Aegean Airlines might not be the biggest name in aviation, but its Miles+Bonus program has carved out a niche as one of the most rewarding Star Alliance frequent flyer schemes. With a relatively low threshold for earning elite status and generous redemption rates, it’s a hidden gem for those looking to maximise their travel benefits. But is it the right program for you? Here’s our full Aegean Miles+Bonus review.
Points Earning Rates On Short, Mid, And Long-Haul Flights
Miles+Bonus operates on a distance-based earning model, meaning the further you fly, the more miles you rack up. Short-haul flights within Europe on Aegean itself earn a minimum of 500 miles, while long-haul Star Alliance flights can yield upwards of 10,000 miles in premium cabins. The trick is flying on full-service airlines and premium economy or business fares, as deep-discount economy tickets earn far fewer miles.
How Easy Is It To Redeem Points For Flights?
This is where Miles+Bonus shines. Award tickets on Aegean itself start at just 5,000 miles for a one-way short-haul flight, which is well below what most competitors charge. Star Alliance redemptions also tend to be on the lower side, with business class flights between Europe and Asia often costing fewer miles than rival programs demand. Fuel surcharges are moderate, especially compared to Lufthansa’s eye-watering fees. The online booking system is straightforward, although availability on partner airlines can sometimes require persistence.
Introduction To The Status Tiers
Miles+Bonus has two elite tiers: Silver and Gold. Silver comes with priority check-in, extra baggage, and lounge access when flying with Aegean, while Gold grants full Star Alliance Gold benefits, including worldwide lounge access, priority boarding, and extra baggage on all Star Alliance airlines. Given how difficult it is to earn Star Alliance Gold through other programs, Aegean Miles+Bonus review wouldn’t be complete without mentioning that it’s one of the easiest ways to get there.
Tier Point Accrual Rates On Short, Mid, And Long-Haul Flights
Aegean ties status qualification to “tier miles,” which are earned based on distance and fare class. Short-haul economy flights yield as few as 250 tier miles, while long-haul business class tickets can earn over 10,000. If you want to fast-track your status, mid-haul routes on Aegean itself tend to offer the best balance between affordability and mileage accrual.
Approximate Cost And Travel Required To Reach Equivalent Star Alliance Gold Status
Through our research for this review, we’re seeing that getting Star Alliance Gold via Aegean Miles+Bonus is relatively cheap. You need 24,000 tier miles and four Aegean flights in a year, or 48,000 tier miles with no Aegean flight requirement. This can be achieved with just a couple of long-haul business class flights or several mid-haul economy trips. Compared to Lufthansa, which requires 100,000 miles, this is a steal. Renewing status requires just 12,000 tier miles a year, which must include 4 flights on Aegean or Olympic Airlines. If you don’t take those 4 flights, the threshold to renew gold rises to 70,000 miles.
Sweet-Spot For Earning Status
The best trick for reaching status quickly? Fly Aegean or a generous partner airline. Routes around Europe and the Middle East often deliver high mileage returns at a reasonable cost. Minimum miles on some sectors, especially intra-European connecting flights, can earn you 8,000 to 10,000 tier miles. Ethiopian Airlines, Turkish Airlines, and EgyptAir business class fares are known for awarding high tier miles while keeping ticket prices lower than European carriers.
