BMI Diamond - Star Alliance points

[Dakkon]

I am getting conflicting answers from BMI and other Star Alliance partners and I am wondering if someone might know for certain.

I have quite a few BMI Diamond points, can I book an economy flight with a Star Alliance partner and use the points to upgrade to business class?

Although business class will be nice it is mainly for the increased baggage allowance.

I want to fly LHR - AKL.

Thanks.

[StevieBee]

The theory is that the benefits offered by BMi should be the same for all alliance partner airlines as the scheme is run by a third party and simply white labelled to the airlines. If you can upgrade with BMi, you should be able to with the others.

Trouble is that IME, air miles or similar are deliberately difficult to do anything with.

[Deliveredenergy]

I think BMI diamond club is different to some in that you can use your miles to book book Star Alliance partner (ie. Air NZ, Singapore Airlines, Thai etc.) reward flights though the diamond club service centre, but you only use miles to upgrade existing bookings on BMI operated flights. You'd therefore need 150 000 miles for a return business class flight on a carrier other than BMI.

[Puggit]

bmi Gold here - you cannot use bmi points to upgrade *A partner flights. It sucks, and they are looking at changing it, as Diamond Club gets dragged in to LH's Miles+More scheme.

Get yourself on here for lots of info: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/bmi-diamond-club-48...