MilesBuzz! - Help me decide: CO or AZ for the YYZ-LCA flights!

I apologize if I sound like a MORON. I try and let FT wear off on me so as not to appear so, but I have some questions...

I am booked on the YYZ-LCA debacle. I currently hold no elite status on any airline. As I understand it, I will receive roughly 12k miles by putting this on my CO FF account, and 22K if I were to open a AZ FF account. I have 40k in my CO account, which I plan to use on a 35k award ticket to South America this fall. So adding miles to that account isn't the most pressing issue to get an award, etc.

I have another CO flight in June from ORD-SNN (low class/fare), which amounts to roughly 8K...so with the 12K addition for YYZ-LCA and another flight to Ireland in say November, I *should* make Silver on CO, correct?

On the other hand, I have no current plans to fly AZ anytime in the future. Do I have to fly AZ codeshare flights to add miles into that account by flying, or can I add any *a flight in? Would that give me status on AZ, which I assume will give me the same benies when booking on other *a in the future? Plus the 25k in that account (with another flight) would = a RT domestic *if* I can get another *a to post without it being AZ codeshared.

I know, I am an idiot. Can you help?

I apologize if I sound like a MORON. I try and let FT wear off on me so as not to appear so, but I have some questions...

I am booked on the YYZ-LCA debacle. I currently hold no elite status on any airline. As I understand it, I will receive roughly 12k miles by putting this on my CO FF account, and 22K if I were to open a AZ FF account. I have 40k in my CO account, which I plan to use on a 35k award ticket to South America this fall. So adding miles to that account isn't the most pressing issue to get an award, etc.

I have another CO flight in June from ORD-SNN (low class/fare), which amounts to roughly 8K...so with the 12K addition for YYZ-LCA and another flight to Ireland in say November, I *should* make Silver on CO, correct?

On the other hand, I have no current plans to fly AZ anytime in the future. Do I have to fly AZ codeshare flights to add miles into that account by flying, or can I add any *a flight in? Would that give me status on AZ, which I assume will give me the same benies when booking on other *a in the future? Plus the 25k in that account (with another flight) would = a RT domestic *if* I can get another *a to post without it being AZ codeshared.

I know, I am an idiot. Can you help?

You can credit NW, CO, DL and other SkyTeam flights -- including all of these AZ-coded flights -- to AZ's program to acquire redeemable miles and miles toward status. The downside of using AZ's program vs. NW or CO's program in your case would be that AZ elite status won't give you complimentary "domestic" US upgrades when flying NW/CO since NW/CO officially only give space available upgrades to their own elites for domestic travel.

What you should do depends on what exactly you want from your mileage program. Want domestic upgrades, use NW/CO's program. Want to be within ear shot of a domestic US award ticket from these AZ YYZ-LCA tickets, then use AZ's program since you will get 22,400 miles from a YYZ-MXP-LCA-MXP-YYZ ticket and be 2600 miles from a free ticket. (A trip to Las Vegas and back should be more than plenty to get you your next free ticket.)

Thanks GU

I think I'll go with CO:)

Looks like you are up late (early?) too. I agree with GUWonder - it depends what you want out of the program(s). I have two YYZ-LCA round trip tickets but one straddles the new year. If both were for this year, I would consider going with AZ's program since I would be Skyteam elite after the 2 round trips.

But even though I don't get NW miles for the MXP-LCA-MXP flights I will go with NW's program since I am already gold elite. So I get 100% bonus miles and the round trip in October and flight YYZ-MXP in December plus my other flying with NW and partners this year will get me platinum elite with NW by year end (first time platinum!). That in my opinion brings more benefit to me. Plus then on the return from MXP-YYZ in January 07 I get 125% bonus miles as (at that time) platinum, domestic upgrades, 125% bonus miles all of 2007 and int'l lounge access (I travel a fair amount overseas).

Great question though!

John