Thai Airways Gold Card - Anyone Managed To Actually Use The Points For An Upgrade Or Free Flight?

[Familyonthemove]

I travel quite a bit for business and pleasure so I've had a Royal Orchid Plus Gold Card for years and I've been up to almost a million miles on it. The miles generally expire before I use them as the restrictions make them very difficult to redeem. Has anyone actually managed to redeem the miles for an upgrade or free flight?

My latest attempt to upgrade an economy flight to London to business class ended in failure again. I already knew I needed to buy the most expensive economy ticket to be able to upgrade (almost as much as the lowest cost Business class flight) but they could only confirm the outward leg. The return flight was waitlisted - and if they could sell the seats at full costs I'd not get on the flight. After checking on-line and seeing ony 2 seats left in Business on Thai - I booked Eva Air and saved some money as Thai regular fares are high.

In the past Thai have told me there's "No Award Fares on this flight" or "the type of ticket booked cannot be upgraded" or that I was "Waitlisted", so in over 5 years I've never managed to use the points.

I guess I could use the points to stay in a hotel - but again there are restriction on travel times. I even tried to use them to buy duty free, but was told that I can only do this on certain items in the Bangkok duty free shop and not on board.

Are the points really as useless as they appear - or am I missing a trick?

Edited July 4, 2012 by Familyonthemove

[Sam Drucker]

I'm surprised at what I've read from you. As a Gold ROP member at THAI, they've been by far the easiest airline I've ever dealt with to get award seats and upgrades. Granted, I'm traveling to different markets (USA), but I've always just asked for a date, and usually gotten my first choices. And if they are not immediately available, they offer to waitlist me and (as a Gold) it typically clears the next day.

Actually, reading about others having this experience on Flyertalk years ago helped convince me to change over to THAI. (Before I was US-based and used Northwest/Delta.) After spending HOURS each time searching for flights I could use for awards with them, the award process with THAI was so easy and pleasent, I was amazed.

In fact, one point I had to consider was the lack of elite-level bonus miles with THAI. On the surface, it looks less desirable. Most other carriers are giving their elites big bonus miles for every flight (100% or more.) But the other carriers also have multi-tier awards, and I can never get the "cheap" award levels when I want them.

With THAI, they don't have bonus miles and they don't have multi-tier awards. As a Gold, getting the awards I want when I want them has been an easy, quick, and simple process. I'm happy with that!

[kurtmartens]

I have managed to use my points for every flight I take from CNX to BKK for a free business class seat each way. I fly Thai from BKK to Dubai every other month, but the company pays for those flights, so I have a lot of miles. But never have had an issue using the Thai points for domestic flights; I haven't tried international.

[RabC]

Agree. I have been a Gold card member for 6 years and never had any problems, I tend to use my free miles for tickets as opposed to upgrades as company travel puts me in First or Business anyway, have done BKK-LHR-BKK twice in First on award tickets.

[Familyonthemove]

Thanks for the replies. Must just be me! Should I take it personally? I will have 250,000 miles expiring in December, but each time I try to use the miles there's a reason why they can't do it or I get wait-listed, and as the flight date approaches I lose my nerve and book a ticket with another airline.

When wait-listed for an award ticket - do you go 'to the wire' and hope for a flight, or as mentioned by Sam do you get the flight confirmed the next day? I waited two weeks on the Wait List for a flight that leaves this evening, and yesterday I lost my nerve and booked another airline.

I use a local agent for flight bookings - could that be the issue? Does it work better if you do it yourself on-line?

I must be doing something wrong?

[Rooo]

I always manage to get my upgrades. I have just ( 3 weeks ago) redeemed Business class return to Sydney. I always call & if not happy with arrangements , ask them if they can talk to their supervisor.I'm not Gold but Silver.

[RabC]

Thanks for the replies. Must just be me! Should I take it personally? I will have 250,000 miles expiring in December, but each time I try to use the miles there's a reason why they can't do it or I get wait-listed, and as the flight date approaches I lose my nerve and book a ticket with another airline.

