I have just joined the BMI diamond club, the frequent flyer programme for BMI. I am due to do quite a bit of travelling this year so thought I'd earn points to hopefully get a free flight or hotel stay at the end!
I looked around at the different programmes available, and the diamond club ... Read review
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Advantages: Part of the Star Alliance Disadvantages: Ties you in.. takes a while to collect rewards
I have just joined the BMI diamond club, the frequent flyer programme for BMI. I am due to do quite a bit of travelling this year so thought I'd earn points to hopefully get a free flight or hotel stay at the end!
I looked around at the different programmes available, and the diamond club seems to be the best on the Star Alliance for a UK based traveller.
Earning
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You can earn with a ... .../>
For exmaple however - BMI internal flight of 600 miles - 600 miles earnt. Out of UK, if over 800 miles, you get one mile for one mile flown.
The club allows you to earn and redeem whilst flying with any of the Star Alliance airlines. I personally feel that this is the best of the big 'alliances,' although unfortunately it excludes BA (part of the Oneworld group). The list of Airlines is huge but includes BMI, United, Lufthansa, ... more
I have just joined the BMI diamond club, the frequent flyer programme for BMI. I am due to do quite a bit of travelling this year so thought I'd earn points to hopefully get a free flight or hotel stay at the end!
I looked around at the different programmes available, and the diamond club seems to be the best on the Star Alliance for a UK based traveller.
Earning -----------
You can earn with a variety of 'partners', be it hotels, airlines, car rental etc.. Present your card or number when booking.
There are 'destianation miles' which accumulate to determine the awards you can redeem. Only partners miles count as 'membership status miles' which determine the level of membership you have. (See below). These are only valid for a year.
Flights and Star Alliance
Miles are earnt according to the distance of the journey, and to be honset it is too confusing to list in completeness in this review. I doubt you'd bother reading it even if I listed it. Essentially, the longer the journey, the more miles awarded. The higher the class, the more points as well (eg Business Class get double the points, some discounted rates get no or half points) For exmaple however - BMI internal flight of 600 miles - 600 miles earnt. Out of UK, if over 800 miles, you get one mile for one mile flown.
The club allows you to earn and redeem whilst flying with any of the Star Alliance airlines. I personally feel that this is the best of the big 'alliances,' although unfortunately it excludes BA (part of the Oneworld group). The list of Airlines is huge but includes BMI, United, Lufthansa, Swiss, TAP, Varig, ANA, Air Canada, Air NZ and US Airways. SAA and Virgin are included on certain routings. It also allows earning with BMIbaby, albeit v few miles per flight.
Hotels
You can get 1000 miles per night by staying at a partner hotel. This inlcuds Hilton, Jury's Doyle, Tag and SAS Radisson.
Others
You can earn through booking through Avis, Airport parking (and get discounted rates). BMI also offer a credit card, where you earn a whopping 20,000 points on opening the account. You can continute to earn poits when you spend on the card, and get bonsu points if you buy flights through the website with the card. You can also transfer points to the scheme from Americain Express and BAA 'world points'
REWARDS ---------------
This is what you are interested in.
You can use your points for:
Flights - the world is neatly divided into 12 zones. Zone 1 includes UK and western Europe, and costs 12,000 miles. At the other end of the scale zone 10 is Hawaii and costs 80000 miles. Many flights have an option where you can pay part cash and a lower amount of miles. Of ocurse, you can only book if there is availability, and only a certain amount of seats are avail for reward payments on each flight. Multiply the milage cost by 2 for business class seats
Hotels - 6000 miles gives £10 off a hotel stay, booked through BMI
Car rental - 15000 miles gives a £25 Avis voucher.
OTHER BENEFITS --------------------------
This depends on the level of membership
Blue - starters get Blue membership. here you get discounted car parking and preferential standby on flights. Not much else to be honest.
Silver - Access to airline lounges accross the Star Alliance netrwork. There are extra opportunities to earn miles, phone check in and extra baggage allowance!
Gold - the above as well as extra miles, room upgrades, free flight upgrades and you can buy membership for family / friends!
WHY BMI AS OPPOSED TO OTHERS?
Personally I fly BMI a lot and the chance to earn miles with a budget airline is excellent. It is part of the Star Alliance which is a fantastic group of airlines. BMI is a decent airline. I have previously been with United 'Miles and More'. Despite the fact it is part of Star Alliance, I felt that it was too US based and most of the offers were not useful for me.
PROBLEMS
I am quite new to the club so maybe this part of my reivew will grow, but I do feel the website isnt great, and there are loads of bits 'under maintenence' which isnt that professional! Also when you start you dont get a membership card,so you have to write down the number which is a bit annoying.
Advantages: Can earn BMI points using BMI partners Disadvantages: None I can think of yet
I have been a member of the BMIDiamondClub for the past two years now and would be lost without it since I fly with BMI quite regulary. Membership is free and is quite simple to join.
They have to different points that they give you:
Membership - These are issued for each reward and determine card level
Destination - These are your actual free flight or car hire certs.
MEMBERSHIP LEVELS
blue card membership
On check-in, you're allowed 20Kg additional free baggage allowance, and you get priority on stand-by availability on bmi flights. If you're travelling with just hand luggage you can also use the telephone check-in facility on flights leaving from the UK and ROI even when you're travelling on an economy ticket. In addition you can also recieve discounts and upgrades with their hotel and car parking partners.
silver card ...
Advantages: Can get free flights and earn miles from a variety of sources Disadvantages: Unless you are a serious frequent flyer, it could take you a long time
In light of the fact that I am now waiting for around 7 hotels to be listed on Ciao, and that I walked out of the only hotel in disgust for the only one they have listed, (you will have to wait now until I take advantage of my free visit) and I am dithering over whether to go to Australia in a few weeks time, but nervous of the thought of 24 hours on a plane, I thought I would try writing on something completely different, so here I am, be gentle with me.
BMIDiamondclub, as its name suggests is a loyalty club membership for British Midland customers, the UK?s second full airline carrier. Therefore the most logical way to sign up, is when booking a flight with them. You can however, also sign up for a BMI Classic or Platinum Mastercard with MBNA, where you will currently receive 20,000 destination miles (sufficient for one short ...
Advantages: Friendly staff, nice rennovated rooms, food was worth it! Disadvantages: Cost of parking and non-rennovated rooms.
outside the front door before parking as i couldn't see any ramps.
On check in, it all went smoothly. Although, for a late check in, you must allocate a credit card to that booking. Everything was easy, the staff were very helpful and friendly, looked very willing to be there. The only problem I had was attaching my frequent flyer card to th booking. For people who are with BMIDiamondClub, it is under the Hilton system as British Midland (BM).
Our Deluxe room was far from deluxe, we were on the 4th floor around the back of the hotel in the areas with all the suites, and on a friends and family discount, we obviously received one of the non rennovated rooms. My only concern was really having to walk through a building site to get to the room. As we booked a double, we were both surprised to see 2 Single beds. The reception staff were ...
