Originally Posted by
flyingnovice
Out of curiosity, since AA offers such a more attractive redemption scheme compared to BA/QF, why do people still credit their miles to these programmes instead of AA?
Can't speak for the QF program, but BAEC does have its merits.
The distance-based award structure makes Avios unbeatable for short-haul redemptions, intra-European or US domestic on AA. Examples: LAX-HNL is 12,500 Avios but 22,500 AA miles. AUS-DFW or LAX-SFO is 4500 Avios compared to 12,500 AA miles.
UuA: Upgrade awards cost half the Avios compared to award tickets. An especially good value is upgrading revenue WT+ "T" fares (discount premium eco) to CW (business class). For around $1,400 (cost of "T" ticket) and 1,000 Avios (net cost - the upgrade requires 14,750 Avios but then this flight earns 13,375!) I can fly from here to LAX in business class. Doing the same thing with AA would cost about the same in cash ($1,000 discounted eco ticket plus $350 co-pay) plus a net cost of 13,000 AA miles (earning 12,000 miles, upgrade cost is 25,000), AND I sit in Y for the European leg.
BAEC's expiration policies are the most generous with any activity in three years.
And they offer household accounts where a family can pool their miles - great for travel with kids where you get to use their miles without transfer fees etc.
The truly savvy Oneworld traveler maximizes value out of different programs - and should always have some Avios handy
For example, I credit my shorthaul EU flights on AB metal to AB because the earn rates for discount economy on AA just sucks with 25%. AB gives me 100%. I credit most of my car rentals to BAEC, as I get 50 miles per day on AA but 500 Avios on BA when going with Avis.
There simply is not "the" best program out there in OW-land. AA is a very good one, for sure, but it's not necessarily 'the best' for everyone.