As of this month, Aegean Miles&Bonus is changing the path to elite status. Currently, Miles&Bonus Blue status, which also comes with Star Alliance Silver status can be earned with 4,000 miles in a 12-month period. Miles&Bonus Gold and Star Alliance Gold status are earned when reaching 20,000 miles. Star Alliance frequent flyers have been using the Miles&Bonus program for a quick entry into Star Alliance Gold, which comes with priority check-in, extra baggage allowance, airport lounge access, among other benefits.
As of Nov. 24, 2014, Miles&Bonus will now add another tier, Silver, between Blue and Gold. Silver status will be earned when reaching 12,000 miles in the program and flying Aegean or Olympic Air twice within 12 months; or, you can gain Silver status by earning 24,000 miles on any Star Alliance airline. Silver will be matched with Star Alliance Silver. The amount of miles to earn Gold status will go from 16,000 miles to 24,000 miles when at least four flights are on Aegean or Olympic Air or 48,000 miles–triple the current amount–if you earn through flying Star Alliance members only or don’t take at least four Aegean or Olympic Air flights. Gold status will continue to line up with Star Alliance Gold but now, the program more closely aligns with other Star Alliance members to reach Star Alliance Gold.
When it’s time to renew your status, Aegean will give you a break–Silver status can be retained with 8,000 miles over 12 months with at least two Aegean or Olympic Air flights or 16,000 miles with Star Alliance carriers and Gold is retained with 12,000 miles when flying at least four Aegean or Olympic Air flights or 24,000 on Star Alliance carriers. Current Blue members, as of Nov. 24, will continue to be Blue members with the changes unless they qualify at the new Silver level within the last 12 months, and current Miles&Bonus Gold members will retain their Star Alliance Gold status and will need only to meet the new retention requirements for the Gold level in coming years. Tier miles that have been collected prior to Nov. 24, 2014, will expire and members will start earning tier miles from that date forward. You can read about all of the changes at http://www.newmilesandbonus.com/en
Bottom line: This is big loss for travel hackers looking to find the quickest, easiest, cheapest route to Star Alliance lounge access and other benefits but it puts the program more in line with other frequent flyer programs. Take a look at the link above to see all of the changes taking place in the program including Happy Miles flights, which are a Silver and Gold benefit that allows members to redeem fewer miles on specific flights on Aegean and Olympic Air.