When wait-listed for an award ticket - do you go 'to the wire' and hope for a flight, or as mentioned by Sam do you get the flight confirmed the next day? I waited two weeks on the Wait List for a flight that leaves this evening, and yesterday I lost my nerve and booked another airline.

I use a local agent for flight bookings - could that be the issue? Does it work better if you do it yourself on-line?

I must be doing something wrong?

I am not sure about upgrades but if booking a redemption ticket you can see on-line which flights are available. Most of my redemption flights are booked well in advance and I am able to adjust times/dates by a little to ensure I get a freebie.

[Sam Drucker]

In my opinion using the local agent might be the issue. (travel agent? or THAI Agent?) I've always booked directly with THAI reservations for award travel by phone; for some reason they don't offer Los Angeles award bookings online. So while interacting with the agent, if my flight choice is not presently available for award travel, they usually offer to waitlist it and (apparently) submit a request to somebody to open a seat up. That is something that udually clears the next day. I think this is something they only do for Golds and Platinums.

Sent from my GT-N7000B using Thaivisa Connect App

Edited July 4, 2012 by Sam Drucker

[tw25rw]

I was gold for a couple of years. Have been able to use my points ok, but when I tried to use the gold upgrade, they said it was a busy time and wouldn't let me even though it was months in advance that I tried to book. I let my gold lapse and fly EVA now.

[MiG16]

I've never been a gold member.....silver at some point but not anymore

Always managed to use my miles easily though. Sometime had to be waitlisted but always got the flights I wanted. Never used miles for upgrade. But have also used for hotels. Quite ok.

If u wish to donate your unused miles I will be more than happy to help you use them up hehe

Ps maybe trick is to use for outright ticket purchase rather than upgrades? Although cant see why hotels should be a problem. Just got notice that they have reduced awards needed for all destination by 25% I think

[Sam Drucker]

Also keep in mind Familyonthemove:

Your 250,000 miles may technically expire Dec 31st, but THAI traditionally extends that to June 30th of the following year;

As a Gold member, you should have a one-time special of 50% off any award you choose before Dec 31st;

As a previous poster also said, there is a separate promotion on now of 25% off award prices.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note using Thaivisa Connect App

[Familyonthemove]

Thanks again for all the useful info. I've now received the 25% off leaflet in the post. I'll try on-line next time as I think the agent is being a bit too relaxed about the waitlisting.

I'm in the Thai Lounge now waiting for my 02:40 am Qatar flight .... and as there's no Thai flights at this time - the place looks closed. Very limited food and all cold. I bet Qatar would not be pleased if they knew their passengers are being treated like second class citizens? I'm not normally such a whiner, but the novelty of flying is wearing a bit thin. The silly ritual of airport security is my current pet peeve. In the history of fligh; has a would-be terrorist ever been discovered by a scanner? From what I've read, the terrorist are either thwarted by old-fashioned police work before they ever get to the airport - or they are over-powered mid flight by heroic passengers ..... and is there a deoderant shortage that I wasn't aware of ..... and what's with the pharting on flights - is it the low pressure or do some passengers go on a diet of curried sprouts the week before a long-haul flight?

It's my thread - so that gives me the right to go OT .... I think?

[1huahin]

Always been able to use my points but I have found that actually phoning the airline works best. Twice now I have been told on-line that I cannot use my points but a phone call has soon sorted that out especially if points are about to expire.

[bkkbarnstormer]

You n

Edited July 5, 2012 by bkkbarnstormer

[MZurf]

I've been a gold card member for years and have always found it very easy to get award flights for myself and the mrs wherever we have wanted to go, both in Asia and in Europe. They also give you some good deals every year in connection with your birthday that have been very handy.

[bangkoksimon]

Either book online or go via Thai Royal Orchid direct, I'd say your local agent is the problem, used my points many times without any real hassle.

[diggerdo]

I would suggest going on the Star Alliance website, as you can use your air miles on there too.