Credit cards for signup bonus and FFPs for Delhi-Seattle RT
Jul 27, 2014, 12:45 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2014
Programs: O6 GOLD, SPG GOLD
Posts: 122
Credit cards for signup bonus and FFPs for Delhi-Seattle RT
Hi All,
I am pretty new to all this (as will be evident through my questions) but hoping to use your advice.
Would like your views on how to go about Delhi-Seattle round trip for free / nearly free through :
1) Credit card signup bonuses and reward programs (Which CCs??)
2) FFPs and loyalty programs
Also which airline to pick ?
And if in future I need to do Chennai-Seattle then will the above choices remain same?
Kindly tell me how I can maximize profit.
Any help will be appreciated.
I am pretty new to all this (as will be evident through my questions) but hoping to use your advice.
Would like your views on how to go about Delhi-Seattle round trip for free / nearly free through :
1) Credit card signup bonuses and reward programs (Which CCs??)
2) FFPs and loyalty programs
Also which airline to pick ?
And if in future I need to do Chennai-Seattle then will the above choices remain same?
Kindly tell me how I can maximize profit.
Any help will be appreciated.
Jul 27, 2014, 4:30 pm
#2
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,634
Credit cards for signup bonus and FFPs for Delhi-Seattle RT
American Airlines is probably your best option. They have a good presence in Seattle and their partners Qatar and Sri Lankan offer good service to India. you should be able to get I think 125,000 AA miles pretty easily -- there is a 50k Visa offer out there plus a 75k MasterCard offer. Do you want to fly economy or business/first?
Jul 27, 2014, 7:55 pm
#3
Suspended
Join Date: May 2012
Location: ORD
Programs: AA, UA, AS, DL, BA, F9, IHG Plat, HH Gold, CC Gold, SPG Gold, MR Silver
Posts: 1,786
American Airlines is probably your best option. They have a good presence in Seattle and their partners Qatar and Sri Lankan offer good service to India. you should be able to get I think 125,000 AA miles pretty easily -- there is a 50k Visa offer out there plus a 75k MasterCard offer. Do you want to fly economy or business/first?
Jul 27, 2014, 9:45 pm
#4
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: LAS
Programs: DL PM, UA PS, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 4,904
Sorry, but if you're going to go with AA, the best partners out of Seattle to Delhi are Alaska and Etihad, not Sri Lankan (SL is in Asia 2, which you're not allowed to transit to India on one award) or Qatar (which has worse award availability than Etihad).
Something like SEA-LAX on Alaska, then LAX-AUH-DEL on Etihad, should work. Or via DFW as well.
I would also look into Alaska miles for flights on Emirates, since you could potentially fly SEA-DXB-DEL with just that 1 stop.
With Etihad and Emirates, both fly to MAA as well.
Something like SEA-LAX on Alaska, then LAX-AUH-DEL on Etihad, should work. Or via DFW as well.
I would also look into Alaska miles for flights on Emirates, since you could potentially fly SEA-DXB-DEL with just that 1 stop.
With Etihad and Emirates, both fly to MAA as well.
Jul 27, 2014, 11:34 pm
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,588
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)
AA recently revised its routing rules to permit a CMB connection on a North America to India/Middle East award. See the discussion in the AA forum "One Way Flex Awards" thread, and on the TB website.
Although AA does not permit travel via the Pacific on an award from North America to India, during seven months of the year one can travel from North America to India via Asia 1 (Japan and Korea) for just 47.5K AA miles one-way in Economy. A single award from North America to India via the Atlantic costs 45K AA miles one way in Economy. During a slightly different seven-month period, one can get from North America to India via the Atlantic for just 40K AA miles, by combining a North America-Europe off-peak award with a Europe to India award.
Among the AA partners that serve DEL are CX, JL, MH, AY, GF, RJ, and India's own 9W.
Originally Posted by amolkold
Sorry, but if you're going to go with AA, the best partners out of Seattle to Delhi are Alaska and Etihad, not Sri Lankan (SL is in Asia 2, which you're not allowed to transit to India on one award) or Qatar (which has worse award availability than Etihad).
