50,000 Barclays Lufthansa Premier Miles & More World Mastercard Offer

Posted by Noob Master on May 7, 2013 in Barclays, Credit Cards, Lufthansa, Uncategorized | 2 comments

Barclays making a splash

Recently, Barclays has been trying to compete with the big boys (Chase, Amex, Citibank) by increasing sign-up bonus on the Arrival World MasterCard to 40,000 points or $440 in travel,  and keeping the NFL card at $400 for longer than usual. Maybe Barclays is overcompensating for the eventual loss of the US Airways card, which seems to have constantly changing offers. Check out the sickdeals page to stay current on the US Airways card.

Competition amongst the banks is good for us. It means we will have options and, hopefully, lucrative sign-up bonuses when it’s time for an App Party or just time to add a card that fits your personal travel needs.

Since Barclays is here to stay, I previously wrote posts on how to reconsider a Barclays application and how many Barclaycards can you have.

I like Barclaycards because it gives me a break from Chase, Amex, and Citibank, AND they usually pull Transunion during the application process. My Transunion report is pretty spotless.

The Lufthansa Premier offer

The Lufthansa Premier Miles & More World MasterCard® offer is for 20,000 miles after your first purchase and 30,000 more miles when you spend $5,000 in the first 90 days. Spending $5,000 in 3 months is nothing to sneeze at, and I wouldn’t choose this card if it meant you wouldn’t be able to meet the $5,000 spending requirements on the Ink Bold, Ink Plus®, or The Business Gold Rewards Card®. They all have more lucrative sign-up bonuses, but meeting sign-up bonuses is easier than ever. Check out this page for tips.

Also, the Arrival card comes with a minimum spending requirement of $1,000, the NFL card comes with a spending requirement of $2,500, and the US Airways card comes with a first purchase requirement to receive the sign-up bonus. I personally find these Barclaycards to be better options, but you may already have them or want to work towards a Lufthansa premier cabin ticket (who doesn’t).

The $79 annual fee isn’t waived, but you shouldn’t have any issue getting $79 of value out of 55,000 (after the spending requirement) Lufthansa Miles & More award miles. Good news–> you will still receive the 50,000 offer if you’re approved for the lower level Lufthansa card. There’s no bait and switch maneuver here like many other Barclaycard products. That’s a win and definitely something to consider.

Here are the full bullets:

• Earn 20,000 award miles after your first purchase
• Earn an additional 30,000 award miles when you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 90 days
• Cardholders receive a companion ticket annually.
• Enjoy 2 award miles per $1 on Miles & More integrated airline ticket purchases
• Earn 1 award mile per $1 spent everywhere else
• No mileage expiration with monthly qualifying purchases
• 0% Intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 12 months after account opening, after that a variable APR currently 15.99% to 24.99% depending upon your creditworthiness.
• Please see terms and conditions for complete details

There’s a link on Flyertalk for the Lufthansa 50,000 offer with a lower spend requirement of $2,500. It appears you run the risk of being approved for a lesser version that has a lesser sign-up bonus (5,000). If your credit report is low on inquiries this is a better offer.

What to do with Miles & More award miles?

Lufthansa is a part of the Star Alliance, which means you can use their loyalty program “Miles & More” award miles to fly partners in the alliance. However, they will add fuel surcharges to all airlines, except United and US Airways, while traveling within the States/Canada. If you aren’t a member of Miles & More, sign up here. 

Here’s the Lufthansa award chart so you can check it out. You can fly domestic routes on United/US Airways for 25,000 points round-trip in economy or 35,000 in business/first. You would get two round-trip tickets with the 50,000 points sign-up bonus from the Lufthansa Premier card.

That’s nice and all, but I’m really only interested in flying First and Business Class on Lufthansa if I’m going to be earning their miles. Check out my last trip report in Lufthansa First. What can I say, I love their pretzel rolls.

There will be fees and surcharges when using the Miles & More award miles to fly premier Lufthansa flights, but they are worth it, in my opinion. It’s 85,000 Miles & More award miles (plus fees) to fly Lufthansa First one-way, or 170,000 miles for a round-trip ticket. Hefty, but adding 55,000 miles from the Lufthansa Premier card is a great starting point.

You can also top off your Lufthansa Miles & More account with SPG points earned from stays or the Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card or Starwood Preferred Guest® Business Credit Card from American Express. You will get a 5,000 bonus for every 20,000 transferred, so you have options.

Lufthansa doesn’t release First class flights to their Star Alliance partners until a few days before departure. This won’t work for most people who have to plan their trips out months in advance. But booking with Miles &  More award miles through Lufthansa’s site will give more opportunities to book those coveted First Class flights. Similar to booking Singapore premium flights through their KrisFlyer loyalty program.

