Earn (Lifetime?) Star Alliance Gold Status With 2 Cheap Flights To Israel

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For somewhere between $600-$1,000 you can fly twice to Israel right now from pretty much anywhere in the country.

Credit those flight miles to Aegean and you will earn what seems to be lifetime Star Alliance Gold elite status.  Read more about Aegean and Star Alliance Gold in this post.

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29 Comments On "Earn (Lifetime?) Star Alliance Gold Status With 2 Cheap Flights To Israel"

All opinions expressed below are user generated and the opinions aren’t provided, reviewed or endorsed by any advertiser or DansDeals.

Yehuda S

Can you credit someone else’s flight to your Aegean account?

mmermss

No

dan man

Do i have to be the one flying twice or if i fly together with my wife can i use the same account number and be considered 2 flights

sky121

@dan man:
That was the exact question asked above. Yes, you have to be the one flying. You can only credit your flying miles to your account.

Chaim Leib

@Dan, if one gets off in PHL and not continue to Toronto on cheap tickets from US Airways, can one get fully credited for the flight?

ABC

@Dan, ever redeemed your Aegean points?

www.israeliphonerental.com

@Chaim Leib

You will get what you fly.

st1575

If you are booked into any N and R fares on US Airways, be aware that they currently accrue ZERO miles on Aegean (and could still when you fly).

Dan

@st1575:
Even the cheapest Israel fares that I looked at were not N/R.

st1575

@Dan:
I came across some for segments in 2014 in a couple of searches, but you are right that the vast majority seem to be booking in “good” buckets.

dav

got N class on the way to tlv in jan

Bench

Do you have to fly both flights in same calendar year?

Gary

Got $347 BOS TLV YYZ. Class W & S.

mbr

When you’re “star alliance gold,” are you treated the same as a Gold United mileage plus member? I.e. free access to extra legroom seats, priority access, etc

Michael

When using avios points to travel domestic, which site am I supposed to use to book my flights?

DANFAN

Just joined Aegean but mistakenly did DOB on us format does anyone have a contact # to them so car correct this mistake.
As far as getting a flight run once in 36 months does it have to be a money flight booked on Aegean or a flight on any star alliance crediting the miles to them is enough, if its on Aegean any were from NY to fly with them because looked on there website it does not look like they fly from somewhere here.

ari

@Michael:
BA

SH

@mbr: star Gold gets you premier access for checkin and security lines and zone 2 boarding and free luggage (and United Club lounge access when flying a *A airline), but you do NOT get free access to economy plus seats or regional premier upgrades (the 2 most important premier benefits). The only way to get those 2 benefits is to achieve status with United.

Jay

@SH: I found out the same information as you regarding what Alliance Star Gold will get you on a United flight (no econ. + seats). But when you say you get access to the United lounge when on an Alliance airline–is that only when you’re flying international, just like with United Premier Gold? Doesn’t make sense that with United Gold you can’t get into the lounge when flying United domestically, but you could with Alliance Star Gold! Especially since if you’re United Premier Gold, you are also Alliance Star Gold. So are you referring only to when you’re on an international flight?

Kachnik

@Jay: @Jay:

Do it all the time, yes, it doesn’t make sense, except that they figure “Europeans” flying domestically in the US are on an international flight itinerary. BTW if u also have United Silver they will sometimes give you both Gold benefits and United upgrade to Economy+

SH

@Jay: No. It’s a little incongruous, but for some reason, Star Gold customers on US Air and United cannot use United Clubs and US Air lounges unless they’re flying an international itinerary. However, if you have Star Gold status through another airlines, such as A3 (Aegean), you CAN access United and US Air lounges even with domestic itineraries on United and US Air. So, you’re right that it doesn’t make sense, but it is nevertheless the case.

SH

@Kachnik: UA silver gets you E+ at checkin, but not at booking (as is allowed for gold or higher. The silver benefits for the other perks are similar to gold. Both get premier access at security and the same line at the checkin counters. Silver gets 1 free bag and gold gets 3. Both are grp 2 boarding. Gold gets priority luggage tags, while silver does not. The only big differences are E+ at booking rather than checkin and being higher on the regional upgrade list.

Of course, you can just get the United Explorer card for $95 a year (first year free if you try hard enough) and that gives you essentially the same benefits as silver other than no E+ at checkin. The Club card ($395/year; first year free if you try hard enough) gives you essentially the same perks as *G (plus lounge access on domestic itineraries) except for no E+ benefits or upgrades.

Jay

But my understanding is that with Star Alliance Gold you can get into an Alliance club OTHER THAN United or UsAir, if you’re flying on an Alliance flight, even if it’s domestic. So–if United Premier Gold also makes us Star Alliance Gold, if I’m flying EWR-LAX on United, while I can’t get into the United club, can I not get into the Lufthansa club? Their rules say that as an Alliance club, they allow a Star Alliance Gold member into their club, regardless of whether they’re flying international. Correct? So why not just go into the Lufthansa club at EWR, rather than the United one????

Dan

@Jay:
I don’t think there are any clubs in United’s Terminal C in Newark besides for United clubs.

So you would need a foreign Star Gold to access them.

But in LGA for example a United Star Gold would get access to the Air Canada lounge nearby the United lounge. But with Aegean Star Gold you would also get access to the United club.

Andy

Dan as always THANKS! Two quick questions-

1) It looks like from the above the lifetime status achieved so long as you credit one qualifying flight to Aegean every 36 months (after meeting the initial threshold.

2) Assuming the above is true- is that the same for Silver or Gold? I ask because I dont think I can hit the miles needed for the Gold Status but can certainly do Silver- just trying to figure out if it is worth- paid bags being the best Silver benefit for me. THANK YOU as always and early happy new year.

Dan

@Andy:
1. Correct.
2. Should be the same but Silver is worth very little. You are better off with a United credit card…

Gila Davis

Looking for round trip deal from Israel to Maryland, either BWI or JFK for April 2014. For some reasons, I can’t access that information. Please advise and/or provide with information. Thanks a million.

Siv

If I earn gold status Aegean and then make a booking on TG to go back and collect mileage with TG (currently a silver member). Will I still receive the benefit of gold member of Aegean Airline ie priority check in/boarding/star alliance lounge access etc….?

Another word, what will the front of boarding pass show my status as if I book and collect miles on TG? It will show am a Thai Silver or Aegean Gold?

Thanks

debbi

which airlines have good prices for flights within the united states.

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