Something like SEA-LAX on Alaska, then LAX-AUH-DEL on Etihad, should work. Or via DFW as well.
I would also look into Alaska miles for flights on Emirates, since you could potentially fly SEA-DXB-DEL with just that 1 stop.
With Etihad and Emirates, both fly to MAA as well.
Something like SEA-LAX on Alaska, then LAX-AUH-DEL on Etihad, should work. Or via DFW as well.
I would also look into Alaska miles for flights on Emirates, since you could potentially fly SEA-DXB-DEL with just that 1 stop.
With Etihad and Emirates, both fly to MAA as well.
Although AA does not permit travel via the Pacific on an award from North America to India, during seven months of the year one can travel from North America to India via Asia 1 (Japan and Korea) for just 47.5K AA miles one-way in Economy. A single award from North America to India via the Atlantic costs 45K AA miles one way in Economy. During a slightly different seven-month period, one can get from North America to India via the Atlantic for just 40K AA miles, by combining a North America-Europe off-peak award with a Europe to India award.
Among the AA partners that serve DEL are CX, JL, MH, AY, GF, RJ, and India's own 9W.
Jul 28, 2014, 7:28 am
#6
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 121
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)
AA recently revised its routing rules to permit a CMB connection on a North America to India/Middle East award. See the discussion in the AA forum "One Way Flex Awards" thread, and on the TB website.
Although AA does not permit travel via the Pacific on an award from North America to India, during seven months of the year one can travel from North America to India via Asia 1 (Japan and Korea) for just 47.5K AA miles one-way in Economy. A single award from North America to India via the Atlantic costs 45K AA miles one way in Economy. During a slightly different seven-month period, one can get from North America to India via the Atlantic for just 40K AA miles, by combining a North America-Europe off-peak award with a Europe to India award.
Among the AA partners that serve DEL are CX, JL, MH, AY, GF, RJ, and India's own 9W.
AA recently revised its routing rules to permit a CMB connection on a North America to India/Middle East award. See the discussion in the AA forum "One Way Flex Awards" thread, and on the TB website.
Although AA does not permit travel via the Pacific on an award from North America to India, during seven months of the year one can travel from North America to India via Asia 1 (Japan and Korea) for just 47.5K AA miles one-way in Economy. A single award from North America to India via the Atlantic costs 45K AA miles one way in Economy. During a slightly different seven-month period, one can get from North America to India via the Atlantic for just 40K AA miles, by combining a North America-Europe off-peak award with a Europe to India award.
Among the AA partners that serve DEL are CX, JL, MH, AY, GF, RJ, and India's own 9W.
Jul 29, 2014, 7:26 am
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2014
Programs: O6 GOLD, SPG GOLD
Posts: 122
so as far as I can gather, American Airlines and related CCs are the best bet.
do points from Ultimate rewards and Amex MR also transfer to AA on 1:1 basis? cause points can be racked up from sign-up bonus
What other cards beside the AA co-branded cards do you people suggest....
ok... so I did some research and found that one world airlines (BA, etc) used for India awards charge a hefty fee.
So guys in your opinion, which group would be better for economy/premium economy awards : one world or star alliance?
accordingly I will pickup the CCs
do points from Ultimate rewards and Amex MR also transfer to AA on 1:1 basis? cause points can be racked up from sign-up bonus
What other cards beside the AA co-branded cards do you people suggest....
ok... so I did some research and found that one world airlines (BA, etc) used for India awards charge a hefty fee.
So guys in your opinion, which group would be better for economy/premium economy awards : one world or star alliance?
accordingly I will pickup the CCs
Last edited by romania2007; Jul 30, 2014 at 7:31 am Reason: more info gathered
Aug 1, 2014, 2:10 am
#8
formerly sahiljain22
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: BOS;NYC;YVR;YYZ;DEL;BOM
Programs: Amex Plat; HH Diamond; SPG Plat; Hyatt Diamond; United 1K; National EE; HSBC Premier
Posts: 532
I would go the alaska route given the award space on EK and the easy 1 stop option of flying from india to seattle consistently.