Mileage Run Aegean – Defending Miles&Bonus Gold Status across Segments

Once you have frequent flyer status, you want to defend it every year. I have had Star Alliance Gold status with the Greek airline Aegean Airlines for almost five years now. As we hardly travelled by plane this year due to the birth of our son in January, we had to do a mileage run to extend our status.

To maintain the highest status in Miles&Bonus, Aegean Airlines' frequent flyer program, you need 12,000 miles and four segments (flights) with Aegean or Olympic Airlines each year, or 24,000 miles. I laid the groundwork for the renewal last December. At that time, I started with SAS from Stockholm to Chicago. This earned me 12,780 miles. So I only needed at least four more flights with Aegean.

How do I book a mileage run?

The goal of a mileage run is to accumulate as many frequent flyer miles as possible at the lowest possible cost. Different routings can be compared by calculating the required euro cents per mile. Mileage runs are generally most cost-effective on long-haul flights.

My booked flights

In April, the online travel agency Flugladen.de* offered a €25 voucher for flight bookings departing from Germany. This voucher could be used to book the following two flights at a low price:

1. Munich – Thessaloniki – Stuttgart (€132.58 – €25 (voucher) – €10 (cashback at qipu*) = 97,58€
2. Stuttgart – Thessaloniki – Munich (€75.33 – €25 (voucher) – €10 (cashback at qipu*) = 40,33€

The total cost was therefore just €137.91 for 2,919 status miles. At 4.72 cents per mile, these flight routes weren't exactly a bargain, but they were feasible from Munich within 24 hours and included the required four flights/segments with Aegean. A hotel in Thessaloniki was also necessary, which should correctly be added to the mileage run costs. To make the whole thing a bit more appealing, I redeemed an upgrade voucher to Business Class for each flight. Every Aegean member receives these four vouchers to requalify for Gold status.

Mileage Run Aegean / Munich – Thessaloniki / A3 501 / Business Class

Together with Robert, with whom I was doing this mileage run, I drove to Munich Airport. After a leisurely champagne breakfast in the Lufthansa Senator Lounge, we were at departure gate G10 within five minutes. There, the Aegean Airbus A320-200 (registration SX-DVU) was already waiting for boarding. Thanks to priority boarding, we were among the first on board and settled into our seats in Business Class. It was about half full, with six of the twelve seats occupied.

After taking off from runway 26L, the pilot turned south. A short time later, we flew over Lake Chiemsee and, thanks to perfect weather, had a fantastic view of the partially snow-covered Alps.

Food in Aegean Airlines Business Class on the flight to Thessaloniki

From the menu handed out before departure, I chose the monthly special (lobster tail and shrimp with sun-dried tomatoes and local pasta). Aegean currently offers dishes from a different region of Greece each month. This time it was the Cyclades islands in the Aegean Sea. Unfortunately, all the components of the dish were completely dry. What a shame! The appetizer platter also didn't suit my taste. However, the dessert, the pistachio liqueur Chios Mastiha, and an espresso managed to redeem the meal.

Landing in Thessaloniki

The plane landed in Thessaloniki on time at 1:30 pm. Unfortunately, due to a medical emergency on board, all passengers had to remain seated until the patient was unloaded through the rear left door. Afterwards, we were allowed to leave the aircraft and were taken to the terminal by a separate bus for the business class passengers.

Time-lapse of takeoff and landing

Mileage Run Aegean / Thessaloniki – Stuttgart / A3 510 / Business Class

At Thessaloniki Airport, we spent the time until our departure for Stuttgart in the Aegean Business Lounge (Lounge reviewThe big advantage is that boarding by bus is possible directly from the lounge. This saved us the walk to the gate, and we were the first passengers on the Airbus A320 (registration SX-DGB). Four more buses with passengers followed, so the plane was completely full. I suspect there were also some upgrades to business class, because when we reserved our seats at check-in, only three of the twelve available seats were actually taken. Due to the large number of passengers, our departure was delayed by twenty minutes to 5:50 p.m.

Food in Aegean Airlines Business Class on the flight to Stuttgart

The food on the way to Stuttgart was significantly better than on the flight from Munich to Thessaloniki. This time I opted for chicken skewers with potatoes in a mustard sauce with caramelized onions. The dessert—a chocolate Swiss roll, chocolate mousse, and a pastry—was absolutely fantastic. I also ordered a freshly brewed espresso. Despite the flight being completely full, the crew was extremely friendly and attentive.

Shortly after we crossed the Alps, with about 30 minutes of flight time remaining to Stuttgart, the flight attendants came through Business Class with a tray of Chios Mastiha and Metaxa. The liqueur was a lovely end to the flight. Fortunately, the cockpit crew had completely made up for our delay, and we landed on time at 7 p.m. at Stuttgart Airport. As we disembarked, we said goodbye to the crew with the words,„Hope to see you soon!“.

Mileage Run Aegean / Stuttgart – Thessaloniki / A3 511 / Business Class

Our plan was a so-called direct turnaround in Stuttgart. This meant we wanted to return to Thessaloniki on the same plane we had arrived on. Since we could go straight back to the departure area after disembarking, without having to go through security again, nothing stood in the way of our plan. We even had twenty minutes for a quick visit to the Lufthansa Senator Lounge in Stuttgart. After a Maultasche (a type of Swabian dumpling) and a beer, we headed back to the gate. Boarding had already begun, and we were among the last to board. The cabin manager's surprise at welcoming us back on board was clearly visible on her face.

On this flight, we decided to have an aperitif. The selection of spirits was good, and I treated myself to a whisky. However, since only Johnny Walker Red Label was available, and I don't like it neat, I ordered a whisky and Coke instead. The flight attendant, however, meant well and filled almost half the glass with whisky. The Coke was only there to give the long drink a light color.

Food in Aegean Airlines Business Class on the flight to Thessaloniki

The menu revealed that we could choose from the same dishes as on the Munich-Thessaloniki flight. Since I hadn't had a good experience with the lobster, I opted for the moussaka this time. It was absolutely delicious!

After our arrival at Thessaloniki Airport at 11:20 p.m., I contacted the Hotel Avalon, where we were spending the night. They sent their complimentary shuttle driver, who picked us up in front of the terminal 10 minutes later. We finished off the evening with two smuggled cans of Heineken from the lounge.

Mileage Run Aegean / Thessaloniki – Munich / A3 500 / Business Class

After a very short night, the alarm clock jolted us awake at 6 a.m. We took the shuttle back to the airport and went to the Aegean Business Lounge (Lounge reviewFinally, there was time for a coffee and some Greek yogurt. Boarding for flight A3 500 to Munich began at 7:30 a.m. When we arrived at the Airbus A320 by bus, it turned out to be an old acquaintance. The A320 with registration SX-DVU, the same one we had flown on from Munich the previous day, was parked on the tarmac. Business class was also completely booked on this morning's flight to Munich.

For breakfast, there was a choice between a simple omelet and a sfougato. This is a type of quiche from the island of Rhodes, served with sausage and ratatouille. I found the combination more interesting and wasn't disappointed. It was accompanied by Greek yogurt with honey and a selection of fruit.

I spent the rest of the flight mainly catching up on sleep. I woke up shortly before landing and prepared for arrival. Around 9 a.m., approximately 23 hours after our departure, we arrived back at Munich Airport. This concluded my mileage run to defend my Miles&Bonus Gold status for this year.

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