Double the pleasure, half the miles and a whole lot of other flying perks. The Asiana Mileage Club is the best kept secret in frequent travel – but perhaps not for long. No matter where you’re located, or which airline you frequent – Asiana may be the best choice for your airline loyalty, with benefits like lounge access, upgrades and more. Here’s why we think it’s the best frequent flyer program in the business.
40K Miles To Reach Star Alliance Gold
Star Alliance Gold, a status which rewards flyers with business class check in, security fast track and lounge access on all tickets, even economy, requires just 40,000 earned miles with Asiana and their partners in two years, not one! That’s incredibly generous.
Flights on virtually all Star Alliance airlines, and even Qatar and Etihad are eligible for earning status with Asiana. There’s not even a minimum requirement for any flights actually on Asiana Airlines, which makes this more accessible from abroad. But they are a lovely airline, so we’d highly suggest taking many, anyway.
Two Years Of Elite Status Perks
The first major perk, after the years plural to earn status, is the validity for which it lasts. If you can reach Star Alliance Gold status with 40,000 points required for Asiana Mileage Club Diamond, the status lasts two years or more! That’s far longer than any other airline, making the status easier to retain. Double the pleasure of Star Alliance Gold.
Here are some of the other great programs for earning status faster than others.
First Class
Asiana offers the very best rates on first class travel with their airline partners. Lufthansa First Class requires just 50,000 points one way between the US and Europe, or Europe and Mexico, Central America. These sort of flights can be difficult to book, since you typically only get a 14 day window from when they become available to when you need to fly, but they’re cool if you can make it work.
First Class with Etihad between Europe and the Middle East requires just 40,000 points one way. Yes – the First Class Apartment for 40,000 points.
Star Alliance Airport VIP Lounge Access
For US travelers who cannot access lounges when flying domestically using United MileagePlus membership, this is extremely lucrative.
Using a foreign loyalty program, Asiana Club members with Star Alliance Gold can access lounges in the US, even traveling domestically. They can also bring a guest. Plus, the miles are more valuable than United MileagePlus.
So they award the actual miles flown like United did before they changed their reward program? Irregardless if the ticket price you pad?
TK is also on a two year requalification cycle. They only require 37.5k miles for *G renewal, though their partner earning charts can be a little stingy.
TK needs one year to qualify. 40k miles in rolling one year period.
I am in the process of moving to Asiana Club this year to get Star Alliance Gold. Have been at Star Alliance Gold with United for past 8 years but have had it with them.
And as you said in this post Asiana is a great airline … I totally agree. They are awesome airline to fly even in economy. I was on a flight early in January that was going to JFK when it got closed. Ended up getting diverted to Chicago. They did great job keeping all the passengers informed and everyone up in a nice hotel, giving everyone food coupon at the hotel for dinner. They even had a team at the hotel to take passengers to the local drug store.
Only issue is have to learn to love the color beige.
Do Asiana credit actual miles flown on UA (say on L fare) toward elite qualification? ls the Etihad partner award chart for RT or one-way?
Yes, they award based on miles flown. The charts are all round trip, so half the mileage for one way.
Cool – thanks! Always learn something new from your posts.
yeah how about the notorious fuel charges? Does Asiana levy those on awards? Just checked their earning chart, most business class tickets earn 100 or 125%. QR’s I and R classes earn only 100%. That is kinda low. With AA, I earn 125+60(mid-tier elite bonus) so I get 185%. I can still burn them on EY apartment from Middle east to EU with 62500 miles, so essentially 33800 asiana miles without fuel charges if I collect them on aa….It does not seem like asiana miles can be redeemed on QR, as well…
One way LH F from EU to US is 85000 miles on LH miles but some cheap business class tickets earn 200% on miles and more, instead of earning 100% at asiana. That equals essentially 42500 asiana miles on LH F. So I don’t see it as a no brainer…
But of course, these things matter if you are based on *A hub or your only choice is *A carrier but as the previous commentator said, TK is somewhat similar in their earning and burning chart, SQ or UA might even come ahead if you fly economy a lot. Avianca is probably a better deal overall. Staralliance Gold is probably a bit overrated these days unless you are fly on Y a lot on *A but most people these days get an access to Priority Club lounges, so the only benefit is luggage (I rarely check bags these days) and maybe fast track at some airports…
Hey there,
Thank you for this!
One question- I am an Elite flyer and Star Alliance Gold already on 2 other programs- Turkish and United. Also the highest tier on Alaska’s Mileage Plan (MVP Gold) and Virgin Atlantic program.
Do you know if Asiana Club will offer a status match for me?
I have never tried the Apartment on Etihad before and would like get the Gold here just for that reason.
any other tips you can suggest based on my situation?
Thank you kindly!
fuel surcharges?
You’ll be on the hook for surcharges on awards.
If you didn’t click on the link to the Asiana FF program, theoretically that ‘two or years’ could be almost four years. Your two years to earn Asiana diamand (*star gold) begins when you sign up. If you completed 40K miles in a short time, you have the status for the remainder of the two year period and for the next two years.
You should not sign up until just before you are actually going to start earning miles to take full advantage.
I met the 40k requirement 9 months after signing up. I checked my AC account this morning and they gave me Diamond status (Star Alliance Gold) until 10/2021, that’s more than three years, incredible value!
Well done!
Hello Gilbert!
I need a bit more enlightenment about Asiana. I have a UA ticket booked in L class. As per the Asiana chart, this would earn 50% redeemable miles, based on actual distance flown. How about elite qualifying miles? Is it 50% as well. In other words, is the EQM credited is the same as the redeemable miles earned? Thanks!
“Miles earned by boarding the flight of a partner are not counted for promotion and maintenance of Asiana Club Membership status.” https://us.flyasiana.com/C/en/homepage.do?menuId=002004003002000&menuType=CMS
So Etihad or Qatar are *not* eligible for earning status with Asiana!
Sorry to say, but flights with Qatar and Etihad Airways are NOT eligible for earning status with Asiana!!! Even worse: If you fly with Qatar Airways, you could only earn normal miles for QR flights between Doha and Incheon! Flying with Etihad: you will still get miles, but they don’t count for the elite status!
Hi,
I just earned the Senator with LH this year – but won’t make the 100k again. So fine for two years.
From January on I will fly a lot *A inner German and European.
Which program would you suggest if it’s only about getting the best flight/point ratio for reward flights?
Thx in advance!
on paper it sounds great but when you look at the miles earning table it’s all 25% or 50% for economy flights that give you 100% PQM on united.
that means that if I switch i’m going to need to get between 2 or 4 times 40,000 miles for two years which results again in the same amount or PQM as united or even worst… I really dont see how Asiana is any good.
Sure you could say why not buy full price Economy or Business but then I wouldnt need the status to begin with.
Yes, they are stingier than United on earning miles, about 50% less, and very stingy with LH group airlines unless you are booking premium economy of almost full fare economy (less stingy on SQ, TG, and BR). However, retaining status only requires 30K miles flown every 2 years, or 15K a year. That is less than 1/3 the UA requirement.