. In many cases, however, the other program (e.g. LifeMiles) will give you miles for a flight, and then your option doesn’t work.
      So, basically, yes – your option is valid – but doesn’t always work.
      Still, thank you for sharing your way with us and our readers.

      • hibiki says:

        With the example you presented, as you said Miles&Smiles doesn’t give any miles, I can confirm Zoltan’s #4 works every time, all alliances. The caveat is that we need to make sure the fare class will earn nothing with your number in system.

        When both airlines give some miles, then things get tricky. I tried #3 when I flew AC basic economy. I had a bag to check, I got the fee waived. It was successful at every stage. When I was leaving the lounge, I asked the staff to change my number. She told me I’d owe her the bag fee. It was after she was working with the system for a while, and she was reading the fee amount on her screen. I asked her to leave my number as is, because I’d valued the bag fee more than the small miles I’d earn with a basic economy fare.

        Because she sounded so legit and correct, I didn’t try again at the gate, though.

        Another DP at a Senator Lounge at FRA: I already entered my miles earning number to my booking which had no status. At Senator Lounge, the attendant scanned my *g card which is different from the number with my booking, didn’t say anything about the different number on my BP. I did the #1 during this trip, because I knew both programs would give some miles.

  6. Markus Eugster says:

    Ja, wie schon gesagt, Swiss lässt einen kein Priority Boarding, wenn andere Karte, oder so. Also: ich habe Swiss Silber (FTL) in Ticket für Sammlung Meilen. Dann zeige ich bei Boarding Türkisch Gold. Nein, Swiss lässt nicht Priority Boarding. Habe schon so Verweigerung erzielt. Mit Begründung, dass Swiss Silber in Buchung nicht Berechtigung gibt.

    • Patrick says:

      Hi Markus, vielen Dank für dein Feedback zu unserem Beitrag! In der Theorie müsstest du auch bei Swiss nur mit der *A Gold Karte die Priority Services in Anspruch nehmen können. In der Praxis sieht es aber leider in manchen Fällen anders aus, wie dein Beispiel zeigt.

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