Airline fare codes offering lucrative minimum miles
| Airline | Cabin | Fare Class | Min Miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aegean | Business Class | C, D, Z, A | 2500 |
| Olympic | Business Class | C, D, Z, A | 2500 |
| Aegean | Business Basic | C, D, Z, A | 2200 |
| Olympic | Business Basic | C, D, Z, A | 2200 |
| Austrian Airlines | European Cross-border Business Class | C, D, J | 2000 |
| Brussels Airlines | Business | J, C, D | 2000 |
| Aegean | Economy Class – Comfort Flex | Y, M, B, H | 1800 |
| Olympic | Economy Class – Comfort Flex | Y, M, B, H | 1800 |
| South African | First Class | F, P, A | 1500 |
| Lufthansa | First Class | F, A | 1500 |
| Olympic | Economy Class – Comfort Flex | L, W, V, O, Q, K, J, S, F | 1400 |
| Aegean | Economy Class – Comfort Flex | L, W, V, O, Q, K, J, S, F | 1400 |
| Brussels Airlines | High Economy | Y, B, M, U | 1250 |
| Austrian Airlines | Economy Class | Y, B | 1250 |
| Brussels Airlines | Business Reduced | Z | 1250 |
| Aegean | Economy Class – Flex/ Saver | Y, M, B, H | 1200 |
| Olympic | Economy Class – Flex/ Saver | Y, M, B, H | 1200 |
| Olympic | Economy Class – Family{4} | Y, M, B, H | 1200 |
| Air China | First Class | F, A, P | 1200 |
| Aegean | Economy Class – Family{4} | Y, M, B, H | 1200 |
| Ethiopian | Business Class | C, D, Z, A | 1000 |
| Croatia Airlines | Business | C, D, Z | 1000 |
| Aegean | Economy Class – Comfort Flex | Y, M, B, H | 1000 |
| Aegean | Economy Class – Family{4} | Y, M, B, H | 1000 |
| Aegean | Economy Class – Flex/ Saver | Y, M, B, H | 1000 |
| South African | Business Class | C, D, J | 1000 |
| Air China | Business Class | J, C, D | 1000 |
| Olympic | Economy Class – Comfort Flex | Y, M, B, H | 1000 |
| Lufthansa | Business Class | C, D, J | 1000 |
| Air Canada | Business Class | J, C, D, Z, P | 1000 |
| Olympic | Economy Class – Flex/ Saver | Y, M, B, H | 1000 |
| Olympic | Economy Class – Family{4} | Y, M, B, H | 1000 |
| South African | Economy Class | Y, M, B, H | 750 |
| Lufthansa | Premium Eco Full | G, E | 750 |
| COPA | Business Flex | C | 750 |
| Avianca | Business Class | C, D, J | 750 |
| Air Canada | Latitude Economy Class | Y, B, M, U | 750 |
| Brussels Airlines | Mid Economy | H, Q, V | 750 |
| Olympic | Economy Class – Family{4} | L, W, V, O, Q, K, J, S, F | 600 |
| Olympic | Economy Class – Light | Y, M, B, H | 600 |
| Aegean | Economy Class – Light | Y, M, B, H | 600 |
| Aegean | Economy Class – Flex/ Saver | L, W, V, O, Q, K, J, S, F | 600 |
| Aegean | Economy Class – Family{4} | L, W, V, O, Q, K, J, S, F | 600 |
| Olympic | Economy Class – Flex/ Saver | L, W, V, O, Q, K, J, S, F | 600 |
| Ethiopian | Economy Class | Y, B | 500 |
| South African | Economy Discounted | M, U, H, Q, V | 500 |
| COPA | Economy Plus | G, E | 500 |
| Air Canada | Premium Economy | O, E, A | 500 |
| Air Canada | Economy Discounted | M, U, H, Q, V | 500 |
| Air China | Economy Plus | G, E | 500 |
| Avianca | Economy Class | Y, B | 500 |
| Brussels Airlines | Low Economy | W, S | 500 |
| Aegean | Economy Class – Light | U, P, T, E | 400 |
| Olympic | Economy Class – Light | U, P, T, E | 400 |
| Olympic | Economy Class – Light | U, P, T, E | 200 |
| Aegean | Economy Class – Light | U, P, T, E | 200 |
If you fly to London to Berlin via Vienna in business, you’d earn 8,000 for the return trip. Istanbul via Athens (return, in business) would bag you 10,000 tier miles (and the 4 flights you need). You could even earn 5,000 tier points on a European roundtrip on Austrian, Aegean and Brussels Airlines.
Aegean Earning charts: https://en.aegeanair.com/milesandbonus/partners/?category=airline
And remember: if the fare class code isn’t listed in Aegean’s earning charts, it earns nothing. Be vigilant of promo fares and always check the fare class code before booking.
Overall Quality Of The Lounges And Cabin Products
With the exception of the impressive new Athens non-Schengen lounge, Aegean’s own lounges unspectacular, but solid. They offer a decent selection of food, free-flowing Greek wine, and a peaceful escape from the main terminal. The real win, though, is Star Alliance Gold lounge access worldwide, which opens the doors to some of the best lounges in the world. Meanwhile, Aegean’s business class is excellent on mid-haul flights, with proper meal service and comfortable seating, though long-haul options are limited.
BG1 Verdict
If you want Star Alliance Gold without breaking the bank, our review has found Aegean Miles+Bonus is one of the easiest paths to it. The programme offers excellent value for redemptions, low qualification thresholds, and useful perks. However, it’s not ideal for those who won’t get the chance to fly Aegean, as requalifying for status requires a commitment to their flights.
Where Can I Sign-Up?
You can register for Aegean Miles+Bonus here.
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