Recap

I like seeing increases in sign-up bonuses. Makes me all warm and fuzzy inside. The Lufthansa Premier card won’t be for everyone, but if you’re aspiring for Lufthansa First or want two domestic flights on United or US Airways then this card could make sense for you.

Don’t forget about the other Barclaycard options out there either. One thing is for sure, Barclays is stepping up their game and that’s a good sign.

Link: The Lufthansa Premier Miles & More World MasterCard®

(Disclosure: I receive a referral credit for some of the cards mentioned in this post. Thank you for the support if you decide to apply through the blog.) 

— Noob Master

Treat Yo’ Self Trip Report: Lufthansa First Class Lounge in Munich

Posted by Noob Master on Feb 13, 2013 in Lufthansa, Trip Reports, Uncategorized | 6 comments

And it continues…

• Treat Yo’ Self Trip Report Introduction 
• Lufthansa 747-8i – IAD-FRA
• Canceled Flight Leads to Poetic Train Ride
• Lufthansa First Class Lounge in Munich

After finally arriving at the Munich airport, it was time to find the lounge. I was sleep deprived, hungry, and sure I smelled a little bit. The Munich airport was a ghost town, so I had no issues going through security and finding my way to the Lufthansa First Class lounge, which was on level 5 near gate H21. There was also an entrance on level 4 near gate G21. The lower level had the limousine service which I didn’t get to partake in. Rough life.

Lufthansa First Class Lounge

Once we figured out that I was privileged enough to enter the lounge, the service was top notch. They instantly asked if I wanted a sleeping room (was my delirium that obvious?), which I told them to hold for me. I wanted to shower and grab a quick bite to eat first.

The lounge was very nice and open, offering multiple seating options. I couldn’t wait to get cleaned up so I could enjoy myself a little. So I made my way to the back of the lounge where the showers were located.

Quick view as you enter

I was very pleased to find a full bathroom with walk-in shower. I love me a good walk-in shower. The design reminded me of the Andaz 5th Avenue. Good memories.

Plush bathroom

Shower love

After sprucing up and feeling a little bit better about my hygiene, I was off to grab a quick bite to eat. The First Class lounge had a self serve buffet and full service gourmet restaurant. Since I was tired, I opted to do a little self serving first.

Buffet

Options galore

There were plenty of options, including meats, cheeses, breads, salads, soups, and more. I decided on some sushi and lamb chops, complimented with some random strawberries. It was a cluster, but all very scrumptulescent.

My selections

I found some secluded seating to enjoy my snack.

Comfy seats

Best seats in the lounge, in my opinion. Even stayed warm by the fireplace.

Keeping warm

My next move in the lounge was to grab a nap, so I went to the front where I was led to my reserved sleeping room. I had a few hours before my flight, so I set my alarm on my iPhone and told the rep to come get me if I didn’t make it out of my room in 4 hours.

The sleeping room was very nice, but it was located near the entrance so I heard noises. I’m pretty sure I heard a dog barking, but I could’ve been dreaming. Overall though, it was a pretty sweet spot to sleep for a couple hours. The amenities weren’t bad, either.

Nice touches

That will do

I ended up sleeping a little over 2 hours. I felt recharged after my nap, so I answered a few emails and then even thought about hitting up the “cigar lounge.” Yeah, they have one of those. With top notch alcohol to pair with the cigars, too.

Cigar lounge

I opted to not hit up the cigar lounge, but instead go straight to the full service gourmet restaurant. I wasn’t necessarily hungry, but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity.

I was served their standard bread and ordered a glass of red wine to get the party going.

Starters

For my main entree, I selected Wiener Schnitzel.

Ehhh

I thought I would go local, but it wasn’t very good. Maybe my palate just doesn’t have a taste for wiener schnitzel, but I thought it was average (not that I know my wiener schnitzel).

The wine, bread, and potato salad were very tasty, though.

Summary

I really enjoyed the few hours I had to kill at the Lufthansa First Class lounge. It was a great place to clean up, rest, and eat. The service was outstanding and accommodating.

Also, the lounge wasn’t overly crowded, so that helped in creating a relaxing environment. I left the lounge on a full stomach, rested, and with a tiny buzz.

Noob it up.

— Noob Master

Treat Yo’ Self Trip Report: Canceled Flight Leads to Poetic Train Ride

Posted by Noob Master on Feb 11, 2013 in Lufthansa, Train, Trip Reports, Uncategorized | 0 comments

• Treat Yo’ Self Trip Report Introduction 
• Lufthansa 747-8i – IAD-FRA
• Canceled Flight Leads to Poetic Train Ride

I was feeling alive when we started our descent into Frankfurt. I enjoyed my time in First Class on the Lufthansa 747-8i, but I was ready for the next adventure. I thought that next adventure would be checking out the Lufthansa First Class lounge for an hour or so, and then hopping on a plane to MUC.

