MilesBuzz! - SK/CO for EWR-ARN -- $50 more for full EQMs v. 25% EQMs

Hello, long time reader, newbie poster, so apologies if this is in the wrong place.

I am looking to book a trip EWR-ARN this summer in discounted coach. On CO, flying a 757, I would accrue the full EQMs for the flight (~8000 miles). On SK, flying an Airbus 330, the all-in price is $50 less than the all-in CO fare, but I would only accrue 25% of the EQMs in my US or UA freq flyer program. Is the $50 worth it for the full number of miles, even with the trade-off of flying on a 757? Is SK's service better? Does anyone know if I'd get the full value of the miles if I had an SAS freq flyer acct, and if so, whether it would make sense to do that?

I know that the extra $50 values the additional miles at ~.008/mile.

Thanks for any advice/guidance!
Goph

Welcome to FT.

I canno´t answer to you if it will be worth it. But you could take a look at sas-forum for people´s experiences on sas´s and contineltal´s flights to ARN. There´s a thread discussing these two options. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=477469

There are other threads as well. But check out that one at least.

You´re not going to get full miles on sas even if crediting to their own EB-program.

to moderators: if this could be moved to the sas forum, he´d get way more responses

Hello, long time reader, newbie poster, so apologies if this is in the wrong place.

No worries, this will probably end up in MilesBuzz or one of the airlines programs.


I am looking to book a trip EWR-ARN this summer in discounted coach. On CO, flying a 757, I would accrue the full EQMs for the flight (~8000 miles). On SK, flying an Airbus 330, the all-in price is $50 less than the all-in CO fare, but I would only accrue 25% of the EQMs in my US or UA freq flyer program. Is the $50 worth it for the full number of miles, even with the trade-off of flying on a 757? Is SK's service better? Does anyone know if I'd get the full value of the miles if I had an SAS freq flyer acct, and if so, whether it would make sense to do that?

I know that the extra $50 values the additional miles at ~.008/mile.

Thanks for any advice/guidance!
Goph

In general, I would probably pay extra for the EQMs given the "extra" is less than $50.

That said, it would depend on whether the extra EQMs are going to get me anywhere with status. If I'm have or am trying to have status on Skyteam, then it would be worthwhile. If not, I would save the money.

Additional info:

I forgot to mention that the CO flights are non-stop, whereas the SK return from Oslo is thru CPH.

I'm not likely to be in a position to gain status on CO, but I do have 20K+ miles with them and the extra 6,000 miles means I have that many more miles towards an award ticket.

Also, there are several of us going on the trip, two of whom have never flown internationally, so presumably the cachet of flying on a foreign flag carrier might be exotic. It has been forever since I flew SK--is their service a treat compared to CO? (Ignoring the whole nordic FA issue).

Thx,
Goph

go with sas. starting off in a new mileage program might sound good.... but if you never make those extra miles towards a free CO ticket, then the 6k mileage was worth nothing.

did you check on the price for a sas ticket that accrues 100% eqm?

Also, there are several of us going on the trip, two of whom have never flown internationally, so presumably the cache of flying on a foreign flag carrier might be exotic. It has been forever since I flew SK--is their service a treat compared to CO? (Ignoring the whole nordic FA issue).

Thx,
Goph

As Helsinki Flyer suggested, you probably should read some of the threads in the SAS Eurobonus forum to get an idea of what to expect on an intercontinental flight on SAS. Honestly, I'm not sure just how much cachet there is in flying a foreign flag carrier. FWIW, I've flown SAS fairly regularly and enjoy their individual IFE. Food in Y is passable, but nothing to write home about. The A330s they fly on most transatlantic routes are pretty new and would certainly be quieter than on CO's 757s. If time is limited, a nonstop is generally to be preferred. If you're going to have to connect, though, CPH is a very nice airport to go through -- well laid out, good shops, and everyone speaks English.

As to your original question, if you're hoping to build up miles for a free trip, you'll do that a lot faster at 100% EQMs than 25% EQMs.

The amount of EQMs you'd receive depends on the fare class, not the FF program to which the mileage is credited. If you're flying W, U, K, L or G, you'll only get 25% EQMs irrespective of whether they post to a UA, US, or EB account.

Definitely looks like MilesBuzz would be a good "compromise" home for this. I'd definitely do some reading in the CO and SK forums, but since it can't be crossposted, MilesBuzz would be the appropriate home.

Dave, a.k.a. dmfriedman
Moderator, Mileage Run

100% EQM makes sense only if you expect to need those miles to cross the next elite threshold this calendar year. If EQM isn't an issue, then it may be worth accumulating miles into whatever program you expect to use in the future. Only you can decide whether the extra miles are worth $50 and making a stop.

starting off in a new mileage program might sound good.... but if you never make those extra miles towards a free CO ticket, then the 6k mileage was worth nothing.

did you check on the price for a sas ticket that accrues 100% eqm?I'd take izzik and mbreuer's advice. Sometimes 25% of the miles are worth more than 100%.

Thanks for the advice, folks. While I have been a member of OnePass for years and the full miles on the CO ticket would be welcome, we ultimately opted for the SK flights with the reduced FF miles. Main reason being that the SAS transcon flights are on widebodies rather than a 757.

Thx,
Goph