I wasn’t very rested since I didn’t sleep on the plane, so I was looking forward to getting to Munich to catch some sleep. But, sometimes things don’t go as planned, and this was one of those times.

It all started when we had to delay our landing for over 30 minutes, due to weather and traffic. And then when we finally did land, there were technical issues at our designated gate. It was a cluster.

Weather Trumps All

After finally getting off the plane, I had about 35 minutes before my next flight, so it was off to the races to find the gate. When I arrived at the gate, it was a ghost land, and I knew that it had happened. Canceled.

I have experienced this before with Lufthansa. Last summer, Jordan and I had a routing through Frankfurt during their “strike,” so I knew the game. I had 12 hours to get to Munich to make my flight to Bangkok, so I wasn’t freaking out…totally. I was running on fumes, though.

I took one look at the customer service line and knew I would be in it for at least 2-3 hours. Then I made my way to the Business and First Class lines and they were just as long. They sometimes take longer to get through, too, because some premium passengers can be hiiigh maintenance, and there can be fewer workers.

Oh, the people

I found a gate that had just canceled their flight, and had just a handful of people standing in line waiting to talk to a rep. This rep seemed ready to help, so I jumped in the line hoping that she could re-ticket me on Swiss or another Lufthansa partner. While waiting in line, I called United and asked them if they could put me on the Thai Airways flight to Bangkok that left later that evening. I knew about this flight, because I was hoping First Class would open up on it so I could fly directly to BKK instead of having to route through MUC. Turned out they could move me over to the flight, but it was in economy and they couldn’t guarantee that it wouldn’t be delayed/canceled as well. No thanks.

I then tried to call Lufthansa, but could never reach anyone. I had luck doing this during the “strike” and they were able to re-ticket me in a matter of minutes, but they changed their phone numbers and I couldn’t find a new one.

I was still searching for a Lufthansa phone number when it was my turn to talk to the lady rep at the gate. She was more than helpful and told me that she could put me on standby on the next flight in a few hours, but she couldn’t guarantee I would be on it (there was already a long standby line).

Normally, I would take my chances and go to the lounge to kill the time, but there were LONG lines just to get in the lounges. Ugh. I just wanted out of there.

She then offered to give me a train voucher to Munich, but told me I’d have to find my way to the airport once I arrived in Munich. I asked how long it took to train to Munich and after hearing “a little more than 3 hours” – I was in. I took the voucher and headed to the train station. Adventure on.

FRA-MUC on a train

It took a few questions, but finding the right train to Munich was pretty easy. It was crowded at first, but once we left Frankfurt, there were plenty of seats.

Punching train tickets

It was moderately comfortable, and had wi-fi, so I was happy. And I’m from Texas and have lived in Texas my whole life, so I was pretty enamored with the snowy scenery as we trained through the German countryside. Maybe it was because I hadn’t slept in 36 hours, maybe it was the wine, or maybe it was the Purity Ring on my iPod, but I was feeling this train ride. [I'm naturally cold blooded, so I was more than happy to just be looking at the snow and not actually outside in it. I mean, I wear a hoodie year round in Austin.] All this to say, I was glad that I opted to get the hell out of the Frankfurt airport and train to Munich.

Brrr

Once I arrived in Munich, it was off to find the subway to the airport, which is in… the boonies. Seriously, why put an airport in the middle of freaking nowhere? But it was easy enough to find which subway was going to the “flughafen.” I hopped on and looked forward to hitting the lounge up for a shower and nap.

I knew I was on the right subway, too, because there was a German businessman with a suitcase. I was going to get off the subway when he did, if things got confusing. Well, things got confusing.

An elderly German lady began to talk to me in German. It turns out that I may have some German blood, but I can’t speak a lick of German. I didn’t put together what she was trying to tell me until after she hopped off the train and the man with the suitcase approached me at the next stop and said, “we need to get off of here now.” Yes, sir. We began sprinting in the other direction and barely made it onto the subway. He told me that the subway had changed routes today, so we needed to switch.

I didn’t feel bad for not knowing this, because he was German and even worked at the airport and he didn’t know. Anyway, I had a great time talking to him about travel and Germany as we made our way to the airport in the boonies.

Overall, I’m never happy about cancelations, but I actually enjoyed training it through the German countryside and rubbing shoulders with some of the locals, who were all extremely nice, even if I knew some of them had to be laughing at me for wearing a light sweater during the winter. But hey, I was on my way to 90 degree temperatures in Bangkok.

— Noob Master